-
For Immediate Release:
Give a Beat, DJ Times and DanceGruv Radio PresentRussell Wardlow’sProse of a ConA Six-Part Radio SeriesFeaturing Prose & Poetry from Behind Bars Read Aloud by DJsPlus Insightful Interviews and MoreOn DanceGruv RadioSunday, October 13 – Sunday, December 22, 2019LOS ANGELES, CA – October 12, 2019 – Electronic music-based nonprofit Give a Beat, DJ Times magazine and DanceGruv Radio have partnered for a new radio series called Prose of a Con featuring the poetry and prose of Russell Wardlow, a resident at Omaha Correctional Center. The six-part series will run bi-weekly from Sunday, October 13 through Sunday, December 22, 2019, at 5:00 pm EST on DanceGruv Radio with each episode showcasing Wardlow’s prose and poetry read aloud by DJs across the electronic music community. Wardlow composes his work entirely behind bars. His poignant and insightful readings speak to the healing power of artistic expression to help transcend the harsh reality of the prison system. Tune in starting October 13th at https://www.dancegruv.
net/event/proseofacon Each 30-minute episode of Prose of a Con will also include interviews with the DJs, Wardlow himself and program partners. Confirmed DJs for this series include Briddy, Blackliquid, D
J E-Clyps , Eli Goldstein (Soul Clap), Mr. V, Myxzlplix, Nickodemus, Oscar P , Pontchartrain and Stacey Hotwaxx Hale. Oscar P. is on deck for the October 13th show. All episodes will be archived on DanceGruv Radio.The pilot episode of Prose of a Con aired on Father’s Day 2019 with Detroit-based DJ, producer and social worker Pontchartrain reading “Dear Josiah” and “I Saw My Father for the First Time,” with an introduction by Wardlow himself and a conversation with his best friend Katie Andrews recorded via prison phone call. With 2.7 million Americans with a parent in prison, Give a Beat felt it pertinent to air the pilot episode on Father’s Day, which can be heard on Soundcloud:
“I was a state ward [foster child] with a mom incarcerated and father deceased,” states Wardlow. “I went from the streets to the suburbs to college to prison. I escaped one statistic to fall to the other. The two pros to this con are that I’m alive and I’ve learned. The best thing about pain is the growth in it, so I hope to share mine through motivational speaking and performance poetry.”To read more of Wardlow’s work, please visit his site at http://www.proseofacon.com.
Today, there are 70 million people that have been swept into the criminal justice system and face incredible barriers after their release. There are 40,000 legal restrictions to getting one’s life back on track after having served time. Perceptions of incarcerated people must change in order to humanize, remove the stigma and reduce recidivism.The goal of this collaboration is to change the narrative around those who have been most affected by our system of mass incarceration. The challenge is to undo decades of labeling incarcerated individuals with stigmatizing words that classify people as lesser – allowing for harsh sentencing laws, the expansion of our prison system and high recidivism rates. Of course, this makes it very difficult for those reentering society to truly get a second chance in life. Wardlow’s Prose of a Conmoniker and his use of his number, #78756, in his branding is a play on this very concept of how words are extremely powerful and ultimately can shape policy . . . but they should not define us.ABOUT:GIVE A BEAT –Give a Beat connects the electronic music community with youth and families affected by incarceration. By providing young people with access to professionals in the music industry and related arts, the nonprofit encourages young people to pursue creative career opportunities.Founded in 2014 on the positive elements in electronic music culture, such as peace, love, empathy, understanding and unity, Give a Beat approaches its programs with these values in mind. Since its inception, Give a Beat has provided more than 50 workshops to approximately 500 youths in partnership with 10 organizations — in juvenile halls, community centers and after-school programs.Give a Beat launched the Prison Electronic Music Program in two California correctional facilities in July 2019 as part of a contract awarded by California Arts Council’s Arts in Corrections (AIC) program. The goal of Give a Beat’s year-long program—which focuses on the fundamentals of DJing and beat production—is to help students develop their own sound expressions and technical acumen while also learning business development and music history.DJ TIMES –Established in 1988, DJ Times is America’s first magazine for professional DJs. Every month, more DJs turn to DJ Times than any other industry publication for information on the newest products and emerging technologies, for catching up on the latest trends and tunes, and for advice on how to go further in the craft.DANCEGRUV RADIO –DanceGruv Radio online House Music Station is a talented DJ collective that is inspired by the love of music. Its mission is to present the best DJs and artists from around the globe—24/7 dance music programming, interviews and artist spotlights.LINKS:• Prose of a Con Radio Series – https://www.dancegruv.net/event/proseofacon • Russell Wardlow’s Prose of a Con Site – http://www.proseofacon.com• Russell Wardlow’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/prose_of_a_con • Give a Beat – https://www.giveabeat.org• DJ Times – https://www.djtimes.com • DanceGruv Radio – https://www.dancegruv.net• Give a Beat Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/giveabeat • Give a Beat Twitter – https://twitter.com/igiveabeat • Give a Beat Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/giveabeat • Give a Beat Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/giveabeat • DJ Times Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DJTimesMag • DJ Times Twitter – https://twitter.com/DJTimesMag • DJ Times Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/DJTimesMag • DanceGruv Radio Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/dancegruvradio • DanceGruv Radio Twitter – https://twitter.com/dancegruvradio • DanceGruv Radio Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/DANCEGRUVRADIO ## # For more information, photos, or to schedule an interview, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.Posted on October 12th, 2019 No commentsMore info...
Clients, DJ Culture, Events, Give a Beat, Music / Sound, Nonprofit org., Press Releases antirecidivism, art4justice, artforchange, artsincorrections, Behind Bars Read Aloud, bethechange, Blackliquid, Briddy, cjreform, criminaljustice, DanceGruvRadio, dancemusic, DJ E-Clyps, DJ Times, DJs, djtimes, electronicmusic, Eli Goldstein (Soul Clap), endmassincarceration, fighthepower, giveabeat, hiphop, housemusic, justice, Katie Andrews, Mr. V, musicforgood, Myxzlplix, Nickodemus, Oscar P, poetry, Pontchartrain, prisonart, prisonreform, Prose & Poetry, radio, recidivismreduction, Russell Wardlow, schoolsnotprisons, secondchances, socialactivism, socialjustice, Stacey Hotwaxx Hale, turnontunein
![slipping-bitter-lemons](https://www.greengalactic.com/wp-content/gallery/campaign-results/slipping-bitter-lemons.jpg "Bitter Lemons - April 16, 2013 - Client: Rattlestick Playwrights Theater\'s \\"Slipping\\"")
