INITIATIVES
" The way each order is cultivated, black culture, black experience, black health. It was really revolutional. Makes any poet want to go back to the drawing board and write more about real everyday topics that us Black people experience each and everyday. " Community Member
IMPACT
Key takeaway is that amplification of what I know to be right and just. The spelling out, in beautiful and brilliant terms, of what the US government is really about. like, it reinforced the urgency of the moment while simultaneously weaving a magic spell that reminded me of my own sovereignty to liberate my SELF from the lies of oppressive systems. One key takeaway was Brandon Alexander's articulation of what changes in a young person when you extend to them honor. reminded me of the tao te ching translation "trust the ppl and they become trustworthy" Community Member
MEDIA CLIP
We host Quarterly Conjuring Events that bring together artists, organizers, healers, elected officials, stakeholders, and community for one common goal : REVOLUTION.
Here we merge art, spirit, advocacy, and organizing to ignite transformation. We don't just highlight campaigns and the social issues that impact our community, we use art to educate and mobilize our folks to take action. Here the art leaves the stage and travels to public safety meetings, direct actions, stragey sessions, policy agendas and most importantly the hearts of the people. To date we have featured over 90 artists and organizers, organically reaching over 4,000 people from St. Louis, MO to Accra, Ghana.
MEDIA CLIP
In this space, we breathe. We speak. We connect to our bodies, our anger, our confusion, our power, our joy, and we do it together. Art and organizing are the adhesives that binds and bonds us with each other, our ancestors, and our future. Here, there is no separating revolution from revolutionary art, just like there is no separating the personal from the political or healing from strategy.
This is a place where we connect, study, write, share and gather insight from artist and cultural organizers who have had to sacrifice making art because they are pouring all of their energy into ALL of the strategies and tactics that we employ to get FREE. This is a place were we are reminded that ART is not an accessory to liberation but a tool to combat narrative warfare, to disseminate political education, to mobilize our community members and to amplify campaign messages.
ADVOCAY & ORGANIZING
22 people have died in the St. Louis City Jail Since 2020.
The #NOMOREJAILDEATHS campaign was born in response to the call from incarcerated organizers & the ongoing crisis at the St. Louis City Justice Center that has turned jail into a death sentence. We are a part of a coalition which encompasses organizations in St. Louis that lead decarceration, diversion, and abolitionist efforts in the St. Louis region. This campaign is stoutly committed to following the leadership of directly impacted individuals.
We are committed to organizing to stop the jail deaths in St. Louis City until there are no more jails for people to die in. The only way we can ensure that people do not die inside of the St. Louis City Jail is to shrink the size, scope and power of the jail by drastically reducing the jail population, diverting cases to community based programs, and providing current residents with the care, support, and resources they need while they are incarcerated. While our work is in St. Louis, we know that Jail Deaths national crisis.
Our advocacy work doesn't stop with this campaign. We also support the work of the Missouri Justice Coaliton to stop prison deaths across the Missouri Region, and National Abolitionist Efforts across the country. We have used our Spitting & Politicking Model to advocate for Abolishing the Death Penalty/ Kevin Johnson Case , Reproductive Justice/ Roe vs Wade, Maternal Health, LGBTQIA Rights,
No More Jail Deaths, Political Prisoners/ Dr. Mutulu Shakur , Ending Cash Bail / Bold Against Bail Campaign and much more.
MEDIA CLIP
We are now launching our first Stipend Cultural Organizing Fellowship , led by our founder, Tracy “T-Spirit” Stanton, a formerly incarcerated, internationally recognized spoken word artist, cultural organizer, well-being coach, healer, and poetic strategist. This fellowship emerges from years of lived experience, grassroots organizing, and artistic practice, and is designed to meet a critical gap: the need for intentional investment in systems-impacted cultural organizers who are both artists and movement leaders.
Through this initiative, we will invite 5–10 formerly incarcerated artists and organizers into a loving, rigorous, and transformative 4 month fellowship. This fellowship is designed to nurture the whole person : artist, organizer, and human being. Participants will engage in an intensive curriculum that moves from foundational principles of organizing and political education to advanced skills in campaign development, power mapping, and movement strategy. Fellows will critically analyze systems of oppression, understand the mechanics of power, and develop the tools needed to intervene effectively in this political moment.
At the same time, fellows will deepen their artistic practice, strengthen their creative discipline, expand their artistic voice, and sharpen their ability to use art as a strategic intervention. Through workshops, collaborative creation, and performance based practice, participants will explore how storytelling, rhythm, and embodiment can influence hearts, minds, and policy. The fellowship with culminate with a collective project and showcase that is connected to campaign.
In addition to the fellowship, we are launching our Spitting & Politicking Cultural Organizing training series and hosting our inaugural Lyrics & Libations Retreat for systems impacted artist & organizers.
