Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop

09/11/2026

Yesterday, Free Minds was at Georgetown University for the 2026 Janet Reno Forum, America's Youth Justice Story: Unearthing the Past and Reimagining the Next Chapter.

Hosted by Center for Youth Justice, Georgetown University and Youth Advocate Programs, this powerful one-day conference brought together advocates, artists, journalists, and community members to explore the past, present, and future of youth justice through the lens of truth-telling and creative expression.

It was especially meaningful to hear from family members of the young boys who lost their lives at the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children in Cheltenham, MD, alongside award-winning author Tananarive Due and forensic anthropologist Erin Kimmerle, whose work has helped bring this history into the light. Free Minds brought poetry from our incarcerated members to this event so that participants had an opportunity to connect through writing with young people currently experiencing incarceration, as we reimagine what youth justice could look like.

A special thank you to Maryland State Senator William C. Smith Jr. , whose leadership opened the door to this important conversation, and to everyone at Georgetown's Center for Youth Justice for welcoming us.

It was an honor to be part of this day.

09/01/2026

Our 2025 Impact Report is here, and it tells the story of a year of growth, connection, and transformation.

Behind every number is a member reading a book in a cell hundreds of miles from home, a poet stepping onto the Kennedy Center stage, a member returning home and mentoring the person who comes home next.

Free Minds members led as writers, advocates, and changemakers, using their voices to reshape how communities understand incarceration and reentry.

Explore the full report to see the people and stories behind the numbers. Read it here:

Free Minds serves over 1,000 current and formerly incarcerated youths and adults each year in the DC and federal jails and reentry. Learn more ...

08/31/2026

What does it mean to reclaim space and presence in Washington, DC?

This month, Washingtonian Magazine explored the history of the True Reformer Building, the first Black-owned, constructed, and financed building in post-Reconstruction America. Built in 1903 at 12th and U Street NW, the building has been a cornerstone of DC's Black history, culture, and community for over a century, and continues that legacy through the organizations it serves today thanks to the Public Welfare Foundation.

Free Minds Co-Founder and Executive Director Tara Libert joined the conversation to share why Free Minds hosts our "welcome home" reentry sessions there:

"The energy of the place is so inspirational and powerful, so we're very intentional about picking that place for the welcome home gathering. It's a way of us reclaiming space and presence."

Read the full feature here:

The Black legacy the U Street building holds is "a story of truth, resistance, and resilience.”

08/27/2026

Black August was born in resistance to isolation and solitary confinement. This poem speaks to exactly that.

This week we are sharing Isolation by AW, a currently incarcerated Free Minds member who writes about isolation not just as loneliness, but as a weapon used to strip away humanity, connection, and dignity.

"Isolation kills our humanity when imposed as a weapon to punish."

https://freemindsbookclub.org/poem/isolation-2/

08/25/2026

Get ready for a night of rock, community, and a great cause! 🎸🎶

On Friday, September 11, Sound Counsel, a band of attorneys from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, will be taking the stage at The Atlantis in Washington, DC as part of the 11th Annual Law Rocks DC concert series presented by Law Rocks.

They are rocking for Free Minds!

Tickets are on sale now. When you purchase a ticket or make a donation through the Law Rocks site, you can choose to support Sound Counsel and direct your contribution to Free Minds.

Get your tickets: https://lawrocks.org/dca

Come witness legal professionals rock out for charity over two nights at The Atlantis! Bands of lawyers-turned-rock stars will take the stage for amazing local nonprofits.

08/24/2026

August is Library Card Sign-Up Month, and our Reentry Apprenticeship members celebrated in the best way possible. 📚

On the first day of the apprenticeship, 15 Free Minds members came together for an incredible day of community, reflection, and new beginnings. They shared what has surprised them since coming home, responded to poetry together, and participated in an interview skills workshop.

And at the end of the day? Everyone got a DC Public Library card.

For members returning home after years of incarceration, a library card is more than access to books. It is access to resources, to community, to possibility.

Library Card Sign-Up Month is a reminder that libraries belong to everyone, and we are proud to make sure our members know that too.

08/19/2026

Black August is a month of remembrance, resistance, and poetry. This week we are sharing Crushed by the System by TG, a currently incarcerated Free Minds member whose poem speaks across generations, to those who came before, those who stand now, and those who will carry this work forward.

"You will not be crushed by the system."

08/14/2026

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture recently announced the winners of their inaugural Voices Beyond the Walls writing contest, which uplifts the lived experiences, resilience, and advocacy of individuals affected by solitary confinement. 📖✊

Join them for Healing Through the Arts: The Power of Expression During and Beyond Incarceration on Thursday, August 20 from 1:00 to 2:30pm ET on Zoom, presented by NRCAT. This free event features a panel discussion by people with experience at the intersection of the arts and carceral involvement, and includes readings by the contest winners.

Register for the free event here:

Join the National Religious Campaign Against Torture for a special Zoom event featuring a panel discussion among poets, advocates, art therapists, and solitary survivors on the power of creativity when healing from trauma. Then, hear the three winners of our Torture Awareness Month writing contest p...

08/09/2026

Happy National Book Lovers Day! 📖💛

Books mean something different to everyone. For Free Minds members, they are a tool for growth, a source of connection, and a window to a world beyond the walls.

Today we are sharing what books mean to some of our members in their own words.

What book has kept your mind free or made you feel seen? Share in the comments. 📚

07/31/2026

Before this summer ends, we wanted to share a poem that captures it perfectly. 📖

Last Summer by DW, a currently incarcerated Free Minds member, is a tender, lyrical love poem written from inside the walls, and it will stay with you.

Read the full poem and leave DW a comment at freemindsbookclub.org/poems. Your words go directly to the poet. ✍️

And before the summer is over, make sure you are part of the Free Minds community. Our summer newsletter drops in August with stories, poetry, and updates from our members. Subscribe here: https://freemindsbookclub.org/get-involved/join-our-email-list/