Through creative expression, job readiness training, and violence prevention outreach, these young poets achieve their education and career goals, and become powerful voices for change in the community. The young inmates come from some of the citys most crimestricken and impoverished neighborhoods. Free minds book club and writing workshop helps keep former. Director of finance and operations at free minds book club and. Free minds began as a biweekly program for young inmates held in the dc jail. Free minds uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youths and adults. Through creative expression, job readiness training, and violence prevention outreach, these poets achieve their education and career goals, and become powerful voices for change in the community.
Free minds member terrell sent us this video of the gateway arch in st. Observe fresh posts and updates on free minds book club. Donate now to support incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youths and adults covid19 emergency fund. As we begin a new decade, free minds is eager to continue our commitment to the transformative power of reading and writing for youth and young adults who have been incarcerated. Free minds book club and writing workshop empowers young inmates to write new chapters in their lives. See who you know at free minds book club and writing workshop, leverage your professional network. This transaction will appear on your credit card statement as network for good. Free minds uses books and creative writing to empower incarcerated teenaged boys in washington, dc to transform their lives. The mission of free minds book club is to introduce young inmates to the transformative power of books and creative writing. By mentoring them and connecting them to supportive services throughout their. The herb block foundation is committed to defending the basic freedoms guaranteed all americans, combating all forms of discrimination and prejudice and improving the conditions of the poor and underprivileged through the creation or support of charitable and educational programs with the same goals. Our mission is to introduce young inmates to the transformative power of books and creative writing. At 16 and 17 years old, they read, on average, at a fifthgrade level, and most. Postcard from free minds book club in washington, d.
Why reading matters conference national book foundation. Free minds write nights connect incarcerated dc residents. The organization focuses on rehabilitation and communication skill building for male teenage inmates washington d. During biweekly workshops at new beginnings youth development center for teens and the dc jail for adults, free minds members read stories and poetry that reflect their lives and then learn to write and even publish their own. Greater washington the most trusted guide to giving in greater washington dc, md, va.
Tara libert executive director free minds book club and. One of their book club groups was recorded by cspan booktv during a book meeting discussion. Free minds write nights connect incarcerated dc residents to. Learn about working at free minds book club and writing workshop. Consider a small contribution to the catalogue to cap off your gift and help the causes you care about get the full support they deserve.
This sites feed is stale or rarely updated or it might be broken for a reason, but you may check related news or freemindsbookclub. Through creative expression, job readiness training, and violence prevention outreach, these poets achieve their education and career goals, and become. Through poetry, colorado inmates, communities work to. Poetry from behind bars tickets, thu, jan 16, 2020 at 7. Donate today to provide additional books and correspondence to reduce social isolation for our incarcerated members, and flexible support packages for our formerly incarcerated members who are facing lost income durin. By using the tools of books, writing, and community to awaken individuals to new possibilities for their future and support them in becoming powerful voices for change, in the year 2019, we have served over 1,000 youths and adults. Premal is the criminal justice fellow at the reflective democracy campaign, a project of the women donors network. Allen chin director of finance and operations free. One of their book club groups was recorded by cspan book tv during a book meeting discussion. Free minds uses books and creative writing to empower incarcerated youth and adults, awakening them to their own potential. Our mission is to awaken our members to their own potential and inspire them to transform their lives.
Through poetry, colorado inmates, communities work to build. Free minds book club and writing workshop helps keep. Free minds book club and writing workshop was founded in 2002. View allen chins profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. Free minds introduces incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youths and adults to the lifechanging power of books, creative. Free minds uses books and creative writing to empower incarcerated teenaged boys in. At 16 and 17 years old, they read, on average, at a fifthgrade level, and most have never completed a. He has always dreamed of seeing the country, and now with his new truck driver job, he is making his dream a reality. How a book club is helping to keep exoffenders from going. The national book foundations why reading matters conference brings together diverse stakeholders to explore a simple idea, that reading matters, from a variety of complex perspectives that includes educators, service providers, writers, librarians, academics, publishing professionals, literary activists, and more. Every other week, theyd gather a group of young men to discuss a contemporary book, selected by. This includes a reading and writing workshop, weekly job readiness trainings, supportive employment, job placements, and community outreach. Reports from free minds book club and writing workshop.
Free minds now offers a reentry book club and job readiness apprenticeship, personalized connections to job opportunities, vocational programs, and other services, and a yearlong fellowship for a formerly incarcerated young adult to work on the free minds team and mentor other youths. Our prison book club fosters community and creates bonds among our members, who are hundreds of miles away from home, and elevates their voices through books and poetry. Their words reveal the human costs of imprisonment and the power of poetry to provide a voice and offer healing. Free minds book club and writing workshop linkedin. Donate to free minds book club and writing workshop. Feel free to play this series for incarcerated, or formerly incarcerated youth and adults and ask them to write their own poetry in response and send them to us. Julia mascioli deputy director free minds book club.
Reentry book club and job readiness program for formerly incarcerated youths and adults. By using the tools of books, writing, and community to awaken individuals to new possibilities for their future and support them in becoming powerful voices for change, in the year 2019, we. By mentoring and connecting them to supportive services throughout their incarceration into reentry, free minds inspires these youths to see their potential and achieve new educational and career goals. Incarcerated people and formerly incarcerated people.
All poets are members of the free minds book club and writing workshop. We promote diversity in literature by empowering marginalized communities worldwide to develop, write, and publish their own childrens books, memoirs, and story collections. What do hinckleys prosecutor and a prison book club have. Free minds, winner of the 2010 innovations in reading prize. Writing workshop is a nonprofit that works with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youths and adults. By employing a unique program model that includes a book club. In the year 2020, we need your help in launching a new book club and writing workshop for women at the dc jail. Feb 27, 2015 free minds book club and writing workshop helps keep former juvenile prisoners out of jail. Free minds uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youths and adults to their own potential. We are off to a strong start in 2017, with new services and many exciting opportunities and experiences for the formerly incarcerated young men in our program.
Stacey houston, assistant professor of criminology, law and society, studies the causes and consequences of justice system involvement. Mar 27, 2019 postcard from free minds book club in washington, d. Find 2020 criminal justice internships in washington, dc. Shout mouse press is a nonprofit writing program and publishing house for unheard voices.
The untold story of the real me is a collection of poems written by young people who were charged and incarcerated as adults at the age of 16 or 17. Free minds serves more than 900 youths and adults each year. The catalogue for philanthropy looks to friends like you to keep our services independent and entirely free of charge. Free minds, winner of the 2010 innovations in reading. Founded in 2002, it began as a biweekly book club and poetry workshop for young people aged between 15 and 17 who had been charged as adults in the prison system. Free minds book club and writing workshop, united states. Free minds book club and writing workshop, united states of. View julia masciolis profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. C, and, as far as we aware, the only program in the us for youth charged and incarcerated in the adult criminal justice system that follows them. Free minds uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken dc youth incarcerated as adults to their own potential. Prison poetry workshop has asked poets from across the country to record a special workshop for our listeners.
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