Resolana celebrates its first anniversary helping women in Dallas County jail

First in a series

by Catherine Cuellar

DALLAS — Memorial Day weekend was no different for Resolana volunteers Bette Buschow, Nancy Rebal, and Rebecca Briley, nor the women they serve. As they do every Friday, the volunteers arrived at Dallas County Jail at 5:30pm. From Bette's minivan, they unloaded tupperware tubs and shopping bags filled with colorful fabric scraps, koosh balls, and fat markers, as well as disposable plates, Q-tips, rag dolls, googley eyes, glue bottles, and safety scissors.

The sensory-stimulating supplies contrast sharply with the stale-smelling air and beige cinder block walls surrounding female inmates, who wear faded green-striped pajamas and navy blue slip-on sneakers. Most aren’t first-time offenders. Under Texas law, women with felony drug records are permanently denied housing assistance, food stamps, welfare, and scholarships or grants to pay for their education. Faced with homelessness, many return to crime because they lack alternatives.

Resolana has served women in Dallas County Jail for the past year. June will see the first anniversary of Resolana in the Dawson State Jail across Commerce Street from Dallas County’s Lew Sterrett Justice Center. Taking its name from a Spanish word describing the sunny side of a building or plaza, Resolana aims to empower women to break the cycle of incarceration. Their "Grace and Grit” curriculum offers core classes on Tuesday evenings including financial literacy, surviving abuse, anger management, and re-entry. Then on Fridays, volunteers lead inmates in creative activities including yoga, dance, and crafts. This evening each woman will get two dolls and will decorate, then explain, what makes one "good" and the other "bad."

First, they get to know each other through a group juggling activity requiring women to call out each other's names before throwing a koosh ball their way. Instantly, the inmates’ sullen faces brighten.

Then, as they gather around tables covered with red checkered plastic drop cloth, the women begin to tell their stories.

Carrie of east Dallas, 46, is an Army vet who makes her doll saying she doesn't know what it means to be good or bad. Even though Carrie has AIDS from being raped and is in jail for smoking crack, she believes in her own self-worth. She's expecting to be released on probation within a week or two.

Jessica from Duncanville, 31, is a former escort service call girl now serving time for methamphetamine use. Child Protective Services recently moved Jessica’s 13- and 5-year-old children from foster care to their grandparents’ home. Jessica weeps imagining a day when she can play games and make crafts like these with her children. While incarcerated, Jessica is also earning college credit at El Centro for computer classes she takes in jail, and exercises by climbing the flight of stairs in her cell 100 times a day. She says she’s actually thankful for being locked up because it has enabled her to turn her life around.

Amy of Dallas, 47, has been in recovery from drug addiction for nine years. This time she has been awaiting her trial on theft charges for 10 months. During the past two months she has taken Resolana classes, she says it’s been encouraging to be around other women and "get out of this horrible place into something more real."

Two hours fly by, and before they depart, the women each share the stories of their two dolls and how making them has made them feel.

Michelle, 52, a former prostitute arrested on drug charges, says she was one doll by day and another by night, because "sometimes good girls can be bad girls too."

23-year-old Sunny, who has been in jail eight months for aggravated assault, says "I was a good girl, I just liked to fight." Her participation in anger management classes has helped her get probation, and she will go home this week.

At the end of the session, the volunteers collect all of the dolls and supplies, since none of the materials or resulting artwork can remain inside the jail. Up to 16 women can participate in each Resolana class or workshop in the Dallas County Jail, but there’s a lot of turnover as the women go to trial and are released.

Next: the history of Resolana

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