New York State Literary Center

Murals for The Visiting Rooms

2010

The idea for Murals for The Visiting Rooms began with “I Am” poems written by fourth grade students at Dag Hammarskjold, School #6, Rochester City School District. Executive Director and Founder of NYSLC Dale Davis shared the poems with incarcerated youth in NYSLC’s programs at Monroe County Jail and Monroe Correctional Facility.

I am someone

whose dad is in jail.

I wonder how long he will be in there.

I hear his voice in my head

saying don’t give up. Do your best.

I see him in my head when we were together having fun.

I want to see him as soon as I can.

I am someone

whose dad is in jail.

I pretend my dad is here with me

helping me with my homework.

I feel his hugs and kisses saying I love you.

I touch the things he gave me,

and I pray at night.
I worry if my dad will get into a fight

because I don’t want him in the box.

I cry because I miss him so much.

I am someone

whose dad is in jail.

F, 4th Grade, Dag Hammarskjöld, School #6

Along with the poems, statistics and research on children whose parents are incarcerated were introduced. The incarcerated youth at both facilities became determined to reach out to young children affected by incarceration. After much discussion the idea of Murals for the Visiting Rooms at both Monroe County Jail and Monroe Correctional Facility to facilitate communication between children and their parents and siblings who are incarcerated took seed. The incarcerated youth put their thoughts and ideas into writing, sharing, and discussing them.

Visual Artist Margo Muto guided and helped develop the murals with the youth.

A Mural for the Visiting Room (top photo) has been located in the Visiting Room of Monroe County Jail since 2010. The second Mural for the Visiting Room (bottom photo) was located in the Visiting Room at Monroe Correctional Facility from 2010 - 2019. In 2019 this mural was moved to a room in Monroe County Jail.

WRITING ON MURALS FOR THE VISITING ROOMS

What is important to go on the walls of the visiting room? Something that is important to go on the wall in the visiting room is something that will inspire people to do better.

What is important to communicate to a child visiting a parent who incarcerated? Something good to communicate to a child like how it’s not good being in jail and how they should never come to a place like this.

What is important to an incarcerated parent whose child is visiting? It is important that a parent keeps his head up and tries to influence his children to not ever come to a place like this.

How can a mural in the visiting room bring families together? A mural can bring families closer because when they see this mural I want them to always think about sticking together and not to give up on each other.

I’m sorry baby girl, baby boy. I didn’t want you to see me like this I love you. I miss you. Daddy will be home soon.

I am okay. I just made the wrong decisions. Please don’t ever make any decisions where you will end up in here. I love you. Make sure you think before you act.

I will close my eyes and give you an imaginary locket. Every time you open it, there will be my heart with all my love and kisses.

I am so sorry that your dad is in jail. One thing that you need to know is that I am going to always love you your whole life. There is something you need to do to let your dad know that you need him right now. Write him a letter to let him know how you feel, and how you miss him.

While you dream about your brother, just keep in your mind that your brother is in a good place.

The mural should have parents, mothers and fathers, holding their children’s hand. It could also show a father spending time at the park with his boy or girl.

I would want my child to always tell me everything she does each day I’m not with her. I want to hear her say she is praying for me every night.

When I see my daughter, I am proud I made her and I hope I don’t lose any more time with her. I so hope she grows up to be successful and doesn’t go the wrong way I did.

I hope seeing a mural in the visiting room will bring families together by seeing what they should be doing as one and not as parts. The mural should show the person who is incarcerated (mother or father) knows what they have to do when they are released.

There isn’t any mountain high enough to keep me from you.

I want the mural to include a father and child holding hands in front of a crumbled mountain and praying hands Father forgive us. I want to mural to include two hands touching through the glass, beams passing through the glass, teardrops falling into a pond, a river with a reflection.

I dropped a tear into the ocean today.

You find it. This is the day I’ll stop loving you.

The Visiting Room

is an escape
an hour of forgetting
where I am.
Besides letters,
it is all he and I
have had for over a year now,
one hour a week.
I look forward to it.
I wait for it.
It keeps me going.

Daddy loves you, and he will be home soon.

I want to be able to play with my children and hold my children when they come to the visiting room.

Please love your dad. I will be home soon. I am sorry daddy had to go away. I miss you a lot. Daddy will learn from his mistakes and this time away from you, my beautiful children.

Murals for the Visiting Rooms at Monroe County Jail and Monroe Correctional Facility were dedicated on August 9, 2010. The murals were funded by The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation and the New York State Council on The Arts.