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Gratitude Letters

It gives us the utmost pleasure of having the capability to share these amazing stories with the world, and in return, receiving a plethora of loving, caring, & inspirational messages that we can share directly back to them. But when these men & women take time to not only thank their supporters, but thank the HOSQ team for everything that we do, that is the greatest reward of all & reinforces that our efforts are not in vain. Beyond the appreciated gratitude, some of these men & women also provide updates after their stories have been shared.

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A black and white portrait of Brian, a man with a mustache and short hair, wearing a t-shirt.

Brian, 56

I was 25 with autism when I came to prison. I am a very slow learner, always have been. It took me 31 years to understand that I will spend the rest of my life behind bars. Then someone told me laws are changing every…
August 9, 2026
A gratitude letter by Larry,71

Larry, 71

Hello Diane and the fabulous HOSQ team! I went to the Edovo site on my tablet! Under moments that matter, top ten 2023, then I was 🙂 I checked them all out. You all did a fantastic job! Stories from inside, 106 pages of guys…
July 18, 2026
Portrait of Gregory, a man with a shaved head and long hair, wearing glasses and a blue shirt, with tattoos on his forehead and chest.

Thank You From Gregory

Dear Humans of San Quentin, Greetings! It was a suprise to see the organization on Edovo. Except for that I was not shown. Probably for my past being inactive or involved for a long time, which is understandable, thus my letter to try getting back…
May 25, 2026
A handwritten letter on blue-lined paper from Victor, thanking a recipient for a copy of photos and expressing gratitude for reaching out.

Thank You From Victor

I received  post from you that you had sent me in Menard. I’ve transferred since then. My new address is at the top. They did not give me all your mail. They did away with two things on it because it had emojis, which are…
September 24, 2025
Handwritten letter on lined paper from Hugo to the Humans of San Quentin, expressing gratitude for a warm response and a certificate.

Thank You from Hugo

Dear Humans of San Quentin and Diane,  I want to start with a big thank you for your warm response to my writings and for how sharing my story touched you all. I’m excited to hear about those who have been educated by these writings…
July 1, 2025
Handwritten letter on lined paper addressed to 'Humans of San Quentin,' expressing gratitude for support and kindness received.

Thank You from Alexander

The way you not only posted my pictures, story, and poem but gave me such wonderful feedback and sent me the comments people had left made me feel so seen, heard, and valued. Dear Humans of San Quentin, I just wanted to say thank you…
May 27, 2025
Three people in academic regalia holding a blue certificate from New York Theological Seminary.

Thank You from Ivie

Happy New Year, my San Quentin Team! I hope this message finds you all well. I received your 2023 Impact Report today—job well done! Congratulations on your grant and for continuing your passionate work to reach as many of us as possible. Thank you for…
March 13, 2025
Handwritten poem titled 'Poetry: Humans Of San Quentin' by Michael, expressing themes of hope and resilience.

Thank You from Michael

Thank God for the Humans of San Quentin. As we begin this new year, I want you to know all is not lost. The impact here is strange, but the progress has a name. It’s bigger than a powerful belief, like a newborn baby in…
February 11, 2025
A photograph of a handwritten letter on white paper detailing a personal reflection on writing, mentioning a program, a collie, and a person named Ross.

Thank You from Kai

Dear Humans Of San Quentin,  I arrived at San Quentin a little over a month ago and heard about your program from my cellmate, who is already a regular participant. From that moment, I wanted to be a part of this program simply based on…
February 5, 2025
Black and white portrait of alvis

Thank You from Alvis

Dear Diane & The Humans of San Quentin Team, Wishing you all many blessings and good health. Diane, thank you for your thoughtful presentation, recognizing my journey and my efforts to bring confidence to those who feel they’ve lost it. I truly appreciate your wisdom…
January 17, 2025
Vernon, 48, smiling in blue scrubs with a name tag.

Thank You from Vernon

Dear H.O.S.Q. Team, I just want to take a moment to thank you for providing a platform to showcase my creative writing and for the incredible work you’re doing to shed light on the lives of incarcerated men and women. When I received the packet,…
December 27, 2024
A smiling man in blue scrubs holds a pink-frosted cake in a plastic bag.

Thank You from Randy

The most impactful moment for me this year was seeing photos of the HoSQ interns making my "Better Than Freedom" cake. That connection to the outside world was indescribable. Since being incarcerated at 16, I’ve often felt discarded by society. Knowing that free people made…
November 25, 2024
Chris and a man in glasses smiling together at an event.

Thank You from Chris

Thank you, Humans of San Quentin, for creating space for incarcerated people like me to have our voices heard and our humanity recognized. Dear Humans of San Quentin, A story is never just a single story. Like every human, every story shines differently depending on…
August 27, 2024
Francisco stands in front of a brick wall, forming a heart shape with his hands over his chest.

Thank You from Francisco

Thanks to volunteers and people who have shown me that happiness comes from appreciating the small things in life, like a smile, I’ve learned to enjoy what I have and not worry about what I lack. When I was outside, I focused on material things,…
August 27, 2024
A man in blue scrubs and a woman in black hold a certificate in front of a wall reading 'Humans of San Quentin Presents Tiny Cell'.

Thank You from Alonzo

Humans of San Quentin team, you actually spread the gospel with words and deeds. First and foremost, thank you all for helping me open up to the world. What I have gained from the Humans of San Quentin event, I will take with me as…
August 13, 2024
A close-up portrait of Eric, a man with a goatee and a neck tattoo, wearing a black shirt.

Thank You from Eric

Many incarcerated individuals are often remembered only for the worst things they've done, but this event reminded us of redemption, transformation, and rehabilitation, and that there are people who care about us, even if we have no one.   Thank you for the warm welcome…
August 6, 2024
Aaron, wearing a blue shirt and cap, smiles while holding a certificate in front of a wall that reads "Humans of San Quentin Presents Tiny Celebrities".

Thank You from Aaron

I just received my picture from the Humans of San Quentin Recognition ceremony in the mail, and it was a great day. I met the staff at Humans of San Quentin, and they were all good people who really took an interest in everyone at…
July 30, 2024
Ivie, a smiling woman with short dark hair, wearing a teal shirt, sits at a desk with framed certificates on the wall behind her.

Thank You from Ivie

I wish I could  tattoo HoSQ on my back to say, “HoSQ Got My Back!”   Dearest and Beloved Diane and Juan, and the entire HoSQ Team, This may sound pretty pretty corny, but you were indeed born to give wings to those of us…
July 12, 2024
A man in blue scrubs holds a certificate in front of a banner reading 'Humans of San Quentin Presents Tiny Cell'.

Thank You from Regal

Hello Diane, I received your letters. I was very touched by the care and support of the Humans of the San Quentin team. I always consider myself blessed when I hear from my extended family! One of the best memories of the appreciation event was…
July 9, 2024
Jared, a man with tattoos and a name tag, holds a certificate from Humane Society of the United States.

Thank You from Jared

Puppy update: My last puppy Artemis has gone to do great things and now it’s just me and little Pippa. I hope you enjoy the new pictures of her. Your inside recognition event held on May 2nd was amazing! It astonishes me that people as…
June 28, 2024

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