Empowering incarcerated youths to write new chapters in their lives.
Free Minds uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youths and adults to their own potential. 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.
Write Night Events
Virtual Write Week: June 21 – June 25 Virtual Event
News & Events
Lines: Animated Short Film at Indy Film Fest
Poetry by Free Minds members Alfredo, Aundrey, DC, Myron, Tavon, and Terrell is featured in the new animated short film, “Lines,” by Claire Fleming and produced by Letitia Wright (starring Letitia Wright, Michael Kenneth Williams, Jodie Turner-Smith, Adepero Oduye and Riz Ahmed). Currently playing at the Indy Film Fest until May 19. Read a review of…
Read More ...Featured Poem
Bright Blue Skies
Bright blue skies clothe inner city lies.
There’s a quitter entangled in, “how many times I have to try.”
Curious to know your real motives,
Hands over my eyes in disbelief when I seen the real molders.
Our Impact in 2020
MEMBERS SERVED
EMPLOYMENT & EDUCATION PLACEMENT RATE
POEMS WRITTEN
Recidivism rate
IN THE PRESS
Pardoning Martinsville 7 Would Be a Start to Acknowledging Virginia’s History
(Op-Ed by Free Minds member Alfred in Juvenile Justice Information Exchange)See Story
‘Without Your Prison Number, You Don’t Exist’
(Op-Ed by Free Minds member Kevin in the Crime Report)See Story
