Justin:

Reflecting on the Introduction (Cutting School) 

This opening resonated strongly with me for a number of reasons, at first, it brought me back to the fifth grade, meeting the teacher that was most receptive to my creative imagination and learning style- CHAOS: showing off, talking out of turn, talking over others, talking with no filter. Mrs. Brown was the first and only grade level teacher to actually see me. She seen the kid with displaced anger behind the antics. The kid that was in need of a hug rather than a suspension.

As Benjamin writes in the introduction, Mrs. Brown "gifted time and space" to me, she gave me an opportunity "to imagine differently." 

Mrs. Brown's teaching style was grounded by care, she seen my gifts same as all my classmates, they were no "different" than me and I no "different" than them, antics and all. 

We were all "different" in Mrs. Brown's heart and mind than the statistical projections foreshadowing our futures by the "tyranny of dominant imaginaries" orchestrating our gifts "snuffed out," instead of "cultivated." Mrs. Brown seen us, she seen me! I was able to excel in that space and that year because Mrs. Brown seen me, I was no more gifted or less gifted then the next child, and we were collectively no more gifted or less gifted than the schoolchildren in the suburbs. The introduction resonated with me particularly because I was never gifted with this type of Ruha Benjamin/Mrs. Brown 'time and space' in school moving forward. 

I experienced the flip side of Mrs. Brown's gifting, suspensions rather than hugs. Kicked out of middle school and sent to an alternative school, (a disciplinary school in a sectioned off half of an elementary school - the other half a daycare school for pregnant high schoolers and teenage mothers of newborns). This school eventually evolved, after I dropped out of high school in the ninth grade, struggling to get back in later on, I was sent to this very same school where I was pushed out of the educational system completely. After just a few weeks, my diploma mailed to me and the door slammed shut, more like the gate. This is the school-to-prison pipeline. And the prison gate has closed behind me, along with most of my peers I attended those same alternative schools with. 

I knew then, but know more now, that this pipeline was created for my classmates who were predominantly schoolchildren of color within a "world that relies on social inequality to keep its machinery running," a world where a "handful of Black and Brown unicorns in honor classes and gifted programs" attempts to conceal the "broader patterns of exclusion." I know more now because most of my current classmates in higher education in prison are students of color.

I love the way Benjamin confronts her past, the Pelican Program that afforded her "Freedom Fridays," and the ability to 'dance, sing, and create poetry' --- a day "full of expressiveness, friendship, and play." 

By recognizing Her involvement, and that of her Two friends access (time and space) to this program, Benjamin is amplifying the inherently exclusive nature of it and calling out similar programs in existence, challenging us as readers to collectively imagine a world that 'cultivates' every single child's imagination and not a select few "unicorns." A society, as Benjamin says, where we don't "police our own imaginations: A world without prisons... Schools that foster the genius of every child... Work that doesn't grind us to the bone... A society where everyone has food, shelter, and love," where the school-to-prison pipeline is dismantled and the next generation grows up with the freedom to imagine- as we collectively protect and cultivate that freedom of imagination. These are some of my favorite moments throughout the book, the questions Benjamin poses to us. I have a lot more to respond to and hope we can imagine ways in which we can attempt to answer some of the questions collectively.

Evan:

'' Imagination: A Manifesto '' is definitely fire. I love the strength that Ruha writes with. There's a tone to it, a air of militancy, that reminds me of the discipline and dedication it takes to combat the still standing realities of colonization. At the same time, there is grace, and welcoming vibe to it too, a voice, that feels comforting, welcoming, like we here now peoples, pull up a chair, let's build. I JUST finished the chapter on eugenics. and it was insightful to say the least. To think that eugenics could still be actively be playing a part in decisions like less funding for schools in urban school districts is OUTRAGEOUS! but not surprising, sadly. imagine the other sects of society this pseudo science is still informing... there's a prompt right there. but with that! I'm looking forward to the chapter on justice. we'll definitely chop it up!

Justin:

In that chapter, three, Imagining Eugenics, I wonder what you think about Ruha saying that we need to pay attention to where are "innermost thoughts and desires" come from? How institutions project their white supremacy, patriarchy, albeism, and class oppression on us and we breathe that shit in and exhale it out. Do you think this is inherent in all or most institutions? If so, what other options do we have besides institutions to serve our society- hospitals, schools, daycare, grocers, etc.? In the spirit of Ruha, what other options can we imagine? 

I'm also interested to know what you thought of the section on prisoners and creativity, creativity and prison brutality, and the paragraphs on the policing of the Black imagination and what she names as "state-sanctioned deprivation"? (Man that chapter was crazy) (Also have to mention how dope the Black Girl Gamers digital space is... Fire!)…

“They tried to bury us, they didn't know we were seeds" (chp. 4)   

"Fact is, research piled high shows that investment in public services like guaranteed basic income, summer job programs, housing support, and healthcare access is much more effective at making communities safe because it addresses people's fundamental needs." (chp. 5) 

In chapters 4 and 5, 'Imagining Justice,' and 'Imagining The Future,' I think Ruha really allows the reader to see their role in the process. Our roles are inevitable, which is why at the end of the quote above is why she asks: "Which one will you invest in?" Referring to investment into punishment or investment into people. She doesn't ask, 'Will you invest,' because in every action we are investing one way or another. That's one of the most powerful takeaways from this book. And I say all of this and use these two quotes to answer some of your questions and respond to some of your points. 

