“Three Caged Birds” was created in response to the escape and rescue of the three young women who were kidnapped and held in chains for more than a decade in Cleveland, OH. I had a personal connection to this horrific event. All three victims were abducted from the neighborhood that I lived in at the time. I knew Amanda Barry through neighborhood encounters, and Gina DeJesus was the same age as my daughter and attended the elementary school at the corner of our street. This piece is a celebration of their survival and resilience, and a prayer for hope that their hearts and souls one day are healed. The title of this piece is an homage to Maya Angelou. On the one-year anniversary of their escape, Maya Angelou passed away. Her poem, “The Caged Bird Sings,” was being recited by many people in honor of the poet. It resonated with me and seemed very appropriate to this bitter-sweet anniversary.