Lia Pikus is no stranger to the intersection of seemingly unrelated passions. As a recipient of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, a grant that allows graduating seniors to pursue an independent study project outside of the United States, she is bringing together two passions of hers — music and prison abolitionism — for her project “Beyond the Bars: Music’s Role in Reimagining Punishment.” At some point in the near future, she will be setting off to observe inner-carceral music programming first hand and experience musical community on a global scale.
![‘Music is a tool for joy’: Lia Pikus receives Watson Fellowship to study music and prison abolition](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_featured_image/public/articles/2021-08/Rice%2520Thresher%2520music%25200323.png?itok=xwZopHvr)