Evan:

You already know I had that quote highlighted: '' They tried to bury us, they didn't know we are seeds '' ! SUPER FACTS! The more I sit and contemplate the series of events that have led to me being exiled, the louder that quote resonates. I'm living it, growing through it. I know they feel like failures when they see us succeed. and throughout the whole ordeal, they made that shit clear as can be. But, one thing they could have never imagined, was how deeply rooted that solidarity is ingrained in all of us. And so, what they thought was a setback was really just a set up for us to continue to imagine, and grow. I'm grateful for ya! for real for real. it's CRAZY because that was one of the pages I dog eared and one of the sections I highlighted for a number of reason. But the most important to me, is right after, where she writes, '' We can rob unjust systems of their power and MAKE A WAY OUT OF NO WAY (by) imagining different possibilities for how to connect and care for one another as we also remake the world.'' (Chapter 4). This platform is absolutely that. ya doubling back to get me is absolutely that. And beyond, the long list of lives that will be touched and forever changed as a result of this initiative is absolutely that. I agree, it takes that dedication and determination, sacrifice and discipline, resilience and understanding to continue to combat the forces that are colluding to stop the deprogramming and growth. BUT! I want to stress, how important it is to prevent the programming to begin with. to CREATE the way, before one has to realize and feel the realities that there is no way, because then it is already too late. like you said emails earlier, staying active! instead of reactive.  how do we get ahead??

Ackeem:

We have hope! Because like Ruha Benjamin, we are imaginative people. All things good or bad started with a thought, an idea that one had to imagine before manifesting it into reality.  So I encourage you, my people, keep being visionaries! Imagine yourself wielding the sword and defeating the enemy! Imagine the chains being unlocked and you throwing away the key! Imagine peace, equality, prosperity, love and togetherness for humans universally! Imagine because your imagination is your superpower.  It will give you strength to break the barriers that are ruining humanity! I love you all and we gonna win because we already visioned it! But I wanna leave ya with something I wrote recently: 

23 and one I'm lockdown like a Savage/ rules to survive imagination gotta have it/ can't have the world when who you are not established, knew I had what it takes with my talent and my tablet/ whole block they noticed me/ grey sweats thermal shirt cushioning my rosaries/ instrumental thumping getting rec in with my poetry/ giving brothers pain, is investing not a loan to me/ cause they could see the light/ what I write is a solar beam/ Brody in da hole/ denied commutation and his co - d on parole/ 900 seconds with ya homies on da phone and, you could feel da vibe niggas phony on da low/ but you gotta keep yo head up/ I know it's cliché but no one could say it better/ the strong gone survive the weak hanging from the thread up/ pretender in the visit room sellin niggas Cheddar/ cause faith an indictment of a prisoner who fed up/ ya baby mama vanishing, ya June pass 20 the relationship cancerous/ habeus trial took awhile then they cancelled it/ duce going wild had to flush em in the ambulance/ I must be in Hades/ sentenced to a buc, now I'm searching for a Brady/ nights I done cried momma comforting her baby/ need some cell time cause, trust I miss the ladies/ brushing through my waves going grey and they fading/ I'm still doing sets/ down almost 20 like I'm still doing sets/ real recognize real we build through the stress/ educate ya mind then you filled with regrets and the stakes keep spiking/ prison farm, plantation difference you decide it/ c.o's on strike they spewing venom bout a crisis/ sad about the fact some the blackest be the vipers/ sad about the fact some the blackest be the vipers/ it's why that I pray/ some do it five times a measurement to faith/ Yahweh is the sword, I'm just severing the gates/ stood before a red neck devil in his face/ he sentenced me to life I heard forever and a day/ he sentenced me to life,  that's forever and a day! 

Justin:

In Chapter Three (Imagining Eugenics) Ruha poses a question in reference to prison art programs, "But, we might ask, does the creative process transform the brutal institution of prison or does it hide that brutality?" And in Chapter Six (Imagination Incubator), she asks a series of questions: "What if... imagination is not only a muscle we can stretch and strengthen, or a skill we can practice and hone? What if our imagination is also a sacred space where we can connect with ourselves, our ancestors, even future generations... a place where poetic knowledge can emerge?"

I highlight these questions within the text because your music, as it always has, answers them by eviscerating the systems in which hold us hostage. You use your art to paint a vivid picture of what the world can't see, or decides to look away from. And not just our individual plights within our tombcells, but the systems that have imagined the vipers and red necked devils into existence, systems that grew from plantations to prisons. You articulate that with lyrical intellect, rhythmic precision, and unapologetic tone with your imagination, your talent, your tablet, your rosaries, your poetry, and your pain! Your writing is transformative and full of poetic knowledge, it centers people - you, me, us - and answers questions Ruha poses without you having encountered yet. You, are the art, the value of which can't be overshadowed by the form because of the content you provide, bridging the past to the future through your presence. Your book has been ordered and is on its way... can't wait to see how you respond to it! Much Love Visionary! Keep writing, keep imagining, keep 'making a way out of no way.' Appreciate You! 

Julian:

AsSalaamuAlaikum! Julian checking in on my people's. I hope all is well with everyone on the inner and outer especially on the inner. The reality of feeling free to imagine is liberating. Dismantling what is unjust involves rebuilding not just ourselves but those things around us. If you change the way you look at things those things around you will start to change. Also sharing these things that we imagine with each other should be viewed as an obligation in order to move forward in one accord, but still feeling free to imagine individually. Community is essential to prosperity. Ruha spoke about survival of the friendliest, this should constantly be the mindset even if at times it seems challenging especially in this environment. I know that the thought of feeling free to imagine may at times seem troubling but that is because of what WE use to imagine. Focus on togetherness and changing the way WE imagine. Peace my brothers and sisters. IMAGINE! PS I don't have the book yet but I heard the podcast. 

Justin:

Glad to hear you were able to check out the podcast episode featuring Ruha before your book arrives, it's on it's way! It's actually the reason I chose to set the book garden off with this read to begin with and is the perfect intro to her text. I was drawn to it off the rip because she didn't dismiss the powers of 'survival mode,' recognizing and validating the struggle and instructing to "not let go of that," referring to survival mode. It's what makes us who we are, how we got here, how we've survived prison, and how we've found ourselves in community now. Ruha encourages listeners/readers to be "pragmatic and visionary" at the same time, not dismissive of our journey, just imagining a new way to look at how we utilize our survivor modalities. 

I also appreciated when she said that we need to 'draw on the historical wisdom and motivation of prior generations.' We wouldn't be here struggling for liberation if the people before us gave up, didn't write to it, speak to it, fight for, d i e for it. That's where I agree with you and feel strongly about our obligation to continue to build toward the world we imagine, not the one/this one that has been imagined for us. 

