Dr. Kelly discusses how theory from disability studies, cultural studies,
and intersectional feminism informs their mutual aid work. In particular,
she will discuss why she chose to work with her community to start a
fridge, how this has assisted in developing community in the area, and ways you can contribute to mutual aid in your area.

Dr. Kelly is a lecturing faculty at CSUN in the Communication Studies and
Special Education Departments. Her research areas include disability studies,
critical university studies, and queer studies. They are also the co-director of the
CSUN Explorers program, which serves students with intellectual and
developmental disabilities.

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The Ripple Effect of College Prison Programs explores what becomes possible when higher education enters spaces designed for punishment and isolation. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Taffany Lim, an educator and leader whose work with the Cal State LA Prison Graduation Initiative has helped transform lives and the institutions surrounding them.

Dr. Lim’s 2025 Bloomsbury book, The Ripple Effect of College Prison Programs: Hope, Humanity, and Transformation, brings this work to life through vivid, human stories. The book is introduced by Dr. Lim and co written with thirteen graduates of the Cal State LA program men who earned their bachelor’s degrees while incarcerated and, for many, crossed the stage as free people in 2021.

We are also joined by three of those graduates, Samuel Nathaniel Brown, Billy G, and Thaisan Nguon. Together, they share what education made possible inside, what it demanded of them, and what it continues to change beyond the prison walls. This conversation centers hope, dignity, and the lasting impact of opportunity, not only on individuals, but on families, communities, and systems.

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Edwin Cruz is a seasoned professional with over seven years of experience in community advocacy, peer support, and program leadership. As a Peer Support Specialist with the State of California, he assisted clients in transitioning between levels of care, setting recovery goals, and managing mental health challenges. Previously, he served as a Support Group Facilitator and Community Advocate, leading initiatives to deter juvenile delinquency and promote rehabilitation through self-help programs and impactful community events. He was featured in the short film, 5 Block: From Hell to Hope, where he demonstrated his passion for poetry and creative writing. Edwin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from California State University, Los Angeles; he currently works with the Compassion Prison Project, creating trauma-informed prisons and communities focused on childhood trauma, and with The Prism Way, providing holistic resources to heal, rehabilitate, and reintegrate justice-impacted individuals. Driven by a passion for service, Edwin’s dedication and innovative approach continue to make a lasting impact in every role he undertakes.

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In a departure from our usual focus on drama therapy and arts in prison, this special episode confronts an urgent global threat: the rise of authoritarianism and the disturbing shift in U.S. foreign policy toward aligning with Russia against Ukraine.

We’re honored to welcome Dr. Marina Levina, a leading voice in media and critical cultural studies, whose research on monstrosity, propaganda, and imperialism sheds light on the silence surrounding Russian colonial violence. In conversation with Kamran Afary, Dr. Levina unpacks the February 28th diplomatic humiliation of President Zelensky, the U.S. vote against condemning Russia’s invasion at the UN, and the ideological realignment that threatens not only Ukraine’s sovereignty but global democratic struggles.

Later in the episode, Frieda Afary introduces a powerful feminist documentary on Ukrainian resistance and shares reflections on the intersections of gender, imperialism, and freedom.

This is a call to break the silence. Tune in. Speak up.

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Samuel Nathaniel Brown, a dedicated advocate and former incarcerated individual, spent 24 years challenging the inhumanity of the current prison system. He champions innovative rehabilitation approaches for successful societal reintegration. Sam's incarceration journey exemplifies reentry success, showcasing his unwavering determination and the vital support networks needed for human rights advocacy.

During his time in prison, Sam initiated the 10P Program, guiding incarcerated persons from anti-social to pro-social mindsets, emphasizing personal growth and transformation.

Samuel is a fervent supporter of The California Abolition Act (ACA 3), a constitutional amendment aimed at ending prisoner slavery, promoting rehabilitation, and stopping forced labor exploitation. The goal is to facilitate the transition of individuals leaving prison into contributing members of society.

In 2014, Sam introduced "The Theory of Emotional Illiteracy-Based Criminality," linking adverse childhood experiences to criminal behaviors as coping mechanisms.

