The Bronx Writes Back: Bronx Youth Reclaim Their Stories in New Book on the Cradle to Prison Pipeline
BRONX, NY — On Tuesday night, a standing-room-only crowd at The Bronx Museum of the Arts witnessed something rare: a stage filled with young people leading a conversation about what it means to grow up in the crosshairs of broken systems—and surviving.
The event marked the launch of The Bronx Writes Back: The Cradle to Prison Pipeline, a new anthology created by The Bronx Leadership & Organizing Center (BLOC), co-founded by The Bronx Defenders. Through poetry, personal essays, and original artwork, the book brings together stories from Bronx youth who have experienced foster care, incarceration, and family separation—inviting the public to see these harms through the eyes of those most impacted.
But the night was more than a book launch. It was a declaration. Authors took the stage to share how writing helped them process pain, reconnect with loved ones, and reimagine their futures. Art installations displayed in the gallery gave visual shape to the resistance, creativity, and dignity that define so many Bronx lives—and too often go unseen.
“These young people are not just telling stories. They’re building a blueprint for justice rooted in truth, vulnerability, and transformation,” said Aleciah Anthony, Director of Community Engagement at The Bronx Defenders. “This book is a refusal to be erased, and a powerful reminder of the brilliance that lives in our communities.”
One of the featured authors, Florentino Laureano, spoke of the intergenerational impact of the project:
“I’ve told parts of my story before, but never like this. My daughter heard it fully for the first time while working on this book. That moment changed both of us.”
Steffanie Laureano, Florentino’s 11-year-old daughter and a first-time writer, added:
“Writing helped me understand my dad and myself better. I want people to see how much we go through—and how much we fight to stay whole.”
The Bronx Writes Back is more than a collection of stories—it’s a demand for systemic transformation. BLOC and The Bronx Defenders will continue to distribute the book to schools, libraries, and community spaces across the borough, and hope it sparks ongoing conversation and action around how we treat, support, and invest in young people.
For photos, interviews, or copies of The Bronx Writes Back, please contact media@bronxdefenders.org.
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About the BLOC
Launched in 2022 as a partnership among The Bronx Defenders, East Side House, and New Settlement, the Bronx Leadership & Organizing Center (BLOC) strives to stimulate the development of new solutions to sustainably lift families out of poverty and to promote dynamic leaders who will aim to change the public conversation around social and economic mobility.
About The Bronx Defenders
The Bronx Defenders is a public defender nonprofit that has developed a groundbreaking model of holistic representation, providing systems-impacted individuals with teams of lawyers, social workers, and advocates dedicated to addressing their unique circumstances, thereby transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system.