Break Out 2023

PEN America’s Prison and Justice Writing Program presented Break Out, a celebratory book launch for Thank the Bloom: 2023 PEN Prison Writing Awards Anthology at BRIC Arts Media on December 6th, 2023. pen.org/publications/prison-w...
Break Out is an annual community-centered staging of compelling, cross-genre literary works from the most recent award cycle. A selection of awarded works from Thank the Bloom was performed by a distinguished cadre of writers, actors, and activists, including Kalyne Coleman, Suzanne Gardinier, José A. Pérez, Hugh Ryan, and Mario Finesse Wright.
Videography: José A. Pérez
Program curation: Ruby Haack and Malcolm Tariq
ASL services: Pro Bono ASL (Alberto Medero)
00:00 - Introduction
12:52 - "Mythos" by Joel Davis, read by Mario Finesse Wright
14:46 - "Prison Dad" by Andrew Suh, read by Mario Finesse Wright
23:00 - "Denouement" by Catherine LaFleur, read by Suzanne Gardinier
28:01 - "Anatomy of a Cell: Four Ways" by Emilio Fernandez, read by Suzanne Gardinier
31:51 - "The Self as an Unlit Wick in Bed" by B. Batchelor, read by José A. Pérez
33:54 - "The Bogeymen" by Rashuan Black, read by José A. Pérez
38:33 - "This Call is from an Inmate at a Federal Prison" by Eric Tscheukenow, read by Hugh Ryan
40:02 - "The Things I've Learned in Prison: a Memoir" by Marina Bueno, read by Hugh Ryan
45:36 - "Not Pictured" by C. Fausto, read by Kalyne Coleman
48:22 - "Things That Go Bump in the Night" by Crystal Avila, read by Kalyne Coleman
55:38 - "I Vaguely Recall What Flowers Are for" by Ken Meyers, read by all
Special thanks to:
BRIC Arts Media