Interested in getting a pen pal? On Friday Nov. 12 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the New Paltz LGBTQ+ Resource Center is hosting a pen pal event to connect students with queer and trans inmates who are currently incarerated in California. The event will take place in the Student Union Building (SUB) in room 100N.
The letters will be sent as part of the Power Blossoms Project, which sets up incarcerated queer and trans inmates with a pen pal.
Most of the pen pal programs have been suspended due to COVID-19 — but the birthday card program is still up and running!
“Through our letter-writing program, we refuse the boundaries forcibly erected between us and open up lines of contact that guide the rest of our work,” states the Power Blossom’s website. “This contact includes care packages to stave off the conditions of constant emergency designed to subdue defiance, legal support in the service of autonomy and self-advocacy, and reentry support that prioritizes mutual aid in order to grow the capacity of our own communities.”
It’s really simple — no supplies or artistic ability is required.
Students are encouraged to come and write as simple or as heartfelt letters as they please. If they feel like they are ready to commit to a pen pal, students can include a return address on their letters so they can start a long-distance friendship!
For the information about the event, visit the LGBTQ+ Resource Center’s Instagram, @NPLGBTQ. For more information about the Power Blossoms program, visit their website www.powerblossoms.org.
