Freeing Potential: A JSTOR Short Video Series

Education in prison presents unique challenges for colleges, correctional facilities, and students alike. At JSTOR Access in Prison, we are committed to expanding access to high-quality academic resources for all those engaged in learning. One of the greatest obstacles in this effort is capturing and sharing the often unheard student perspective. 

To address this, we are proud to introduce Freeing Potential, a short-format video series featuring five scholars who discovered JSTOR as a gateway to a broader, more dynamic education during their incarceration. We will release new episodes throughout March.

Recorded last fall by the JSTOR Access in Prison Student Advisory Board, these interviews offer a rare, firsthand look at the educational journeys of incarcerated scholars. The series highlights how access to robust research materials can expand intellectual horizons, deepen critical thinking, and foster a lasting appreciation for scholarly inquiry.

Beyond documenting these personal experiences, Freeing Potential also explores how JSTOR met the evolving needs of students with histories of incarceration. Each featured scholar shares their academic path and reflects on the profound impact that access to knowledge had on their intellectual and personal growth.

We invite you to watch these inspiring narratives that underscore the transformative power of education. Join us as we witness how access to information can shape futures, change lives, and unlock the hidden potential within carceral spaces.