Humans of San Quentin : Transforming Lives Through Storytelling

In this episode of the Teaching Journeys podcast, host Dave Roberts interviews Diane Kahn, an educator with over 20 years of experience, including work at San Quentin State Prison. Diane discusses her involvement with the Academic Peer Education Project, which focuses on using education as a tool for personal transformation for incarcerated learners. She co-founded Humans of San Quentin, a storytelling platform featuring over 3000 stories of incarcerated individuals from all 50 states and globally. Diane shares insights into the struggles and traumas faced by incarcerated individuals and emphasizes the importance of compassion, rehabilitation, and breaking stereotypes. The episode also explores the transformative power of storytelling and restorative justice efforts.Diane’s Bio and Contact InformationDiane Kahn is an educator with over 20 years of teaching experience, including inside San Quentin State Prison, where she led the Academic Peer Education Project. Her work centers on the power of education as a tool for agency, critical thinking, and transformation. She co authored the effort that brought Rehabilitative Achievement Credits to California, expanding access to educational opportunities for incarcerated learners. In 2017, Diane co-founded Humans of San Quentin to amplify lived experience through storytelling, a platform now featuring more than 3,000 stories from all 50 states and globally. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of San Francisco and is deeply committed to reimagining education as a pathway to dignity, purpose, and lifelong learning.Social Media Links and Contact Informationhttps://humansofsanquentin.org/https://www.instagram.com/humansofsanquentinhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/humans-of-san-quentin/https://www.facebook.com/humansofsanquentin.org/https://www.youtube.com/@humansofsanquentin9582https://www.tiktok.com/@humansofsanquentinEmail: [email protected] on PatreonTo connect with dave go to davidrobertsmsw.com