Babita Patel

This week's revolutionary is Babita Patel, a humanitarian photographer who wears many hats. Her book Breaking Out in Prison came out earlier this year, showcasing the lives of men who changed their lives by pursuing higher education while incarcerated. She's also the founder of KIOO Project, a nonprofit that teaches kids about photography and gender equality in countries around the globe.During our discussion we cover changing minds and hearts about incarceration, how to change the way that boys are raised to view girls, life-changing vacations, career changes, and more.Some Questions I Ask:What are you currently working on? (1:08)How did the book Breaking Out in Prison come about? (2:09)Where did you grow up? (5:55)How did you evolve into who you are today? (9:26)Did you know you wanted to switch careers from being an art director before you did it? (14:21)How did KIOO Project begin? (16:05)How has KIOO Project grown? (25:14)How can people support KIOO Project? (28:11)What do you work on when not working on KIOO Project or Breaking Out in Prison? (30:36)How do you feel about your book coming out during this particular political moment? (45:42)In This Episode, You Will Learn:About the moment that changed Babita’s outlook on incarceration and the death penalty (3:08)Why Babita’s younger self wouldn’t recognize her now (8:50)The Hindu pilgrimage that changed Babita’s life forever (11:22)How Babita’s family came around to her career shift (15:46)How KIOO Project changes gender dynamics through the arts (18:26)How letting girls teach boys changes how boys behave towards them (21:52)How seeing the work children do with KIOO Project changed the hearts and minds of parents (29:25)About cultural differences around the topic of female genital mutilation (33:51) (TW for sexual violence)About the stories behind the men in Breaking Out in Prison, and how their lived experiences position them to better their communities (37:50)How a high school guidance counsellor can make a huge difference (39:45)Resources:Babita's WebsiteKIOO ProjectBreaking Out in Prison Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.