Lorenzo P. Lewis

Lorenzo P. Lewis is the Founder of The Confess Project. Born in jail to an incarcerated mother, Lorenzo struggled with depression, anxiety, and anger throughout his youth. At 17, he almost re-entered the system of mass incarceration he had come from. It was then he snapped in and began his journey to wellness. With over a decade of behavioral health experience in Lorenzo formed The Confess Project which is a National Grassroots Movement committed to Building a Culture of Mental Health for Men of Color through capacity building, organizing, and movement building. Since May 2016, The Confess Project has reached over 30,000 individuals in 13 Cities heavily focused in the Southern and Midwest Regions of the United States.

Project Description 

The Confess Project is breaking barriers regarding the mental health industrial complex and how it affects African American Communities. Particularly The Confess Project is increasing the life outcomes for black men and boys and how they will make a positive impact on society and their families. The Support from The Rodenberry Foundation will assist me with creating systems that will help eradicate the cradle-prison pipeline and epidemic of mass incarceration by supporting programming that focuses on improving the mental wellness of black men and boys. My ultimate goal is to build capacity and provide technical assistance to Barbers, Mental Health Professionals, Law Enforcement, and Educators, which are the front-line professionals that come in contact with our targeted population.