The prison classroom was where she could finally be herself. Now it’s gone

For over a decade, journalist Samin Ahmadzadeh taught creative writing to incarcerated women on Peaks Island, Maine. Their classes became a sanctuary for healing, helping students rewrite their identities beyond addiction and trauma. One student, Ashley Bushey, described how the women’s prison transformed her life, offering safety and dignity she hadn’t felt since her arrest. However, cuts to Maine’s corrections system removed vital programs that supported her and other women, while others saw an opportunity to survive by accepting harsher sentences. Though the author was suspended from teaching due to budgetary reasons, his words remain a testament to hope and resilience.