On a sweltering August afternoon in Chicago, a unique quilting event attracted prison reform advocates and families of incarcerated individuals.
Gathered at a gallery in East Garfield Park, participants came together with a shared mission: to create a quilt that reflects the stories and lives of those currently housed in Illinois prisons.
This event was the final session of a series organized by Walls Turned Sideways and Restore Justice, a nonprofit focused on advocating for reform in the criminal justice system.
The resulting quilt is intended to serve as a collective portrait of the nearly 29,300 inmates in Illinois, designed to hang at events and accompany activists to rallies in Springfield.
“Quilting has such a long history of being a political tool of, like, history-keeping and narrative and storytelling,” said fiber artist Stevie Emrich, who was present to guide the attendees through the creative process.
Family members and friends of incarcerated individuals took part by contributing their own quilt squares, each representing a personal connection to someone behind bars.
However, participants faced the challenging question: how do you encapsulate your loved one’s essence in a small fabric square?
Esther Clark spoke about her nephew, Darnell, who has been incarcerated since the age of 15 and is now 43.
On her quilt square, she displayed a photograph of him along with words that hold significance for Darnell, such as “Faith,” “Endurance,” and “Family Love.”
Additionally, she included the word “FREEDOM.”
“I put ‘FREEDOM.’ Because that’s what I’m looking for, freedom,” Clark expressed, highlighting the longing for her nephew’s release.
Nearby, Carmen Alequin was busy putting the final touches on her quilt square dedicated to her son, AJ, who is currently at a low-security prison.
AJ’s name was artistically spelled out in musical notes, symbolizing his passion for singing.
“I’m sorry, I’m getting emotional,” Alequin confessed, wiping away tears as she stood over her son’s portrait.
“AJ was loved, and is still loved, by many, many.”
Julie Anderson, the Outreach Director for Restore Justice and a support group leader for families with loved ones in prison, played a pivotal role in organizing the event.
She emphasized the importance of building community among participants and demonstrating to the public that the incarcerated have families who care deeply for them.
“One of the reasons we’re doing it is because creating this together, I believe, builds community, and we are a community out here of loved ones,” Anderson explained.
James Swansey, an associate policy director at Restore Justice and a former inmate, also contributed to the quilt.
He crafted a panel dedicated to his friend Judah, who remains incarcerated in another part of the state.
In the center of his square, he attached a bright orange basketball cutout to represent the game they would play together during their time behind bars.
“Judah is somebody that is definitely loved,” Swansey affirmed.
“He has a lot of support, and he’s definitely going to be somebody that’s going to do great things once he’s given a second chance.”
image source from：wbez
