A point of view in Folsom State Prison Bookclub

“Education is one of the blessings of life and one of its necessities” - Malala Yousefzai. 

I have been truly amazed and impressed by my experience working as an intern for the prison book club on a personal and educational level. I was excited to be part of this book club. My passion for reading drove me to apply for this internship position. It has been an amazing experience. I was able to discover so many things and break my stereotype regarding inmates. When I went to my first facilitation at Folsom State Prison I left the venue with a heavy heart. Upon arriving there I was nervous because I had never been to a prison so I had no idea what to expect. When me and Kimberly entered the library, we were welcomed by all inmates participating in the program. Their demeanor towards us was polite and respectful. 

As human beings, we all crave connection and the book club created a sense of community among the inmates and interns. I was able to witness how books provide inmates to connect with others who share similar interests and experiences. After we all introduced ourselves, I learned how some of the inmates were inspired to be lawyers, teachers, and authors. This was very inspiring because they are making use of the educational opportunities provided to them. 

While I was sitting there listening to the discussion regarding Dr. Fox’s book I couldn’t help but think “Wow”. I thought to myself how intelligent these inmates are and I was hoping they wouldn’t ask me a question I don’t know how to answer because they are so bright. 

The book club serves as a positive outlet for creativity. Through books, inmates are able to find solace, and explore personal growth through literary works. 

Bookclub promotes education opportunities and reading helps them improve their reading comprehension and vocabulary. 

The discussions often revolved around empathy, social issues, and human relationships. The discussions allowed me to see how inmates are very empathic and share strong interpersonal skills. Overall my experience was very positive and eye-opening.