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The Untold Story Of The Real Me: Young Voices From Prison
The Untold Story of the Real Me is a collection of poems written by young people who were charged and incarcerated as adults at the age of 16 or 17. All poets are members of the Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop; many are currently incarcerated in the DC Jail or federal prison. Their work explores themes of parenthood, love, pain, identity, race, and freedom in voices both raw and powerful. This collection also features individual profiles of Free Minds members who are home from prison and serving as Poet Ambassadors in the violence prevention initiative, "On the Same Page." Already being used in classrooms across the country to start conversations around youth violence and the justice system, The Untold Story of the Real Me provides a new take on the power of one voice to speak truth to pain, to seek redemption and healing.
Free Minds uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken DC youth incarcerated as adults to their own potential. Through creative expression, job readiness training, and violence prevention outreach, these young poets achieve their education and career goals, and become powerful voices for change in the community. Learn more at www.freemindsbookclub.org
Free Minds uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken DC youth incarcerated as adults to their own potential. Through creative expression, job readiness training, and violence prevention outreach, these young poets achieve their education and career goals, and become powerful voices for change in the community. Learn more at www.freemindsbookclub.org
- GenresPoetry
159 pages, Paperback
Published October 17, 2015
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 23, 2016
The Untold Story of the Real Me: Young Voices from Prison by Free Minds Writers is published by Shout Mouse Press, a non-profit. Shout Mouse Press is a writing program and publishing house with a mission: to amplify unheard voices, and to share those voices with a wider audience.
I found compelling a number of the poems and essays.
El Camino (The Road) by Luis is a bilingual poem about the difficult and unforgiving road that they are on.
My Face by Derrick is a poem about the external person and the secrets on the inner one.
In the essay, The Color of My Skin, by Sergio, provides the reader an empathic insight of his view into the world.
"The Untold Story of the Real Me is a collection of poems written by young people who were charged and incarcerated as adults at the age of 16 or 17. All poets are members of the Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop; many are currently incarcerated in the DC Jail or federal prison. Their work explores themes of parenthood, love, pain, identity, race, and freedom in voices both raw and powerful. This collection also features individual profiles of Free Minds members who are home from prison and serving as Poet Ambassadors in the violence prevention initiative, “On the Same Page.” Already being used in classrooms across the country to start conversations around youth violence and the justice system, The Untold Story of the Real Me provides a new take on the power of one voice to speak truth to pain, to seek redemption and healing. " - from the publisher's website.
I found compelling a number of the poems and essays.
El Camino (The Road) by Luis is a bilingual poem about the difficult and unforgiving road that they are on.
My Face by Derrick is a poem about the external person and the secrets on the inner one.
In the essay, The Color of My Skin, by Sergio, provides the reader an empathic insight of his view into the world.
"The Untold Story of the Real Me is a collection of poems written by young people who were charged and incarcerated as adults at the age of 16 or 17. All poets are members of the Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop; many are currently incarcerated in the DC Jail or federal prison. Their work explores themes of parenthood, love, pain, identity, race, and freedom in voices both raw and powerful. This collection also features individual profiles of Free Minds members who are home from prison and serving as Poet Ambassadors in the violence prevention initiative, “On the Same Page.” Already being used in classrooms across the country to start conversations around youth violence and the justice system, The Untold Story of the Real Me provides a new take on the power of one voice to speak truth to pain, to seek redemption and healing. " - from the publisher's website.
February 2, 2018
Here is an example of what does NOT and will probably NEVER get published by the majors.
This book is a critical piece of work that helps those who work with encouraging text engagement, for it was produced by youth who through poor literacy and life management in their worlds, suffer from huge gaps in their language skills.
They have been provided one of the first chances in their young lives, while incarcerated, to have a chance at navigating through the jungle of written expression to get their messages out to the world of the lessons they have learned from the mistakes they have made in life. Critical literacy development skills requires these opportunities for all youth of all races and economic levels to help them with the development of self-awareness, cultural and social systemic injustices, esteem building, empathy, and understanding for others like and unlike themselves. The youth that contributed to the poetry and prose in this book is not like many in our most elite of schools in that they have never been given the platform to exercise their voice agency. The difference in these youth is that they are mostly black and Latino youth who have been sentenced as adults under the age of 16 for crimes mostly involved with ramped up drug laws, in DC communities where they have no choice or any way to safely avoid being preyed upon by older gang members.
When individual entries from this book are used in a language arts class and students see the errors in grammar, the most reluctant of readers have been literally shocked into action. They began to ask if that is what their writing looks like? Will that be them in high school? It is an amazing tool of engagement for reader's response.
The youth who contributed to this book are part of a writers' workshop Those that aged out or that are no longer in custody are part of a spoken word consortium that advocates for the juvenile justice rights in prison environments and a more socially just education in the American school system. They are but a small voice, but is one many of us are faced with motivating in our communities we serve. There's also a reading club called Free Minds Book Club http://freemindsbookclub.org/. Please take some time and look at their activity and messages on twitter: https://twitter.com/FreeMindsDC.
This book is a critical piece of work that helps those who work with encouraging text engagement, for it was produced by youth who through poor literacy and life management in their worlds, suffer from huge gaps in their language skills.
They have been provided one of the first chances in their young lives, while incarcerated, to have a chance at navigating through the jungle of written expression to get their messages out to the world of the lessons they have learned from the mistakes they have made in life. Critical literacy development skills requires these opportunities for all youth of all races and economic levels to help them with the development of self-awareness, cultural and social systemic injustices, esteem building, empathy, and understanding for others like and unlike themselves. The youth that contributed to the poetry and prose in this book is not like many in our most elite of schools in that they have never been given the platform to exercise their voice agency. The difference in these youth is that they are mostly black and Latino youth who have been sentenced as adults under the age of 16 for crimes mostly involved with ramped up drug laws, in DC communities where they have no choice or any way to safely avoid being preyed upon by older gang members.
When individual entries from this book are used in a language arts class and students see the errors in grammar, the most reluctant of readers have been literally shocked into action. They began to ask if that is what their writing looks like? Will that be them in high school? It is an amazing tool of engagement for reader's response.
The youth who contributed to this book are part of a writers' workshop Those that aged out or that are no longer in custody are part of a spoken word consortium that advocates for the juvenile justice rights in prison environments and a more socially just education in the American school system. They are but a small voice, but is one many of us are faced with motivating in our communities we serve. There's also a reading club called Free Minds Book Club http://freemindsbookclub.org/. Please take some time and look at their activity and messages on twitter: https://twitter.com/FreeMindsDC.
March 26, 2019
This is not a book to be read quickly. Some pages are heartbreaking, some are hopeful. Many of these young men desperately want to believe that they are intrinsically good people and will be a credit to their loved ones and to society once they are released from prison. Unfortunately, that will not be easy.
August 5, 2020
This is a collection of poetry that will not soon forget. These writers show us a rare glimpse into their souls as they express their thoughts and feelings on different topics such as race, parenthood, love, identity and freedom of voice. This book is raw and very powerful but the poems are also uncensored. Parental preview is recommended.
January 1, 2025
Numerous examples of poetry taking artistic license and using applicable dialect to show remorse, love, regret, respect, lack of hope, and much more from formerly incarcerated men. May be too honest and rough for junior high.
August 4, 2019
I'm not the biggest poetry reader, but this is a great concept and outlet for expression for these young incarcerated folks.
February 11, 2023
Powerful book of poetry and stories of young men in prison or recently released
Good book for young teen boys to read.
Good book for young teen boys to read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews