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 D.C. 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.

Honorable Mention for the 2016 'In the Margins' Nonfiction award. The pieces showcased here are moving and real. — George Pelecanos, novelist and writer/producer of The Wire.