Free Minds Dallas is FCE’s educational arm. It was established to provide a rigorous engagement with the humanities in order to help break the cycle of poverty, inequity, and injustice. It was created in the belief that the humanities—such as literature, philosophy, the arts, history, and critical thinking and writing—can be liberating, not just for the advantaged but also, and maybe especially, for the economically distressed.
The first major initiative of Free Minds is to bring a Clemente Course to Dallas. The Clemente Course, established in 1995 by Earl Shorris, is a national and international program designed to bring college-level courses in the humanities to low-income individuals. ClementeCourse.org
Free Minds offered its first free Clemente Course in September 2014. The course may be taken purely for personal growth, but those who satisfactorily complete the two semesters may receive six hours of college credit.
The course is taught by accomplished professors from the region. It is accredited through Bard College, a nationally recognized liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The credit can be easily transferred to most colleges and universities.