freedom is possible
you are not alone.
Creativity as Liberation.
This practice began as a lifeline — a way to stay human in inhuman systems. Draw Your Soul Free was born from my own healing journey through incarceration, trauma, and transformation.It’s not about being an artist — it’s about being alive.Art helps us remember who we are.
Writing helps us name what matters.
Circles remind us we don’t have to do it alone.If you're curious about the roots of this work, you can watch or read the original visual memoir, generously supported by The Human Kindness Foundation.
Why We Gather:
The Heart of These Offerings
We live in a world that often moves too fast for grief, too loudly for tenderness, and too rigidly for the wild, mysterious ways healing unfolds.Draw Your Soul Free was born as a quiet act of resistance to that world. It is a place to come home to yourself, without judgment, without expectation, through the simple, sacred practices of drawing, writing, and being in community.These creative circles aren’t about making art that’s “good” or “finished.” They are about making space in our lives for the truth of our reality, in all its messy glory. They are about witnessing what’s been hidden, holding what’s been too heavy to carry alone, and remembering that you are not alone on your journey.Each offering is shaped with spaciousness and softness. Whether we are gathering as a circle or meeting one-on-one, the invitation is the same:Come as you are. Let the page hold what you can’t yet say out loud. Let your hand move and your heart follow. You don’t have to identify as an artist or a writer, these practices are for everyone.These spaces are especially offered for those who have been silenced, marginalized, or told their voice doesn’t matter — including those navigating incarceration, reentry, loss, or trauma.You are not broken.
You are not alone.
And you don’t have to heal in isolation.Together, we draw our souls free.This work is offered in the spirit of mutual care. Suggested contributions are shared for each event, but no one is turned away for lack of funds.Your presence is enough. Your support sustains this work.
1:1 Creative Companionship
60 or 90 minutes | Online via ZoomA private space to ground, express, and explore your inner world through intuitive drawing and writing.Come with a question, a heartache, or a blank page and we’ll co-create from there!Details and availability are shared on the booking page.
about anyakara
anyakara is a poet, mother, and contemplative activist living in Lansing, Michigan—on the ancestral land of the Anishinaabe people. Her work lives at the intersections of grief, healing, and creative liberation.She is the creator of Draw Your Soul Free, a community-rooted practice of intuitive art and writing for healing, dignity, and soul survival. Shaped by her own journey through incarceration, traumatic loss, and returning to life after loss, she holds space for others navigating the long road home.Through one-on-one sessions and monthly circles, she offers a gentle space to create, be witnessed, and reclaim inner freedom. Her work is grounded in the gift economy, mutual care, and the belief that healing is a collective act.When not holding circle or writing, you’ll find her in the garden growing flowers, sharing meals with friends, or cozied up with some art or a good book.anyakara is the author of Draw Your Soul Free, a visual memoir created in collaboration with the Human Kindness Foundation. Her memoir appeared in Rekindling: Voices of Restoration and Resilience, and she writes regularly at Meditations in Blue on Substack.Her work honors the memory of her two angel sons, Liam and Miracle, and the wisdom of those she’s met through incarceration and on the path home.In all she does, she seeks to be a witness to what is hard, holy, and often unspoken.She writes to remember. She draws to survive. She shares to remind others: you are not alone.
Ways You Can Support and Amplify This Work
Draw Your Soul Free is a living, breathing offering and its unfolding depends on many hands and hearts.This work is rooted in the belief that healing, liberation, and creative restoration are not solitary paths. Every act of support, whether financial, relational, or spiritual, helps carry it forward.Together, we tend the soil where new life grows.
Download and practice with the video and PDF for personal or communal healing.
Share the resource with friends, family, educators, organizers, and community spaces.
Write or reflect on how the work impacts you—testimonials nourish and strengthen its reach.
Invite collaborations —workshops, speaking engagements, podcast conversations, and more.
Contribute financially to ensure this work continues to reach those who need it most.
Reach out
I would love to hear from you!Whether you have a question, want to collaborate, need support accessing a session, or simply want to share what's on your heart.Fill out the form below and I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.in community,
anyakara