About

Our Mission:
We’re committed to empowering individuals and communities to create social change through shared stories, active listening, and peaceful action.

What We’re About:
We offer empowering interactive art programs, workshops, and tools for schools, businesses, community groups and social service agencies around the country, working together to build safer, more inclusive communities where everyone can walk unafraid.

Our Vision:
We dream of a world where all people can feel safe enough to walk unafraid. We see Walk Unafraid as a global movement that empowers the powerless, gives voice to voiceless, and connects humanity in inclusive, uplifting ways.

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Gabrielle Senza, Founder & Artistic Director
Gabrielle Senza is an artist, musician, and educator deeply committed to building healthier, more inclusive communities that uplift and amplify the voices of marginalized people. Her civically-engaged art practice addresses social, political, and environmental injustice. Partnering with museums, galleries, schools and organizations, Gabrielle has presented artwork, lectures, classes, and performances at events and venues around the world. Some of these include Vagina Monologue/VDay events, Amnesty International Human Rights Art Festival, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA-NY, Cooper Union, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, the Puffin Foundation, and ZK/U-Berlin – the Center for Art & Urbanistics.

Tonyehn Verkitus, Partner & Managing Director
Tonyehn Verkitus is a nonprofit professional and Wholistic Life Coach interested in the intersection between personal stories and community activism. As a person with many personal stories that shatter and empower she has developed and facilitated workshops on healing and reducing personal trauma through self-care and shared stories.

 

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Origins of the Project:

Walk Unafraid originated as a collaborative public art installation created by Gabrielle Senza in 2003. It was one of several creative initiatives she developed under Red Collaborative, the non-profit arts organization she formed in 2001, Red Collaborative to raise awareness and empower survivors of physical, sexual and emotional abuse. By collaborating with homeless teens, battered women, immigrants and refugees, Red Collaborative amplified the voices of the unheard ~ and often unseen ~ victims of abuse.

Senza went on to offer Walk Unafraid collaborative art projects and kits for schools, community groups and social service agencies around the country, working together to raise awareness, empower victims of abuse, and build healthier communities.