Unlocked Words: Teaching Writing in Prison

In the early 1980s, college classrooms behind prison walls were rare—and dangerous. This gripping memoir traces a decade spent teaching inmates to reclaim their voices through writing. Met with skepticism and distrust, she must find a way to reach incarcerated men, silenced by the system and hardened by life. Amid overcrowding, hostility, and despair, she encourages them to reflect on their lives, examine the social forces that shaped them, and write with purpose. Humor, empathy, and inventive assignments turn the classroom into a place to be seen and heard, where personal knowledge is valued as much as academic skill.

Interwoven is her own journey as a first-generation college student, who escaped an abusive marriage to enter a competitive Ph.D. program. While navigating two male-dominated worlds—prison and academia—she learns how writing can empower marginalized students. Inspired by her students' generous participation and creativity, she dares to ask the warden for an unprecedented favor. This memoir shows how writing can restore purpose and hope for both teacher and students.