Empowered Voices · Live Events · Youth Community
CONNECTICUT · TRAUMA-INFORMED ARTS ORGANIZATION
Empowering Youth
Through
Creative Arts & Storytelling
Providing justice-impacted youth with a platform to amplify their voices, reclaim their narratives, build community connection, and transform experience into artistic expression.
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The Critical Xchange
Executive & Creative Director Profiles
Craig Gore
Founder/Executive Director
Craig Gore is a writer, poet and storyteller who focuses on sharing stories that need to be but are not often heard. As a juvenile, Craig navigated the pain of poverty, chronic homelessness, the drug abuse and consequent death of his mother. He also experienced the pain and fear of police brutality in his community, and being incarcerated as a child. These experiences gave him an intimate understanding of the fear, confusion, and trauma many young people throughout America's targeted, and disenfranchised communities carry.
As an incarcerated adult, Craig began to reclaim his purpose. He restarted his formal education in a Connecticut prison college program where he was reignited with his passion for learning, empowerment of others and the arts.
That journey led to the creation of the Critical X-Change - a Connecticut based trauma informed organization that utilizes the power of storytelling, creative & performing arts to amplify the voices of youth throughout the state impacted by the criminal "justice" system, while providing them with mentorship and life skills to assist them in being assets to their families, community and society over all.
Craig’s work is driven by a commitment to empower and magnify the voices of justice impacted youth, and helping them to see the power of their voice.
Jason “Jahsun” Dorsey
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Jason “Jahsun” Dorsey is a poet, playwright, and teaching artist from New Haven whose work transforms lived experience into socially engaged art. Drawing on personal histories that include homelessness, incarceration, and systemic racism, he creates poems, plays, and narratives that explore resilience, liberation, and community healing. His writing blends layered metaphor with historical awareness, speaking to current social realities while preserving insight for future generations
Influenced by freedom movements and the collective strength of communities that rise in the face of adversity, Dorsey grounds his artistic practice in spiritual reflection and expressive, socially rooted poetics. He draws inspiration from real‑world voices and struggles, shaping them into art that serves as testimony and a catalyst for change.
His forthcoming memoir, Shades of Survival: A Poetic Life, chronicles his evolution as an artist and advocate, highlighting how creativity can emerge from survival and become a pathway to empowerment.
Jason’s work is driven by a commitment to empower and magnify the voices of youth.
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One growing chorus.
THE CRITICAL X-CHANGE
Our Mission
To use creative and performing arts as a platform for amplifying voices of our youth impacted by the criminal "justice" system, fostering a community of young artist grounded in critical & creative thinking, and transforming pain into purpose. Cultivating artistry and leadership amongst impacted youth empowering them to be sources of light, healing, and power within their communities.
We create spaces for artistic expression for ‘justice’ impacted youth to showcase their talents and share their impactful stories...
Craig Gore, Executive Director
The Critical X-Change
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