Termaine Hicks: Exonerated & Empowering Youth

On September 16th, 2021, it will be nine months since The Innocence Project secured my exoneration after nearly 20 years of wrongful imprisonment. In 2001, I was shot in the back three times by a police officer, and to cover up this fact, the Philadelphia Police Department arrested and prosecuted me for rape. (You can read more about my case here)

While in prison, fighting to clear my name, I fell in love with creative writing. Through the span of my wrongful imprisonment, I witnessed the growing gun violence epidemic disproportionately affecting our youth. I also noticed the proliferation in shootings of unarmed black men, like myself, at the hands of law enforcement.

In 2008, I developed a series of scripts titled S.T.E.P.U.P., an acronym which stands for Selfless Thinking Expresses Potential that Uplifts People. Through re-enactments, these scrips teach kids critical thinking and conflict resolution, skills essential in countering gun violence.

In the months since my exoneration, I have spent time with my loved ones, including my grandson who is five, the same age as my son at the time of my arrest. Professionally, I continue to pursue my creative work, producing the S.T.E.P.U.P scripts at a group home and writing a commissioned play for a production company in Pennsylvania. Further, I am applying to drama schools and branching out from writing and directing, to getting behind the camera.

The support of strangers and The Innocence Project made all the difference when I first came home. As I continue to rebuild my life, I am hoping you will consider supporting my aspirations and fundraiser which will allow me to offset the costs of production and purchase S.T.E.P.U.P apparel for youth committed to curbing the problem of gun violence in their respective communities.