Ruha hit on so many points in just that half an hour that I can reflect on endlessly. The educational apartheid is real and so is the 'special programming' that continues to limit access not expand it, smh. With 'special programming' comes a selection process. Which means some of us are 'chosen' and some of us aren't. So what happens to those of us who aren't? And to those of us who are? What becomes of the 'programmed and unprogrammed'? What does that even mean? It just comes down to access. Although I imagine the book garden as a worldwide invitation that anyone can tap into, I also know there is monetary limitations, as far as paying for and sending books out. My hope is Collective over Selective, that's why we also working on this nwz lttr and other avenues of conversing more broadly, shout out to Matrix for all his efforts in keeping us connected, making this possible. We don't just exist because we want to, there's actual labor and love taking place, time consumption that is often overlooked and undervalued, similar to Ruha's points on her insistence on childhood play. For that play to exist, for every child to be afforded that opportunity to play/to imagine, there needs to be a collective effort behind it. Just like our discussions, someone else is investing time into allowing us to build, receiving and forwarding our thoughts and exchanges, eventually uploading them onto the site, how do we do the same as a society, how do we reimagine what may be viewed as sacrifice, and flip it into investment? (Purpose is key)

*A series of rhetorical and necessary questions linger after listening to that episode: 

As students of life, what are our most imposing cultural influences? And how do we reimagine the culture of being a student? 

What box does our imprisonment attempt to constrain us to? What boxes will we have to break free of post confinement? 

Does my pleasure result in someone else's casualty?

How do dominant forms of imagination affect our institutions in negative ways? Can institutions themselves be holistically altruistic?

Societal Question: How do we collectively tap into our natural friendliness as social beings (empathetic---caring), and rid ourselves of hyper individualism? 

Where in my life do I maintain the hierarchy, the status quo?

Who's defining what's effective and ineffective? 

Ackeem:

My book garden people how is everyone doing? I'm doing fine under these unfortunate circumstances, I don't think anyone viciously imprisoned could ever be fine. I guess our imagination of freedom allows us to maintain our strength even in times of despair. 

I was just catching up on some reading (been dealing with a healthy distraction) and went over some annotations, and got stuck meditating on  Chapter Two: Imagining Ourselves.  There is a paragraph where Ruha Benjamin wrote, 

"Schools are places where the next generation either comes alive with possibility or is crushed by the weight of odds stacked against them. The very place where our imagination should be fostered is where that potential is routinely smothered." 

I highlighted this section but surprisingly, I did not write any notes. But as I was skimming through what I previously read I was stuck at this paragraph. Immediately, I began thinking about how Benjamin targeted the chief cornerstone to the school to prison pipeline. I firmly believe it is the routinely smothering of our imaginations why many of us ended up in prison!  Our imaginations, our dreams were shattered once they became a twinkle in our young eyes.  

How did our classrooms become a travesty?

As we know socioeconomics play a major role in the classroom dynamic. Whether the lack of financial stability, over crowding of students, limited resources, non tutoring or alien educators, we were robbed of an opportunity to fully imagine. The classroom should have been a place where I seen myself as scholar, not just a student! But instead, my imagination was smothered, and I found a new classroom - the trap house! 

What Benjamin doesn't address is how imaginations can shift from a positive to a negative. The trap house encouraged  us to imagine, "street dreaming " as we call it.  And the  danger of that imagination led many of us to pathway of crime. We imagined ourselves successful, driving foreign cars, wearing expensive jewelry,having a mini mansion and enjoying the fruits of beautiful women.  The trap house never smothered that imagination, at least so we thought. The trap house provided us with resources: crack cocaine, dope, guns, weed etc... that bolstered our imaginations and sort of manifested it into a reality. But like many of the classrooms in our inner - city schools, the trap house failed us as well! 

Soon  enough our imaginations became the trailer to our nightmares. Now our imaginations consists of freedom, liberation of the mind, body and spirit. Our imaginations are the cornerstones of real justice and equality for all. Why? The truth is the prison complex was the harshest classroom I ever sat in! However, I wouldn't allow the lack of financial stability, overcrowding of students, limited resources and alien educators ( COs, staff members) to smother my imagination! I see our victories over the orchestrators of racism and mass incarceration. I see it and we must keep imagining this victory, because one day it will happen. Then we can create our own classroom -  a world without prisons. 

Justin:

Peace/Resilience to all! 

I've been on a sort of an 'imagination vacation' lately, submersed in the realities of, as Ackeem put it, the realities of 'Vicious Imprisonment,' and so, I hadn't touched the Ruha in a minute, then the following book garden entries came through from: Ackeem (8/13), Shardel (8/16), and Sporty (8/17). Appreciate y'all! 

Although y'all didn't write them in direct response to one another, or to the same specific topics, they all connect in ways pertaining to early childhood development, and the necessity for our communities to do what broader society can't/won't/don't care to/and wouldn't know where to begin... and that's invest into our children's imagination through an educational revolution.

As mentioned, the school-to-prison pipeline is real, and so is poverty, and so is their relationship. There's nothing theoretical about the socioeconomic obstacles in our way. The unimaginative desire to get "rich" in a world that buys into racism, the underground economy and material infatuations lead us astray, as you point to Sporty, only able to determine what's harmful after we've perpetuated that harmful lifestyle. Ackeem bro, you absolutely right in your critique and insight, which is why all reading material is meant to be engaged with by communities like us, to lend our point of view for further educational and transformational purposes. The 'trap house classrooms' (that lead us to the higher education in prison classrooms), uniquely enough, are extensions of the institutional classrooms that always meant to smother us, those grade schools that are 'underfunded, overcrowded, and alien audited.' Your response made me dive back into chapter two to reexamine what I highlighted in that paragraph you wrote to.

What I found highlighted was what I speak to now, "School as a site of spirit m u r d e r has a LONG HISTORY," (my emphasis, Ruha's words). 

