Open Hearts Open Minds

Open Hearts Open Minds Open Hearts Open Minds serves those impacted by incarceration by cultivating positive change through dialogue and the arts.

Last Thursday on Alberta was such a good reminder of how amazing our community can be. ❤️We had the chance to host a tab...
09/02/2026

Last Thursday on Alberta was such a good reminder of how amazing our community can be. ❤️
We had the chance to host a table, meet so many wonderful people, make beautiful connections, and get to know some seriously cool vendors along the way.
We left feeling really proud of all the people and organizations out there doing their part to support humanity, bring people together, and make our community a better place.
A huge thank you to Sandra at the Oregon Prison Project for sharing your tent with us and making room for Open Hearts Open Minds. We appreciate you!
We’re excited to get out into the community more, meet more amazing people, and keep going on these adventures together!❣️

Come join us for Last Thursday on Alberta Street! ❤️If you’ve never experienced Last Thursday, it’s a great Portland tra...
08/27/2026

Come join us for Last Thursday on Alberta Street! ❤️

If you’ve never experienced Last Thursday, it’s a great Portland tradition and a wonderful way to spend an evening in the community. On the last Thursday of the month, Alberta Street comes alive with artists, musicians, local organizations, food, vendors, galleries, and people from all over the community. It’s a chance to wander the street, meet people, discover something new, and enjoy the creativity and energy that make Alberta so special.

Open Hearts Open Minds will be there this Thursday, August 27! We’ll be hosting a table alongside Sandra Amiry from the Oregon Prison Project and Rose City Nonviolent Communication.

📍 Alberta Street in NE Portland
📅 Thursday, August 27
⏰ 6:00–9:00 PM

Come say hi, learn more about our work, connect with our community partners, and tell a friend about the work you’re passionate about. Bring a friend, take a walk down Alberta, check out the art and music, grab something good to eat, and stop by our table.

We’d love to see you there! ❤️

A participant in our writing class at Columbia River shared this reflection:“The realization that many individuals in th...
08/23/2026

A participant in our writing class at Columbia River shared this reflection:

“The realization that many individuals in this program are endeavoring to change their lives thru writing and music has helped to change my perception of the people in this institution.”

Sometimes writing gives us a chance to look at people differently. It can challenge what we think we know and help us see the person behind the label.

That’s one of the things we love about these classes. ❤️

A big thank you to the Jerry and Donna Smith Family Foundation for supporting Open Hearts Open Minds. Your support helps make space for creativity, connection, and new opportunities through the arts. We’re so grateful to have you with us. ❤️

One OHOM theatre participant wrote this about their experience: “I have the ability to recognize and use positive energ...
08/20/2026

One OHOM theatre participant wrote this about their experience: “I have the ability to recognize and use positive energy within myself to make a positive connection with something bigger than myself.”

That’s what we hope happens in every class. A place to try something new, take a chance, work together, and maybe see yourself a little differently.

Grateful for our partners! ❤️

A big thank you to Zero Foundation for supporting our work and helping us bring creativity, connection, and opportunity to the communities we serve.

We’re proud to have you alongside us in this journey.

08/19/2026

Welcome to a heartfelt journey with Open Hearts Open Minds, where creativity meets compassion. We explore how the arts in prison bring hope and transformation to those behind bars. Through art, connection, and understanding, we aim to inspire positive change and open new pathways for everyone involved.

Join us in supporting this impactful initiative and see how art can truly transform lives. To learn more, visit www.openheartsopenminds.org. Let's open our hearts and minds together.

"I see myself as a person who can accomplish anything I dedicate my energy toward." -Past Lyric Writing ParticipantTher...
08/19/2026

"I see myself as a person who can accomplish anything I dedicate my energy toward." -Past Lyric Writing Participant

There’s something really special about our Lyric Writing class at Columbia River. ✍️🎶

We write, share ideas, listen to each other, and turn thoughts into songs. Sometimes a few words on a page can become something much bigger.

We’re grateful to be part of these creative moments. ❤️

We’re so grateful to the Reese Family Foundation for their recent Angel Gift to Open Hearts Open Minds. 💛Gifts like this...
08/18/2026

We’re so grateful to the Reese Family Foundation for their recent Angel Gift to Open Hearts Open Minds. 💛

Gifts like this help us keep bringing creativity, connection, music, writing, and theater to people inside participating in our programs.

Thank you for believing in the power of the arts and in the people we serve. We’re so grateful to have you with us!

08/17/2026

🎉 Happy 75th Birthday to our Open Hearts Open Minds founder, Johnny Stallings! 🎉

Johnny, thank you for dreaming big and creating something that has touched so many lives. Through theater, conversation, and community, you have helped people see one another with more compassion, understanding, and hope.

Today we celebrate not only your birthday, but the kindness, heart, and vision you have shared with all of us over the years.

Please join us in wishing Johnny a very happy 75th birthday! We are grateful for you and all that you continue to inspire. ❤️🎂

“Definitely got out of my comfort zone to be a part of this short film.”For this former OHOM participant, the story star...
08/13/2026

“Definitely got out of my comfort zone to be a part of this short film.”

For this former OHOM participant, the story started inside, but it didn’t end at the gates.

*Elflad* is a short film written by a participant in the Open Hearts Open Minds writing class at Columbia River. Another participant, who took OHOM’s theater class at Coffee Creek, later got the chance to be part of the film, playing the memory of a little boy’s mother who had passed away.

It was definitely an experience. Having a camera in her face meant facing some of the things she didn’t always like about herself. She had to remind herself to fill her mind with good thoughts and “double lock that dark side of me up” that wanted to pick apart everything she didn’t like about herself.

What kept her moving? Her sons. Working with the young man in the film. And not wanting to let any of them down, or herself.

“I’m tired of living with the what ifs. I’m working on being brave and doing things that are new to me so I can grow into the woman Creator intends me to be.”

We love seeing where creativity can take you. A story written by an OHOM writing class participant at Columbia River became a short film, and a former OHOM theater class participant from Coffee Creek stepped outside her comfort zone to help bring that story to life. ❤️

I want the moon for my Mother" - Theatre ParticipantSome of the most important things happen in rooms the public never s...
08/06/2026

I want the moon for my Mother" - Theatre Participant

Some of the most important things happen in rooms the public never sees.

A poem read aloud for the first time.
A scene rehearsed until confidence replaces fear.
A song that gives words to something someone has carried for years.

At Open Hearts Open Minds, creativity isn't about making perfect art. It's about making space for people to discover their own voice and to be heard.

Every class is a reminder that talent, imagination, and humanity exist everywhere. Sometimes they just need an opportunity to be seen.

What piece of art has helped you see yourself or someone else differently?

We are grateful to Oregon Jewish Community Foundation for helping bring this programming to life.


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Portland, OR
97086-97299

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