Cal Poly Social Work Students & Orbit Arts

Orbit Arts had the privilege of presenting our documentary, We’re All We Need: Theatre In Pelican Bay, to Cal Poly Social Work students in the Distributed Learning Program. Coordinated by Yatiel Owens, Distributed Learning Director and Lecturer in the Department of Social Work, the session welcomed Orbit Arts Program Director Janessa Johnsrude to speak on the creation of the documentary and the work of Orbit Artists. Following the screening, students engaged in a broader discussion about programming inside carceral spaces, exploring the role of arts-based interventions in rehabilitation, education, and community building. The session offered a unique opportunity to connect academic learning with real-world creative practices in justice-impacted settings. We are grateful to Cal Poly for having us and to the men featured in the documentary whose work and contributions made the presentation what it was.