A significant milestone in his journey occurred when, a few months before his release, he became one of the first to graduate with a bachelor's degree in communication studies through Cal State LA's Prison B.A. Graduation Initiative.

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In 1999, at the age of 18, Joey Pagaduan was sentenced to life in prison. Joey was found suitable by the California Board of Parole Hearings in 2020, but his suitability was unilaterally reversed by Governor Gavin Newsome. Two years later, Joey was found suitable again and, after 23 years, was released on June 30, 2022.

Joey is an accomplished actor having played Hamlet, Bottom in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Master Harold in “Master Harold and the Boys,” and many other roles at Shakespeare at Solano. He founded P@S – Performances @ Solano – to give theatre artists and musicians opportunities to write, workshop, and perform their original works. For P@S, he has written and directed several short plays. He was also the editor-in-chief and photographer for the Solano Vision newspaper. Joey is working as a Certified Addiction Counselor, currently enrolled in a coding bootcamp through CSU Eastbay, and a Designing Creative Futures internship with California Lawyers for the Arts and Marin Shakespeare Company.

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This episode is an audio extract of a presentation that took place during the NYU Drama Therapy Research Symposium 2023, hosted by the NYU Program in Drama Therapy and Theatre and Health Lab.

View the full video presentation here.

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Justin Hong was incarcerated for 14 years where he was a part of California’s first in-person BA degree program in communication studies. It was in prison where he discovered his passion for art and acting and where he performed in several theater programs. Since his release he has earned a BA degree in organizational communication. He lives in Los Angeles where he is a  working actor and tattoo artist.

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This special episode of drama therapy Collection is on the creative healing work of Spoon Jackson during incarceration. Jackson is a renowned poet and performer serving a life sentence in California. The program is in two parts. Part one is a documentary-presentation by Lynn Baker-Nauman on the healing aspects of Spoon's therapeutic performance in a production of "Waiting for Godot" and his other creative endeavors. This part was presented in 2021 at the annual conference of the European drama therapy association under the theme of "Who is Godot"?   Part II, is an interview with Spoon Jackson conducted over the phone in July 2022.

Learn More About Spoon Jackson:  https://www.spoonjackson.org/
Uncuffed: https://open.spotify.com/show/1p0cNCUK5h0Df8TcNfC0fh
Book Of Judith: https://nyupress.org/9781613321744/the-book-of-judith/
The Prison Music Project: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZDdVMfkWZK9dYozLiCl6f 

Drama Therapy Collection YouTube Channel

This special episode of drama therapy Collection is on the creative healing work of Spoon Jackson during incarceration. Jackson is a renowned poet and performer serving a life sentence in California. The program is in two parts.
Part one is a documentary-presentation by Lynn Baker-Nauman on the healing aspects of Spoon's therapeutic performance in a production of "Waiting for Godot" and his other creative endeavors. This part was presented in 2021 at the annual conference of the European drama therapy association under the theme of "Who is Godot"?   

Stay Tuned For Part 2!

Learn More About Spoon Jackson:  https://www.spoonjackson.org/
Uncuffed: https://open.spotify.com/show/1p0cNCUK5h0Df8TcNfC0fh
Book Of Judith: https://nyupress.org/9781613321744/the-book-of-judith/
The Prison Music Project: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZDdVMfkWZK9dYozLiCl6f 

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Duncan Martinez was part of the first cohort to participate in Cal State LA’s Prison BA initiative. On October 5th he participated in a historic graduation ceremony in
Lancaster along with 25 others, an event that was covered by major national and local news
media, including LA Times, NPR, CNN, MSNBC, and more. Duncan is highly respected and
admired for his achievements by faculty across the department who taught in Lancaster during the past five years.

View more of Duncan's work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltX-ZqB7qF4
https://vimeo.com/showcase/7155653/video/420760560
Journal (volume 3) Cal State LA: www.prisonbajournal.org

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Tue Huynh is a formerly incarcerated person who participated in theater work while in prison.
His interview focuses on his journey from a hesitant participant to someone who gained skills in public speaking and advocacy, defending himself in court and winning his immigration case to stay in the United States upon release. He shares the empathy he experienced for his father while playing the role of a father onstage. He shares, “If I can do acting class, I can do anything else.”(7:50-7:56)
The skills of visualizing a role and the discipline of rehearsal directly helped him take on his own case. You can read more about his work at www.tuehuynh.com

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Louie Brash, Ensemble Member, Project Re/Frame, is a passionate advocate, artist, and dog trainer. He lives his life with compassion and empathy and has an unflinching belief in the goodness of people. 

