Chicago Books to Women in Prison

Join us with the Poetry Center of Chicago and Free Write Jail Arts & Literacy for:

Poetry from the Inside:
A Collaborative Reading and Book Drive

Wednesday, September 28, 7–9 pm
Chicago Art Department
1932 S Halsted St., Suite 100 (map)

There will be a reading from several of Free Write’s former students who were previously incarcerated in the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.

The incarcerated women we serve send us many poems, and we’re delighted that acclaimed poets Hannah Gamble and Erika L. Sánchez will read a few this evening:

“And So I Say Goodbye”, Amy F. (Illinois)
“Depression”, Candice B. (Ohio)
“D.O.C. Echos”, Juliette R. (Florida)
“Drowning in a sea of faces”, Elizabeth T. (Mississippi)
“How Long?”, Sabrina D. (Florida)
“Lady of the South”, Wendy H. (Florida)
“Lost”, Sonya H. (Indiana)
“Seize Society”, Kelly R. (Florida)
“What Is Beautiful”, Tamra C. (Florida)

There will also be a book drive on our behalf. We’re in special need right now of dictionaries, books on learning Spanish, African-American fiction (urban and romance) and puzzle books. They must be paperback and less than 10 years old. Take a look at the complete list of books we always need.

Donation: Sliding scale $5–10 and cash bar
Proceeds will pay Free Write’s young poets.

Get all the details and let us know you’re coming on the Facebook event page.