Ahead of the launch of her collection of poetry, “42 and Freedom,” at The Sweden Shop in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood on August 27, NPEP Logan student Erika Ray shared more about the ideas behind the collection and how it came about.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Tell us about “42 and Freedom.” What is the meaning behind the collection’s title? What are some of the stories and themes you explore?
“42 and Freedom” is a collection of poetry I put together with the hope of expressing a reality that some women and girls, especially those of color, encounter. While writing these poems, it was my hope to thread together how we survive racism, sexual violence, systemic violence, and rejection while highlighting the resilience of melanated people. Once a person is incarcerated, everything is stripped away; this often includes self-care. Creating this project was my year-long commitment to self-care.
I titled this book “42 and Freedom” as a gift to myself for my 42nd birthday, which is this year. My sentence length is also 42 years. “Freedom” represents my sentence and rejects these types of sentences imposed on people in their own country.
I have shared many stories and themes inside these poems, but if I had to choose any of these poems to highlight the book, it would most definitely be “No Wisdom” and “Useful Weapon.” These two poems bring together how we experience bloodshed, violence, and relationships; they also show how we can use poetry, language, and storytelling to revolutionize how we survive harm and build new identities.
Erika Ray is an NPEP student at Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, Illinois.
Why did you decide you wanted to write this collection? How did it come to fruition?
As I mentioned, I wrote “42 and Freedom” as a form of self-care, but it’s also a gift to my daughter, the women and girls who are victims of violence, and the melanated women and girls who are unable to voice the grievous violence against them.
After completing my book of poetry, the dedicated Writing Place staff — Sanjana Subramaniam and Barbra Shwom — helped me to edit my book. Together, we completed five rounds of editing, and Carletta Patterson, the co-owner of Hear Her, completed the sixth and final round of editing before giving the green light to NPEP and Quartet Printing Company to move forward. Now, “42 and Freedom” is available for sale on Amazon and at a Chicago bookstore called The Sweden Shop, which is the same place we are hosting the book launch.
I think this project was able to come to fruition because I am in a constant state of surviving prison. The prison culture frequently gives rise to conditions that cultivate hostility, abuse, racism, and misuse of power. Through my commitment to observing, reflecting, and candidly confronting harsh realities, I have been able to complete this work. This is all thanks to the generous donation from Moms United Against Violence and Incarceration.
RSVP to “42 and freedom” launch
On August 27, 2023, The Sweden Shop in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood will host the launch of Erika’s collection of poems, “42 and Freedom.”
What do you hope to achieve with this collection?
My hope is to inspire more silent poets in this world and give them the courage to write about their authentic selves and the traumas they have endured. I also hope to transform the way we express and live inside poetry.
Did any learnings from NPEP help inform parts of the collection?
“No Political Agenda” is inspired by our discussions on politics, as many of our classes have exposed and allowed us to see how we in America engage in tribalism when dealing with the two-party system of government. The classes have taught me to see beyond buzzwords and name recognition and provided me with the ability to see how policies truly impact decisions.
You’re about to have your collection read at a bookstore in one of the country’s biggest cities. Did you envision something like this could happen?
I didn’t think my book being read inside a bookstore in Chicago would ever happen. I think this whole experience has been amazing and, especially with me being in prison, it truly shows that with a great team and a loving and dedicated community who is willing to help bring a dream into reality, anything is possible.
Are there any particular people you’d like to thank?
Sanjana Subramaniam, thank you for your tireless work and editing. Professor Jennifer Lackey, thank you for creating a space through NPEP for me. Cohort 1 at Logan, thank you for living, surviving, and building with me.
Thank you to Professor Barbara Shwom, Holly Krig, Moms United Against Violence and Incarceration, Maya Schenwar from Love & Protect, Chris Linster from Quartet Digital Printing, Rickey Evans who helped with the book cover, and Carletta Patterson, my contributor. Thank you to the poets who have inspired me. Thank you to my daughter, my sister, my friends, and to all the women who hold on to their magic through art and language.