#prison mail

(Photo by Janice Pupelis)

As snail mail grows more antiquated with each iPhone update, receiving a physical letter bestows a sort of importance upon its contents.  Jim Tremayne, editor of DJ Times Magazine, responds to the publication's fan mail, and looks forward to receiving a particular type of snail mail, prison letters.  Over the years, Tremayne has established conversations with many inmates who've reached out, always happy to lend a helping hand, especially on his favorite subject, music.

Such correspondences led him to Give a Beat, where he now works alongside the organization in promoting awareness of America's mass incarceration crisis.  From his point of view, Give a Beat catalyzes change by starting a dialogue, one which isn't present in our mainstream media or culture.  Because mass incarceration remains uncommon in our conversations, the issue needs to be made not only understandable, but relate-able.  For Tremayne, Give a Beat presents a unique opportunity to help connect others to the cause, the same way a few letters connected him to new relationships.