While he was at California State Prison-Lancaster, Louie began developing leadership capacity – promoting, creating, and facilitating numerous self-help classes and participating in numerous theatre workshops. Due to his positive programming, Louie was transferred to the Progressive Programming Facility (PPF) on “A” Yard where he became a member of Paws for Life K9 Rescue (PFLK9R) and participated in Convicts Reaching Out to People (CROP–a youth diversion program) and TheatreWorkers Project’s Life Stories from the Inside/Out, collaborating with his peers to create and perform in two theatre pieces.Since his release, Louie’s commitment to his transformation has not wavered. He continues to give back to the community by doing work in Restorative Justice and volunteering with PFLK9R. He has plans to finish school to earn a BA degree and looks forward to working with Project Re/Frame.

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Monica Phinney is a Registered Drama Therapist who worked with filmmaker Robert Greene, on his latest documentary, Procession (now available on Netflix).

Monica specializes in using theatre and roleplay alongside other expressive arts to achieve therapeutic and educational goals. Her past roles include engaging the arts in hospitals, nonprofit organizations, theatres, schools, and most recently on a feature film set.

 https://www.heartwork.studio/about-us
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14300912/

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Trung Tong is a formerly-incarcerated person who is currently working as a substance-use counselor with Options Recovery Services. He is an undergraduate student at San Francisco State University majoring in Psychology. During his incarceration, he was a member of Marin Shakespeare Company’s Shakespeare for Social Justice program at Solano State Prison and San Quentin State Prison. Upon parole, he performed with Marin Shakespeare Company’s Returned Citizen Theatre Troupe. In his interview, Trung shares his healing experience of having a platform to “express himself” and the process of unlocking the pain he held in his body while in a toxic environment. You can read more about his work at http://linkedin.com/in/trungtong-sudcc.

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Daniel Whitlow is a current graduate student of communication studies who served 22 years in prison—much of it as a juvenile sentenced to life without the possibility of parole (LWOP). In the interview, Whitlow details the profound impact of studying narrative practices and engaging in performance through Narradrama.

The Drama Therapy in Prisons Collection can be accessed by the general public at:

https://dramatherapyabroad.wixsite.com/dtcollection/drama-therapy-in-prisons

New contributions to the collection are welcome. Contact the editors for more information on how you can propose additional recorded interviews and resources. 

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Juan Carlos Meza was incarcerated for over 20 years. He talks about his de-humanizing experience and how drama therapy helped him find and express his humanity. It also gave him a chance to help others inside and show them a way to find their humanity by having it be okay to access emotions and share their stories. Through doing Shakespeare with Marin Shakespeare Company and the Parallel Play process, Meza was able to write his own material. Even more importantly for him was being cast in other people’s material and performing their stories. There he found a reciprocal healing process. You can read more about his work at http://www.aesq.info/about-us/.

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John Bergman is an internationally renowned drama therapist, theater worker, Visiting Associate Professor at Hollins University, and the director of The Geese Theater Company. In his interview, he shares about the primal nature of drama therapy. He speaks on the hunger of the people incarcerated for this type of work and that focusing on the whole institution, including the correctional officers, is key. He shares that drama therapy is a great pathway for people who have had challenging experiences with psychologists or traditional therapy. He believes that drama therapists have the most tools to work with people who have experienced life’s greatest challenges. 

Drama Therapy Collection YouTube Channel

Stephanie Wichmann, MSW, LICSW, RDT is on the teaching staff at SoCal Drama Therapy Centre teaching Special Populations with Drama Therapy courses. Stephanie was a NADTA alternative training (AT) drama therapy student, receiving her RDT certification in 2014. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 12 years experience utilizing her professional theater and comedy background as a means of individual/community engagement and therapy. She has worked across the age spectrum: children, teens, adult and older adults. Primary practice settings include hospitals, community organizations. Areas of specialization include: working with those affected by chronic illness, eating disorders, adjustment disorders, and learning disabilities.  Stephanie is a consultant, speaker, and trainer on improvisation for change, humor and healing, creativity in the workplace, and cultivating resiliency through the dramatic art. 

