Audacity 2 Speak

black background with white note page red and black text says Audacity 2 Speak multi colored hand note pad shaped like ohio ​
black background with white note page red and black text says Audacity 2 Speak multi colored hand note pad shaped like ohio

This space is about advocacy, community engagement and sharing stories about life. My big project is a book called Audacity 2 Speak. It will be available in Summer of 2024.

Audacity to Speak is a book about overcoming obstacles, changing perspectives, and the journey to become the person I am today an artist, author, and advocate.

This space is to share about my new book. It is also a space to share about advocacy goals, partnerships in advocacy and my work as an advocate and artist.

Through the use of creative storyboarding, creative writing, and advocacy Alicia M Hopkins engages with people on real life community issues on the local, state and national level. Her work has been featured around Ohio in a number of venues, blogs, museums, and events.
She utilizes art and creative thinking in a dynamic way that helps people tell their story, educate and/or raise awareness on a variety of topics and uses networking tools to hold the line to create action.

Below are some of the services offered.

  • Creative Storyboarding
  • Graphical Facilitation
  • Disability Rights Advocacy
  • Non Profit Accessibility
  • Arts Accessibility
  • Focus Groups & Community Engagement
  • Event Planning
  • $35 an hour
  • Virtual & Hybrid Platforms
  • Evening & Weekend Availability for Appointments
  • Accept Cash, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle

To book a session contact me though this form

I have painted 15 feet of art in two years sharing the stories of Ohioans with disabilities, seniors, families and caregivers around the Ohio Direct Support Crisis. I have painted art and written poetry on many other disability rights issues including emergency preparedness, sexual violence, poverty, mental health, electronic visit verification, chronic illness, and more.

As an artist, I have learned that the canvas is a public forum for community engagement. It is a vehicle of communication to share stories within communities. My work primarily focuses on disability rights. I have prepared myself to create art like this for larger groups. It’s my dream to one day educate and teach others about how using art to communicate and engage with people changes perspectives and helps elevate the voices of underrepresented groups.
In a world where art is evidence based to help people process trauma we must think outside the box and utilize it in our every day lives. There are people who utilize art as a daily communication form. People need to be open to that which is different. Having the audacity to speak isn’t just about words it’s about accepting people as they are and the way in which they chose to communicate and process information. We have to let go of stereotypes and look deeper into the canvases in the world around us. Communication is a kaleidoscope of different pieces and parts. It’s a world where every voice that can be at the table should be at the table in the best way possible. Art is communication and community engagement.

Testimonials about my work as an Artist from people around the world.

“Alicia’s artwork is not only beautiful, but each piece tells a personal story. Each piece describes the caregiver crisis that she and every one of us with a disability endure each day! She is a wonderful advocate and speaks up for disability rights, through her voice and art. Her talent is amazing!” -Cindy Fox Ohio Disability Rights Advocate

Alicia’s artwork is totally amazing and it says a lot about the healthcare crisis that is going on worldwide. I feel like her art speaks volumes and it’s a way of expressing ourselves in the disability community and what we’re going through such as a lack of staffing, being frustrated and wanting to be like everyone else in the community and treated fairly. The crisis hasn’t been easy. Alicia’s art is able to express that. That is why I love her art work. Some of her art work tells the story of each individual. It shows different sides to the story of the disability community like access to the community and to caregivers. I think Alicia should be recognized in the disabled community for her courage, strength and compassion for the disabled community. Her willingness to speak when you have some disabled people who cannot speak and her artwork is trying to make change and she uses it to help others be heard for our disability community worldwide. “ Laura VanSickle Ohio Disability Rights Advocate