On April 25, Writers in Baltimore Schools held a write-in for its members to respond to the death of Freddie Gray and the Baltimore Uprising five years later. All this week, the Beat is running the poems, essays, and reflections that came out of the write-in…

Back then, there was heat.

There was fire in our hearts,

Then there was fire

In the streets.


Burn down what’s broken

To turn a new leaf.


Even though it’s different,

It’s somehow still the same.

We still want answers.

We still need change.