This performance and live exhibit will recover memories of the In(ti)mate Lives in Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail’s K6-G Unit (Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Dorms) and other jail/prison houses through a “Run-A-Way Walk” of formerly incarcerated artists. Through gestures, poses, hair, make-up, and gowns made from materials that one will find in the jailhouse dorm, performers will recast the memory of Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail from one that is hyper-hetero, hyper-masculine, hyper-private, and hyper-toxic into one that is always already queer and transgendered, transformatively caring, and Abolitionist.
Rejecting reformist practices, performers call for “Abolition Now!”. Performers will not only tell stories of struggle, pain, and heartbreak, but of liberation, community, and art-making, walking the run-a-way as queer fugitives. Challenging, expanding, and transforming the notion that “Jail saved my life,” poetry, prose, choreography, and/or music will be performed testifying instead to the life we made in spite of jail/prison. Stories of the K6-G Unit (and one other Jailhouse cell per our honorary Jailhouse members) will publicize what is kept behind carceral walls.
Participant Bios
Maygin E. McEwen (She/Hers) is a poet, advocate, researcher, and doctoral student whose work is shaped by lived experience, resilience, and transformation. Having navigated incarceration, reentry, higher education, and neurodivergence, she creates work that explores performance, pain, healing, and the power of being seen. Her art reflects the belief that creativity can challenge stigma, preserve stories, and spark conversations that lead to change. Drawing from both personal experience as well as the experience of others, she examines the intersections of disability, incarceration, pain, and belonging.
Mario Galindo (He/Them/Any Pronouns) is a designer and multi-disciplinary artist who resides in Los Angeles. Mario’s gender and sexual identity is expansive. Mario is of Mexican descent. In the past, Mario has designed clothing, jewelry, nails, and hair, creating elaborate and stunning looks for his clients. Mario also paints and is currently involved in a community-based project for a mural. Mario strives to leave a mark on this earth and cautions to other artists and community members, “Don’t let anyone influence you to do things that are not your beliefs.”
Princess LuzSee (she/they) is a Musician/Production Engineer and SoCal based artist, producer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. She has released 2 full length albums and has collaborated on 22 additional projects with other indie artists on the West Coast. She is a bisexual, Latinx, trans woman whose art is a true reflection of the lived experience being at the intersection of those identities. She has a private studio out in Long Beach and loves helping artist realize their artist’s vision with her production. She mentors newer artists to believe in their creativity through their unique lens.
DeAndre Anthony Hogan (He/Him/His) is a dancer, color guard and a gay man who grew up in South Central Los Angeles (Watts). He has performed in numerous color guard performances, including the Black Crown Winter Guard Independent Open 2015 and 2014 WGI Western Championship Finals. When he served time in the K6-G Unit of Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail, he was “introduced to the community,” where he nurtured connection and community. He is focused on building his life through healthy connections, coping, and art. DeAndre teaches: “Life is what you make it and I have made my life art.”
DJ Asante (she/her) is a queer Los Angeles-based abolitionist feminist organizer and creative from Houston, Texas. Janet leads campaign strategy for the campaign to close Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles—most notably for Dignity and Power Now and the JusticeLA Coalition. Janet worked to exonerate incarcerated people with the Texas Innocence Network (TIN) at the University of Houston Law Center.
Janet spends the majority of her free time as a multi-hyphenate creative, with a passion for all that life has to offer. She debuted her DJ career at Catch One, one of the first nightclubs in the nation to serve the Black LGBTQ+ community.
Joey Earvin Martinez (he/they) is a formerly incarcerated and trans-disciplinary educator, scholar, artist, and director. Joey strives to remember and retell the untold stories of people who are justice involved and those challenged by their mental health—the painful, ugly, joyful, and beautiful. For them, performance art is a tool for survival, education, community building, advocacy, and non-linear healing. His artwork spans performance, installation art, digital art, music, choreography, and writing. He was awarded the Waud Fellowship for Formerly Incarcerated Artist and completed a residency with Ragdale Residency in Like Forest, Illinois (2025) and is developing a one-person show.
In(ti)mate Lives: Laundry Days After the Jailhouse Ball is organized by Joey Earvin Martinez as part of the 2026 Circa: Queer Histories Festival, presented by One Institute.
Pieter is a home for all people to dance, create, and heal together with the belief that embodiment liberates. We say “all people” because dance spaces historically exclude those who are non-white, non-able, non-“fit,” non-“healthy,” non-young, non-cisgendered and non-independently-wealthy. Dance includes a broad spectrum of body-based practices and the cultivation of culture. Rooted in Los Angeles, Pieter fosters a just and expansive community of movement artists, healers and activists.