Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop
WISH LIST: $100: postage for 256 encouraging letters written to incarcerated youth; $500: 1 month of metro fares for 9 recently returned youths attending school; $1000: 100 new books for teens at the DC Jail
In 2006, 111 males ages 16 and 17 were charged as adults for felony crimes and incarcerated at the DC Jail. On average, they read at a fifth-grade level, and schooling at the jail is woefully insufficient: many see criminal activity as their only recourse when they return home. Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop uses books and creative writing to empower young inmates to transform their lives. The club meets weekly at the jail to discuss a work of literature. Most inmates report that they have never before read an entire book; for many, it is the first time they have felt connected to one. And writing encourages reflection – on the consequences of their actions, their dreams for the future. After they move to federal prison, books and correspondence keep coming. Educational and career opportunities – from GED preparation, to job training programs – are offered to those who reenter the community. Free Minds engages young inmates in the life-changing power of reading and writing. And transformation is a beautiful thing.
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