We Can Be the Change: Free Minds Honors Lives Lost to Violence

On Thursday, January 14, Free Minds members, staff, family, and friends gathered to recognize the lives lost to violence in Washington, DC, and to pledge to work towards peace and healing.

Tragically, Free Minds lost four young men last year. Since Free Minds began 13 years ago, 16 members have passed away. In an effort to honor these lives and respond with action and change, we came together on Thursday evening to recognize and remember those 16 young men, and to provide a space for Free Minds members and families to honor their other loved ones who have also passed away. We are grateful to the Church of the Pilgrims for allowing us to use their sanctuary as a safe space for reflection and community building.

As family and friends steadily filed into the room, handshakes and hugs were exchanged. Some stopped at a table to take a small stone in remembrance of the loved one they had lost. Although many took one or two stones, several had handfuls.

After everyone took their seats, Free Minds Co-founders Tara Libert and Kelli Taylor welcomed everyone, and spoke about the value of remembering. Tara said, “To live in the hearts left behind is not to die…This night is about three pillars of Free Minds: community, writing, and remembrance.” Kelli shared her memory of opening a newspaper and reading that a Free Minds member had been killed. “It was only a few lines in the newspaper,” she said, “but he was more than that.”

Several Free Minds members shared their own poetry. One read a poem written by Free Minds member Kuron, who was killed in September. Kuron’s family were among the guests gathered.

Loving Self
By Kuron

Making supreme efforts in acquiring knowledge, wisdom and spiritual truth
Loving Self
Knowing what’s ethical and unethical
Loving Self
Positive thinking, positive energy, positive planning
Loving Self
Ethical teaching, ethical believing, ethical behavior
Loving Self
Knowing who you are, what you are, and where you are
Loving Self
Building self-value/worth, knowing self-value, appreciating self-value
Loving Self
Believing I can be more than what’s designed for the average black male
Loving Self
Fighting unethical thoughts, unethical energy, unethical environments
Loving Self
Loving, honoring, appreciating, and respecting your parents
Loving Self
Without loving U, it’s impossible to know how to love anyone else
Loving Self

After the reading, everyone gathered in a circle around a glass bowl filled with water. One by one, people placed a small stone in the bowl for each loved one they were honoring. It was a powerful act. It moved Free Minds member Latre to step forward and tell the group that his mother had died while he was still incarcerated. Despite the pain he felt when he lost her, he said he is comforted by the community and family he now has in Free Minds.

Marcus Bullock, our Reentry Apprenticeship Trainer, spoke about his young nephew who was murdered. “My family, we have a responsibility to carry his memory, and to ensure that there aren’t more mothers without their sons.” Addressing the crowd, he said, “We have value, their lives have value.”

Finally, Marcus explained how everyone present could be a part of creating peaceful change in our community. He explained a new Free Minds initiative called #IVow, a chance for each person to make a personal commitment to rid our community of violence. Marcus demonstrated by sharing his vow to never make a decision while under the influence, wrote his vow on an index card, and placed this vow on a board. Dozens of Free Minds members, families, and friends followed, making personal pledges about ways they can reduce violence in our city.

“I vow to link with my brothers of Free Minds to come together and make a positive force throughout not just our Free Minds community but throughout our community here in the DC area.”

“I vow to give school all I got! In honor of Mike.”

“I vow to contact an incarcerated person with a message of hope every day of this year.”

“My vow is to S.T.O.P.: Stop, Take time, Observe, and use Patience when dealing with any situations that may cause someone harm.”

“I vow to never give up.”

“I vow to help every young person within my reach see their true self-worth.”

Free Minds will continue the “I Vow” campaign on February 18th at “We Can Be the Change: Working to End Violence in Our City.” Click here for ticket information.