Other points that Ruha makes that I highlighted then and now speak to -school's ability to adapt with the times by smothering youthful imagination in new and creative ways

-the harm that smothering causes to the entire world and not just those directly smothered

-and the relationship to self harm during the school year calendar

The more I read the more I appreciate her sentiments on the classrooms we need to be "laboratories for social change, incubators for seeding a solidaristic imagination." And although I don't believe Finland, with its overwhelming whiteness, can have replicable models, I do appreciate that alternative methods to childhood education exist, and that the "Long History," is Long because we have yet to successfully replace it. And that is not by coincidence either, Freedom Schools were/are targeted when they emerge, and so will the Liberation Live! Laboratories when we fully imagine them. But we must not do so without believing that they will make a difference, as your response Shardel directs us, we must not imagine for the sake of imagination, we must Believe in our imaginations in ways that bring them to fruition. Imagination without Belief is not an option for us. We must first figure out how to imagine safely, and protect/guide/share them with each other. If not us, then who? "We All We Got!"

Shardel:

I have a degree for  passion facilitation from MSU! For those who had the opportunity to read the book, Imagination  A Manifesto is an amazing read. I appreciated every chapter,  to get her point across, the author utilizes real world issues that challenge societal mistakes. I never thought of racism in the ways of two birds (a red one and a blue one), that taught perspective is indicative of the amount of sinister innovation through imagination in itself is remarkable. It welcomes us with an invitation to resist the nightmare we were placed in through dreaming.At the end of chapter 5, Ruha quotes Lewis Carroll " the queen said "when I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast".This caught my attention because it not only focuses on imagination but belief as well. All in all, I can teach many of these lessons I learned to my young children, to Imagine through play and creativity. 

Ackeem:

“All paradises, all utopias are designed by who is not there, by the people who are not allowed in."

Immediately, I started to think about how we use our imaginations to fill the voids in our lives. For those of us that are viciously imprisoned, how many times have created paradise,equality, justice, freedom and prosperity in our minds?  Remember those lonely nights in the box, with our minds, body and spirit boxed in and our only escape was our fantasies! We were sitting in those cold cages losing track of times,days and even our sanity, and all we were left to do was imagine. In my mind, I meticulously imagined every judiciary victory one could think of in the courtroom ( of course I got the bag). I imagined a life of prosperity without hate, envy, jealousy and drama, with an abundance of love and laughter throughout a lifetime. I imagined all our people enjoying that same joy but reality is a motherfucker! Reality,  my living nightmare combated my imagination every time I wore shackles to the shower! That continuing nightmare I couldn't escape as I walked a cage in a blizzard, wearing shower shoes, because 15 days alone in a cubical coffin became monotonous.

I understand Morrison's sentiment about those who imagine paradises and utopias. We've been excluded and imprisoned since birth, because the carceral system extends far beyond the prison complex. For those of us who grew up in housing projects or the inner -city   understand the level of entrapment we endure. And to go further, being born someone of color somehow made us  prisoners by melanin.  The color of our skin made us exiles to "paradises" and "utopias," and sadly, all we're left to do is fight for it while imagining.

Julian:

Ackeem what's good my brother? AsSalaamuAlaikum its me Julian. I still haven't received the book, but I can def relate to coming up in the projects/ inner city. I remember going days sometimes not even leaving the projects that's a great indication of how trapped the imagination was. So trapped that I allowed it to trap my body over and over. I of course had the ability to imagine but couldn't imagine anything outside of what surrounded me. My imaginations in fact were fantasy's. It took a few trips to prison to realize that I was able to imagine outside of the box. Crazy. But yo on the real if anybody has access to the rules and regulations of housing there so similar to an inmate handbook and administrative directive's, talk about being destined for prison. But we can see things clearly now so peace my brother continue to imagine. To the Book Garden stay woke keep that imagination alive! 

Ease:

For the garden and the thread on imagination, I too grew up in project housing (Laurel Drive!) and experienced the limitations on imagination that have been mentioned. Brandon Flemming (I think) in his book Miseducation said something to the tune of, '' [we] grew into the roles that were available to us ''. And though that may be true, and ultimately became detrimental in the long run, a big part of me (like I know all of you too!) is still proud of the place I come from. to me, it isn't so much the spaces as it is those outside forces that invaded our spaces. For example, we were only criminalized in my hood because it was over policed, which, to me, set the trajectory and simultaneously stifles the imagination in ways. Feel me? Its not us, or the place, but the dynamics actively working against us and our places in that regard. At the same time, that sense of confinement to the space, the projects, our respective hoods was very real for me too, BUT! how much of it was due to feeling that sense of safety and security there.. that sense of peace and comfortability.. Home. Now, I'm a keep it a band, I'm not one of those Toxic Positivity people. lol! there was some bullshit going on too, a lot of which I'm ashamed I contributed to.. sadly, poisoning my people for profit. But again, how much of that was due to the socioeconomic forces working against us too. ? I think, in a variety of ways, when you are forced to live in a perpetual state of fight or flight, eat or starve, get to it or be fucked up, you don't have the luxury of imagination because the forces working against you are manipulating your experiencing into the need to survive... it takes exposure or access to something different to begin to think and imagine differently. But, were we really invited and welcomed to different spaces? Were we really introduced to different lifestyles and opportunities? Take college for example. How many of us thought going to college and graduating with degrees was really a option? How many of us were really exposed to that idea? invited to a campus? growing up, for us, our imagination in that regard was limited to going D1 in sports... I think now that we know, and have gained access, it is our duty to double back and bridge those gaps in imagination to the best of our abilities. 

But, to bring it back to the text, and Auntie Toni's quote. We weren't exiled from any Utopias! we made the hood our own. I mean think about it, for the most part, we had it all our own.. political education, its Us verse them. Justice, its a issue, we'd go in the back and squabble up. lol! then dap and hug each other up after. And don't let a outsider get it fucked up in the community, the whole hood coming out, grandmas and all to protect one of our own. Cookouts and birthdays, community connectivity events. house parties too! lol! you know I'm in the spot when juvie playing! haa! I could go on and on. But, to me, our spaces were our Utopias, we just got away from tradition. We got to double back and bring it back! just a million times better! its like you said beans, THIS, being locked, bound, and chained.. That's the true exile from the real Utopia: Home.

