A Change Is Gonna Come
Annette Bonnier | New York, United States
Organization: Annette Bonnier Photography
Photographer: Annette Bonnier
Organization: Annette Bonnier Photography
Exhibit Title: A Change Is Gonna Come
Location: New York, United States
A Change Is Gonna Come
Fifteen nervous men in long black robes, surrounded by their families, friends and mentors, line up in front of a plate glass window surrounded by coils of barbed wire. The men are preparing for their Master’s Degree Graduation, Seminary class of 1996, Sing Sing Correctional Facility.
This degree will reduce their recidivism rates dramatically.
One of these inmates graduating is Bobby Lane. He was convicted for a drug related murder and has crimes that date back to his youth. I followed Bobby periodically for over 20 years and photographed his progress.
The First Step Act improved reforms in prisons nationwide. Enacted in December 2018, it funded and promoted prison reform.
Rapid nationwide spread of Covid-19 in prisons in early 2020 changed everything. Many became a breeding ground for the virus with overcrowded facilities, unsanitary conditions, tight quarters, and short supplies of masks.
“Catching the Chain” follows Bobby Lane over a 24-year period. As Bobby Lane once said, “We don’t want to define ourselves by our worst moment.”
I met Bobby Lane 25 years ago along with his graduation class at Sing Sing Correctional Institution in Upstate New York. I was amazed by the commitment and dedication these men had to reforming their lives, rejoining their communities and familes in a productive way. There have been many trials and problems along the way, but as I followed Bobby Lane and his life, I was amazed at the inspiration he has created in other prisoners as well as for me. His story is one of determination and commitment and has helped change many lives for the best.
Annette Bonnier - 305-987-9902
annettebonnier@me.com
www.annettebonnierphotography.com
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