“Art Uncuffed” enlightens Ohio State community on success capabilities for the formerly incarcerated

On Jan. 31 the BackWall Show panel, (left to right) Kendra Hovey of Healing Broken Circles, Coach Poo, Tronee Threat, Zerious Business and Blakk Sun, shared their journey back into society after being incarcerated and how artistic expression made this transition easier. | Credit: Xiyonne McCullough, BLACKXBOLD Writer

For many incarcerated people, the ability and hope to build a life post-incarceration can feel very out of sight as the prison experience is known to belittle a person’s sense of autonomy. 

Yet, the Backwall Performance Collective, an experience that inspires creative expression for those who have been incarcerated, proves otherwise. 

The “Art Uncuffed” event, hosted Jan. 31 in the Frank W. Hale Jr. Black Cultural Center, showcased formerly incarcerated performers to stimulate a period of growth. 

“Within a society, you’ve got certain levels of care or victimhood that can be attributed to different levels of the population, and the prisoner is kind of on the bottom of that totem pole,” said DeAndre Gaston or “Coach Poo,” one of the formerly incarcerated members of the collective.

This event connected with Ohio State’s prison educational experience, “Ohio Prison Education Exchange Program,'' or OPEEP, and the nonprofit rehabilitation social service provider, Healing Broken Circles. 

Backwall Performance Collective is a byproduct of Healing Broken Circles and is made up of four formerly incarcerated men—Blakk Sun (Michael Powell), Coach Poo (DeAndre Gaston), Tronee Threat (Guy L. Banks), and Zerious Business (Montez Mickens). 

All of these men served lengthy prison sentences and experienced a period of hopelessness due to the negligence encountered within the system. The men shared how systemic issues in and out of prison contributed to their resilience and involvement in their communities.

A Q&A session concluded the event, where collective members joined with the Healing Broken Circles’ executive director, Kendra Hovey, to discuss the importance of healing for those negatively impacted by systemic barriers and the prison system.

“The goal was to share the talent, stories, experience, and success of people who have been incarcerated, and confront biases people didn’t know they have,” says Hovey. 

Many students in attendance asked questions about how much life changes after being incarcerated. 

Alana Ray, a first-year in environmental science, said she attended the event with an open heart and the intention to learn about a lifestyle different from her own.

“This event just really opened my eyes. It’s just very inspiring to show the possibilities of what you can do, and not judging a book by its cover,” Ray said. “This event was really helpful for that." 

Blakk Sun, Tronee Threat, and Zerious Business said they found music to light up their worlds both in and out of prison. They combine their networking skills from prison with their musical talent to collaborate with one another and create art.

Blakk Sun shared two rap songs, “More” and “Humble,” from his newly released project, “Elevated EP.” 

Zerious Business took his artistic inspiration a step further and began shooting photography and videography as a means of expression. He currently has his own business, “MJ Photography and Videography,” that started from his self-taught skills and determination. 

Coach Poo, on the other hand, found his inspiration within leadership and direct mentorship. In Toledo, he currently owns his own fitness center, “Go Tyme Grynd,” where he helps Toledo community members incorporate fitness into their lifestyles. 

Looking beyond the barriers and seeing the life that the collective members created for themselves after incarceration through art, performance, and conversation made the Art Uncuffed event an inspiration for those in attendance.