Julian:

AsSalaamuAlaikum brothers and sisters. Julian checking in. I received my book! Ruha wrote a Merriam Webster's definition and stated that basically her intent is not to restrict the imagination to allow it to run wild. The American Heritage College dictionary in its number 2. definition of imagination says The ability to confront and deal with reality creatively  resourcefulness. I really like this definition I've only read the first chapter so far, but in this definition the words creatively and resourcefulness are mentioned which I believe are two of the main staples that are needed to bring those imaginings into fruition. A little bit of background on me I grew up in Hartford CT the city's north end to be specific. In elementary school I attended Sands Everywhere School. This school was built and split up inside of two housing projects Bellevue Square and Sana apartments. This school was made up of small concrete buildings anytime you had to go to gym, cafeteria, library, music class etc you had to go outside and basically travel through the projects passing by drug sales people being beat up people outside drinking, you name it we saw it, in school. While in other schools they were teaching fire drills we were being taught shoot out drills before school shootings were even a thing. The reason for this was because outside the school doors was a war zone. I mention this because myself and other children thought this was normal. I wish I had the ability to imagine as a child should have. I do remember being so good at reading and pronunciation that when reading class came I would be sent to a whole other classroom to read with kids in a higher grade. I felt good about that as I should have, but now Ruha writes about unicorns and patterns of exclusion wow. How beautiful would it be if like Ruha wrote about imagining a system that cultivates everyone's creativity and curiosity.  I also can later on in life relate to alternative education that was a whole other experience. This is so much info and so much I can relate to. The imagination is def running wild sorry for writing so much about myself but like I stated earlier I can relate to so many things. Peace for now TBC. 

Sporty:

Chapter 1. Whose Imagination?

                     "We are in an imagination battle..."

In chapter 1 Ruha Benjamin talks about the three pathways into the "pelican program" aptitude(Natural ability)-achievement(process of achieving)-performance(the process of performing)

Ruha Benjamin talked about her later understanding of the the "pelican program"and that they labeled it "gifted and talented"

The state of South Carolina declares evaluation eligibility standards for the "gifted" child has academic needs that must be met in a differentiated environment.

I find this very troubling in many ways.I never knew this existed,I figure a lot of states adopted this method of separations from evaluations based on test scores,etc.Every human being has a place in this world,before I read this book I gave my testimony on what my imagination was fueled by letting it run free. I stand by that if your environment is filled with negativity,your imagination will run free and wild.

Being "gifted" comes from all abilities to create and free of expression,motivating,inspiring,educating,etc.But this world label being "gifted" - that relies on social inequality to keep its machinery running can only afford or a handful of people to imagine themselves "gifted"=destined leaders and bosses,visionaries and innovators who have the time and resources to design the future while the masses are trained to sit still,raise their hands and take instructions.This the ideology this world looks for to lead smh.

Being in prison and being free from the outside noise and the constant danger of death,I'm able to see and tap into my gifted imagination with a clear conscious.I seen the most creative things I did myself and others came up with with lil necessities.The ingenuity that I seen in prison is insane, that people could think of on a high level scale.Ruha Benjamin asked a question " who thrives in an undifferentiated environment?"I say "we the people do" book garden was created cause of "imagination" we the people can't allow the gov.to be gate keepers from keeping us from not being seen or heard.United we stand tall and heard. 

Sporty:

Ruha Benjamin talks about at every turn she found herself sparring with the stereotype that "Black people are good at sports" But more so she was opposed to the fantasies swirling around the black athlete as she watched her kids play sports."Brawn over Brain" Ruha calls it "muscle over mind"

Ruha Benjamin stated "I wanted so badly to protect my sons from being conscripted into his culturally assigned role where their identities would revolve around their ability to run,jump,kick and catch"

The reality is that we're(blacks)innately gifted,especially as far as anything physically.That as "Blacks" we lean on the ideal that ours kids are going to be the next Michael Jordan,Mike Tyson,Michael Jackson,Jesse Joyner,Lisa Leslie,etc.We're judge by the masses mainly(whites) on our ability to perform physically that's it.But we as "Blacks" help wit that stigma cause we invest so much in our children athletic ability so much,a lot of adults fail to invest as much in education.

Ruha Benjamin gives positive stereotypes- Asians are smart,"Latinos are passionate,"Indigenous people are spiritual,"Black folks can dance."Ruha asks the question,if you are genetically predisposed toward one thing,doesn't that mean you could be inherently deficient in another?My answer to that is depending on the parents and balancing within the two in my mind.But I always wonder why myself that us "Black folks" not pushing the agenda to be the next Byron Allen,Elon Musk,Oprah Winfrey,Jeff Bezos,etc...

Ruha talks about Serena Williams father "Richard Williams" how he was pushing Serena,Venus tennis career with more than imagination visions.Serena,Venus father intentions or rather choice of words were placing them on the stage here and now "This is you at the US open...BOOM!"

Again the physical ability and the vision he seen to push both daughters to stardom was calculated with meticulous planning:his seventy-eight page blueprint.Richard Williams was also adamant that his daughters not be defined strictly as "Black Athletes,"encouraging them to learn multiple languages and pursue outside interest,like fashion,business...

I use this example for two reasons.1.)That our black parents,already have this vision for us to be athletes first in most situations.My question be why athlete first?Answer,subconsciously we blacks feel that our athletic abilities will get us "RICH" faster.So we invest heavily on the physicality of a specific sport and go all out.2.)I use this example also to describe the fact that Richard Williams seen the potential that his children can thrive within the athletic world,but he preaches diversity as well. 

Shar:

yeah chapter 1 is deep. The thing with this short book is that it scratches the surface leaving us with much room for discussions. I'm waiting for a visit writing this, planning on being meticulous on what I'm going to tell my kids. We only have but so many ways to parent from inside. I plan to leave lasting Impressions every chance I have, telling them that they're gifted and they're going to do great things in life. As the disenfranchised, it is our responsibility to implant these lessons that can foster an essential environment within our people to tap into that potential that society embarks to discourage to their selective few. 

