The first Free Minds, Free People took place in Chicago in 2007.

It brought together more than 400 youth, parents, researchers and community-based educators from across the country. This national, intergenerational gathering featured dozens of workshops by and for educators and youth on topics including social justice schools, action research, arts and liberatory education, Freedom Schools, youth organizing, teaching critical consciousness and much more. The conference took place at Little Village/Greater Lawndale High School, a public school on Chicago's Southwest side.

It was the “most amazing conference I ever attended,” said a teacher from California. Read more comments from participants.