JustUs: Stories from the Frontlines of the Criminal Justice System features four of the nationally recognized JustUs, formerly incarcerated monologists reading autobiographical monologues about the racism and injustice of the criminal justice system. The monologues will be woven together with healing and powerful musical responses by Spirit of Grace, who regularly tour with Colorado’s most famous experimental rap-rock band, the Flobots. This can’t-miss event will be streamed live from MCA Denver with the goal of mobilizing discussion and inspiring action toward true justice.

The JustUs project was developed by Motus Theater in 2019 and premiered as a keynote at the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice Conference in front of 1,600 stakeholders. Since then, the JustUs monologues have been featured in several national and global conferences and have been read and embraced by religious, social justice, civic and law enforcement leaders across the state including CO Representative Leslie Herod, and executive director of CO Department of Corrections, Dean Williams. The powerful monologues explore themes such as racial profiling, inequality in the bond/bail system, human rights abuses in prisons, criminalizing substance abusers, and the systemic racism and poverty that pushes people into illicit economies.

This event will be livestreamed on MCA Denver's YouTube channel.

“I love these monologues because they shift the narrative that has enabled systems of oppression in the U.S.” - Bryan Stevenson, ED of the Equal Justice Initiative

JustUs fills me with hope and energy for the future.” - Boulder County DA, Michael Dougherty

The mission of Motus Theater is to create original theater to facilitate dialogue on critical issues of our time. They aim to use the power of art to build alliances across diverse segments of their community and country. Storytelling is at the heart of what makes us human. Motus Theater focuses on bringing marginalized voices or silenced histories to the stage. They support inclusion by expanding their audiences’ experiences of the variety of stories that make up the country. By using theater to learn and listen across the gaps of difference they weave tighter, stronger and more connected communities.