RADICAL RELEASE: PHASE ONE COMPLETE - EXPANDING TO DC
CELEBRATION & GRATITUDE!
Your incredible generosity made magic happen! Thanks to your support, we completed the transformative Radical Release Project, including our three-day retreat (March 2025) at Camp Mitchell on Petit Jean Mountain, our powerful post-retreat integration workshop at Village Place in Little Rock, Arkansas, and our culminating Mother's Day art exhibition on May 11th.
During these gatherings, Black mothers and their children created sacred space to rest, heal, and reconnect through culturally resonant practices including yoga, dance therapy, storytelling, and world-building workshops. Our Hoodoo-inspired cord-cutting ceremony deepened the healing journey. Visit our updates section to see video highlights from these transformative experiences!
WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER
Thanks to your donations, we were able to:
- Serve two Black families directly impacted by incarceration through our three-part immersive healing program
- Invest over $5,000 in honorariums to fairly compensate our 13 program artists, healers, and project leads
- Create sacred healing spaces where families gathered in circles with drums, shared stories, and created art together
- Host a powerful public art exhibition attended by over 30 community members, showcasing the creative expressions and resilience of retreat participants
- Produce and start distributing 50 copies of our "and that's love!" zine documenting our work rooted in love, radical imagination, and liberation
- Transform personal healing into public advocacy and collective liberation
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: Expanding to Washington, D.C.
Building on the success of our Arkansas pilot, we're now preparing to bring Radical Release to communities in Washington, D.C. This expansion will allow us to serve more Black families impacted by incarceration and violence while deepening our model of healing justice.
HELP US SCALE THIS VITAL WORK
We've raised $6,730 toward our $10K goal. The remaining funds will support:
Phase II Planning & Implementation:
- Program development and adaptation for D.C. communities
- Fair compensation for facilitators, artists, and healers
- Materials, venue costs, and participant support
- Documentation and community zine production
- Building partnerships with local organizations
THREE WAYS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING:
- Donate: Every contribution helps us expand this healing work to reach more families
- Share: Help us connect with potential supporters and D.C. community partners
- Follow: Stay connected for updates about Radical Release Phase II by following @poeticportals on Instagram
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW MORE THAN EVER
The trauma of incarceration and domestic violence creates deep, lasting wounds for Black families. Through Radical Release, we've witnessed firsthand how intentional community spaces can transform pain into power. Our first phase proved that rest is resistance, creativity is healing, and liberation requires collective imagination.
Your continued support ensures these healing practices reach more families who need them most.
With profound gratitude and in radical solidarity,
The Radical Release Team,
Including project leads, Sarah Martin and Fernando Smith, and our incredible community of artists, healers, and facilitators who made this vision a reality.