P.O. Box 34: Students connect with incarcerated writers Incarcerated writers who participate in the P.O. Box 34 program are paired up with a Penn undergraduate student who corresponds with them about their work.
Imagine being confined to a small space with little to no social interaction and having very few, if any, outlets for creativity and expression. This is the case for most incarcerated individuals in the United States. In addition to being a site of physical violence and psychological abuse, prison is often devoid of mental exercise. Image: Marianne Bos vis Unsplash
This, among other reasons, is what has motivated Professor Jessa Lingel to be involved in facilitating book clubs and creating libraries in jails and prisons since 2015. She believes in the importance of fostering intellectual stimulation for everyone, and she has sought to make opportunities to do that more available to those with the least access.