Call & Response: “42 And Freedom”

To celebrate the release of NPEP student Erika Ray’s new collection of poetry 42 and Freedom, the Northwestern Insider has published four of her poems.

Two NPEP students, Dré Patterson and Broderick Hollins, responded with their reactions after reading.

“42 and Freedom is a collection of poetry I put together with the hope of expressing a reality that some women and girls, especially those of color, encounter,” Erika said. “While writing these poems, it was my hope to thread together how we survive racism, sexual violence, systemic violence, and rejection while highlighting the resilience of melanated people. Once a person is incarcerated, everything is stripped away; this often includes self-care. Creating this project was my year-long commitment to self-care.”