Intern Program

Parker is a senior at Marin Academy High School in San Rafael, California. She has been a part of Humans of San Quentin since the fall of 2021 when she wanted to do more in the field of criminal justice after participating in the restorative justice organization, Marin Youth Court (MYC). She noticed that the participants who come through MYC have already taken accountability for their actions, and were open to learning from their mistakes. She found working with kids in the justice system gratifying. Parker aspired to support a larger incarcerated community and correspond with those already incarcerated. She heard about Humans of San Quentin, emailed Diane and was immediately welcomed into the supportive and loving community of HoSQ. She aspires to learn more about the injustices in the system and support those who are wrongfully convicted. She and HoSQ were a natural fit.

Parker also works with disadvantaged youth as a tutor for her school-run program called Crossroads. She is editor-in-chief of her school’s yearbook, making sure that everyone has a voice at Marin Academy, and captain of the women’s golf team at MA, which she helped establish. Finally, in her free time, she plays piano, reads a lot, and can binge TV shows with astonishing speed.

Lauren is a current junior at Redwood High School. She is currently in the school journalism program and loves to write. She is an avid sailor, sailing on the Redwood Sailing Team. She loves to explore Marin County, through hiking.

Lauren is also passionate about art, she does the art for the Redwood Bark. She is so happy to be interning at Humans of San Quentin and is very passionate about criminal justice.

Finn is a junior at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California. His entry into the law, public service, and the school to prison pipeline came from joining his high school mock trial team where he competes as an attorney and witness. Before joining Humans of San Quentin, Finn worked for the Public Defenders office, assisting with case arguments, material, and presentation. While at the public defenders office, he co-authored a report on the correlation between race and court rulings for gun violence related charges. Helping defend those who would otherwise have no other options was incredibly gratifying for him, and inspired his move towards supporting a larger incarcerated community and correspond with those already incarcerated. He heard about Humans of San Quentin, emailed Diane and was immediately welcomed into the supportive and loving community of HoSQ. Joining the program was a perfect fit for Finn, who looks forward to helping a cause in which he truly believes in.

Finn is also an elections ambassador where he pre-registering students to vote. He is a competitive runner, soccer, and volleyball player, who loves the competitive spirit of sports paired with the friendships that come with it. Finally, Finn loves to play guitar, reads a lot, and always has time for his two-year old dog Murphy.

Helena Pflaum is a rising senior at Marin Academy and has worked at Humans of San Quentin since January 2023. Outside of volunteering, she is a columnist for her school newspaper, The 1600, practicing singing with her voice coach, prepping for her independent study next involving the literary genre of magical realism, crafting culinary treats in her kitchen, working on her current creative writing project, and she loves to daydream. 

Fun Facts: She frequently dreams in the third person and likes to get into other characters’ heads. Her middle school obsession was the Sony mixtape she got for her birthday. 

Madison Herrero is a rising senior at Redwood High School. As a junior, through her Student Led Anti Racism Movement (SLARM) class, she was offered the opportunity to tour San Quentin. She heard the stories of four currently incarcerated men. This experience changed her perspective on the current punitive justice system. Madison feels everyone should hear the stories of those silenced behind walls. She has been able to do this with Humans of San Quentin and enjoys every minute of it.

Madison loves to read and hang out with friends. She also volunteers with the Marin Youth Court as an advocate and peer facilitator. She leads the writing and editing team for the Youth Wellness Campaign.

Sydney is a senior at Marin Catholic who is passionate about the law and justice system. She first became interested in this field through Mock Trial, where she acted as an attorney for the criminology club at school. Seeking a more hands-on experience, she joined Humans of San Quentin, which she feels is the perfect way to make a difference. Sydney loves how we give people a voice when they may not otherwise be able to share their story. She also enjoys the community they have built with the people living inside San Quentin.

In addition to her work with Humans of San Quentin, Sydney spends time volunteering and providing equal opportunities for kids to play sports and be active. She is passionate about building a more united and compassionate community for everyone and is grateful to be working with the underserved.

Jacob Neulight is a senior at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California. He is a member of his high school mock trial team, working closely with public defenders in Marin County. He reached out to the welcoming Humans of San Quentin team to help give ‘a voice to the voiceless.’  Jacob believes that every person deserves a second chance. He works on both our research and social media teams and enjoys sharing the stories of people incarcerated. Jacob is excited to continue working with Humans of San Quentin for years to come, knowing that he is doing important work by breaking down the stereotypes of incarcerated people across the United States and beyond.

In his free time, Jacob loves to play lacrosse, surf, and spend time with friends and family.

Nicole Johnson is a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. A trip to San Quentin coordinated by her high school’s student paper put her into close contact with several determined incarcerated men, whose stories splintered her faith in our country’s justice system. She was inspired by the unparalleled desire among many of those she met to better themselves and all that surrounded them, and lamented for the fact that most of their work would always be bound by prison walls. Since joining in 2020, HOSQ has given her a platform to help expand the reach of those mens’ words, and as she shares the stories of incarcerated people with the world, she hopes to shift public priorities of punitive incarceration to rehabilitative healing.

Nicole is majoring in Communication to eventually pursue a career in journalism. Throughout high school, she also channeled her desire to affect change as the Marin Youth Advisory Council’s Restorative Justice Team leader, in which she aimed to educate her county on youth substance access and address the equity issues inherent in substance use prevention. She was recently recognized for this community-based work through an award granted by the Marin County Board of Supervisors. Nicole was also a varsity rower at Marin Rowing Association, and stays active now by playing with her dog and hiking local trails.