Testimonials 

"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

"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 

"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 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

"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 gave us freedom to express our inner self." - CorrespondARTS Participant