Featured Quotes
During our journey of sharing the unheard voices behind bars, we’ve encountered a generous amount of stories that were both touching & inspirational. Within these stories, people have disclosed their personal experiences, both good & bad, of what life was like before prison, in addition to their current living conditions behind bars. These testimonies exude positivity, self-awareness, & growth, which are all necessary to successfully re-enter a normal, healthy life outside of prison. The following selections are a culmination of highlighted quotes from these stories.
Anthony
“Pennsylvania’s black and brown state population is only 13% but the black and brown inmate population is 76%. Is that odd?”
Kevin
“In this process of losing myself, I’ve found who and what makes Kevin and that friends are worth more than money.”
Cedrick, 38
“I cannot change my past, so I let my past be my past and I refuse to be defined by it.”
Francisco, 32
“Finally there’s something out there showing society we are humans, thank you Humans of San Quentin!”
Ariel
“My dad meant the world to me, he was my hero.”
Isaiah, 21
“On this journey I have learned a very important fact: the Texas prison system does not rehabilitate prisoners, it’s all up to you to make that choice for yourself.”
Terry
“It wasn’t until I thought about needing to get out of prison that I really started to see everything I have accomplished.”
Jesse
“Be yourself. Be straightforward. It sounds so simple, so easy, but not for me, an ex-womanizer and a player.”
Alex
“I met people who had no reason to care about me yet they did. Their positive vibes became my peer pressure and influence. I want my mistakes of yesterday to become my lessons for today.”
Gilberto
“There is healing in sharing because holding in the pain takes you nowhere else but a dark path of feeling lonely and hopeless.”
Kristal
“I really want to be a couples and marriage counselor, and let people know when you really love someone, you don’t hurt them, never for any reason.”
Christopher
“I have learned there is a seed of happiness in each of us.”
Anthony
“I tried to hold back my tears to be strong but I couldn’t. We all cried and shed tears together as I held them all saying I love you with all my heart.”
Jose, 34
“The hardest part about doing time is being away from my daughter.”