10-Year Anniversary Campaign

Ten years ago, we began as a writing workshop for younger, formerly incarcerated nursing home residents, living with spinal cord injuries from gun violence. We called ourselves the Reality Poets and shared our stories and wisdom with youth. We grew into a creative community making music, visual art, theater, and film. During the pandemic, we organized for the dignity and safety of nursing home residents and staff everywhere. Tragically, in these past ten years, eight Reality Poets have passed away. Their legacies continue to shape our work. Their deaths remind us what can happen when disability, race, poverty, and institutionalization intersect in a world not built for us. Our fight is for them.

Help us raise $10,000 to propel OPEN DOORS into its next ten years!