Our Projects.
Through the process of writing and performing our own stories, storytellers explore, refine, and transmit deeply held beliefs about ourselves and the world, reconnecting with ourselves, separating our traumatic memories from our sense of self, and finding catharsis in presenting our truths to others.
Classes in TX Jails
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Rough Draft’s classes are facilitated by experienced storytellers with a deep understanding of the ways in which personal narrative writing fosters self-awareness and self-compassion, while sharing cultivates mutual understanding, compassion, and cohesion between community members.
Our work is informed by the principles of Narrative Therapy, an approach to therapeutic and community work that emphasizes individuals as the experts on their own lives and encourages us to re-author the dominant stories of our struggles and problems into empowering narratives of triumph, transformation, and redemption.
The Personhood Project
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The Personhood Project at its core is poetry exchange between poets and incarcerated adults, which looks to connect incarcerated writers to a larger poetry community.
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Writings in the project culminate in a podcast that explores poetry's ability to provide the tools necessary to process trauma, lead toward personal growth, and help reduce recidivism in the carceral system.
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Episodes can be found on our website and are aired once a month on San Marcos local radio at KZSM. You can also subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Relatively Speaking Podcast
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Relatively Speaking investigates a multitude of issues throughout the humanities in order to share knowledge with incarcerated individuals. Participants in the story telling classes work to craft their own story which is bookended by a discussion from a humanities scholar.
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The podcast is produced in conjunction with the Travis County Correctional Complex in Austin, TX.
Arts Programming
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Art programming encompasses the process of producing art in conjunction with narrative writing. Self expression comes in many forms and art is a way to process trauma and memories through a nonverbal medium. Participants use clay, paint, oil pastels, and collages to delve deeper into their lives and explore different facets of creativity.
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Art classes are conducted in conjunction with Life Long Learning, a San Marcos non-profit.