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Until I earned my degree I never thought that I would be a person who’d care about others.

This is my spot (on the yard) where I have a view of everyone, particularly the youngsters. I wonder why these young men-so full of life- aren’t taking advantage of the educational opportunities here.

I’m serving a sentence of 71 years to life and with all this time eating at me, I’ve decided to better myself through the many educational opportunities San Quentin has to offer.

Until I earned my degree I never thought that I would be a person who’d care about others. What motivated me the most was when my daughter got her degree, and I didn’t want her babies to get a degree before me. Today I enjoy being an assistant in the GED program (High School Equivalency Diploma) and a peer educator to inmates studying to take the GED in a program called Academic Peer Education Program or APEP.

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These stories arrive by mail.

Every month, a physical envelope arrives at your door, postmarked from San Quentin Village, California. Inside, you will find original artwork, writing, and recipes from real contributors, along with a personal letter from me, Diane Kahn, founder of Humans of San Quentin, about the people who made them. You read it. You keep it.

Every piece comes from someone serving a sentence. Every piece reminds you they are so much more than that.

📬 Join the Mail Club

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