Julian:

AsSalaamuAlaikum, Julian dropping in. Sporty I agree with the majority of what you wrote. I share the same sentiments. Except that, and I'm paraphrasing you wrote about black folks feeling that athletic abilities would help strike it RICH. Now my question becomes, why does RICH have to be the answer? and will become Byron Allen, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bezos etc... solve the issues? No shade my brother I'm just trying to figure out what is it that WE are imagining. Peace! 

Justin:

Continuing the conversation...

With the college semester starting for me tomorrow, I def needed this deep dive and discussion to get me back in close reading grind mode, appreciate the insights from y'all as well Julian n Sporty! And I reluctantly agree with the 'money creates opportunities' sentiments... Poverty is a MF! And even though I know money isn't the answer and cannot be the answer to the systemic problems that it creates and exasperates daily within a capitalist society/world (our reality), I cannot knock the mindset that positions those without capital to seek it as a means to improve their lives and the lives around them. No one wants to be hungry, feel unsafe, prone to illness and susceptible to being unhoused at every due date, all while living under the conditions we all know to well. Some of the stereotypes out there are vicious and full of hate, and the pursuit of money- which can be equated to the pursuit of opportunity in a capitalist world- causes some to step right into those roles. And who can blame those in poverty for pursuing an end to their circumstances, Especially when those responsible for creating and maintaining those circumstances continue to live lavishly and unwilling to take full accountability? I can rant for all 10 of my stamps! What I will offer instead is my dedication to something useful:

In the "Appendix" section of Imagination, on pages 141 and 142, Ruha has laid out a guide to three SPECULATIVE PROMPTS for us to engage in...

      "The following activities are explicitly speculative, channeling a spirit of experimentation. For each, consider the following questions: What are the guiding principles animating your vision? Who is included and excluded? How does your vision transform our social patterns and seed new one?"

I will be engaging over the next couple of weeks with SPECULATIVE PROMPT #3. "Sketch an existing systemic inequity and potential abolitionist responses to it within the next twenty years. Divide your predictions into possible, plausible, probable, and preferable outcomes, then discuss with your group."

I'm choosing this prompt because I need to feel useful in offering something useful, what that will be, I'm not sure yet, it is, as instructed, "channeling a spirit of experimentation." Thank you Sporty for sparking this convo and Julian for your engagement. Wish me luck! To the entire Book Garden: Join Me!  This will be a perfect presentation to reach out to Ruha with. After we share our prompt responses with each other we can build our questions when we (hopefully) land our interview with her!! 

Peace/Hope/Resilience/Love/Imagination/Experimentation! 

Ackeem:

what up my book garden family! I'm just shouting out the community in good spirit. I'm praying that all is well with everyone in good health, spirit, etc.. I was thinking about the conversation our brother Sporty sparked and felt the spirit to write something. But before I tapped into my lyrical gifts the Most High blessed me with, kid and Julian came through with a response that made my thoughts shift.  Like Julian you right!  why do we equate "success" with the rich and famous, as if monetary value is the end all be all wealth.  I will never say we don't need money it is a necessity! but we must encourage our people to obtain mental, spiritual and emotional wealth as well.  And kid you're absolutely correct we are too far entrenched in this capitalistic system that it has become inescapable. Even in the spirit of liberation, equality and justice, capitalism shows its ugly head looming over every movement.  But Sporty I agree that our gifts, aspirations and abilities extend far beyond athletics! Our children can and will be the next Toni Morrison, Elizabeth Hinton, George Jackson, Marcus Garvey, Alpha Jalloh, Marcus Harvin, Maurice Blackwell, Justin Surdyka and an Evan Holmes! We have an abundance of examples of success right here in our communities, we just need to magnify them more! But I love you brothers and let's keep the dialogue going. 

peace  and  blessings love  and  safety! ( also check out a song called "imagine" by Common feat. PJ). This what ya sparked in me:

We lived live and sold dope so we can get by/ and did time/ why we congregate on liblive/ we left the streets, but we couldn't tell are kids bye/  now we all come together like a fish fry/ the system dangerous, it must televised wrestlemania/  they'll slam a life sentence on your cranium/ these cop killings/ body cam allegedly was saving us/ red, white and blue I guess the Blacks not for patriots and/ we haven't seen yet what Dr king dreamed/ cause history repeating it's still Halloween screams/ trick us and they treat us through their policy schemes/ yeah we voted for a change still Breonna can't breathe/ let that sink in/ shed a tear while you blinking/ they fabricated Lincoln why them maga boys is winking/victims to the rhetoric I'm woke why I'm thinking/ and something in the air/ this democracy what's stinking, yeah it's going bad/ Garvey ambitions with a spirit of a Soledad / Black reconstruction reconstructing it don't overlap/ fought for are freedom feel ashamed when brothers sold it back/ Tim Scott is foolish but ain't clueless yeah he know he black/ Kid know he White, but his principles and soul attached/ John Brown reincarnated lead the whole attacks/we at a crossroad, it's liberty or death/ prison killing me with stress, tryna pity me with rec/ cause the battle in the mind, what the enemy respect/ don't forget who you are, keep ya legacy in check/ what you imagine 

Julian:

AsSalaamuAlaikum, J- kid from Julian.

The guiding principals animating my vision are mental health specifically mental health behind walls. The justice system?? never takes into consideration that when they incarcerate human beings there might be underlying issues, so instead of locking people up and throwing away the key they should consider a persons mental state especially black and brown people. Some people have mental health issues they need to address and have never been given that opportunity, and some aren't even aware they have them. Also other individuals tend to develop different forms of mental health issues during their period of confinement. Those included in the problem solving will of course be a select few from the incarcerated and mental health staff. No on else included until solutions are formed. One of the main hindrances as of now is mental health staff are under staffed so unfortunately the mental health issues far out number the staff available to help address the majority of concerns. Before going any further let's address data. Break down by race/ ethnicity (2022 data) Black: 32% of sentenced state and federal prisoners Hispanic: 23% of sentenced state and federal prisoners White: 31% of sentenced state and federal prisoners. Black Americans, incarcerated at more than 5 times the  rate of White Americans, according to the NAACP.

