Modern Warrior Live

Created by internationally acclaimed musician dominick farinacci and us army veteran jaymes poling, the centerpiece of our national 501(c)(3) nonprofit is our touring production that chronicles the story of u.s. army veteran jaymes poling, his journey through three deployments in afghanistan, and his subsequent transition back home. Narrated by poling, this autobiographical production weaves together his story with a cast of world-class artists in multiple genres led by internationally acclaimed trumpeter dominick farinacci. It shares a personal and emotional journey of the challenges of military service and the experience veterans face when they return home, and it is a catalyst for meaningful conversation about mental health. With more than 150 performances to-date, Modern Warrior Live has been recognized by the u.s. department of veterans affairs, the 26th u.s. secretary of defense general james mattis and has been showcased at amazon headquarters and at the national council for mental wellbeing conference opening for bren brown. Veteran communities realizing the impact our primary production has had on communities, we built a program that offers participants a platform to process and share their individual experiences using the unique storytelling model we created, weaving together personal narratives, music, and film. Each storyteller is supported by our Modern Warrior artistic team led by dominick farinacci, and culminates in a filmed Live performance. Work & reentry we've well-established our organization within the veteran and mental health communities. As we've brought these stories to communities, we began to see through lines that connected veteran stories to returning citizens involved in the criminal justice system. Championing the belief that every individual, regardless of their past, has the capacity for growth, resilience, and redemption, we've expanded the program beyond veterans to include formerly incarcerated individuals. "stigma often creates barriers to communication that leave so many of us feeling isolated and unable to share our struggles. In doing this, we risk further separating from the communities that can help us heal," says jaymes poling. "with the Modern Warrior experience program, we strive to tear down those barriers to communication, allowing individuals to share the unfiltered reality of their journey, and in doing so carve a path for others hoping for a better tomorrow," says dominick farinacci.