Reclamation: Inside Mass Incarceration

The system of mass incarceration in the United States has been officially condemned by the United Nations and is considered a gross violation of human rights. Those incarcerated are subjected to unlivable conditions and are forced even after release to exist as second class citizens. Not only are they stripped of their most basic rights (including the right to vote), they often lose their families and life as they know it is altered forever. Rehabilitation is considered impossible as the prison system is a corrupted, privatized enterprise driven by profit. "Inmates" are forgotten slaves: they are purposely stripped of their identities and voices, so it’s easier for the rest of society to overlook what is happening behind prison walls.

The mission of Reclamation: Inside Mass Incarceration is to bring light to the thoughts and expressions of those who are often forgotten by allowing them to reclaim their voices. We must not dismiss this point of view as criminal; because of a corrupted legal and judicial system, anyone could fall victim to this kind of abduction. The judicial system has little to do with right or wrong: it is a capitalist enterprise designed to make money from the most vulnerable citizens, too often black and brown bodies. We hope to create a place of safety, acceptance, and healing for victims of mass incarceration.

Schedule
Friday

• 7:30pm Silent auction opens for bidding

• 8:45pm Screening setup

• 9:00pm Screening of Life After Life, directed by Tamara Perkins

Saturday

• 8:00pm Monologue performance

• 9:00pm Spoken word performance by Roberto Martin

Sunday

• 1:00pm Monologue performance

• 2:00pm Spoken word performance by Roberto Martin

• 2:30pm Silent auction closes for bidding

• 3:30pm Winners announced

Components and Goals

• Showcase art in all forms by the previously and currently incarcerated with the goal of humanizing prisoners and allowing them to reclaim their voices on their own terms

• Auction pieces by the affected as well as creative reactions from artists and the greater community to raise money for YJC and stimulate critical conversations about mass incarceration and police brutality

• Allow attendees to interact with and take in visual performances, film, and audio on the topic

Location
Visual Artists Group
5239 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038

2018 Dates
Friday, August 17, 7:30-11pm
Saturday, August 18, 7:30-11pm
Sunday, August 19, 12:30-4pm
 

Results

Reclamation successfully raised $1,159 for Youth Justice Coalition.

The pieces that did not get sold were donated to CURB (Californians United for a Responsible Budget) for a similar art auction they're also held in Los Angeles in Fall 2018.

As a breakdown, the total amount of money raised was generated from art sales as well as both in-person and online-based donations. $480 can be attributed to direct sales from art created by currently/previously incarcerated individuals. The remainder is associated with art created by the greater public/community as well as donations from attendees and supporters.