Hispanic Americans: incarcerated at a rate significantly higher than White Americans according to the sentencing project.

A study in 2021 showed 53% of White people, 33% of Black People and fewer than 33% of Hispanic people in state prisons reported a mental illness. A 2023 study on intake data from a Massachusetts jail found that Hispanic, Black, and other non White people were less likely to report a history of mental illness than White individuals. Race and geographical location play a major role in how and why individuals report mental health problems, and there is evidence that Black and Hispanic individuals are less likely to report a history of mental illness.

This is partly due to perception on mental illness, because of the stigma that mental health carries. Example of perception is its attributed to personal weakness or lack of willpower. So then it stigmatizes individuals, discourages them from seeking psychiatric care. Those of us raised in the inner city know that what happens at home stays at home we don't report anything because mental health is for White people. So we go most of our lives wearing our issues on our shoulders or doing our best to hide them then their expressed in other forms which brings us to places of confinement, the prison system. Sadly this is all by design. Behind these walls mental health can come with further punishment because a lot of times if you act out seeking attention cause you don't know how ask for help your put in segregation or locked in a cell naked under a paper gown. There's also a thing within these walls where if you are problematic prisoner they medicate you in order to calm you "down". If at any moment you no longer want medication they bring in what they call a panel, 3 doctors normally from Uconn health center. These doctors go over your ticket history which they have no experience in, and if they feel it necessary they order mental health services to force medicate you while your in what they call 4 point restraints. In order to bring some form of resolve to this issue first for the public, awareness campaigns can be very instrumental in dismantling misconceptions and fostering understanding of mental health disorders. Medical education can also equip healthcare providers with the necessary knowledge and skills to understand and respect their patients cultural backgrounds and experiences, which has the potential to be critical for reducing stigma in mental health settings not excluding the prison system. Other avenues that can be explored Peer support programs, people with lived experiences of mental health disorders who share their stories, can normalize mental health issues and challenge stigma. Also integrating mental health into primary care that way it can become part of your well being as a whole. To effectively address and reduce stigma which is what prevents many of us from receiving proper care developing culturally sensitive interventions and promoting understanding and acceptance of mental health is crucial. By doing so we can work towards improving the proper access to mental health care and promoting the well being of individuals in communities and prisons. Obviously this work will take us the disenfranchised/ incarcerated years before we see a change, but as long as we continue to imagine and educate ourselves in this and other societal issues, we can then educate others on what the mental health system is built upon and the racism that exist yes even in this field. Then after  breaking down some of this old system and establishing a new one we'll be able to make an impact on the mental health crisis in society and the penal system.

Justin:

Peace n Resilience!

"Now is the time for us to take up the challenge presented throughout this book to stretch our radical imagination of a world in which everyone can thrive, and to engage a range of exercises and prompts for creative world-building." (Chapter Six - IMAGINATION INCUBATOR)

What up book garden family! I'm just checking in, still working on putting my response together for prompt #3 on page 142. I'm leaning toward addressing food inequities. I have some abolitionist approaches in my head, y'all know I do, it's just about getting them on paper to share with y'all. I will soon enough. Love y'all, stay up!

Responding now to Brother Ackeem's verse: ANOTHER ONE! hit after hit. Reminds me of the night this all began, Liberation Live! A celebration after our/for our African American Studies class: 5/3/24. Just a little over a year ago. And here we are. In such a short period of time we have created many avenues toward liberation that began in our imagination. We just getting started! Let's keep building and keep imagining. It's all connected. Can't wait to create the space for you, Ackeem, and others to be able to record that creativity. Stay Tuned! 

Justin:

Brother Julian! Fire piece bro! Appreciate the analysis, research, insight, and heartwarming response to the mental health inequities that run synonymous with prison. What you lay out is no secret to Us, because we live it in real time, we witness it, we endure it, we survive it- for the most part. But just because We know it, doesn't mean it's known. I hope that people come across your words on the outside and understand how this impacts all of society and not just us, especially the underlying issues- if we can name them publicly and safely, we can begin to respond to them collectively. Thanks for starting this conversation.

What stands out to me most, and inspires my response to prompt #3 (still working on it), is when you speak about the lack of opportunity people have to address their mental health issues to begin with. When I read that I was in between writing my response about food insecurity and poverty at large, but Opportunity stood out to me, and I think people just need a real chance in every aspect of life, one society doesn't currently offer. Essentially, everything traces back to the racial disparities that the research you share points to, as well as the location in which people live in segregation (still). 

I also appreciate how you speak to the repercussions we face when expressing ourselves inside of here, as well as the current/inherent issues prison imposes on its entire population that forever prevents prison from being the "rehabilitative" facility it labels itself. You do this in a thoughtful and intentional way before exploring alternatives to alleviate our mental health distress. Although I do feel it is impossible for us to achieve mental Wellness inside of here, something has to be done, and eventually with the education you provide and point out needs to be provided more urgently, we can begin the necessary conversations that lead to the necessary steps that lead to the necessary abolition of prisons and the inherent mental health issues it imposes on our entire society, not just its captives. 

FIRE PRESENTATION BRO! Just what we needed to get us started. Appreciate the work and dedication Julian! Peace n Resilience.

Elizabeth:

Let me apologize for arriving late to this circle. Please know that my silence has never been about a lack of care — it’s because, like all of you,I’ve been out here dealing with personal loss while fighting hard for our freedom, often in spaces that do everything they can to drown out our voices. I have been carrying you with me, even when I haven’t been able to write. I am grateful to finally be here.

