Art for identity, community, and healing.

Braveheart Collective is a trauma-informed arts organization dedicated to bringing healing-centered creative programs into prisons, treatment centers, and underserved communities. We believe that every human being — regardless of past mistakes or circumstances — carries an innate capacity for transformation.

Our work is rooted in the understanding that unresolved trauma often underlies addiction, incarceration, and cycles of harm. Through structured, arts-based workshops and performances, we create safe and dignified spaces where participants can process difficult emotions, reclaim their voices, and transform pain into meaningful artistic expression.

OUR Mission

We provide free and accessible arts-based workshops and performances in prisons, treatment centers, and underserved communities, offering spaces where healing and resilience can take root. Through heartfelt creative expression, we guide individuals to transform difficult emotions into powerful art, rekindling purpose, dignity, and a deep connection to their highest selves.

We aim to reduce recidivism by providing scholarships to inmates and recovering addicts and alcoholics to enable them to continue their artistic journeys of healing once they return to life on the outside.

SUPPORT OUR MISSION

Who We Serve

Incarcerated individuals
Individuals in recovery from substance use disorders
Formerly incarcerated individuals reentering society
Underserved communities with limited access to arts and mental health resources

Many of those we serve have experienced complex trauma, systemic inequity, and generational cycles of harm. We meet them not as labels, but as human beings with creative potential.

Our Values

Dignity: Every person deserves respect and the opportunity to be seen beyond their past.
Creative Agency: Art is a powerful tool for identity reconstruction and emotional regulation.
Accountability & Growth: Healing includes ownership, reflection, and forward movement.
Community Reintegration: Sustainable change requires support beyond release or recovery.

VOLUNTEER HERE

Why Arts-Based Healing?

Research increasingly supports what we witness firsthand: creative expression helps regulate the nervous system, process trauma, and build pro-social identity. When individuals see themselves as artists rather than offenders or addicts, their life narrative begins to shift.

Our Impact

Braveheart Collective aims to reduce recidivism and relapse by supporting long-term identity transformation. We offer scholarships to participants leaving incarceration or treatment so they can continue their artistic practice in community settings. By sustaining creative engagement, we help individuals build purpose, connection, and resilience — protective factors that significantly reduce the likelihood of returning to prison or addiction.

OUR TEAM

Samantha de la Vega

FOUNDER - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Samantha de la Vega is a playwright, performer, and author whose work bridges art, lived experience, and personal transformation. Her solo show A Brave Sliver of Light and memoir Falling Up From the Bottom explore resilience, recovery, and the power of storytelling to illuminate life’s most challenging moments. Drawing on her experiences in theatre, ultramarathons, and personal recovery, Samantha creates transformative spaces where participants are invited to face their stories, reclaim agency, and discover new narratives for their lives.
As Founder and Executive Director of Braveheart Collective, Samantha develops programs that bring the arts into prisons and underserved communities, helping individuals translate lived experience into creative expression, self-discovery, and a renewed sense of possibility. Her leadership blends artistry, compassion, and strategic vision, supporting the Collective’s mission to foster healing, resilience, and empowerment through theatre and storytelling.
Chris Harder

BOARD MEMBER - PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Chris Harder (AEA, SAG-AFTRA) is an award-winning actor, director, and theatre maker with more than 25 years of experience in professional theatre and new play development. His work blends bold theatricality, physical storytelling, symbolic movement, and clown to illuminate deeply human stories.
Chris has performed with many of Portland’s leading companies, including Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Portland Shakespeare Project, and CoHo Productions. Select acting credits include 1984, Wolf Play, The Thanksgiving Play, Marjorie Prime, Cyrano, Othello, and Antigone. As a director, he has led productions such as From These Streets I Rise and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
A dedicated creator of original work, Chris developed and toured two solo shows to national and international fringe festivals. As Program Director for Braveheart Collective, he shapes programming that challenges participants artistically while helping them claim their voices, step into new narratives about who they are, and build a grounded sense of agency and belonging through the creative process.
Becca Stabach

BOARD MEMBER - COMMUNITY & OPERATIONS
Becca is a drag artist, storyteller, and community builder whose work celebrates queer identity, creative courage, and collective belonging. Fierce, warm, and deeply compassionate, she creates spaces where individuals are seen, heard, and empowered to step fully into themselves. Through performance, mentorship, and collaboration, Becca brings humor, heart, and a fearless sense of play to every project, helping people find joy, agency, and connection.
As Board Member – Community & Operations Lead for Braveheart Collective, Becca combines her organizational skills with her passion for fostering community. She supports the Collective’s operations, engagement, and governance while nurturing environments where participants can explore new narratives about themselves, build confidence, and strengthen a sense of shared purpose. Her leadership balances structure and care, ensuring the organization thrives while staying grounded in its mission of creativity, healing, and belonging.
Jamie Fantauzzi

BOARD MEMBER - TREASURER
Jaime Fantauzzi grew up in Puerto Rico and relocated to Portland, Oregon, where he has lived for the past 15 years. He brings extensive experience working with nonprofit organizations, ranging from founding the Association of Climbers of Puerto Rico (AEPRI) to contributing to successful corporate–community partnerships.
Jaime has a long-standing passion for service and for creating inclusive spaces. Since moving to Oregon, he has worked directly with several nonprofits, including Adventures Without Limits and All Hands Raised, offering both strategic guidance and hands‑on support.
As Treasurer, Jaime brings his commitment to equity and inclusion, along with a strong interest in developing financial strategies and programs that align with Braveheart’s mission. His focus is on strengthening operational sustainability and optimizing the long‑term success of the Braveheart network.