Kenneth Reams

Kenneth Reams, the founder of Who Decides, Inc., is an artist, poet, speaker, and writer. Kenneth, a native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was born in 1974. At the age of 18, Kenneth made the fateful decision to help his friend rob a local ATM; in the middle of the attempted robbery, Kenneth’s friend shot and killed the man being robbed. The murder was not premeditated and Kenneth did not hold nor shoot the gun during the robbery; however, Kenneth was sentenced to death as an accomplice in the botched robbery, despite the fact that the actual shooter received a sentence of life without parole. Kenneth has spent the following years in solitary confinement on death row. Kenneth’s story is both sobering and inspiring, revealing flaws in the American criminal justice system while demonstrating the power of the human spirit to persevere and flourish, despite the grimmest of circumstances. While in solitary confinement, Kenneth has found purpose in his adversity, producing an impressive body of work including paintings, sculptures, poems, and drawings. Against the odds, his work has been on exhibit through the US and Europe. His art explores the disturbing history of the death penalty in America, forcing its viewers to evaluate their own conceptions of justice and morality. Through his art, he has made an impact on people across this country and others, from the confines of a six-foot by nine-foot cell in Arkansas. His story has been covered by the New York Times, BBC, and is the focus of a documentary titled “Free Men,” which was recently shown at the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in Geneva. His poetry has been published in several publications and his honors include making the semi-final round of the 2013 National Amateur Poetry Competition and a second-place finish at the 2016 Lifeline Poetry Competition. He has spoken on the subjects of solitary confinement and the death penalty at several American universities, including Columbia and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has donated several pieces of his artwork in support of numerous organizations in the US, including the Murder Victim’s Families for Reconciliation and the National Association of University Women-Queens Branch.