Transform Dane
@transformdane.bsky.social
Transform Dane is a nonprofit dedicated to the humanity of incarcerated people. Our long-term goal is to create new policies that respect the inherent dignity of all human beings.
transformdane.com
transformdane.com
Thank you to Suzanna for this awesome homemade Transform Dane embroidery! Absolutely love it and it will hang in a spot of honor here in the Queer Compound! ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💜
November 17, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Thank you to Suzanna for this awesome homemade Transform Dane embroidery! Absolutely love it and it will hang in a spot of honor here in the Queer Compound! ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💜
NEW BLOG POST: "It becomes a very strange line to cross, as I did, finding myself in one room of addicts criminalizing addiction, only to be locked in a similar room of addicts, having our addictions criminalized."
transformdane.com/a-year-outsi...
transformdane.com/a-year-outsi...
A Year Outside the Lines
(Content warning: alcoholism, addiction)
Dear Mom,
Today marks one full year of continuous sobriety—the longest I’ve been sober since my junior year of high school in 2005. I want to discuss what th...
transformdane.com
November 15, 2025 at 10:14 PM
NEW BLOG POST: "It becomes a very strange line to cross, as I did, finding myself in one room of addicts criminalizing addiction, only to be locked in a similar room of addicts, having our addictions criminalized."
transformdane.com/a-year-outsi...
transformdane.com/a-year-outsi...
From the Transform Dane mailbox! Inmate Art from the Dane Co Jail. & with the area's first snowfall overnight, I think many of us would agree!
Support direct mail!
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
Support direct mail!
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
November 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM
From the Transform Dane mailbox! Inmate Art from the Dane Co Jail. & with the area's first snowfall overnight, I think many of us would agree!
Support direct mail!
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
Support direct mail!
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
Our #1 outreach program is Direct Mail to incarcerated humans. Mail is more than a lifeline, it's connection. And human connection rebuilds, heals, and restores.
transformdane.com/direct-mail-...
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
transformdane.com/direct-mail-...
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
November 8, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Our #1 outreach program is Direct Mail to incarcerated humans. Mail is more than a lifeline, it's connection. And human connection rebuilds, heals, and restores.
transformdane.com/direct-mail-...
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
transformdane.com/direct-mail-...
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
STATE OF WI TO: Sheriff Barrett
"It appears you have violated your duty to provide public records under WI § 19.31. You are commanded to immediately return...records responsive to the request or in the alt, appear before this court & provide reason why relief should not be awarded." -Dane Co Circuit
"It appears you have violated your duty to provide public records under WI § 19.31. You are commanded to immediately return...records responsive to the request or in the alt, appear before this court & provide reason why relief should not be awarded." -Dane Co Circuit
November 6, 2025 at 7:57 PM
STATE OF WI TO: Sheriff Barrett
"It appears you have violated your duty to provide public records under WI § 19.31. You are commanded to immediately return...records responsive to the request or in the alt, appear before this court & provide reason why relief should not be awarded." -Dane Co Circuit
"It appears you have violated your duty to provide public records under WI § 19.31. You are commanded to immediately return...records responsive to the request or in the alt, appear before this court & provide reason why relief should not be awarded." -Dane Co Circuit
Transform Dane is at the WI Capitol NOW in support of AB 604. This is a bipartisan bill that would support re-entry from incarceration by providing newly released humans with healthcare and support.
November 4, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Transform Dane is at the WI Capitol NOW in support of AB 604. This is a bipartisan bill that would support re-entry from incarceration by providing newly released humans with healthcare and support.
Transform Dane mailbox: Today's artist loves sketching. She requested pictures of actresses from classic movies to sketch from our direct mail program, and this was the result.
Request direct mail:
transformdane.com/direct-mail-...
Support the program!
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
Request direct mail:
transformdane.com/direct-mail-...
Support the program!
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
November 3, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Transform Dane mailbox: Today's artist loves sketching. She requested pictures of actresses from classic movies to sketch from our direct mail program, and this was the result.
Request direct mail:
transformdane.com/direct-mail-...
Support the program!
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
Request direct mail:
transformdane.com/direct-mail-...
Support the program!
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
NEW BLOG: "I owe...gratitude to these human beings we call criminals. They were there...a literal captive audience for my Transgender Former Cop jail open mic. They looked past the...stigmas in a way that only those who have pleaded for the same from the world can."
transformdane.com/soundofsilen...
transformdane.com/soundofsilen...
The Sound of Silence
(Content warning: Solitary confinement)
Dear Mom,
A lot of unbelievable change was born out of 2024, swirling around my redefined “participation” in the criminal justice system. There is no doubt a...
transformdane.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:48 AM
NEW BLOG: "I owe...gratitude to these human beings we call criminals. They were there...a literal captive audience for my Transgender Former Cop jail open mic. They looked past the...stigmas in a way that only those who have pleaded for the same from the world can."
transformdane.com/soundofsilen...
transformdane.com/soundofsilen...
