who we are
Creative Acts is a Black-founded, ‘Global Majority’ organization. We use the arts and virtual reality in a highly innovative approach to radically reframing justice and healing in carceral systems and in the communities people return to. With two decades of experience inside America’s prisons, we’ve seen firsthand the trauma caused by systemic violence—for incarcerated individuals, our communities, and staff.
We believe change must be shaped, not endured. Our approach centers stakeholder voices to ensure transformation is equitable and sustainable. With a strategic approach to reimagining how we deal with serious harm beyond policing and incarceration, Creative Acts continues to center and invest in healing, leadership, and justice with incarcerated, formerly incarcerated and systems-impacted people, and the communities they return to, at our heart.
OUR MISSION
Creative Acts is an organization that seeks to transform urgent social justice issues through the revolutionary power of the Arts; to heal trauma, build community, raise power, and center the voices of those who are or have been incarcerated.
Creative Acts in the News
Recently, the Associated Press joined us at one of our Arts and Virtual Reality Reentry programs at Valley State Prison.
They watched our innovative programming and made a video piece that shares what they learned. They spent time with our co-founder, Sabra Williams, our teaching artists with lived experience of incarceration: Misti Hassan, Richard Richard, and with our partners inside participating in the week-long workshop.
We thank Haven Daley and the Associated Press for their time and care in making a piece that amplifies our work and its impact.
We want to also note that language is very important in the work we do. At Creative Acts we use people-centered language like “formerly incarcerated” or “people with lived experience,” instead of words like “inmate.” It may seem small, but language makes a big difference in shifting perception and understanding of the carceral system and those impacted by it.