A Kennesaw State graduate has started a nonprofit to help prisoners access education that could change their lives for the better.
Wende Ballew graduated from KSU with a master’s of arts in American Studies in 2011, and in 2009, she began teaching a theatre program at Lee Arrendale State Prison. Over the years, she has turned her passion for teaching into a nonprofit, called Reforming Arts.
In the beginning, professors volunteered to teach inmates anything they could contribute. Now, the program offers inmates classes in poetry, composition, math, creative writing, American studies, gender and women’s studies, theatre and visual arts.
Inmates can take these classes to gain knowledge and help them better prepare for their transition back into society. Ballew is currently working to ensure that inmates receive college credit for these classes as well.
“Our goal is to foster creative, critical thinking and transform their self-identity,” Ballew said.
“Many prisoners have had bad experiences with education,” Ballew continued. “They may identify as an inmate or as a bad student, leading themselves to believe that they are unteachable.”
Stressing the importance of education in prisons, Ballew explained that it helps prisoners return to society with more skills and higher confidence. She said that society rejects many prisoners who struggle to find loans, housing, and employment. In these cases, prisoners are more likely to return to crime as a means of survival.
“No one should be judged for the rest of their lives by the worst thing they’ve ever done,” Ballew said. “Most of us who don’t have felonies can hold our secrets.” Ballew believes that society needs to do a better job of welcoming prisoners who want to get their lives on the right track.
After working on the project for five years without earning a salary and overcoming numerous roadblocks on the path, Ballew has been blessed to gain the reward of passion and positive change.
“This has been a journey of radical compassion for me,” Ballew said. “My whole existence has changed by doing this work.”
Ballew continues working to expand the program to even more prisons, and dreams of a world where inmates have access to better education and respect.
Ballew was recently named one of Atlanta Magazine’s “Women Making a Mark 2018,” in which she was selected as one of 13 out of over 140 nominees.
