Transform Dane is a nonprofit dedicated to the humanity of incarcerated people. Our long-term goal is to create new policies that respect the inherent dignity of all human beings.
Transform Dane began as a response to founder Eli’s time in solitary confinement upon his arrival at the Dane County Jail. His blog “Dear Mom, I’m Still Me,” hosted on this site, details his experiences while incarcerated and the events that led him there.
His experiences highlighted the unique challenges faced by trans and gender-nonconforming people in jails and prisons, but our work supports all incarcerated people navigating isolation, violence, and neglect behind bars. As a neurodivergent and openly trans man, Eli’s experience is not the norm in Dane County Jail. Nevertheless, his time in “intake seg” showed the ways in which incarceration seeks to erases identity and disables people by design.
From denying prisoners vital healthcare to crumbling, inaccessible facilities to echoes of past traumas, systems of incarceration target marginalized people on all fronts. Our mission in the short run is to provide resources for incarcerated people and their loved ones and amplify the voices and experiences of trans and gender-nonconforming individuals in Wisconsin jails and prisons. By combining direct support with advocacy, we’re working towards a future where all members of our community are affirmed, supported, and heard, and no one is forgotten.
Even Without Balloons
9/9/25 Mom, It has been a while. A lot has happened. When you’re the parent of a child with a history of addiction, I can only imagine long periods between updates make you fear the worst. But as you so often reassured me growing up, “Sometimes no news is good news.” In a chaotic environment such as jail, that definitely holds true. In fact, my best day in jail came in March 2025. It was the day Transform Dane incorporated as a registered, official non-profit. All day long, I said it back to myself, over and over inside cell block [...]
Dear Aunt A.
9.5.2025 Dear Aunt A., I dropped your boy off at his first day of work for Transform Dane on the outside today. He’s doing work release for the business we started. What began with your phone call to me, asking me to foster Eli’s dogs for a short period, has evolved into one of the closest friendships of my life, and a new purpose for both Eli and me (and two new dogs in my house of course). We started with Eli’s idea for a blog, his desperate need to tell his story after he went through an experience that [...]
The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves
(Content warning: Solitary confinement, Incarceration, Mental health, Medical neglect, Alcoholism, Drug addiction, Law enforcement, Suicidal Ideation, Restraints) Dictacted 12.1.24 from Dane County Jail, Madison, WI Dear Mom, You get used to a lot of noise in jail, but this morning was something special. All of a sudden we heard smacking, louder than I’ve ever heard, accompanied by quite a lot of yelling for 9:00 in the morning. I told you before that it’s been pretty peaceful in our cell block, and it has been. But next door, not so much. Some women here were more concerned with the drama. Who [...]
Not Even an Alcoholic
(Content warning: Alcoholism, Recovery, Suicidal ideation, Mental health) Dictacted 11.28.24 from Dane County Jail, Madison, WI Dear Mom, Happy Thanksgiving, Mom. I wish we were spending it together. I was happy I got to talk to you today. It was really, really hard. But I'm happy I got to talk to you. Like I told you, we had turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots, and a whole mess of gravy to go with it. You know I don't really like gravy, but I ate it because the food needed all the help it could get. You perfected the art of the turkey [...]
Arriba Abajo Al Centro Pa’ Dentro
(Content warning: Alcoholism, Addiction, Trauma, Gender dysphoria) Dictacted 11.27.24 from Dane County Jail, Madison, WI Dear Mom, Word has made it back to me at the jail that I have readers who don’t know me at all, let alone as well as you know me. In any case, I am starting to feel that I need to back my story up a little bit. The previous entries, in all their brutal detail, are out there, and no longer live in my head rent-free. Recounting them here has exorcised some of the demons. I told you what I needed to say, [...]
Hugs Not Jugs
(Content warning: Transphobia, Microaggressions, AFAB chest terminology/slang, Discrimination, Incarceration, Law enforcement, Alcoholism) Dictated 12.9.24 from Dane County Jail, Madison, WI Dear Mom, Before I begin, I should warn you that what you're about to read, you’d constitute “being a smartass.” You may even detect a hint of sarcasm. Credit where credit is due; the world should know you raised me well. There was just so much contrariness stamped in my brain that there was no hope to be had in containing at all. But you also raised me to be respectful of the heroism demonstrated by members of law enforcement, [...]