Her/their Mighty Pen IN PERSON Book Launch

Join us to celebrate the launch of Her/their Mighty Pen - a powerful collection of memoir, poetry, letters and short stories by women and non-binary people in prison.

Published on 3rd September by Unbarred Press, Her/their Mighty Pen has been called 'relentlessly honest and courageously open-hearted' (Claire Ratinon), 'beautifully honest, painful, funny and moving' (Andy West), 'a remarkable act of collective testimony and artistic resistance' (Yvonne Jewkes) and 'one of the most extraordinary and essential collections of life writing I've read' (Max Porter).

Across its pages, the writers traverse love and grief, rage and relief, reflection and resistance. Their meditations on childhood, ancestors, care, identity, mental health and prison life map what it means to be fully, irreducibly human. They share with us the moments that sustain them and reckon with the systems that constrain them. Singular in voice, collective in power, these are works that refuse to be silenced.

Join us for a relaxed and joyful gathering, where we'll:

• share how the collection came together
• hear from our foreword author, the multi-award winning broadcaster and writer Scout Tzofiya Bolton
• hear from some of the project's supporters - including Paula Harriott and Women in Prison's Sonya Ruparel - about where this anthology lands in the wider cultural/political landscape
• hear some of the contributing authors  - including Runa, Dice Meridian, Jasmine E. and Melissa Spring - read their work, followed by a Q&A with them
• share messages/readings from contributing authors still in prison
• create something together that can be shared with the imprisoned authors, during our prison-based book launches

The book will be available for purchase on the night - with some of the authors there to sign your copy! Book royalties will be donated to the charity Women in Prison, supporting women affected by the criminal justice system.

We invite you to bring something to share with others - something to eat, something to drink (no alcohol) or something to decorate the space. There is no pressure to do this, but if you would like to bring something, please let us know when you RSVP.

N.B. We will be photographing and filming this event. If you do not wish to appear in photographs or on film, please let us know when you RSVP so that we can blur you out of photographs and footage.

The publication and launch of Her/their Mighty Pen is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, and by generous individuals donors. We will also be holding book launches in each of the contributing prisons, to celebrate with the authors still there. 

But for now, please RSVP and let us know you're coming!

Bel (Editor) and Will (Founder of Unbarred Press)