Contributing to Voices On the Inside never felt like a typical creative assignment. It was a chance to help restore dignity, amplify truth, and place the humanity of incarcerated women at the center - clear enough for people to really hear them.

My work began long before opening day. I partnered with the Poetic Justice California team to scout the site, study the flow of the room, and map how each piece would shape the visitor journey. We walked the floor, built the emotional arc, and made sure the space supported both reflection and revelation.

When it came time to hang the artists’ work, we treated it as sacred labor. Every poem, photograph, and handwritten story carried a life behind it. Our job was to honor that life through placement, spacing, and silence - creating an atmosphere where their voices could stand tall.

One of my key contributions was designing an interactive board that book-ended the exhibit. It acted as an anchor, inviting visitors to ground themselves, respond, and connect more deeply with the stories in the room.

I also pushed for a way for the women to be heard, not just seen. That led to integrating QR codes throughout the exhibit, now an essential element. Visitors could scan a code and hear the artist speak about her work, her journey, and what it means to create from the inside. It closed the distance incarceration tries to widen.

Beyond the installation, I collaborated with Lorenzo “Lxgend” Burroughs on a mini documentary that captured the heart of the exhibit - the atmosphere, the community, and the artists’ impact. It became a companion piece that allowed the experience to live beyond the gallery.

This project wasn’t just creative work; it was communal work. It reminded me that art can open doors, challenge assumptions, and return humanity to places where systems have tried to erase it.

Voices On the Inside reaffirmed why I create: to bring light to lived experience and help people be heard - especially those the world tries to overlook.

2.0

#PoeticJusice #VoicesOnTheInside