On December 25, 2017, Tyra Patterson walked out of prison after serving 23 years for crimes she did not commit. While incarcerated, Ms. Patterson discovered and fostered her artistry, first as a mechanism of survival and second as a means of expression.  Today, she travels all over the country as an artist and an activist, speaking at law schools, colleges, prisons, conferences, and high schools, leveraging her story and art to educate people on social justice, especially on mass incarceration. She currently lives in Cincinnati and works at the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, where she leads community outreach efforts. Ms. Patterson was awarded an honorary Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Art Academy of Cincinnati. She is a member of the board of directors for Just Media, ArtWorks Cincinnati, and Black Art Speaks.  She was recently appointed to the board of trustees for the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Her story has been featured by media outlets, including Rolling Stone, Essence Magazine, The Guardian, ABC News, CNN, and many others.