Purpose in Action: The Vision of Inmate Create

We’re kicking off a series of posts in our blogs, newsletter, and social media, that will explore our Vision, Mission, and Values on a deeper level. And we’re calling it VMV. 

Inmate Create was founded by a compelling Vision that inspires us to take action through our Mission. Our Values are the principles that guide everything we do. Let’s begin our VMV series by looking at what started it all…our VISION

OUR VISION:

Inmate Create EMPOWERS incarcerated PEOPLE to RELEASE their CREATIVITY to BENEFIT the world.

The focal point of our vision is PEOPLE. We view those who are incarcerated as people first, not “prisoners”. While it is true that all of our designers are (or have been) in prison, incarceration does not define them. Human beings are endowed with a divine image. That image can be obscured by harmful or evil acts – but it cannot be erased.

Some believe that a person’s worst moments in life should define them forever – we disagree. A person who has committed a crime should pay the just consequences for what they’ve done. But they should also be encouraged to become more than their worst choices. That’s where CREATIVITY enters our vision.

Creativity springs from the divine spark inside all humans. When we EMPOWER people in prison to RELEASE creativity, we are helping them to overcome the toxic events and choices of their past. Part of taking responsibility for one’s past is to build a future that is free of harm. We believe that creativity is the opposite of crime.

The ultimate result of our vision is to BENEFIT the world. The world is a better place when people make positive changes. Not only are we helping incarcerated artists build legal income for their families, we also support them in developing skills that will lead them to become productive members of society upon release. On top of all that, the Give by Design project allows these artists to give back by donating 100% of their profits to worthy causes of their choice.

This is the heartbeat of our Vision: people, creativity, and the belief that transformation is possible. When we look at the men and women behind the artwork, we don’t see a label or a sentence—we see human beings capable of growth, beauty, and contribution. Creativity becomes the doorway through which they reclaim what is good, true, and unbroken within them. And when that creativity is released, the world is genuinely better for it.

As we continue this series, we’ll explore the Mission that puts this Vision into action and the Values that keep us grounded along the way. But it all begins here: with people, with creativity, and with the conviction that every life has the capacity to bring good into the world.

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