La Cana, selected to be part of the 2023 Digital Equity Accelerator
18 Apr 2023
Recent articles
Workshop "Understanding my mind"
18 Jun 2021
Workshop "Meaning of Life"
Daniela,
20 Jan 2020
The question is to know where we are headed; we have all experienced moments when we feel lost, moments when suffering consumes us, and we find no explanation for such adversity. Many of the women we work with live their lives in this state of emotional destabilization, and this condition worsens once they are incarcerated. For this reason, within our mental health program, we have developed the "Meaning of Life" workshop, because we are convinced that it is essential for them to understand their objectives and existence in general, from a philosophical perspective. Logotherapy is important for their development because it works with the body-mind-spirit-world axes, thus developing their own "Philosophy of Life" and "Attitude towards Life" by addressing topics such as freedom of choice, responsibility, will, meaning, self-realization, and self-transcendence. With these types of tools and approaches, we enable them to discover, through their experience, their history, and motivations: Who decides? Why do they decide? And what do they choose? It is a valuable tool to shed light on painful situations. We seek that through logotherapy, they learn that any suffering that has meaning is not only less painful but also contributes to growth, always based on the value of the human being as a unique and unrepeatable individual. The women we work with are serving sentences ranging from 3 to 70 years in prison. Therefore, we seek for them to find meaning in life through the techniques we teach, regardless of what fate may bring. To achieve this, we work on the person's existential motivation and focus on enabling them, through their human capacity, to recognize, adopt, and live their own existential values, accompanying them through crisis and in the process of regaining the stability they have lost, and subsequently helping them discover their specific capacities even within prison. FIRST EDITION 2019 - This workshop consists of 12 sessions of 100 minutes each, has been held at the Nezahualcóyotl Sur prison and has benefited 15 women.
Workshop "Art Psychotherapy. Captive Voices"
Daniela,
20 Jan 2020
The creative process, making art, the use and manipulation of materials, the creation itself, and art directives allow participants to acquire a different perspective on the situation they live in. Art develops a feeling of connection and contribution to the community and a deep communication that is necessary for human beings. The creation of something with meaning can help a person re-signify their experiences to achieve an understanding of themselves and the context in which they live. Through this workshop, we seek for women to explore their creative side, a side that many of them have not had contact with. We also help them express and recognize their thoughts and emotions in a unique way, as the same technique is not always used. Art as a therapeutic tool helps us work through fears, personal blockages, past traumas, and other emotional ailments. Likewise, we promote healthy habits, both psychologically and socially, through artistic expression, providing a space for free creation, interpretation, and liberation of energy and that inner voice that often keeps us captive, by capturing it on canvas, paper, cardboard, embroidery, and three-dimensional objects. FIRST EDITION 2016. Workshop "Art Psychotherapy" Two workshops were given, once a week, with the participation of 18 women aged 22 to 68 in the Nezahualcóyotl Sur Penitentiary. SECOND EDITION 2017. Workshop "Art Psychotherapy. Captive Voices: Empowerment of Women Deprived of Liberty Through Art" We managed to deliver 6 workshops, each consisting of 12 sessions, with the participation of 112 women, during the period from October 2016 to December 2017.
- Volunteering
Daniela,
04 Dec 2019
Through our volunteer programs, we organize events within the prisons such as Christmas posadas, Mother's Day celebrations, personal hygiene product drives, among others. Join the cause! Do you want to be a La Cana volunteer? Click here to fill out the form! See more
IMPACT ON PUBLIC POLICY
Daniela,
04 Dec 2019
La Cana aims to transform our country's prisons into places of opportunity, not punishment.
JOB TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT
Daniela,
04 Dec 2019
One of the strategic pillars that have characterized LA CANA since its creation as a social enterprise is that we seek to create job opportunities for women deprived of their liberty with the aim of teaching them a trade and enabling them to generate their own income, allowing them to support themselves and their families.
ALLIANCE WITH WHITE & CASE, LLP
Daniela,
02 Dec 2019
Since November 2019, we have been working with White & Case LLP, a prominent international law firm, to conduct a comparative law study on the regulation of prison labor in various jurisdictions. This is to obtain expert advice that will contribute to the better design and implementation of the reform proposal we seek to promote from the Senate of the Republic.