Fantastic event by The Big Gay Spooky Market! Met tons of awesome people, had great conversations about needed reform and distributed plenty of stickers! Thanks to all who stopped by!
#transformdane #danecountywi #incarcerationreform #nonprofit #outreach #wisconsinnonprofit
#transformdane #danecountywi #incarcerationreform #nonprofit #outreach #wisconsinnonprofit
October 27, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Fantastic event by The Big Gay Spooky Market! Met tons of awesome people, had great conversations about needed reform and distributed plenty of stickers! Thanks to all who stopped by!
#transformdane #danecountywi #incarcerationreform #nonprofit #outreach #wisconsinnonprofit
#transformdane #danecountywi #incarcerationreform #nonprofit #outreach #wisconsinnonprofit
EVENT ALERT! @transformdane.bsky.social will have a booth at The Big Gay Spooky Market, SUNDAY OCTOBER 26, 10-4. Stop by and chat for information, updates, support, stickers, frog mascots & more! The event is at the WI Rugby Sports Complex, Cottage Grove, WI. Hope to see you there!
October 21, 2025 at 2:18 AM
EVENT ALERT! @transformdane.bsky.social will have a booth at The Big Gay Spooky Market, SUNDAY OCTOBER 26, 10-4. Stop by and chat for information, updates, support, stickers, frog mascots & more! The event is at the WI Rugby Sports Complex, Cottage Grove, WI. Hope to see you there!
@transformdane.bsky.social in support of No Kings Day 2025✊🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️.
October 19, 2025 at 1:14 AM
@transformdane.bsky.social in support of No Kings Day 2025✊🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️.
IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE. Although our work is focused on advocacy, awareness & outreach, every organization is composed of individuals, each with a unique journey. The origin of our journey is deeply rooted in this developing situation. All inquiries should be directed to [email protected].
October 17, 2025 at 3:26 AM
IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE. Although our work is focused on advocacy, awareness & outreach, every organization is composed of individuals, each with a unique journey. The origin of our journey is deeply rooted in this developing situation. All inquiries should be directed to [email protected].
NEW BLOG POST: "My account is...retold not because I feel I am the most extreme case of systemic injustice or abuse...It is retold because my background, my education, and my privilege give me a voice to tell it...my past contributions to it demand that I tell it."
transformdane.com/a-rainbow-br...
transformdane.com/a-rainbow-br...
Dear Mom, A Rainbow Bridge Through Cement Walls
(Content warning: Pet loss, solitary confinement)
(Mailed from Jefferson County Jail, August 16, 2024)
Dear Mom,
One year ago today, you brought Stella to the vet to cross the Rainbow Bridge. I wa...
transformdane.com
October 14, 2025 at 10:24 PM
NEW BLOG POST: "My account is...retold not because I feel I am the most extreme case of systemic injustice or abuse...It is retold because my background, my education, and my privilege give me a voice to tell it...my past contributions to it demand that I tell it."
transformdane.com/a-rainbow-br...
transformdane.com/a-rainbow-br...
Another fantastic event, thank you to Deborah Zalensne and Chris Blackwell. The statistics on solitary confinement prove total system failure. Mental health worsens, recidivism soars, staffing is taxed and costs are substantially higher. The individual suffers alone, but as a society, we all lose.
October 14, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Another fantastic event, thank you to Deborah Zalensne and Chris Blackwell. The statistics on solitary confinement prove total system failure. Mental health worsens, recidivism soars, staffing is taxed and costs are substantially higher. The individual suffers alone, but as a society, we all lose.
Absolutely breathtaking work by Journey to Justice. Solitary Confinement harms everyone involved; through exacerbation of mental health conditions, violations of constitutional and human rights, increased rates of recidivism, and increased strain on jail and prison budgets and staffing.
October 12, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Absolutely breathtaking work by Journey to Justice. Solitary Confinement harms everyone involved; through exacerbation of mental health conditions, violations of constitutional and human rights, increased rates of recidivism, and increased strain on jail and prison budgets and staffing.
Members of Transform Dane are currently attending the Journey for Justice Tour on Madison's West side....an organized campaign on reforms to the overuse of solitary confinement in incarcerated settings. Blessed to have these warriors in our community.
journeytojusticetour.com
journeytojusticetour.com
Home | Journey to Justice Bus Tour
Journey to justice
bus tour next stop in Days Hours Minutes Seconds Oct 12 2025 12pm CT (Madison, WI) Tour Schedule About the tour Right now, hundreds of t ...
journeytojusticetour.com
October 12, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Members of Transform Dane are currently attending the Journey for Justice Tour on Madison's West side....an organized campaign on reforms to the overuse of solitary confinement in incarcerated settings. Blessed to have these warriors in our community.
journeytojusticetour.com
journeytojusticetour.com
In May 2025, a federal lawsuit was initiated in the Western WI District Court regarding extreme confinement conditions in DCJ. The issue of ethical confinement is a constantly evolving issue. This challenges those issues, especially as they pertain to Constitutional rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.
