TEDx Talk 
Behind the Mask: Reducing Recidivism and Transforming Lives 

The TED conference is a yearly gathering of people passionate about the power of ideas. To keep the dialogue going, TED created TEDx - satellite events held around the globe year-round. Licensed by TED, TEDx events provide local communities with an opportunity to bring people together to discuss ideas that change our world and share a TED-like experience.

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TEDx Culver City was founded by Marie Bobin in 2012 after successfully securing a license from TED and a multi-year sponsorship agreement from the Culver City Council. Until 2016, Marie curated and produced the annual TEDx Culver City conference featuring multi-disciplinary talks. The program continues to this day under the leadership of Bernice Chao.

At the first annual TEDx Conference, in her talk Behind the Mask: Reducing Recidivism and Transforming Lives, Sabra Williams shared her work with inmates from The California Institute for Men, The California Institute for Women, The California Rehabilitation Center and New Folsom Prison, illustrating the power of the Arts to effect social and inner transformation.

About Sabra Williams:

Sabra Williams has received international acclaim for her work as an artist and Founder of The Actors' Gang Prison Project. After establishing a body of work as an actress and television presenter in the United Kingdom and internationally, Sabra became an "alien of exceptional ability" upon her arrival to Los Angeles in 2002. In 2004 she was honored with an invitation to serve as a company member of The Actors' Gang (Tim Robbins, Artistic Director). Based in part on her experience of working in prisons in the United Kingdom with The English Shakespeare Company and The London Shakespeare Workout, Sabra created The Actors' Gang Prison Project and served as the program's director in addition to serving as the company's Director of Outreach, overseeing prevention programs for at-risk youth and gang members. The program has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and on the BBC and NPR.