Jose A. Pérez is a poet, actor, and servant leader whose lived experience in New York City’s foster care, juvenile institutions, and adult prison systems drives his work for justice and healing. While serving 20 years in New York State correctional facilities, he earned degrees from Bard College, Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, and the New York Theological Seminary.
He now serves as Program Strategist for the Children’s Defense Fund–NY, leading campaigns that advance housing, economic mobility, and self-determination for system-impacted young people. A national voice on youth justice and child welfare reform, Jose has shared his expertise at the White House, the United Nations, and universities nationwide.
Blending art and activism, Jose is a self-proclaimed Artivist who uses creativity as a tool for liberation in his community. His poetry collection, ’Till Ink Meets Paper: Poems for Guendalina…My Mommy, about reconnecting with his mother while both were prisoners on Rikers Island, is available now on Amazon.