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Stigma Creative

Inspiration beyond confinement
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I am not a journalist or a professional author, though I have had the privilege of being published. My true passion is creating art and music, while fostering connection with people. As an enthusiast and an amateur writer, my intention with this blog is to provide a nuanced and authentic portrayal of life behind bars. I aim to shed light on the treatment of incarcerated individuals, the intricate culture within the prison system, and the myriad experiences—both good and bad, confusing and ugly—that define our daily existence.

Through my writing, I hope to bridge the gap between the incarcerated and the outside world. When you see a correctional facility on the news or encounter someone who has been through the prison system, my goal is to equip you with a deeper understanding of their background and experiences. By doing so, I aspire to foster empathy and encourage the recognition of the humanity in every individual, regardless of their circumstances.

- Michael Lauderdale

Fairytales vs Reality: Prison Healthcare

Is There Anybody Out There?

April 5, 2025

Medical Fail

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Red Tape, Medical, Medical Failure
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Nothing about us, without us. Lived experiences should matter!

HB1233

March 27, 2025

Nothing about us, without us

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Prison Jobs, Red Tape, Misrepresentation, Ignorance
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Turns out, this is too much variety - below is…the reality.

About Prison "Food" (part two)

November 12, 2024

Not sure I want to eat that

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Prison Food, Food, Prison Eats, Incarcerated Meals, Meals Behind Bars
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Isolated AF - we are at the mercy of whatever company has our communication contracts - phone, email, everything but snail mail. So when they glitch…

Desert Island

November 5, 2024

Isolated AF

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Communication, Technology, Communication Failure, Technology Failure, Isolation
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Our artist was cackling when she said she’d come up with an image for this week’s post. Was anyone expecting Michael dressed as Julia Child?

About Prison "Food" (part one)

October 15, 2024

Is that food?

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Prison Food, Food, Prison Eats, Incarcerated Meals, Meals Behind Bars
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Time Snacks

October 8, 2024

Tick, tock, CHOMP!

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, JobMania, Apps, Games, Gaming
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Our regular artist had a busy week, so we turned to an AI tool, trained on her art (with her consent), for this image.

Community

October 1, 2024

Invites to the BBQ

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Change, Transformation, ReEntry, Release
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Skin Deep

September 17, 2024

Tattooing is indelibly inked upon the skin of prison culture...

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, 4People, Change, Transformation
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4 People

September 10, 2024

You don't have to do it alone!

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, 4People, Change, Transformation
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Pro Se, Part Two

September 3, 2024

Representing Yourself is a Terrible Idea!

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Lawyers, Pro Se, Sarah Boone
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Pro Se, Part One (Guest Post)

August 27, 2024

Neil G. Weighs in on the Realities of Pro Se

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Lawyers, Pro Se, Sarah Boone, Neil G., Guest Post
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Our artist feels that this lovely sunburn - which is a pretty accurate representation of my forehead and face - was karmic justice for my 'just a stopwatch' comment in my last post about field day ^_^

Field Day

August 20, 2024

Sheer determination and strength

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Iron Man Race, Iron Man, Race, Competition
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In some states, ex cons can’t even recover their right to vote … yet the MAGA folks want a felon for president? Make it make sense!

Felon for President?

August 13, 2024

Employment Opportunities and Double Standards

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Politics, Political, Bonus Content
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Disclaimer: This image is an artist's interpretation and does not represent reality. It’s meant to be funny, and our artist go the green-light from the author beforehand.

Privacy, in Prison? (P2)

August 6, 2024

Privacy? What’s that?

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Privacy, No privacy, Privacy in Prison, No privacy in prison, Prison
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Our artist worked on the main image channeling “Goosfraba”, the tiny one, on the other hand…

Political Chess

July 30, 2024

We’re always more useful in an election year.

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Trump, Harris, Election, Politics, Election Year
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(Before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, she didn’t actually wink!)

Ridin' The Beef

July 24, 2024

Chief Cheeto got clipped

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Politics, Political, Bonus Content
1 Comment

Disclaimer: This image is an artist's interpretation and does not represent reality. It’s meant to be funny, and our artist go the green-light from the author beforehand.

Privacy, in Prison?

July 23, 2024

While occasionally funny, it’s ultimately unhealthy.

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Privacy, No privacy, Privacy in Prison, No privacy in prison, Prison
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The flower symbolizes the ability to grow and flourish despite being in a tough environment, much like the author's experience of personal growth in prison. Thank you to Mr. Lauderdale for the inspiration.

Stasis Is A Choice

July 16, 2024

Growth is another option, decide for yourself

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Death Penalty
2 Comments

Disclaimer: This image is an artist's interpretation and does not represent reality. It is inspired by the line, "the only thing I'll be running is a stopwatch," which humorously suggests a vacation-like scenario. This depiction is purely for comedic purposes and should not be taken literally.

Iron Man Incentives

July 11, 2024

I’ll just be relaxing over here…

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Iron Man Race, Iron Man, Race, Competition
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Thank you to Squirrel for the fantastic depiction of my Best Boy, Ginko

Ginko

July 1, 2024

Dogs Are Awesome ^_^

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In Somewhere Comic Tags Incarcerated Life, Somewhere Comic, Mike Lauderdale, Michael Lauderdale, Pawsitive Dog Training Program, Dog, Pet, Ginko, Best Friend
6 Comments
Older Posts →

Latest Posts

Featured
Apr 5, 2025
Is There Anybody Out There?
Apr 5, 2025
Apr 5, 2025
Mar 27, 2025
HB1233
Mar 27, 2025
Mar 27, 2025
Nov 12, 2024
About Prison "Food" (part two)
Nov 12, 2024
Nov 12, 2024
Nov 5, 2024
Desert Island
Nov 5, 2024
Nov 5, 2024
Oct 15, 2024
About Prison "Food" (part one)
Oct 15, 2024
Oct 15, 2024
Oct 8, 2024
Time Snacks
Oct 8, 2024
Oct 8, 2024
Oct 1, 2024
Community
Oct 1, 2024
Oct 1, 2024
Sep 25, 2024
Re-entry Diaries, Part One
Sep 25, 2024
Sep 25, 2024
Sep 17, 2024
Skin Deep
Sep 17, 2024
Sep 17, 2024
Sep 10, 2024
4 People
Sep 10, 2024
Sep 10, 2024

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