by Jhenna El-Sawaf Marcus Pettiford was around two years old when his mother, Anita, handed him a pencil and piece of paper. He settled in to draw a portrait of his favorite toy, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. When he showed his mom the final result, she was stunned: “It scared me! I was like …

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by Marcus Pettiford Just when I thought it was possible, and beginning to feel optimistic… I was sadly reminded that God does not save the ghetto. Ironic laughs with tearful smiles. Late night fist fights, and daylight gun shot victims. Please God save the ghetto. Liquor bottles a quarter full, smoke filled air. Young boys …

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By R. Zumar I’ve never ridden a horse before even though I’m fascinated at the thought of doing so. I plan to one day if I ever get the chance. I created this piece for two reasons. One is just for the first reason I said above, but the other is a little deeper. Someone …

Continue reading The Becomings of a Master: Canyon Run

This month, we are highlighting artist, poet, activist, public speaker, and nonprofit founder Kenneth Reams. We were lucky to connect with Kenny through his work with the Prison Story Project. Kenny was one of the 11 men incarcerated on Arkansas Death Row who wrote PSP’s “On the Row,” a film that JAC screened with our …

Continue reading Artist Spotlight: “In the Box” with Kenneth Reams

We recently talked with Elia Cadilla, our newest addition to the Teaching Artist Spotlight series. Elia has done research for the FILIUS Institute, part of the School of Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico (among other projects, a study about the effect of theater in the rehabilitation process of female convicts.) Cadilla teaches Acting for Film and TV at the …

Continue reading Teaching Artist Spotlight: Elia Enid Cadilla

The Justice Arts Coalition has been honored to collaborate on a panel within Refueling for Justice, an all-day, free virtual event for those in the movement for Black lives, highlighting Black artists, teachers, musicians, dancers, healers, speakers, and more. From the Refueling for Justice website: To win long-term, systemic change – we need to be …

Continue reading Virtual Event 6/27: Refueling for Justice feat. “Art as Release” JAC Artist Panel!

Our online Summer Workshop Series Create+Connect is going strong! This week, on Thursday, June 22, we are so excited to be joined by the incredible Kenneth Reams. Kenneth Reams is an artist, social justice activist, and the founder of Who Decides, Inc., a non-profit that aims to raise awareness through the arts of the racial, …

Continue reading Workshop Spotlight: A Conversation From Death Row with Kenneth Reams

By R. Zumar This is the first piece of abstract art that I’ve ever made. I didn’t know what it would mean to me once it was finished and really didn’t have a plan of what I wanted when I was looking at this blank piece of paper in front of me. Then I started …

Continue reading The Becomings of A Master: Abstract