INKounter seeks to support justice-impacted individuals through individualized, one-on-one and small group projects. Projects are tailored to bring awareness to participants' identities and role in society. The program is founded on understanding emotions, art and self-expression, and restoration. The curriculum allows participants to get out of the box that society has put them in as "justice-involved," "criminal," and other labels that stigmatize a person's identity and potential. INKounter was birthed out of the Our Lens, Our Voice project led by Emily Baxter (We Are All Criminals) and Soteria Shepperson (I AM SOTERIA), in partnership with Cait Fenhagen (Criminal Justice Resource Department) and Katie Murray (Orange County Arts Commission). Our Lens, Our Voice reframed and refocused narratives of justice-impacted youth.

1. a. to meet as an adversary or enemy 
    b: to engage in conflict with
2. to come upon face-to-face
3. to come upon or experience especially unexpectedly
4. to encounter difficulties
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Definition of encounter; transitive verb

About The Program