Stories of Transformation
Testimonials
We share our lessons with thousands of people in jails and prisons across the United States. Many participants write to express gratitude for the hope and guidance they've found in our courses. These messages are published exactly as we receive them—unedited and authentic.
Participants share their experiences
Recorded inside USP Coleman, this video features people discussing their experiences with Prison Professors programs while incarcerated. Hear their stories in their own words.
Recorded inside USP Coleman. Picture and sound quality reflect the recording conditions. Video in English.
"You showed us a way when we were hopeless"
Program participant at USP Coleman
Hear this participant at 0:08"You have provided hope, structure, and a way to achieve success beyond prison."
Program participant at USP Coleman
Hear this participant at 3:05"Thank you for creating a way for us to advocate for ourselves through our works."
Program participant at USP Coleman
Hear this participant at 3:58Spoken testimonials: Transcript
This transcript follows the original English audio and is lightly edited for readability. Background music and the separate on-screen text are omitted. The recording does not identify participants by name.
Read the nine participant testimonials
Participant 1
Watch from 0:00Hello, Mr. Michael Santos. First, I want to thank you for this program and the opportunity that you've given every man in here, the inspiration that you gave us. You showed us a way when we were hopeless and we didn't see a way to possibly show others who we had become. All they've seen is our criminal history and our records. But your program has been like the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman. You've shown us a way. You used this system and fashioned and molded yourself in the likeness of the person that you wanted to be and that you desired yourself to be, through hard work and a strong work ethic. And you inspired us and gave us that seed as well, and it planted in our life and has brought forth a mighty harvest. And we just want to say thank you for it. We're going to continue to keep up the good work and pass on the seed, and hopefully it brings back the harvest thirty and sixty and ninetyfold in other people's lives. God bless you and thank you.
Participant 2
Watch from 1:01Thank you, Michael Santos, for bringing the light to this darkness. Thank you for everything you have put up. Thank you for the platform that you put up and to be able to follow your step. Thank you for the work, and thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Participant 3
Watch from 1:21Thank you, Mr. Santos, for bringing this program here. Prison Professors, we want to thank you for everything you've done for us, for creating this class and making it beneficial for us to have hope in here, in Coleman II. Without hope, we really were down and out, so you brought that back. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Participant 4
Watch from 1:46Thank you, Michael Santos, for your help and inspiration. You spoke to me a few times, and I told you I was borderline illiterate. And the first thing you said was, 'That's going to make for a great story.' You told me about the dictionary. You said everything I need is in the dictionary. And I take that to heart. I've been doing it. I've been doing the fight, doing the struggle. Thank you so much. We appreciate you.
Participant 5
Watch from 2:08Michael Santos, I would like to say first and foremost, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate everything that you have brought to Coleman II. Thank you for the knowledge that we gained. And I want to say thank you very much for being here and showing us a lot of things.
Participant 6
Watch from 2:33Mr. Santos, we really appreciate everything that you have done. This whole Prison Professors program has just taken root here at the Coleman II facility. It's making a difference in a lot of people's lives, including mine. We want to thank you for everything that you've done and your willingness to come back for those behind you.
Participant 7
Watch from 2:53Michael Santos, to me, you mean everything. You're a mentor. You're a positive role model, and you're someone who has helped myself and many others through difficult times. You have provided hope, structure, and a way to achieve success beyond prison. As someone who has been in twenty-six years with a ninety-five-year sentence, for the first time I feel that I have the roadmap, a way to get out of prison, a way to succeed after prison. And it is all because of you. On behalf of all of us, I would like to thank you for your continued support and your continued work.
Participant 8
Watch from 3:45I want to thank you for the time that you're putting into this whole project, because time is a gift that you give to someone that you can never take back. It's like a part of your life. So thank you for sharing that with us. Thank you for creating a way for us to advocate for ourselves through our works.
Participant 9
Watch from 4:06Thank you for bringing hope to this prison. You brought hope here in a hopeless place. This little Prison Professors thing, along with Project Impact, you brought hope to this environment. You brought hope to the hopeless. Being that you were on this side, it says a lot. And it also shows us that if you can do it, we can do it. So thank you for paving the way and showing us that good can come out of a bad thing.
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These testimonials come from people who have used our resources to prepare for success during and after incarceration.
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