Founder and former executive director of Mixed Blood Theatre, Jack Reuler is generously donating some of wisdom and time to the Great North Innocence Project. As an expert in the arts, performance, media, and non-profits, he has already supported GN-IP’s staff on a number of projects. Currently, he is co-creating the new GN-IP Volunteer Speaker’s Bureau.
Great North Innocence Project: How did you hear about the Great North Innocence Project and why did you want to get involved? How long have you been connected to the organization?
Jack Reuler: Since my earliest childhood, I have been outraged by unfounded accusations. I committed my adult life to combating the isms that plague society. From individual biases to systemic disparities, I have sought opportunities to speak out against them, trying to change attitude, behavior, and policies. For many years, live theatre was that voice and proved to be an inefficient tool for change – so much time and money spent to reach so few people.
I knew of the work of the Innocence Network. In 2021 I reached out to Sara Jones and offered anything of value I could provide to GN-IP. The organization has been very welcoming to me to contribute in ways that serve the activities and purpose of GN-IP.
GN-IP: What about GN-IP’s mission resonates most with you?
JR: I revel in trying to solve complex problems, connecting disparate dots toward better results. GN-IP grapples holistically with police behavior, prosecutorial misconduct, judicial transgressions, and the resulting injustices. I could not seek a better alliance and am honored to contribute on any level.
GN-IP: What has been the most rewarding part of your volunteer experience with GN-IP so far?
JR: Many non-profits treat volunteers as free labor, and I was prepared to address envelopes and do data entry. The staff has welcomed me as an equal and invited me into its programs, practices, and planning. The respect I have felt is, for me, unprecedented. I have been offered authority, responsibility, trust, and autonomy. It’s awesome.
GN-IP: Why would you urge others to get involved with GN-IP?
JR: Over 3991 people have been exonerated after serving over 28,770 years in prison. Each and every one of us needs to be outraged by these statistics and treat them as a call to action. GN-IP is a conduit to these remedies.
GN-IP: Is there else you would like to share about yourself, your volunteer experience or involvement with GN-IP?
JR: As I age, I have less and less tolerance for gradualism. There is an urgency to the work of GN-IP. People are suffering – those who’ve been wrongly convicted and the people around them – and it is our responsibility, as individuals and participants in a just society, to not just reduce the number of people wrongly convicted, but to eliminate wrongful conviction from our lexicon. By aligning myself with dedicated people like the staff of GN-IP, I have hope. Hope is one of life’s great rewards.