Under the twilight sky of Fond du Lac, a line of cars illuminated a county road, their headlights flickering with a message of hope as they passed the Taycheedah women’s prison. This unique caravan, a spark of inspiration from Marianne Oleson, strives to remind the incarcerated women that they are remembered and supported.
Marianne Oleson, co-director of Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO), had a simple yet impactful idea when she saw the road surrounding the prison. “I thought if we could get a bunch of cars and they all have their headlights on, they’re going to see us,” Oleson explained.
Since the previous fall, Oleson has coordinated these headlight caravans. The events have taken place around significant times, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, with the latest occurring just before Mother’s Day.
The procession included participants like JenAnn Bauer, a mother of three who has experienced incarceration at Taycheedah herself. Reflecting on her time there, Bauer shared, “I felt heaviness. You see it on women’s faces. You know, it’s mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers.”
Having regained her freedom, Bauer now seeks to alleviate that burden for others. On the evening of the caravan, she joined over a dozen others in a grocery store parking lot. To support the participants, EXPO provided gas gift cards, helping some who traveled hours to attend.
Among the drivers was Deandrea Hardman, an EXPO activist who also served time at Taycheedah. She was accompanied by two women recently released from prison. As they neared the institution, Hardman inquired about their well-being, understanding the anxiety that can arise from returning to such a place.
“The first couple times I thought I was gonna, like, throw up,” Hardman confessed. “It’s hard to go back here … and I’m not an anxious person.”
As the group approached the prison, they signaled their presence with honks and headlights. The Department of Corrections was notified in advance, ensuring the caravan’s legality on the public road.
Inside Taycheedah, Debbie Ramos, an inmate, missed this particular caravan due to a delay in medication distribution. However, she has witnessed previous events and noted their impact. “It warms the heart to know that people out there still care, and they do what they can,” Ramos said via phone. “We’re not throwaway people.”
The prison currently holds over 1,000 women in a facility intended for 650, creating a challenging environment, as Oleson described. “When it’s overcrowded, there’s limited resources for everyone,” she said, emphasizing the restrictions on programming, phone calls, and showers.
Oleson hopes these caravans provide a moment of happiness for those inside the prison. In a symbolic gesture, she rolled down her window and played Isley-Jasper-Isley’s “Caravan of Love” as she passed by.
