The artwork displayed here was created and submitted by participants of the Incarcerated Scholars Conference. We are honored to share these creative works publicly to celebrate the talent, voice, and vision of the artists.
All works remain the intellectual property of their respective creators. The images, names, and likenesses of the artists are shared solely for the purpose of viewing and appreciating their work.
Reproduction, distribution, sale, or any other use of this artwork, including use of any artist’s name, image, or likeness, without explicit written permission from the creator, is strictly prohibited.
By viewing this gallery, you agree to respect the integrity and ownership of each artist’s work. Our goal is to make these creative expressions visible and valued—while protecting the rights and dignity of those who made them.
Read more about the ISC Art Gallery policies

Why Bother
I have no name, no mother tongue.
And no father.
Every time I overcome one obstacle
I’m faced with something harder
Larger than the expected vexed
With the mos hectic life,
“Roll like dice”
dead or alive i’m still
Paying A Price.
Wedding rice get thrown, I held up my bowl
Because having no food every night was in
My household.
Cold soul because everybody that raised me
Put snow in their nose.
Showed how to unload and reload pistols
at 11 years old.
Grow'd up where nobody ever grew up
Stuck between a dope dealer and a dope fein
Was the only examples I seen
Cream was money, big money was cake
I only had a taste
Created in haste, so fast is my only pace
Embrace with gang hand shakes
Self-hate so I find myself being
Someone else every day
Prey only on the weak because i’m weak
Sleep all day even when i’m awake
Fake outwardly because inside i’m doubting
Tattoos on my body because I saw
Somebody else's body, and
Everything I am I copied
American Made
My name is Emmitt X. Wright Author of “American Made” and “The Preservation of life by total Liberation of the African mind.” What inspired my poems & writing is expression, sharing my own ideas of how I see the world & all the experiences our world has been through. What drew me to writing was the power of words from a Judge that took my life with a life sentence when I was 18 years young & now that I’m near 50 I am still fighting an entire system with words and from this prison sentence it is what drew me to writing.
If you are the artist of an artwork featured in this gallery and want it removed, please reach out to alliance@higheredinprison.org