By Neely Wester | Program Associate
As we reflect on 2020 and prepare for the new year, our Free Minds family is feeling extra grateful. In the face of unparalleled obstacles, our formerly incarcerated members have risen to the challenge, becoming leaders and advocates for both the community and for each other. We continue to come together through our remote programming and have offered new ways for members to get involved. Members learned about wellbeing and mentorship through our new peer support training program led by a trauma-informed trainer. Through our pilot Black History Learning Group, members expanded their knowledge and put this into practice by engaging in dialogue and organizing around social injustices.
Thanks to DC’s Restore the Vote Act, passed this summer, incarcerated DC residents are now eligible to vote. Our Reentry Book Club members worked hard to spread the word and get out the vote. They led by example by participating in the election themselves. For many, it was their first time ever voting. We are awed at the resiliency of our members. We joined together to celebrate them with a “drive by and say hi” event to catch up social-distance style.
Our reentry members are trailblazers, using their lived experiences to build a stronger and better future for our community. Thank you for making this possible and preparing us to enter 2021 stronger than ever!
Camaraderie Through Peer Support Training
When the pandemic first hit, our member-led COVID-19 Response Team jumped into action to support their fellow members. Wanting to do more, the team recently began participating in a weekly peer support training program to enhance their skills on responding to the emotional wellbeing of members. These training sessions are led by Free Minds friend and Credible Messenger trainer Che, who uses his experience from working in a hospital-based violence intervention program.
Free Minds member Craig has been providing extra support check-ins for his fellow reentry members since March and is excited to use the new knowledge he is learning from these training sessions with members. He recently shared with us, “I'm learning a lot from Che and he's helping me bring out things in myself. The whole group is helping each of us to bring out our best in each other. I appreciate Free Minds for having this training."
Advocacy and Leadership With Our Black History Learning Group
Inspired by a summer of protests following the murder of George Floyd, our members expressed a desire to learn more about Black history and how it connects to today’s worldwide movement for social justice. The result was our Black History Learning Group, a small cohort of members who meet weekly in a virtual space to discuss a range of topics on African American history. So far, members have discussed voter suppression, redlining and the racial wealth gap, the legacies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, reparations, and racial disparities in the criminal legal system. Members engage in thoughtful conversations and use their new knowledge to become activists in the community. Congressman John Lewis Fellow Jameon says this group is a space for members to “build intellectually” and, “always very informative and impactful”
Members Take to the Polls for the First Time
Free Minds members were among those who contributed to the record-breaking turnout for this year’s presidential election! Not only did they exercise their right to vote, but they also advocated for voting rights for all incarcerated and formerly incarcerated citizens. Shannon, our new Advocacy & Leadership Development Specialist, who is formerly incarcerated himself, led efforts to educate our members on their voting rights by creating a video about voting, distributing voter guides to reentry members, and driving members to the polls. Shannon was just one of many members who were able to vote for the first time this year!
Reentry Members Drive By and Say Hi
In September, we hosted a successful “drop by and say hi” socially-distanced event. Reentry members stopped by to pick up COVID-19 Care Packages containing food items, personal protective equipment, and cleaning supplies. They also picked up some books off our bookshelf and enjoyed some burgers and hot dogs to go. Both members and staff were excited to be able to connect in-person after months of only seeing each other virtually!
Thank you for making all of this possible. As we reflect on this year, we are grateful that we can find so much to celebrate. We look forward to beginning the new year together!
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By Julia Mascioli | Deputy Director
By Julia Mascioli | Deputy Director
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