Rikers Public Memory Project Oral History Program

Gianina Cruz was first incarcerated at Rikers Island when she was 18 years old. After serving three terms "upstate" in state prisons, she found herself back at Rikers when COVID-19 first swept through the facility in early 2020. All 36 women in her dorm, including her, contracted the virus. She and 28 of her dormmates were hospitalized. Cruz describes Rikers Island as a place that broker her "mentally, physically, and emotionally." She got into some physical altercations there, though she tried to stay out of trouble by reading in her cell. She shares her struggles with early childhood trauma, and talks about dealing with post-incarceration depression and detoxing. (Summary written by: Annie Anderson)

Gianina Cruz

Joseph Wilson 03.30.2021

Rikers Public Memory Project and Local Voices Network virtual community conversation focusing on the harmful impact of Rikers Islands on New Yorkers. Conversation open to those impacted by Rikers. On this episode we hear from: Jenny Goldberg, Gennady Yusim, James Young lll, and Yonette Grogan.

05.27.20 RPMP LVN Convo 4

RPMP Community Conversation as part of a partnership with Local Voices Network and the Department of Health Mental Health for Take Care New York. The story-focused conversations engaged those impacted by Rikers in discussions where they:
- Shared visions, dreams, and plans for a city where every New Yorker can be healthy no matter their race, age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, immigration status, or neighborhood;
- Identified actors that are not necessarily seen as public health champions, but play a role in the health of our communities;
- Discussed the root causes of health inequities and carefully think about how to address them.
- Ensured Rikers Island is a part of the public health conversation.
 ON this episode we hear from: Brandon Holmes, Elena Weissman, and Trent Taylor

LVN DOHMH Community Convo 1 06242020

RPMP Community Conversation as part of a partnership with Local Voices Network and the Department of Health Mental Health for Take Care New York. The story-focused conversations engaged those impacted by Rikers in discussions where they:
- Shared visions, dreams, and plans for a city where every New Yorker can be healthy no matter their race, age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, immigration status, or neighborhood;
- Identified actors that are not necessarily seen as public health champions, but play a role in the health of our communities;
- Discussed the root causes of health inequities and carefully think about how to address them.
- Ensured Rikers Island is a part of the public health conversation.
On this episode we hear from : Kandra Clark, Anna Pastoressa, and Virginie Ladisch

LVN DOHMH Community Convo 2 06302020

This person spent a year at Rikers as a teenager. On his first day, he took note of how dirty and smelly the jail facility was. He remembers the mice, rats, and cockroaches. He survived a stabbing there, and also witnessed slashings and violence. "Nobody’s your friend on that whole Island," he recalls. (Summary written by: Annie Anderson)

Joseph Wilson 03.30.2021

Humanities Action Lab