​AJ was selected to write a piece for the Voices of Hope “FUTURE SELF Songwriting Project” for the Voices of Hope prison choirs at the Minnesota Correctional Facilities. Voices of Hope began in 2015 as a women’s prison choir at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee (MCF-Shakopee). Over the past 6 years, the choir has grown from 15 to 50 women under the direction of Dr. Amanda Weber. In 2019, Voices of Hope expanded with the launch of a men’s prison choir at MCF-Stillwater. For both ensembles, the goal of our music-making is to empower participants to build community inside and outside the prison as a means of restorative justice.

​For more information on Voices of Hope, here is a TEDx talk by Dr. Amanda Weber.