About this event

Please join us February 8th for an evening of poetry and spoken word. In collaboration with Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop, we will be hosting individuals to share their voice.

About Free Minds:

Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop builds community to foster personal development and systems change for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth and adults through the literary arts, workforce development, trauma healing, peacebuilding, and member-led advocacy. This innovative program model is a long-term, continuous reading and writing workshop combined with intensive reentry services. In 2023, 97% of members were employed, in school,or enrolled in vocational training programs. 2% recidivated, compared to an average of 62% for people released from the DC Department of Corrections. The Free Minds On the Same Page program is a peacebuilding and racial equity education initiative where members home in the community known as Poet Ambassadors share their lived experiences, answer questions, read aloud written works from their fellow incarcerated Free Minds members, and use poetry as a launching point for a dialogue on ways to bring healing and change to the current carceral system.

Featured Poet Ambassadors:

Antoine Coleman joined Free Minds in 2021 while he was incarcerated. He was sentenced to 66 years to life at the age of 21. After serving 22 years, he was released in 2023. He earned his GED while incarcerated, despite leaving school in the 7th grade. He went on to become a GED tutor in the prison Education Department. He also worked as a suicide companion with the Psych. Department in prison, and as a wellness coach. Antoine is now an assistant curator and Resident Artist at Honfleur Art Gallery in the historic Anacostia arts district. He is the author of two novels and many poems. Antoine loves creative writing, spending time with his family, and dedicating himself to helping others.

Gene Downing joined Free Minds in 2019 while he was incarcerated, and he was released in 2021 after serving 21 years. While incarcerated, Gene dedicated himself to education and worked as a tutor to support others. After his release, he was selected as the 2022 Congressma John Lewis Fellow at Free Minds. Gene currently serves as a Poet Ambassador and as the Co-Chair of Thrive Under 25, a transformative coalition that advocates for people who came into contact with the system when they were under age 25. In addition to his work with Free Minds, Gene works as the Galena Yorktown Fellow with the Council for Court Excellence. Gene is a poet, actor, and spoken word artist, and he is passionate about giving back to the youth and building up the DC community. His poetry has been published in the Free Minds anthology When You Hear Me (You Hear Us): Voices on Youth Incarceration.