Look At Me 2026: Domestic Violence Awareness Month

For Domestic Violence Awareness Month, join survivors inside of Prison to reclaim their narratives through art, performance and stories. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, join survivors inside of Logan Correctional Center to reclaim their narratives through performance and storytelling at the 4th Annual "Look at Me" program. The event will feature a film of performances written and directed by incarcerated survivors, a live panel among the survivors, and an incredible display of art created by survivors inside of Logan and Decatur Correctional Centers, Fox Valley Adult Transition Center, and Cook County Jail. Tickets are available for both in-person and online attendance. While the event is free, WJI suggests a donation toward the program of $10-$100 per attendee. The Look at Me program and Expression art competition is created by incarcerated survivors, who deserve for their voices to be heard. The art, words, stories, and wisdom of the survivors has inspired public education and policy change, and also provides an opportunity to heal for what has been a lifetime of trauma for many of those leading the program. Despite the fact that an estimated 98% of women incarcerated in Illinois have histories of sexual assault, domestic violence and other forms of abuse, false narratives continue to overlook these issues and criminalize survivors, particular among communities of color, rather than provide support and real justice. Through the WJI's Criminalized Survivors Initiative, efforts are made to build public awareness of the harmful ways women's overlooked pathways has had on women's mass incarceration, identify solutions and provide impacted women with a platform to confront false narratives about their incarceration and inspire transformative change. Most importantly, the goal of the work is the end the mass incarceration women. F or more information or to donate to this work, contact the Women's Justice Institute (WJI) at [email protected].