Open Call for Clemency is a virtual exhibition of visual art by people who are currently incarcerated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. TCA collaborated with the Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) Campaign and curator Claire Kim to collect works that reflect on personal responses to the current COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on the urgency and importance of clemency. The goal of this exhibition was to emphasize the humanity of those who are incarcerated, share their works as widely as possible, and ultimately reach the Governors’ offices, to advocate for clemency. The exhibition opened on Wednesday, March 27th, 2020
Access the full digital exhibit at OpenCallforClemency.com

watch panel discussions below

PRISON ART AS ACTIVISM
SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
  • Pastor Isaac Scott, Moderator
  • Dr. Nicole Fleetwood, Professor of American Studies and Art History at Rutgers University and Author of Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration
  • ​Kenneth Reams, Founder of Who Decides Inc. He is currently incarcerated and has launched the #FREEKENNYREAMSCAMPAIGN (www.freekennethreams.org), Artist featured in Open Call for Clemency
  • Mary Heinen McPherson, Coordinator and Co-founder of the Prison Creative Arts Project
CLEMENCY, REENTRY, AND COMMUNITY CONCERN

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SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
  • Jose Hamza Saldana - Director of RAPP
  • Roslyn Smith - Activist, Author, Organizer with RAPP, Beyond Incarceration Program Manger of Vday
  • Obiofuma, Chijindu - Legal Fellow at Criminal Justice Policy Program (Harvard Law School)
  • Elder G.Yusef Qualls. - Re-entry specialist
  • Alejo Rodriguez - Arts and Civic Engagement coordinator at Exodus Transitional Community; Board Member of BAC
  • Jason Wu - Community Board 11 Member; Trustee for The Association of Legal Aid Attorneys-UAW 2325
  • David Harris - Managing Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice at Harvard Law School
  • Kenneth Reams - currently incarcerated artist featured in Open Call for Clemency