Share the Mic: Incarcerated Arts
Art programs for incarcerated youth and adults provide healing-informed strategies for coping with trauma and the significant challenges of re-entering society. These programs empower the imprisoned to break generational cycles and reclaim their individual narratives; they also provide opportunities for those outside prison walls to see the value and creative potential of all human beings. Join us for a panel discussion with the inspirational leaders of art programs for imprisoned people. We’ll explore how museums and other cultural and academic institutions can destigmatize and center incarcerated voices in the public sphere and elevate all forms of experience and knowledge. Panelists will include Bidhan Roy, co-founder of WordsUncaged and Faculty Director of CSULA’s Bachelor of Arts program at Lancaster State Prison; Tobias Tubbs, spoken word artist, former inmate, and co-founder of WordsUncaged; Fabian Debora, Executive Director of Somos L.A. Arte – Homeboy Art Academy; and Jahanna Blunt, Program Director of Rhythm Arts Alliance. Conversation will be moderated by Amy Landau, Director of Education and Interpretation at the Fowler Museum. With days left before the November election, the panel will conclude with a spoken word performance by Tobias Tubbs, “When I’m President.” Share the Mic The Fowler believes in the civic duty of museums to give forum to different points of view and is committed to amplifying the voices and concerns of Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized people. This series offers a platform to thought leaders—artists, activists, and allies—who are guiding us along the arc of justice.
