Oct 2021
- Impartial was founded and established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
About Impartial
How did it all start?
The root of Impartial began during founder Diane’s own prosecution, when honest conversations with defense attorneys, clerks, law students, and others revealed a hard truth: many of the people working inside the justice system felt stuck. They believed in fairness, but often felt powerless, resigned to mindsets like “this is just how it is” or “I can’t change anything.”
Through this experience, Diane saw just how flawed and rigid many long-held beliefs about the U.S. justice system truly are.
Justice demands more. It requires a system grounded in shared values, where laws are applied fairly, people are held accountable, but never beyond what is just.
Impartial is built on the belief that real justice must begin from a neutral place. While many people care deeply about reform, they’re overwhelmed or unsure where to start. A new generation is ready to lead change, but needs the right tools and support to act. Impartial is more than an organization; it’s a movement for fairness. A growing community where people take responsibility, challenge what’s broken, and build something better together. Because sometimes, reclaiming our own humanity starts with stepping up for someone else’s.
Impartial began during our founder’s own prosecution, charged with a white-collar crime related to her employment that she didn’t commit. Through that experience, conversations with law trade organizations, two Supreme Court justices, defense attorneys, clerks, and law students revealed a hard truth: the system wasn’t just flawed. It was rigid by design. The beliefs we hold about American justice (who deserves punishment, what rehabilitation looks like, how accountability should work) are built on assumptions that continue to shape outcomes, even when we know better.
Justice demands a system grounded in shared values, where laws are applied fairly, and people are held accountable, but never beyond what is just.
Impartial takes a holistic approach to criminal justice reform, one that considers the whole person and the whole system. While many people care deeply about change, they’re overwhelmed or unsure where to start. A new generation is ready to lead, but needs the right foundation: understanding, community, and consistent action.
We create spaces where you can see the justice system through new eyes: through the artwork and stories of prison artists, through video games that imagine what the system could become, through content that challenges what you thought you knew. We’re not asking to fix everything at once. We’re inviting you to make justice part of your life, as a habit, so you can experience the impact you’re making and connect with others doing the same.
Impartial is a movement for fairness. A growing community where people take responsibility, challenge what’s broken, and build something better together.
Because sometimes, reclaiming our own humanity starts with stepping up for someone else’s.
How did it all start?
2022
- Impartial began to collect prisoner artwork
- Impartial began to recruit volunteers and interns
- Impartial began development of our first criminal justice video game
2023
- Impartial joins the NC Prison Legal Services on our first artwork exhibit, “Unshackled”
- Impartial joins the Durham Art Guild for an art Exhibit
- Impartial’s first corporate donation
2024
- Impartial adds 1 new Board Member
- Impartial working with NCSU’s Capstone program on developing our video game series
- Impartial begins to stock artwork merchandise at the NC Museum of Art
- Impartial builds an e-commerce shop for artwork merchandise
- Impartial featured in NC Attorney at Law magazine for prison artwork program
- Diane Wells, founder, featured in Duke’s RAILS legal program
2025
- Impartial launches new website
- Founder teaches Restorative Justice Clinic at Campbell Law School
- Impartial launches a new prison artwork auction site through our community
- Donated 13 pieces of artwork to a pre-Grammy gala to help LA firefighters
- Impartial participates in non-profit community auction with our prison artwork
- Impartial participates in Orange County, NC artwork exhibit at Eno River
- Impartial launches a community membership with classes on “Truth, Lies, Values, Bias”
- Impartial receives its first grant
- Impartial launches new prison artwork community
- Impartial launches new criminal justice video game community
- Impartial featured in NC Attorney at Law magazine for prison artwork program
- Founder makes a presentation of an interactive prosecution at the ACJS National Meeting
- Impartial works with NCSU Capstone program developing justice video game series
- Impartial adds 3 new Board Members and 1 new Advisor
Programs
Prison Artwork
We believe in the therapeutic benefits of art done by prisoners, and appreciate the raw emotions and stark beauty that often shows through. Impartial has an ongoing program to build and maintain relationships with inmates, their families and others to encourage artwork, and try to support them in any way we legally can.
Artwork is a very important avenue of expression for prisoners that choose to make it. It helps share their stories and background, deal with emotions and often explains them in ways that words fail. Some have said art helps preserve a sense of identity, sanity and self that the dehumanizing experience of being incarcerated and referred to as a number strips away.
We have acquired a substantial collection of prison art that we use for many purposes, including publications, exhibitions, fund-raising through sales/auctions, and occasional loans to galleries and other public spaces. Many of the images you see on this site were created by inmates, and are from our collection. Most art done by prisoners is self-taught.
Board of Directors
A founding board member of Impartial who brings a wealth of sales and operational expertise and knowledge to the team. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Matt has a passion for doing what is right and wants to make a significant contribution to the reform of the criminal justice system in the USA. He also believes education around incarceration and the criminal justice system is vital for change to be made.
Matt Cassar
Tyler Foster
Lissa was a founder on the Impartial Board of Directors and her connection goes back to being a friend and business colleague of Diane Wells during her wrongful prosecution and seeing how flawed the system could be for innocent people. Dynamic, innovative leader with an aptitude for understanding business processes and technology. Uses position of strength to execute strategic plans by building the talents of a team and instilling a sense of community and purpose. Ability to powerfully communicate a vision that animates, motivates, & inspires followers.