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Armand Volkas is a drama therapist who wears many hats. He is also the clinical director of Living Arts Center and the Playback ensemble director. Among many other things, Volkas created Healing the Wounds of History, a drama therapy approach that leads to healing and transformation of intercultural conflicts and intergenerational trauma. When it comes to prison work, he shares a story of being contacted by a public defender to work with an incarcerated person before their trial. Using action methods he also helped trial lawyers brings up ethical issues. Volkas wrestles with the complexities of possibly aiding someone who is guilty get off with a lighter sentence. You can read more about his work at https://www.healingthewoundsofhistory.org.

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Ellen Williams is an associate professor at Rutgers University and director of a 4H youth development program. 4H stands for head, heart, hands, and health. In her half hour interview, she explains in detail that she is not be a part of the system, clearly wanting to show that she does not support the conditions in prisons.

The Drama Therapy in Prisons Collection can be accessed by the general public at:

https://dramatherapyabroad.wixsite.com/dtcollection/drama-therapy-in-prisons

New contributions to the c1ollection are welcome. Contact the editors for more information on how you can propose additional recorded interviews and resources. 

Drama Therapy Collection YouTube Channel

Suraya Keating is the director of Shakespeare for Social Justice with Marin Shakespeare Company. She works with people who are currently and formerly incarcerated. Inside she teaches and directs students in Shakespeare plays. She also developed the Parallel Play, a creative and expressive performance process that follows the semester in which a Shakespeare play has been performed. Students are asked to take themes from the play and create original material based on their own life experiences. In addition to performing their pieces, the parallel play creates bridges of love and compassion for oneself and others. Keating believes the work to open our hearts and minds can influence policy for people inside and outside by shifting mindsets. You can read more about her work athttps://suraya.org.

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Linda Gregoric Cook is a past president of NADTA (1995-97). In her hour-long interview she details the educational background and professional training that led her to start one of the earliest drama therapy programs in prisons in the 1970s, a program that lasted over a decade and received a great deal of recognition and support.

To view the interview with Linda Gregoric Cook, visit the DTC YouTube channel. 

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Rhodessa Jones identifies as an activist/artist and is the founder of the Medea Project: Theater for Incarcerated Women, an award-winning performance workshop committed to the personal and social transformation of women since 1989. She is also the co-founder of the critically acclaimed performance company, Cultural Odyssey.  Jones has been widely published with accounts of her work and methodology as well as the recipient of many fellowships and grants. She has taught at multiple universities and institutions internationally. With the motto of ART SAVES LIVES, Jones shares in the interview how theatre saved her life and why her continued mission to work with incarcerated women is still strong 50 years since her connection to Arts-in-Corrections began. She shows up “…interested in telling the truth and practicing revolution” (9:14-9:20) and shares generously from her wisdom. You can read more about her work at https://themedeaproject.weebly.com/.
 
To view the interview with Rhodessa Jones, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR68Q1czwvs&list=PLJNZKBMPTaD8RsxsXUu4kexaIupGnai7t&index=16

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Zeina Daccache is a drama therapist, Board Certified Trainer, and founder of Catharsis: Lebanese Center for Drama Therapy. Their mission is to spread drama therapy around the country and region. They are mainly known for their work in Lebanese prisons. They also work with Palestinian refugees, Syrian refugees, migrant domestic workers, and anyone who would like to benefit from drama therapy, including corporations. Catharsis also has a training program for people aiming to become drama therapists. There were many challenges to working in the prisons, especially in face of the government and officials. Daccache describes her process of beginning work in Roumieh Prison, the largest prison in Lebanon. She describes her work starting as a drama therapist, then acting as a lawyer, an advocate, family mediator, and even involved in the inmates’ healthcare. Daccache also describes her work with women who experienced domestic violence. Daccache’s work has helped to change laws for justice impacted people in Lebanon. You can read more about her work at http://www.catharsislcdt.org/.

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