Thoughts Are Things by Yusef Qualls-El

Thoughts Are Things is the first major collection of poetry by incarcerated poet, artist, and activist Yusef Qualls-El. Qualls-El is a juvenile lifer sentenced to mandatory life without the possibility of parole at 16 years old, a decision that is now considered unconstitutional. He is currently a member of the Writer's Block, an ongoing writing and visual art workshop in a prison outside of Detroit. His work has appeared on Michigan Radio, Washington Square Review at New York University, The New Yorker, The Michigan Citizen, Critical Moment, Contemporary Justice Review and numerous collections of poetry. Cover art and drawings within are by the author. 

2016

Hamtramck Free School is a rhizomatic educational project formed in 2013, consisting of curriculum generated by the community members who participate. In the Hamtramck Free School, "free" means both that the school is free of charge and that it is directed towards emancipation. You can learn more about the workshop here.