Grace Gamez, Bridges

Two years ago, Dr. Grace Gamez demonstrated enormous courage by taking the Odyssey stage to tell a very personal, very emotional story about rebuilding her life following her release from jail. From Grace's Odyssey bio: Dr. Grace Gamez is a mother, activist and scholar.  Her research, coupled with her own personal experience in the system, provides her with intimate knowledge regarding the structure, operation, and intended consequences of the criminal punishment system; particularly, how it impacts women and families.  She holds a PhD in Justice Studies from Arizona State University, a Master's of Science in Mexican American Studies and Public Health form the University of Arizona.  Her recent research explores the role of motherhood in relation to the long lasting effects imposed by criminal identity.  Through testimonials of formerly incarcerated/convicted mothers, her work illustrates how law shapes social perceptions and existence by placing mothers with conviction histories outside of the boundaries of normality. Her community involvement includes being a founding member of the Arizona Ethnic Studies Network, which organized campus and community actions in defense of Arizona's Ethnic Studies programs, including a Banned Book Reading at the State Capitol.  Dr. Gamez is inspired and motivated by creative insurgence-principally, what people create in the absence of institutional liberty. This episode was performed and recorded in front of a live audience at The Screening Room on February 4th, 2016, and curated by Jen Nowicki Clark. For more information about Odyssey Storytelling, please visit www.odysseystorytelling.com