How It Began
Shaka Senghor's visit to St. Maarten grew out of an extraordinary act of generosity: he donated 500 copies of his book How to Be Free to the Art Saves Lives Foundation. The book, which encourages readers to confront internal barriers and break free from emotional prisons, became the foundation for a series of community initiatives that reached across every sector of the island.
After spending nineteen years incarcerated in the United States prison system, Mr. Senghor rebuilt his life and became a global advocate for personal transformation, accountability, and education. His message: that change is possible for anyone willing to confront their past. That was a message St. Maarten needed to hear.
University of St. Martin Student Engagement
The first initiative brought Mr. Senghor to the University of St. Martin, where he met with students from the CAFY College Preparatory Program. Twenty students participated in person; seven more joined virtually from Saba and Statia. Minister of Education Melissa Gumbs was present throughout the session.
The discussion ranged from personal responsibility and resilience to leadership, purpose, and the importance of education. Mr. Senghor spoke openly about the decisions that led to his incarceration and the lessons he carried out of it. Students asked thoughtful, vulnerable questions, and left with more than answers. They left with a different idea of what their own futures could look like.
Art Saves Lives extends sincere thanks to University of St. Martin President Antonio Carmona Baez and Ms. Valda Hazel for hosting the session and welcoming this initiative.
Point Blanche Prison: From Prison to Purpose
A central part of the visit was a motivational outreach initiative at the Point Blanche Prison and House of Detention, delivered in two separate sessions to reach different groups of incarcerated individuals. Alongside Mr. Senghor was Alesco E. Violenes, author of Surviving Point Blanche Prison, who shared his own journey from incarceration to authorship.
Both speakers spoke honestly and without pretense about the choices that led to their imprisonment and the hard work of rebuilding. Participants engaged deeply, asking questions, sitting with the honesty of what they heard, and leaving with something that is difficult to manufacture: hope grounded in real experience.
The initiative was organized in partnership with the Ministry of Justice as part of the Detention Sector Reform Program, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Donation of Educational Books
Of the 500 copies of How to Be Free donated to the foundation, 100 were given directly to the Point Blanche Prison and House of Detention to support reading and reflection programs and contribute to the prison library. The remaining copies were distributed through the University session and the public community event, placing this book in the hands of people across every walk of life on the island.
Community Conversation at the Tourism Bureau
The final initiative took place at the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, where community members from both the Dutch and French sides of the island gathered for a public conversation with Mr. Senghor. The event was a podcast-style discussion moderated by Leslie Samuel, exploring the themes of How to Be Free: overcoming adversity, transforming vulnerability into strength, breaking cycles of grief and shame, and building a blueprint for personal freedom.
Following the discussion, guests had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Senghor directly, ask questions, take photos, and receive signed copies of the book. Several community members had participated in a pre-event reading group, which made the conversation unusually deep and substantive.
Art Saves Lives extends its appreciation to May Ling Chun Derby and the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau team for hosting and supporting this community initiative.
