Open Door Project

Teacher and poet Clint Smith on why prison education is about more than just lowering re-offending rates. Here's a sneak peek from a thoughtful article: "These men are not perfect. They are complicated. They have made mistakes. In other words, they are human. And it is precisely this humanity that demands a space where they can ask and question and create and grapple with all that makes the world what it isa place where social and intellectual community might be restored in a way that reestablishes an individual’s agency. The agency a carceral institution inherently attempts to strip away." https://www.theatlantic.com//why-prison-education-/531873/

Hey friends - don't forget to check out the Strathearn ArtWalk this weekend! Artist Jared Robinson will be inviting the community to participate in the creation of a mural that we've commissioned for the Open Door Welcome Centre. Check out the details in the Edmonton Journal article below . . . http://edmontonjournal.com//wildlife-strathearn-art-walk-a

Some wisdom for your Thursday morning . . . A striking quote from Orange is the New Black's Mendoza, giving an honest glimpse into the journeys of many of our friends at The Open Door: 'Sometimes our choices are between sh**ty and sh**tier, but we still gotta own them, and somehow find some grace in it.'

What better way to spend a Saturday evening than playing an inappropriate game with good people and an even better sunset? Our Saturday Night Men's Group playing Cards Against Humanity recently.

If you find yourself in south/central Alberta any time soon, check out 'The Spitfire Grill' at Rosebud Theatre, a play about a parolee's attempt at a new life in a small town. https://rosebudtheatre.com/inde/on-stage/the-spitfire-grill

Jonathan, our men's reintegration chaplain, wrote a reflection on the necessity of siding with those on the 'wrong side' for the CRC's DoJustice blog: http://dojustice.crcna.org/article/wrong-place-right-time