Locked Achievements Exhibition Catalog

Locked Achievements is The Beautiful Cat's inaugural exhibition, debuting on February 22, 2025 and featuring artwork and poetry from Chicago's incarcerated youth.

Haunting poems are paired with aspirational and raw artwork, creating a book that takes you on a journey through the experiences of the incarcerated teenagers enrolled in art classes with Stomping Grounds Literary Arts Initiative (SGLAI).

SGLAI helps children find their voices through arts classes that teach them how to create emotionally resonant visual art, write evocative poetry, produce music that will get you dancing, and more. These classes help children find a sense of agency, receive mentorship, and can even impact the outcome of their court cases. The work showcased in this exhibition catalog is proof of their talent and potential.

This 20 page book also features an essay from SGLAI founder, Elgin Bokari Smith, where you will get a personal look at SGLAI programming and its impact on Chicago's children. Closing out the book is an essay by SGLAI teaching artist, Nate Olison, who talks about teaching with empathy in a behind the scenes look at his classes.