New public mural and year-long programming will bring art, storytelling, and community dialogue to conversations about incarceration, racial justice, and social change.
MEDIA, PA — October 2026 — Media Fellowship House (MFH) is pleased to announce a year-long partnership with multimedia artist and activist Mary DeWitt, made possible through the 2026 Media Artist + Activist Residency (MAR) from the Leeway Foundation. The collaboration will use public art, multimedia storytelling, film, and community programming to amplify the voices of women impacted by Pennsylvania’s life-without-parole sentencing and pardon system while creating opportunities for education, reflection, and civic engagement.
The Leeway Foundation’s Media Artist + Activist Residency supports collaborations between media artists and social justice organizations across Greater Philadelphia. These community-rooted projects preserve histories, broaden whose stories are heard and remembered, and use creative expression to strengthen communities and advance social change.
As part of the partnership, DeWitt installed a new mural on the exterior of Media Fellowship House in September, adding to the public artwork already on display at the organization. The mural extends MFH’s longstanding commitment to cultural preservation and community storytelling, bringing important experiences into a shared public space and inviting reflection on justice, history, and the voices too often left out of public narratives.
DeWitt’s multimedia project incorporates public art, sculpture, audio recordings, video, and QR code technology to share the stories and perspectives of women impacted by incarceration and Pennsylvania’s pardon system. Through these creative approaches, the project invites community members to engage with lived experiences, challenge assumptions, and consider the human impact of incarceration alongside possibilities for healing and change.
“Media Fellowship House was founded in 1944 by people who believed that bringing communities together could challenge discrimination and create change,” said Amy Komarnicki, Executive Director of Media Fellowship House. “This partnership builds on that history by using art and storytelling to bring important experiences into public view, create space for meaningful dialogue, and help our community learn from voices that are too often overlooked.”
Throughout the year, MFH and DeWitt will connect the public art installation with opportunities for community learning and engagement. Planned programming includes a four-part film screening series paired with MFH’s monthly Community Potluck Dinners, community conversations, and other opportunities to explore the connections between art, incarceration, racial justice, healing, and social change. The films are made possible through the Represent Justice Screening Circle initiative. The first screening is planned for Thursday, October 15, 2026, during MFH’s Monthly Community Potluck Dinner.
Through this partnership, MFH and DeWitt will use art and storytelling to bring forward experiences and perspectives that might otherwise go unheard. By making these stories accessible through public art and community gatherings, the project aims to encourage reflection, build connections, and deepen community engagement with issues affecting individuals, families, and communities.
About the Leeway Foundation
The Leeway Foundation supports women, trans, and gender-nonconforming artists and cultural producers working at the intersection of art, culture, and social change. Through its grantmaking and programs, Leeway supports artistic expression that amplifies marginalized voices, strengthens communities, and advances economic and social justice. The Media Artist + Activist Residency supports collaborations between media artists and social justice organizations to preserve community histories, shift narratives, and advance social change. The 2026 residency was made possible with support from the People’s Media Fund.
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