In March, the Applied Cartooning Lab was invited as a community partner (thank you, VT Humanities) to attend a special national convening, Inside & Out: The Humanities and Mass Incarceration. The Lab is currently developing a public education campaign about mass incarceration, so this was an ideal opportunity to deepen our understanding of the subject.
Often, when addressing fraught and heavy topics, it can be difficult to find ways to let the light in. Comics can be effective on that front, but I must admit I was struggling to express joy and hope while wrapping up a draft of the mass incarceration graphic guide. However, when I left the conference, I couldn’t wait to get back to the drawing board, inspired by so many enriching conversations and presentations. Who knew conferences could be so uplifting? Much appreciation to the team at Illinois Humanities who hosted this inspiring event.
—James Sturm
