OPEN DOORS

OPEN DOORS supports the creativity and leadership of Black and Brown people who use wheelchairs and inspires action for safer, most just communities.

OPEN DOORS is a network of artists, activists and advocates motivated by community building, gun violence prevention and disability rights. At the center of this network are the Reality Poets—a group of current and former residents of an NYC long-term care facility, who are bonded through a shared mission to spread a message of realness, resilience and healing. OPEN DOORS is a project of Center for Transformative Action.

02/05/2026

In honor of Black History Month, Director of Open Doors NYC, Vincent Pierce shares his poem 'Dear Black Man', featuring .a.laurel

Full video available on Youtube: https://youtu.be/9myB1NYpOoU

11/18/2025

Join us online next Tuesday at Guns Down, Mic Up! our virtual open mic night. Share art, make friends, and be a part of meaningful discussion. We host GDMU at 6pm on the last Tuesday of each month and encourage you to bring a friend! Join with the QR code or Zoom link in our bio, see you next week.

ID: A black flyer with the text “Guns Down, Mic Up!” and an image of three Black men in wheelchairs performing poetry.

11/12/2025

Today, November 12, is Tito’s birthday. Ramon “King Tito Love” Cruz. Here’s a video of him sharing poetry at one of the workshops we did while we began working on Wheeling and Healing 2. Tito, we miss you each day and will continue to keep your name alive. Long live KTL.

Illustrations by Var

ID1: A video of a Black man in a wheelchair wearing a black hat and hoodie reading poetry from his phone. He is in a bright library.

ID2: an illustration of a Black man wearing sunglasses, a red hat and shirt, and gold chains reading into a microphone. The background is white.

ID3: an illustration of a Black man looking into the camera wearing sunglasses, a red hat and a red shirt. The background is white.

10/24/2025

October is national Nursing Home Residents Awareness month. Led by the National Consumer Voice for Quality and Long-Term-Care, this month is a time to honor the dignity and rights of anyone living in a long term care facility. Here’s a video of Reality Poets Jay, Vince, and Pete presenting at the Consumer Voice conference two years ago in Baltimore, MD. If you have a loved one living in a nursing home, make sure to pay them a visit!

ID: Five people on stage, left to right: a white woman with grey hair and glasses standing behind a podium, a Hispanic man in a wheelchair wearing black, a dark skin Black man in a wheelchair wearing a red jacket, a Black man in a wheelchair wearing black, and a white woman with short blonde hair seated and wearing black. They are presenting to a crowd, and there’s a royal blue curtain behind them.

10/15/2025

Join us Monday, November 10th at the Roosevelt Island Library (504 Main Street) for an open mic night! This is a great place to experiment with new ideas, connect with artists, and win prizes. We will start at 6pm and welcome you to share poetry, music, or any form of expression. RSVP at the link in our bio, see you there!

ID: An orange and white shaded flyer with white text that reads, “OPEN DOORS Open Mic.” There’s a black and white QR code in the bottom right corner

10/03/2025

It's time to freestyle! Join us live on Zoom at 2pm for Freestyle Friday 📣 We will have guest speaker .a.laurel to discuss songwriting for mental health.

Link in bio and on story (or dm us)
See you there!

08/29/2025

Thank you all for coming to our open mic night this past Monday! We had several talented speakers share their work and a wonderful turnout🔥

08/15/2025

Join us Monday, August 25th at the Roosevelt Island Library (504 Main Street) for the final open mic night of our Wheeling and Healing 2 book tour! This is a great place to experiment with new ideas, connect with artists, and win prizes. We will start at 5:30pm and welcome you to share poetry, music, or any form of expression. RSVP at the link in our bio, see you there!

ID: yellow and shaded black flyer with white text that reads, “OPEN DOORS Open Mic.” There’s a black and white QR code in the bottom right corner

08/08/2025

Huge thanks to everyone who joined us last week at the Bowery Poetry Club! Here are some shots from our open mic night. Join us at the Roosevelt Island Public Library 8/25 for the final open mic of the summer. RSVP link in bio.

ID1: A group of Black people and one white woman in wheelchairs presenting to a crowd in a dark bar environment. There is white wallpaper with black line art.
ID2: A tall dark skin Black man with glasses and a hat reading poetry at an open mic
ID3: A diverse crowd of people seated in a bar watching an open mic.
ID4: A white woman in a black dress reading a poem from her phone into a microphone. The white wallpaper has baroque line art and above the woman reading is a black banner with white text that reads “Bowery Poetry.”
ID5: A picture of three Black men in wheelchairs, photographed from behind a camera’s screen.
ID6: A white woman in a red jump suit with a black hat reading poems to a crowd of people seated. Behind her is black and white wallpaper and a black banner with white text that reads “Bowery Poetry.”
ID7: A gold and brown/black shaded flyer with white text that reads “OPEN DOORS Open Mic.”

07/17/2025

Join us on Wednesday July 30th, 6pm at the Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery) in the lower east side for an open mic night. Emceed by professional slam poet Steven Willis, we will share poems from our new book Wheeling and Healing 2, spotlighting the Reality Poets and others who contributed poetry to the anthology. This is an open mic, so come ready to perform (you may let us know in advance if you would like to share). RSVP link in bio, see you there!

ID: A blue flyer with black text. Large lowercase letters read “open mic”. There’s a black and white qr code in the top right corner and logos in the bottom corner.

06/30/2025

Every year during the month of June, we recognize Gun Violence Awareness Month. As we reach the end of June, we want to honor the lives lost and affected by gun violence and to raise awareness about the urgent need for change. It’s a month dedicated to education, advocacy, and action to prevent future tragedies. This month, OPEN DOORS is showcasing the poetry from our Reality Poets who are healing from gun trauma through art. Join us and come together to support survivors, promote safe communities, and push for sensible gun laws. Every voice counts in the fight for a safer world 🧡🧡🧡

06/25/2025

Our Reality Poets held a book signing of their newest edition, Wheeling & Healing 2, on Roosevelt Island Day. Come to our WH2 open mic this Thursday to see us in action and share your poetry!

Address

900 Main Street
New York, NY
10044

Telephone

+17184404897

Website

http://opendoorsnyc.org/, https://youtu.be/UTrSnPZMw78, https://realitypoetstv.libsyn.com/

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