Testimonials
General Impact
"It really struck a chord with me to be a part of something that was bigger than me. ....Because I’ve been behind those walls, I know how important it is to be heard. To hold myself with a certain sense of integrity, to be able to deliver those words properly, there was no way I could say no....Because there were men behind those walls that it meant more to... it gave them their life back ... for something that they wrote to be voiced out here in the real world. I knew it meant something, I knew what it meant because I’ve been there." - David Sampe, Community Advocate
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“Voices Unbarred came to the prison. And we created there. And for me, I've seen a lot of people advocating for change of the system. And I know it's never-ending work, but it was just a fresh approach that we took when we were creating these pieces. [...] It's just a different way to try to solve the problem." - Malik Simpson, Community Advocate & former Inner Voices participant
Economic Impact
“For all the donors out there, I would personally like to say thank you because you have no idea what your dollars and what your contributions give to people like myself and others like me. It gives us an opportunity to be finally free. It’s not free in the way that you think but our freedom comes in the way of expression and I’d like to thank you for everything you’ve done for us and continue to do, thank you.” - David Sampe, Community Advocate
"Thank you for the funds. I really needed that, and it’s my first professional pay, so I’m super excited about that." - Curtis, Former Community Advocate
Healing, Trauma and Mental Health
"When I participated in the program, I really started to see how it was helping my own personal development. You know, healing from a lot of the institutionalization of being incarcerated that I didn’t even realize I had. Just having the platform and the space to talk specifically to my traumas helped me--I didn’t know there was so much that [could be] expressed from that experience. And having seen the benefit in my social and emotional development.. I felt like it’s something I wanted to help out [with] however I could." - Devin Smith, Community Advocate
"I felt this program was an emotional outlet for me and a way to actually be myself and not a fraud." - Chuwueka, Inner Voices Participant
Policy and Advocacy
"...Voices Unbarred does a really good job at teaching people how to not just take the intentional experiences, make them fun and engaging through theatre, but then you know, use it to help change that system. But I think it also has helped me gain confidence in just sharing my experience. Not just sharing it--just being more thoughtful about how my lived experience can be advocacy in a way that can help others.” - Devin Smith, Community Advocate
I have the personal experience to know that these policies are really based on, I'm gonna say it just like I see it, color discrepancy. Now, as I heard somebody say something about always wanting to be a freedom fighter. I've been a freedom fighter for a long time, because I fought bullies, I didn't like bullies. And I feel like policies are bullies, I feel like the agenda has a purpose. And it's carried out in a weight on...just a certain society. It's not based on equality. With Voices Unbarred, I get to stand up to the bully, I get to stand up, man. And face that bully. And let it be known what it is that the bully is doing. And it gives me an opportunity to advocate for others." - Chef Reese, Community Advocate
Racial Justice
"It actually allowed me to see these men for who they are. Besides this, most activities in prison are segregated by race, by charge, by religious affiliation." - Inner Voices Participant
"It really helped my understanding of reparations and gave me tools to better discuss the subject with others." - Audience Member of Rehearsal for Change
Creativity and Theatre
"Voices Unbarred provides an outlet for me to express myself which is so important, and working with Voices Unbarred is like combining two beautiful things for me (poetry and advocacy). It is important for my story to be told, and when I was deeply involved with Voices Unbarred, it felt like therapy. It was a space that I was so comfortable in, and I felt safe to open up and express myself." - Damon Jones, Community Advocate
"It's not always great in here...you guys coming in showing us the power of theatre helped a lot." - Kari, Inner Voices Participant
“Becoming Free”
David Sampe, Community Advocate
I wear a suit to hide in plain sight.
Yet the tension in my shoulders tells the story of where I came from and what I’ve seen and what I’ve been through and overcome.
A paid in full debt to society that continues to collect interest indefinitely.
Any sentence becomes a life sentence.
Voices Unbarred turned that liability into an asset.
No longer hiding in shame of the past.
Through the healing of creativity, allowed me to live in the now.
Able to envision, shape, and manifest the future.
My new freedom is that of expression.
