Inmates at the William G. Truesdale Detention Center in Alexandria shared their gift of writing Aug. 16 at the first HEARD Creative Writing Contest, with Sheriff Dana Lawhorne presenting awards to the winning entrants.

“I know how much I struggle with putting what I see and hear into words,” said Lawhorne at the awards ceremony. “I admire you all for your gift of writing.”

HEARD describes itself as “an arts program for silent stories.” It is a creative arts program for Alexandria and Arlington nonprofit program partners serving clients who are marginalized in some way. The program partnered with the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office to offer the first creative writing contest for inmates.

“The staff here is always looking to implement productive and useful programs,” Lawhorne said. “They are the ones who make these things happen.”

Dozens of inmates submitted entries in fiction, non-fiction and poetry categories. Awards were announced for first, second and third place entries with some of the winners reading their works to those gathered at the ceremony.

Winners included Nelly Davila, who wrote of a trip to visit her grandparents when she was 5 years old. The family never reached their destination. Instead, a car accident took the lives of her older sister, brother and 10-month-old sister.

“This was difficult to write,” said Davila, who received first place for non-fiction writing. “I still remember that trip. My brother had a premonition before the accident and gave me his toy doggy to remember him by. Believe it or not, I still have it.”

Daryl Torien took third place in the poetry category and read his work titled “For So Many Years.” Other awards included Isaura Garcia, first place fiction; Jacqueline McBride, second place fiction; and Robert McCrickland, second place poetry.

HEARD was founded in 2017 by communications consultant Jane Collins, an Alexandria resident and retired Air Force colonel.

“We offer clients a safe and trust-based environment to express themselves,” Collins said. “Our programs are designed to offer participants creative expression, an opportunity to be heard, recognized and honored, and to build an environment of trust and safety.”

HEARD is a program of the Del Ray Community Partnership nonprofit and is funded privately and through donations. For more information, contact Collins at jahcollins@gmail.com, call or text 703-282-6738.

“These are incredible stories,” Collines said. “These words need to be heard.”