By Joy Asamoah | Project Intern
As Summer awakens and the seasons change, Free Minds members are continuing to grow, heal, face new challenges, and build community with one another. From welcoming new members to the reentry book club to completing our Job Readiness and Personal Skill Building Apprenticeship, Free Minds members are pushing for the change they want to see in their lives, and excelling as their stories continue to unfold.
A Welcoming Home: Reentry Orientation
Since March, we've held 8 Reentry Orientations, a program that is the first point of contact for previously incarcerated Free Minds members being welcomed home. Members share their experiences, their goals, and words they associate with Free Minds including “family,” “understanding,” and “hope.” Free Minds Peer Supporters connect with the new members by reflecting on their lived experience and giving advice on navigating reentry. At the orientation sessions, Free Minds staff also present newly home members with a compilation of their letters and poetry they have sent to Free Minds throughout their incarceration. This moment of reconnecting with their writing is a beautiful reflection of their journey and a powerful way to welcome them home and emphasize our program model of long-term, continuous support. Members also connect with reentry coaches, practice essential tech skills to access programs and services, and learn about all of the reentry programs available to members. Each orientation is a vital point in the reentry process, and members leave inspired with the resources, support, and community to assist them in their reentry journey.
Sharpening Minds through the Reentry Book Club
Free Minds members are continuing to grow as they join The Build Up, our reentry book club. This book club meets once a week to read from a selected book and unpack deeper themes within the literature that relates to their lives. One of the books members have been reading is The Man of Many Fathers by Roy Wood Jr. In one session, they discussed why a parental figure in the book stressed the importance of education, and reflected on individuals who had done the same in their lives, as well as the importance of education to them. Free Minds member KB shared that his father would recite a poem to him and his siblings everyday on their way to school. The poem emphasized the importance of learning and even after all these years, KB and his siblings still remember every word of the poem, demonstrating the lasting impact that their father’s teaching had on them. Members agreed that education opens up access to opportunities, changes the way you see the world, and builds upon the potential that already lies within you. As Free Minds members meet every week to discuss the literature they’ve read, they push to evolve and learn together, as they continue to nurture a supportive space for all to connect with each other, express themselves, and build together.
Reflecting on Black History
Our Black History Learning Group is a member-led group that meets once a month to discuss Black history and its effects on the present. Every meeting starts with a significant event in Black history, followed by discussing chapters from Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. Free Minds members have an open discussion about the legacy of systemic racism in the United States as well as Black resilience. Yusef, a regular participant, recently shared: “We only focus on Black History as a nation for one month, Black History Month. I joined the Black History Learning Group to help me identify more with my own culture and history. We need this to provide a sense of self-confidence. Having true knowledge and not just focusing on the negative narrative is liberatory.” As Free Minds members connect Black history to the present, they push for a brighter, equitable, and more just future.
Growing Through Peer Support
Through Our Peer Support Training Program Free Minds members strengthen their knowledge on social emotional support skills including trauma-informed care, healthy boundaries, conflict resolution, and crisis response. 16 members graduated from the Peer Support Training Program in May. Joseph and Curtis had the honor of being the graduation speakers. In his speech, Joseph said, “This was a caring and sharing safe place that we used to build ourselves up in our struggles and helped erase the traumatic effects of hard times in prison.” In Curtis’ speech, he shared, “This is more than a graduation for me, this is a celebration… It used to make my heart skip a beat being able to talk about the things that I held in for so long. So just listening and being provided a safe and nonjudgemental space, I think that’s what gave everybody that peace and that hope.”
Celebrating our Job Readiness and Personal Skill Building Apprentices
In April, 7 members completed our Job Readiness and Personal Skill Building Apprenticeship created to strengthen confidence in job readiness skills essential to reentry. Members used poetry and creative writing as tools to build critical thinking and communication skills. They also refined interview skills, received new library cards and learned about accessing library resources. The members engaged in group discussion where they sharpened public speaking skills and built community with one another.
The cohort also studied financial literacy, including credit and budgeting, which are fundamental tools. Free Minds members James, Michael, and Lamar inspired the apprentices by sharing about their work experience and exposing them to work opportunities they can access. Members developed goals for their future, and created vision boards that they presented on the final day of the apprenticeship. Expressing goals are a key first step--and our team is working with them on the next steps to make their goals come true!
Member Spotlight: Rick
Rick demonstrated perseverance as he committed to his goals this season. He first came home in October 2022, after serving time for a crime he did not commit. After coming home he has since been a regular member of the Build Up (our reentry book club) and our support group for recipients of the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (a DC law that allows young people with extreme sentences to petition the court for resentencing after 15 years). He soon started working at a moving company, and was promoted to a supervisor position! Rick is such an excellent team member that management has asked him to refer other Free Minds members. He continues to thrive. Rick’s story is a testament to resilience in the face of adversity, and he is a reflection of what is possible when you hold onto hope and never give up. He is a valuable member of the Free Minds community and we couldn’t be more proud of him.
By Katie Raines | Project Intern
By Jeffrey Beamer | Project Intern
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