October 1, 2025 at 11:09 PM
In May 2025, a federal lawsuit was initiated in the Western WI District Court regarding extreme confinement conditions in DCJ. The issue of ethical confinement is a constantly evolving issue. This challenges those issues, especially as they pertain to Constitutional rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.
NEW BLOG POST....discussing reproductive health in DCJ & beyond.
"Committing a crime has a prescribed outcome of potentially being incarcerated. Not trapped in a jail cell with blood dripping down your leg, or losing your own reproductive autonomy."
READ ON: transformdane.com/dear-mom-a-p...
"Committing a crime has a prescribed outcome of potentially being incarcerated. Not trapped in a jail cell with blood dripping down your leg, or losing your own reproductive autonomy."
READ ON: transformdane.com/dear-mom-a-p...
Dear Mom, A Period Piece - Transform Dane
"These words are not a plea for radical new ideas, Mom. It’s a plea to start restoring humanity at its most fundamental levels. It’s a plea to begin considering what outcomes we want to see when the c...
transformdane.com
October 1, 2025 at 12:41 AM
NEW BLOG POST....discussing reproductive health in DCJ & beyond.
"Committing a crime has a prescribed outcome of potentially being incarcerated. Not trapped in a jail cell with blood dripping down your leg, or losing your own reproductive autonomy."
READ ON: transformdane.com/dear-mom-a-p...
"Committing a crime has a prescribed outcome of potentially being incarcerated. Not trapped in a jail cell with blood dripping down your leg, or losing your own reproductive autonomy."
READ ON: transformdane.com/dear-mom-a-p...
Wisconsin Open Records Law 101. "Transparency is an essential function of a representative government". In environments like jails and prisons, or other encounters with law enforcement out of the public eye, this is especially true. The doors may not be open but the records are. Know your rights
September 30, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Wisconsin Open Records Law 101. "Transparency is an essential function of a representative government". In environments like jails and prisons, or other encounters with law enforcement out of the public eye, this is especially true. The doors may not be open but the records are. Know your rights
Mail is a lifeline in jails and prisons. @transformdane.bsky.social kept every letter safe in a binder...this one represents a single month. Write to your incarcerated loved ones, even if you haven't sent "snail mail" in a decade. Even if you feel you "don't know what to say".
September 29, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Mail is a lifeline in jails and prisons. @transformdane.bsky.social kept every letter safe in a binder...this one represents a single month. Write to your incarcerated loved ones, even if you haven't sent "snail mail" in a decade. Even if you feel you "don't know what to say".
Reposted by Transform Dane
"...she is unable to freely use bleach, which is considered contraband. She has to go to a guard on duty. If that guard is understanding and compassionate, they may fulfill the request, but this is not always the case."
In a recent piece, Kelsey Dodson shares what it's like to menstruate in prison. One woman says she was forced to bleed through her underwear, her pants, and finally her white blanket during an hour-long count. This piece was co-published with @theguardian.com. Please give it a read.
What It's Like to Have Your Period in Prison
Even at a women’s prison, your menstruation care needs may not be met.
prisonjournalismproject.org
September 26, 2025 at 8:05 PM
"...she is unable to freely use bleach, which is considered contraband. She has to go to a guard on duty. If that guard is understanding and compassionate, they may fulfill the request, but this is not always the case."
Mailbox: From a DCJ inmate, hand sketched using only a golf pencil. DCJ charges 19¢ per golf pencil and $1 for a full pencil. It might not seem like much, but inmates are fully reliant on outside help adding funds to their accounts. Thank you for using your precious resources to send us mail!
September 26, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Mailbox: From a DCJ inmate, hand sketched using only a golf pencil. DCJ charges 19¢ per golf pencil and $1 for a full pencil. It might not seem like much, but inmates are fully reliant on outside help adding funds to their accounts. Thank you for using your precious resources to send us mail!
From the mailbox: We send A LOT of coloring pages out to Wisconsin jails and prisons and are always delighted to receive finished projects back! Today's author might be a little rough around the seams, but weathers the storm with a smile. You are not forgotten.
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
September 24, 2025 at 8:58 PM
From the mailbox: We send A LOT of coloring pages out to Wisconsin jails and prisons and are always delighted to receive finished projects back! Today's author might be a little rough around the seams, but weathers the storm with a smile. You are not forgotten.
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
transformdane.com/home-2/suppo...
BLOG: On our mission: "It is giving freedom to people with virtually none otherwise the choice to participate in reshaping what their exit from our carceral systems will look like.
transformdane.com/balloons/
transformdane.com/balloons/
Even Without Balloons - Transform Dane
9/9/25 Mom, It has been a while. A lot has happened. When you’re the parent of a child with a history of addiction, I can only imagine long periods between updates make you fear the worst. But as you ...
transformdane.com
September 24, 2025 at 8:42 PM
BLOG: On our mission: "It is giving freedom to people with virtually none otherwise the choice to participate in reshaping what their exit from our carceral systems will look like.
transformdane.com/balloons/
transformdane.com/balloons/