Absence of Light project creates platform for voices of incarcerated people Gabe Stern | Enterprise Editor Facebook Google+ For more than three years, Auburn Correctional Facility inmate Cliff Graham has felt his voice is silenced by the barriers of the criminal justice system. But in November, The Daily Orange Opinion section launched a project called Absence of Light, which provided Graham and other incarcerated individuals a platform to make their voices heard. Contributors to the series share what are often untold stories of life behind bars. As an intern with the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, Gabe Stern, enterprise editor for The D.O., wrote a story on Auburn Correctional Facility’s inconsistent and inadequate COVID-19 policies. The experience made Stern realize the inmates are rarely able to share their insights on such issues with the public.