At this moment, over 122,000 people are being tortured in theUnited States using your tax dollars. People in solitary confinement are forced to live in a cell about the size of a parking space, often without windows or any way to track the passage of time.
Sometimes solitary is deathly dark and silent with zero human interaction; other times, it’s an endless cacophany of screaming, crying, bright lights, guards shouting orders, and other over whelming stimulation.
Our nationwide campaign is putting a stop to the horrific, globally condemned human rights crisis that is solitary confinement in theUnited States.
Solitary confinement is pervasive — alinchpin of mass incarceration — yet iscatastrophically misunderstood by thepublic.
While news coverage and op-eds are vitalfor raising awareness, we also need toeducate and activate people beyond thecrowded, hectic media landscape. We mustuse innovative ways to engage the masses
Enter the Journey to Justice Bus Tour, apublic education and artivism tour that willreach thousands of people from severaltarget audiences across the country.
We're employing a creative, blended framework of education and entertainment to create engaging,informative community-building experiences nationwide.
Over eight weeks, our bus will journey from Washington State to Washington, D.C. to ignite conversation,inspire action, and empower some of the most promising sources of vision and creativity everytransformational movement needs: universities and their surrounding communities. These spaces are hubsof learning, activism, and public discourse—places where ideas take root and movements gainmomentum. By bringing together students, educators, community organizers, and thought leaders, we arebuilding a national network of change-makers committed to human rights, justice, and ending torture.
This approach is intentionally designed and led by survivors of solitary confinement and other directlyimpacted individuals, ensuring each event on the tour will catalyze dialogue and foster transformativeempathy, creating tectonic shifts in the general understanding of what goes on in the deep end of theprison system, and how it affects all of us.
We'll be blending traditional approaches (interdisciplinary panels, toolkit discussions) with story-first, entertainment based approaches — such as open mic nights and human libraries — that spark joy and bring the general publictogether. This approach allows us to not only drive immediate awareness but also have generational reach that reverberates throughout communities.
With unique programming designed and led by directly impacted people, all events will reflect our three-part approach to building movements that are energetic, effective, and sustainable.
ConnectInfuse events with art, creativity, experiential learning, unique sensory exhibits, fun, & joy
EducateCultivate narrative-shifting relationships among community members and survivors
ActivateEmpower attendees with the info& skills to build communities capable of high-impact change
The bus rolls up to UC Berkeley. Over the next few days, it will travel around the campus as a mobile advocacy tool and a place to educate people onnot only the horrors of solitary, but the beautiful alternatives we should be investing in. Meanwhile, our team will host three events:
First up is a panel that brings together the schools of social work, psychology, education, law, and theater to talk about the effects of solitary on young people and their communities. The panel is interactive, and covers everything from the foster-care-to-prison pipeline to evidenced-based theater therapies. It ends in a mock debate of the constitutionality of solitary. As attendees depart, they receive a discussion guide for in-course education, campus student groups, and faith groups.
That night, an open mic meets human library is hosted at the local BookstoreBar. Here, people who have survived torture are available to speak with attendees in human, one-on-one conversation. This transitions into an open mic night where directly impacted people share their art. The local and college radio stations feature these performers and invite callers to ask questions and share their own stories.
The next afternoon, a local bookstore hosts a traditional book reading where portions of Chris Blackwell’s book“Ending Isolation: The Case AgainstSolitary Confinement” are read aloud and discussed by experts, survivors, students, and others. Outside, the bus plays music and offers passersby an opportunity to engage in the issue at their own pace via VR goggle experiences and a photo exhibit.
Our team is uniquely positioned to execute this ambitious and powerful production. We’re a blend of seasoned advocates who have spent decades making change at the highest levels, expert researchers, accomplished authors, directly impacted people, and Emmy-award winning producers.
We’ve intentionally brought together a team that is not only committed to the work, but possesses the track record to devise, implement, and scale this tour.
Over the last two years, our organizations have introduced legislation, published high-visibility content, and executed artivism events with lasting reach and impact.
10 UTB State Campaigns
Unlock the Box and its network are powered by 23 state campaigns that form the backbone of our grassroots advocacy efforts.
These campaigns are led by those with lived experience – directly-impacted individuals and survivors of solitary confinement – giving them unparalleled expertise and insight.
Their leadership provides us with the organizational capacity to mobilize effectively and connect authentically with the audiences crucial to achieving our goals.
The Journey to Justice bus is a mobile advocacy hub, offering education and community building.Inside, VR and immersive digital experiences illustrate the harsh realities of solitary confinement, while outside, a model solitary cell and photo exhibit humanize the statistics.
It's a space for connection, featuring an advocacy area, mobile library, and creative zone for sharing stories and fostering solidarity. The bus's vibrant design serves as a rolling billboard, sparking dialogue and raising awareness.
Policy is personal, and nothing is more powerful than hearing from a survivor.
That's why "Windows into Solitary," a photo exhibition created in partnership with the SocialDocumentary Network, will be on board the bus.
The exhibit features first-hand accounts and portraits of 18 currently and formerly incarcerated survivors of torture. Their stories, paired with powerful images, humanize solitary confinement in away words alone cannot.
These impactful images are sometimes captured in abandoned solitary cells, such as those at Alcatraz and Eastern State Penitentiary (the birthplace of solitary confinement), adding depth and resonance to evocative images and stories on display.
A centerpiece of the Journey to Justice tour is"Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement" by currently incarcerated authorChristopher W. Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Dr. Terry Kupers, and Kwaneta Harris.
This powerful book will amplify the tour's message and extend our reach to new audiences, including bookstore patrons, avid readers, academics, and students.
It also provides us with valuable content to rally around, deepening engagement and expandingthe conversation about the urgent need to end solitary confinement.
The Journey to Justice tour is not an isolated event; its impact will extend far beyond the final stop. We are committed to providing resources that equip communities to continue the fight against solitary confinement long after the bus doors close.
Toolkits and discussion guides will be made available for use by student groups, college classes, faith-based organizations, and community groups, facilitating ongoing education and advocacy. High-quality video and photo content captured throughout the tour will be shared widely, keeping the issue in the spotlight and inspiring action.
Furthermore, we will gather and analyze KPIs to assess the tour's effectiveness, both in changing hearts and minds and in building capacity for our state and national campaigns, ensuring continuous improvement and maximum impact.
Making meaningful change requires fuel, and we are seeking support to power the Journey toJustice tour. We invite you to join us by investing in this powerful initiative. A contribution of$25,000 or more will help us achieve our goals by providing critical resources for the tour's success.
Your support is not just a (tax-deductible)donation; it's an investment in a movement that is transforming lives and building a more justsociety — a movement that will activate thousands of people across the country.
We’re off to an incredible start. In just a few weeks, we’ve confirmed support and partnerships with advocacy organizations who are trailblazers for change.
This is so much more than a bus tour. It’s a limitlessly creative, exciting, bold movement that blends art with education to galvanize everyone it touches, leave communities stronger than ever, and end torture for good.
JOIN US!