In honor of the following Free Minds members:

James
Cortez
Derrick
Christian
JohnQuan
Nadar
Andre
Darond
Dontel
Tyree
Antwone
Amari
Kuron
Darnell
Dwayne
CJ

 

Proving Them Wrong
By Derrick

People say in life I won’t make it
My spirit too strong so I won’t let them break it
They say I’m hard headed and have a young mind
I say in life all you do is take it one day at a time
So what I do, fight to win the battle
My boat shakes, twists and rattles
I don’t let people discourage me
They want to see my downfall
I still don’t let it worry me
Clawing and pulling my way to the top
I keep striving for my goal
and don’t let the next man make me stop
Proving them wrong and seeing the smile on my face
Looking at the hater and seeing hate in their face
You know what I say
I made it

You Are More To Me…
By Antwone

Mom, you are more to me
Than anything in the whole world
Without you, it’s like not having no air
Without you, I wouldn’t even be here
I say Mom
They say the biggest star in the sky is the sun
But I think otherwise
I think you is the biggest star
In my eyes
You are more important to me
Than the trees that give off oxygen
Sometimes I pretend to be the person that I’m not
You always told me
That you believed in me when I didn’t
I do know right from wrong
But the pressure from this generation is just so strong
It’s like I’m in the ocean getting taken by the current
I wasn’t strong enough
But it’s never too late
To make you happy
It’s never too late
To be the rose that grew from the concrete
Mom, like I said
You are more to me than anything in the whole world
This poem is for you
To believe that

The Real Me
By Amari

Don’t judge me
Until you know the real me
I know you think carryin’ a glock
Is the real me
Because I been locked
And that’s all you know about me
But remember the times I was gone?
I was taking courses
To become an architect
So instead of building a gun
I could build a house
For the fam
It’s time to put the gun down
And pick the pen up
And empower self

Embrace the Struggle
By Dwayne

Struggle, to me is never ending
It’s like change: constant and consistent
It knows no day of the week, gender, race, size or age
Everyone goes through it
Struggle affects people in different ways
But whatever doesn’t kill you
Will only make you tougher
Me, I embrace struggle
Because it keeps me hungry
Hungry for all life has to offer
Struggle doesn’t allow me to become passive or content
So embrace the struggle
Just don’t succumb to it

I’m a Lost Soul
By Tyree

I’m a lost soul lookin’ 4 the light
‘Cause being locked up sure ain’t life
I’m tryna’ make it through to see again the other side
‘Cause of jealousy, got others wishin’ I died
But I try to keep my mind focused
They feelin’ my pain,
Got ‘em askin’ who wrote this
I’m a lost soul stuck in my cell
Needing love in my visits, phone and mail
I’m a lost soul

A New Beginning
By Dontel

Starting off in the right direction
And learning and doing different things
That I didn’t ever do before
I want to start off new
So that I can be a different and changed man
Start off with a new plan
So I can be a successful man in life

My Fugacious Life
By JohnQuan

fu.ga.cious (fyoo-gey-shuhs)
adjective
1.fleeting; transitory:
2. falling or fading early.

They want to know about my life
But why should I tell?
It’s not like it’s special or something
Just upsets and hell
Thinking I fell, never prevail
Just doing time, alone in my cell
See, I like to write things
Hoping they change
But no matter how hard I try
The result is the same
Nothing but shame
To most it’s cool
Just like a game
Stuck to my chain
Heart filled with pain
See that I know
Ask them?
No show
Freedom must go
My fugacious life

Who I Am
By James

I’m called Skinny
By day I’m a loud whistle on a football field
By night I’m a lion roaring
A bat flying in search of food
If I had super powers, I’d be Super-Save-a-Woman
I will be a strong, powerful young man
Like thunder striking trees
Here’s what people don’t know about me
I’m a smart young man
That’s who I am

From “The Chosen 1”
By Christian

I was chosen June 28th, down the K
Now they wonder why I act this way
Nobody really understands
How you turn yourself from a little youngin’
To a grown man
Everybody has doubts about themselves
But the real doubt is why they had no wealth
My mother realizes she has a good son
That’s why I think I’m the real
Chosen 1

For My Unborn Child
By Nadar

This is a poem from Daddy to you
My unborn child
Even though you’re not here
When you do, Daddy’s gonna love you
Through thick and thin
Ups n’ downs
When Daddy can’t be strong
You’ll be the reason he goes on
When I think of you
I’ll always smile
When I think of you
I’ll truly love you
From Daddy to you
My child

Time
By CJ

I was 15 years old when I got locked up
I’m 17 years old now
I think about what I could have been doing with my life
It took so many years for me to find out
That I can do a lot of things
I sing
I rap
I play the keyboard
And I play the bass
I never knew I was so talented
It’s ok
I’m still young

Getting a Life
By Andre

New
Is like getting a new car
Or a new game,

Or a new house,

Or a new job

New
Is getting a new LIFE