April is National Poetry Month. We are honored to share this poem by Rayna Momen, current board member and long-time volunteer at APBP. COVID-19 I. I broke up with my clippers the day the virus became reason to sink into new…
Appalachian Prison Book Project
Easter Sunday
In 2021, B’s youngest brother was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. B wrote this short letter to the victim’s family in the hopes of articulating her desire…
Their Lives Matter: The People Dying of COVID-19 in West Virginia Prisons and Jails
It has been more than a year and a half since the first confirmed death of an incarcerated person in the custody of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) due to COVID-19. Most of us cannot imagine…
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We Will Be Here As Long As You Are Stuck There
This series of letters is an imaginative response to the people who write to APBP. I’ve been volunteering with APBP for over two years, mainly preparing books to be mailed. I am now a professional writing and editing intern for…
Announcing Our 2021‒2022 Education Scholarship Winners
We are excited to announce the winners of the inaugural APBP education scholarship: Darrin Lester and Beau Baker! About the Winners Darrin and Beau are both students enrolled in universities in the state of West Virginia. Each $2,500 scholarship can…
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What It Takes and What It Means: A Reflection
Through an independent study led by Katy Ryan, Danielle Stoneberg and I had the opportunity to take on more responsibility at APBP by running the mail to the post office. This has been an interesting experience that has given me…
The First Page
During my first year in the Master of Social Work program at West Virginia University, I was required to complete an internship within the community. I wanted to work with an organization that supported and helped people in prison, so…
Writing Is Freedom: A Legacy
A couple of weeks ago, the APBP team received the heartbreaking news that one of the members of the Appalachian Community Think Tank (ACTT) has passed away in prison. His name was Jon, and he was preparing for an upcoming…
Letter Matching 101: Searching the Bookshelves
At APBP, there are three main tasks for volunteers: opening letters from people in prison, matching the requests in the letters to a donated book on our shelves, and wrapping books in brown paper to be put in the mail.…
How APBP Is Responding to COVID-19 Challenges
As doctors and scientists around the world struggle to recommend treatments and preventive measures for COVID-19, they also stress the importance of social distancing and maintaining proper hygiene practices. How capable are U.S. prisons—with their often cramped spaces and scant…