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Her photography workshops allow the women to foster connections with one another.
“At that time, I got to experience the camera in a whole new way, by seeing it as a tool for dialogue, understanding, and transformation,” she told Daily Voice.
After returning to the US, Keeley vowed to continue serving populations that in her eyes have been “deprived of humanity and dignity.”
“I have focused my work on empowering individuals in the US who are uncertain about their future because of their past,” she said.
Her mission has taken her to prisons and jails across Mexico and the United States, including right here in New York.
Over the summer of 2023, men and women incarcerated at Long Island's Suffolk County jail in Yaphank took part in a four-week photography class led by Keeley.
The inmates – all members of Sheriff Errol Toulon’s Addiction Treatment Program – learned the ins and outs of operating a camera, all while making portraits “to show the complexity of their stories.”
“This art allows them to move away from the single story, from the stereotype,” Keeley said.
“In these programs, we are looking to support and nurture their self-confidence and self-sufficiency. I believe this is dignity-restoring work. Dignity is achieved when one’s sense of self-worth exceeds their sense of self-denigration or social denigration.”
For their culminating project, the inmates produced self-portraits – along with writings of what they learned during the experience – that will be displayed in the jail’s visiting lobby throughout December.
“I am grateful for Saskia’s program and the opportunity it has given me to develop not only with new photography skills but as a person,” said participant Randy Z.
“It was a journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and a reminder that no matter where we are, our dignity and creativity can never be taken away.”
You can view a sample of the Yaphank Correctional Facility’s photography exhibit on Saskia Keeley’s website and see more of her work on Instagram.
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