Allison Barr Photography

About two years ago, I worked a quick stint at a job in a photography studio steaming clothes. I met a coworker who shared their experience volunteering as an assistant writing instructor at a correctional facility in North Portland. I was intrigued and went to the reading that the men did at the end of their class. What struck me the most was the fact that everything I had thought about prisons was entirely wrong. Within moments of entering the facility, all stereotypes were struck down. I was met with kindness, curiosity and compassion by everyone I interacted with.

I kept up with what Open Hearts Open Minds was doing since, and was eager to find they offered a theater program in a women’s prison, as well as several others. It was on my 2026 Bingo card to at least start my story on Up A Creek Theatre at Coffee Creek, and today it’s out in the world.

I haven’t been professionally in the industry long enough to have a plethora of challenges, but so far, this story presented the most obstacles. I’m proud of Chiara Profenna.prof ’s and my commitment to jump through them to tell the uplifting story of something good happening inside Coffee Creek. More importantly, I hope our work is able to convey the importance of how art is able to help in times of need, give a position voice to this portion of the population that hardly ever gets one.

“I mean I used to never be able to see my future….And I’ve never been able to do that before. And it started here,” Kristina Yurick says.

Selfishly, I’m excited to see how my photography has grown since my last long-form story. Through pouring my heart into this project the last couple of months, I have learned so much that I’m eager to apply to my next project.

Thank you to everyone who helped us these last three months. If you’d like to read more, you can read more at The Oregonian

got to feel 17 again last night for oregon city high school’s prom 👗✨