In the spring of 2024, CCBF hosted a workshop series with a small cohort of participants who have been directly impacted by electronic monitoring (EM). This first cohort met for four workshop sessions with project facilitators Keisa, Dash, and Bethany. The workshops gave an overview on the history of zines, political education on abolition and pretrial incarceration, and created space for discussion about the status quo, personal stories, and the impact of EM on individuals, loved ones, and communities. The group also created a small zine together during the workshops. 

After the workshops, CCBF put out a call for zine submissions from community members for the first printed Shifting the Narrative zine. Workshop participants and leaders also held two co-creating spaces together to help them workshop their own writing and art in preparation for submissions to the zine. Project leaders designed, edited, and prepared the final zine for publication. On June 22nd, CCBF launched Shifting the Narrative at a community event at Haymarket House, which also marked the end of CCBF’s programming as the organization sunsets. Everyone who submitted to the zine was invited to participate and share their personal stories and work at the launch event. 

Every story was different – some artists have experienced both electronic monitoring and prison, some only EM. But all stories had something in common: there is pain there, yes, but there is also a strength and resiliency in telling our stories, in being heard, in being in community.

CCBF wants to give a huge thank you to Illinois Humanities for supporting this project with an Envisioning Justice Grant, which supported program facilitators, workshop participants, creatives who contributed submissions, printing costs, and the launch event. This project would not have been possible without this funding, and we appreciate Illinois Humanities’ commitment to support art and community-led projects throughout our state.

Please follow Shifting the Narrative as they continue this project as a zine series in community outside of CCBF. Another workshop cohort and work toward a second zine will be underway soon!