Healing Arts. 

Several of the pioneers of prison arts programs joined us for
the original pilot group of the LGBTQ/gender course at San Quentin.
They drew on their creative transformative experiences,
which greatly informed our program and curriculum-building phase.
One resulting module that everyone found particularly transformational
was ​an interactive exercise, in which participants employed
writing, role-playing, and artistic expression
as they worked together ​to create storytelling scenes.

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​We continued this proximate collaboration
with the art programs — and then, just prior
to the COVID pandemic, we deepened those
longtime relationships to leverage the work we
had already been doing together, which has
​allowed us to create more spaces to...

transform trauma into purpose, opportunity, and art.

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​Freddy Gutierrez, founder and previous facilitator of The Artistic Ensemble of San Quentin (AESQ), joined our team and has been working closely with artists who have been with the ACT program since the beginning. Carlos Meza, Chris Marshall, and Nate Collins have held leadership roles with the ACT program and also with ALIGHT since it was but a spark of an idea.
​Together, the ALIGHT artist team has created
​a whole lot of magic! 

​For participants who find creative processes to be especially transformative,
we have created a space for deeper artistic exploration.
Writing, journaling, storytelling, and movement
are methods of exploring participants’ personal narratives.
The self-exploration themes include history, family, trauma,
power & privilege, identity, and foresight.
We also analyze and draw connections between
​personal narratives and broader social history and constructs.

Supported by innovative facilitators, professional artists, and each other,
group members creatively document our in-prison transformative work
through the performing, visual, ​and fine art talents of group members.
The group creativity is then curated and showcased in forums
​both inside and outside of the penitentiary walls.​

These showcases, which are both artistically sound and socially accessible,
are built upon a foundation of the restorative and educational processes
that are the hearthstone of everything we do. 

We have a long history of creating bridges between the inside community and the outside community – the performances, exhibitions, and music that have grown out of our programs have been transformational — both inside the walls, as well as outside. 
These bridges also act as important and necessary connectors
between incarcerated artists and community/ professional networks.
​
This proximity supports leadership, growth, and healing,
which has been profoundly transformative for everyone connected to it. 
Such proximity also serves as a platform for people to develop
marketable skills and professionalism before returning to the outside community. 

If you would like an invitation to our next forum inside,
or if you want to work with us on the outside
to support the art & creations of incarcerated communities,
​don’t hesitate to reach out!