"Imagination: A Manifesto" was the perfect fertilizer to grow this garden (so thank you for choosing this one to start it off, Justin!!). My four year old son and six year old daughter spend a good part of the day in their imaginations, I love witnessing it. But their own minds and the world around them won’t allow their young selves to stay in these magical places forever. Daniel pointed out that we’re taught from early on that imagination is a problem, something to be disciplined instead of nurtured. He named something many systems never own up to: that before they locked bodies away, they first tried to lock away possibility because, “it's easier to get rid of the ‘problem’ than it is to take time to understand it.” And yet, Daniel suggests that even punishment can become study that finds meaning in words, in worlds, in one another. That is the kind of imagination that survives because it refuses to die—it thinks “outside this box they created for our minds.”

In this sense everyone is sharpening imagination into a tool of survival and construction. Evan wrote that real utopia is home. Ravon reminded us how trauma tries to rewrite our minds. Brother Uthman made it plain: “I’m locked up physically, but my mind is free.” Like Ruha teaches, you defy a system that was never designed for you to think, feel, create, or dream. You are proving everyday that imagination is not fantasy—it is strategy. It’s not an escape from reality, it’s a demand on reality. Evan pulled that Ruha quote where she says we must “make a way out of no way.” We are. This community is proof. (Thank you for putting your blud, sweat, and tears in this Trix!! We appreciate you!!)

As a historian, I study how the state has tried to control Black and Brown futures across time—not just bodies. Futures. But what gives me strength is what Ruha documents so well, knowing that our people have always found a way to build freedom infrastructures in the cracks: from the drum circles and ring shouts on the plantation, to hush harbors* where we whispered our own gospel, to freedom schools, yard ciphers, and the original Liberation Live! showcase. Always created, never granted. Just like this Book Garden, an "eMessaging seminar" determined to grow in a place designed to extinguish freedom.

The Book Garden itself shows that Ruha Benjamin’s call is not abstract—it’s living, breathing, and already underway through us. As Ackeem said, our imagination is our superpower, a sword leading us to victory (btw Ackeem that piece is fire!! Thank you for sharing). I keep returning to the idea running through the discussion about imagination being a battlefield, and how those in power spend their resources trying to colonize what we dare to envision. Your words all show me that despite every mechanism designed to stifle possibility—imagination persists. That refusal is revolutionary. In the garden together, as we continue to tend it, as we continue to read and share ideas, I walk away from this book and this conversation knowing that we can't lose sight of our collective imaginations.

Justin brought our attention to what I see as the hardest, most important question Ruha poses to the powers that be—who will we invest in: punishment or people? The Book Garden is part of the answer. Every word shared here is an act of investment in one another.

Here is my question back to the garden, inspired by Ruha, inspired by you: If we recognize that imagination is our superpower, and accept that they fear our imagination more than our anger, what becomes our next obligation?

I am honored, truly, to be here learning with you. Thank you for planting these seeds! I’m excited to grow them together, in community!

With love and care,
Elizabeth

*Hush harbors were secret, hidden gathering spaces created by enslaved Africans in the Americas — always out of sight of the plantation: deep in the woods, swamps, or hollows — where our people met at night to pray, sing, share testimony, and imagine freedom beyond the plantation. These forbidden worship circles became the spiritual underground of Black resistance. Like Viola said, our ancestors "left us with the legacy of their radical imaginations"...

Viola:

Hi everyone,

First, I’d like to thank Matrix for his work of being an archivist of these conversations and ensuring I get the chance to read and follow along. It’s been a joy to read all of your comments and get caught up on the conversations the book garden has maintained throughout the summer and I hope, beyond.

While I read “Imagination: A Manifesto” this summer, reading everyone’s words made the book fresh in my memory, breathing new and fresh light into the reading experience. Thank you for that. 

My comments will not be a super concise response, as some of you have so artfully provided. As I read yalls words, though, certain things struck me and I’d like to provide those impressions here. Please forgive me for my delay in sharing and hopefully the points I bring up are not too far in the past that they’ve been forgotten! 

I believe it was Justin who brought up Benjamin’s notion that survival mode need not be abandoned, but channeled. I found that sentiment in line with the resounding idea that keeps emerging throughout everyone’s comments: since imagination is inevitable, we must be conscious of our own and use it to meet the ends we desire. Just as we, instinctively, try our best to survive the present, the future is also coming whether we like it or not. Benjamin’s remarks on the colonization of the future and the current work that is being done by the powerful, the billionaire class, Silicon Valley, etc felt so on point to me, along with the knowledge that our present, the good and bad, is the result of someone’s (or someones’) imagination. How important is the work of imagining, then? This idea can be inspiring when we consider that our ancestors—in conditions of enslavement, dehumanization, disenfranchisement, etc—with limited tools at their disposal, left us with the legacy of their radical imaginations. But it is also frightening when we consider that the plans the powerful have for the future  simply do not include us. As Benjamin so clearly points out, concerns over climate and the future of the planet are moot to those in power, because they are *imagining* futures with a transformed physical landscape that, surprise surprise, will not support most of humanity, aka us!!!

I appreciated the meditation you shared, Julian, with the unknown author. The tone reminded me of the biblical Proverbs, but I found these words more useful personally :). Thank you, also, for your write-up on mental health needs and conditions in prisons. Thank you for your work and thinking. 

Ackeem, that verse you shared was amazing. Fire!! I also appreciated your comments on the trap house as a classroom, corresponding back to that resounding theme: imagination is inevitable, so we should be intentional about the seeds we’re planting and the vegetation we want to bloom.

Evan, your thoughts on the true utopia being home were profound to me and definitely require more unpacking! It stood in contrast a bit, I thought, to Ms. Toni’s writing on utopias and paradises. I reconciled your statement and Morrison’s with the conclusion that Morrison was thinking in historical terms and you are thinking in poetics. I got to thinking a bit about the concept of utopia and whether it’s one we want to abandon all together? Or are there questions we can ask of it? Is there any purpose it might serve for us? And since we’re talking Morrison and “home,” I wonder if Home by Toni Morrison holds any answers … 

Justin, your words “community presents opportunity” are what I’m carrying with me tonight! To the prompt you proposed, though, I’d like to think about education through this abolitionist framework and hope to be back in touch with some reflections.

Thank you all for including me in this wonderful community. I wish you all good health and freedom—of mind, body, and spirit.