Diane Kahn, is a founding member and Executive Director of Humans of San Quentin.
During the last seven years of volunteering at San Quentin to help incarcerated men get high school diplomas, Diane has been deeply moved by the vulnerability and emotional intelligence shown by the incarcerated humans she works with. Diane feels a tremendous responsibility to share their stories with the outside world.
The Humans of San Quentin. team shares the lives of thousands of people inside prison with the outside world through letters, art, and poetry. Through face-to-face interviews with people in prisons around the world, incarcerated people feel seen, heard and a part of the outside world. Each time a story is shared, it transforms the lives of the prisoners. Diane has an unstoppable dedication to helping victims and offenders heal and transform their lives.
Diane Kahn Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary
Humans of San Quentin Project
Diane Kahn discussed her work with Humans of San Quentin, a website inspired by Humans of New York that shares stories and art from incarcerated individuals. She highlighted the contributions of team members inside San Quentin, including Bruce Fowler as art director and Alex as poetry director. Diane explained that the project began when Juan, a journalist she met while teaching, expressed his desire to share the stories of incarcerated men. The website aims to shed light on the human experiences and conditions within prisons, with the goal of reaching a wide audience.
Rehabilitation and Reintegration Challenges
Diane shared her experience teaching at San Quentin prison for seven years, where she discovered that most inmates are ordinary people who made mistakes early in life, contrary to media portrayals. She described how her interactions with inmates broke down stereotypes and highlighted the need for better rehabilitation and reintegration programs, such as work release and exposure to freedom, which are lacking in the US compared to countries like Norway. The conversation also touched on the challenges former inmates face upon release, including the difficulty of finding employment due to their criminal records, and the lack of a clear plan for reintegration into society.
Empathy and Change for Humans Struggling
Diane and Jeffery discussed the challenges faced by individuals with nowhere to go, emphasizing the need for change and support. They shared personal stories, including Freddie Lopez's experience of overcoming prejudice due to tattoos and finding employment in prison, which highlighted the importance of giving people opportunities to express themselves. Jeffery also shared insights about body language and cultural perceptions of tattoos, emphasizing the need for understanding and empathy. They agreed on the significance of listening to and sharing these stories as a step toward change.
Inmate Education and Healing Programs
Diane shared stories about incarcerated individuals who are actively writing and publishing, including a journalist who writes for the New York Times. She highlighted the unique opportunities at San Quentin prison for education and rehabilitation compared to other prisons. Diane also discussed a program called “raw crime” where inmates share intimate details about their crimes, which Jeffery supported as an important part of healing. Finally, Diane described a powerful “Day of Healing” event at San Quentin where victims of violent crimes shared their stories, and mentioned a program called Ahimsa Collective that facilitates victim-offender dialogues.
Transformative Power of Victim Dialogues
Diane shared her experience conducting interviews for a podcast focused on victim-offender dialogues, highlighting the powerful stories of individuals involved in these conversations, including Elle, who forgave her daughter's killer. She emphasized the transformative potential of these dialogues and the efforts of victims like Elle in advocating for prison reform. Jeffery expressed admiration for Elle's courage and the broader impact of such dialogues, while Diane noted the disparities in sentencing and incarceration practices in the U.S. compared to other countries.
Preventing Crime Through Community Support
Diane and Jeffery discussed the challenges of forgiveness, particularly in the context of Alan's upcoming release from prison and the emotional impact on Elle. They explored the systemic issues contributing to mass shootings and incarceration, including the lack of early intervention and support for individuals with learning difficulties, mental health issues, and trauma. They agreed that implementing school-based monitoring, community wellness centers, and better support systems for families could help prevent future offenses and create safer communities.
Generational Parenting and Criminal Justice
Jeffery and Diane discussed generational differences in parenting and childhood experiences, particularly regarding bullying and independence. They agreed that while today's children are more sensitive and have access to more information through the internet, they face steeper challenges after high school. Diane shared that she runs Humans of San Quentin, which tells stories of people in the criminal justice system, and expressed interest in doing more speaking engagements and podcasts with formerly incarcerated individuals. They agreed to meet again in about 6 months to continue their conversation.
Connections
The Prison Podcast (on Spotify)
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