MDC professor’s ‘Mindful Letters’ program connects female inmates, college students
In a world filled with chaos, Carlos González looks for joy.
At Miami Dade College, where he has taught writing for 30 years, he has worked on many projects locally and internationally. He also helps others through meditation.
Now, alongside his academic role, he facilitates mindfulness classes at the Homestead women’s prison in collaboration with the nonprofit Exchange for Change.
The program he works with, González said, connects two groups with the women in prison—college students on the outside and non-college participants outside the prison—through a letter exchange.
“My goal is to share the transformative practice of meditation to anyone who would want to learn. The sessions at the prison and those I do on the outside aim to cultivate mindfulness, emotional well-being, and self-awareness, empowering participants to foster personal growth, more resilience, and greater self-acceptance, and maybe a little bit more joy.”
He said the program has had a profound impact on both incarcerated individuals and those on the outside.
“The exchange of letters allows participants to share their meditation experiences, reflections, and thoughts, fostering empathy and understanding between the two groups. It also creates a powerful sense of connection and support, enabling participants to learn from one another and find common ground despite their different backgrounds.”
At MDC he advises the student organization, LEAP, that hosts the letter exchange. LEAP stands for Letter Exchange for Awareness and Progress.
And outside of the MDC community he works with a small group that also does the letter exchange. They meet through Zoom on Tuesday nights from 8-9 p.m.
His Substack platform, the inspiring Mindful Letters, is filled with thoughts on life and purpose.
González writes there that he has had the “pleasure of helping students discover their voices while they honor and celebrate their lives.”
He is hoping that raising awareness about meditation and Exchange for Change “may inspire more people to get involved and help make a positive difference in themselves and those who are incarcerated.”
“It’s my sense that we are all struggling not only personally but on a larger level,” González said. “Many would suggest a message of hope, but for me hope has a flip side—fear. The two go hand in hand.
“Contrary to what many think, meditation does not offer hope. It offers a way of working with our suffering and developing a sense of sympathy, compassion, and friendliness that allows people to look at their situation no matter how difficult and work through it with dignity and equanimity.”
Exchange for Change started in 2014 with one writing class of 17 students at Dade Correctional Institution. It has since reached more than 1,500 students at over a half dozen institutions, including federal and juvenile residential centers in Florida. Learn more at https://www.exchange-for-change.org/
It is also part of Give Miami Day on Nov. 16. https://www.givemiamiday.org/
Grove Makers Market is Nov. 10
Join in the creative and community spirit of the upcoming holidays when the Arts & Culture Committee of The Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove presents “The Grove Makers Market-Holiday Edition.”
More than 30 talented artisans and makers will gather 12-8 p.m., Nov. 10 at 2985 S. Bayshore Dr.
Attendees will discover an eclectic array of handcrafted goods including art, crafts, jewelry, beauty products, home decor, pet accessories, handbags, and kids’ fashion. There will also be a silent auction, surprise raffles, food trucks, face painters, and live music.
A significant portion of the proceeds will go towards providing Thanksgiving meals for the Coconut Grove Crisis Food Pantry.
Learn more at www.thegrovemakersmarket.com This event is free with registration at Eventbrite. VIP early admittance tickets are $20 plus tax and include mimosas and light bites.
Veterans Day at Military Museum
Celebrate Veterans Day at the Miami-Dade Military Museum at Zoo Miami, 2-3 p.m., Nov. 11 at 12460 SW 152 St. This is also the COVID-delayed grand opening of the restored historic building that was once the CIA Headquarters for the Cuban freedom fighters of the anti-Castro exile community.
During Vietnam it was the Army Reserve Center for the 324th MASH and the Marine Corps Reserve Center from which Marines deployed for Desert Storm.
Following the ceremony, with speakers and patriotic music performed by the Zelda Glazer Miami Arts Studio High School choir and the Voices of Freedom, there will be museum tours 3-6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. More at https://www.miamimilitarymuseum.org/
Group hosts author Fabiyas M V
The South Florida Writers Association invites writers and poets to learn from Fabiyas M V who will present through ZOOM from Orumanayur village in Kerala, India. Watch from your home or gather with other writers 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Nov. 4 at the Pinecrest Library, 5835 SW 111 St. The ZOOM login is 838 9971 8493.
Fabiyas is the author of multiple books and his fiction and poetry have appeared in anthologies, magazines, and journals. Poet Keshab Sigdel calls him “an acute observer of the world, and a passionate lover of humanity.”
Fabiyas’ international accolades include the Merseyside at War Poetry Award from Liverpool University, Lest We Forget Poetry Prize from Auckland War Memorial Museum, and Animal Poetry Prize 2012 from RSPCA (Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelties against Animals, UK).
He was the finalist for Global Poetry Prize 2015 by the United Poets Laureate International (UPLI) in Vienna, and The Literary Hatchet nominated him for the Pushcart Prize.
Be sure to also check out the SFWA booth at the Miami Book Fair, Nov. 17-19, with its local writers and poets representing their publications. More at https://www.southfloridawriters.org
Write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com with news for this column.
