California State Prison, Sacramento, is a Level IV maximum-security institution, but within its walls in a book club, there’s an unexpected opportunity.
“It’s like a good time to let your guard down,” said Library Technical Assistant Alicia Lara. “It’s a safe place, right? I believe they all feel that.”
Lara has built a book club that brings people together every Friday in a place where connection might be hard to find. Since at least 2022, it’s been a place where incarcerated people can find inspiration from their peers.
The club, known as Leaders and Readers, is open to anyone, whether they get an invitation from Lara or whether the club reaches them by word of mouth.
In this club, the group gathers for reading sessions done in a “popcorn-style,” with members taking turns to read. After each chapter, members discuss the story, its themes, or any moments that stand out.
“It actually adds more people in the discussion where they probably wouldn’t do it,” Lara said. “People learn off of everybody else, so we have a lot of good discussions.”
Drawing inspiration from books
Leaders and Readers is currently reading “Can’t Hurt Me” by David Goggins, a retelling of a how a young man’s discipline, hard work and mental toughness took him from being depressed and overweight to a now-retired member of the U.S. Armed Forces and endurance athlete. Lara said club members connect with Goggins’ experiences. They also see how he worked hard as a young man and pushed himself beyond perceived limits.
“He could have been another statistic, like most of us have been, but he had something inside of himself he was able to tap into. He calls it the, 40 percent rule,” said Daniel Johnson, a member of the club since 2022. “It just resonated with me and the journey that I’m on and the changes that I’ve made. So, this book really inspired me.”
More than a book club
To make each session more engaging, Lara also incorporates extras tied to the book. She has created vocabulary lessons, handouts, small contests and even a “cookie jar” where members can anonymously submit positive things they’ve done, big or small. She said these additions help people learn, grow, and connect.
Lara believes the club offers something meaningful inside a Level IV institution. It teaches communication, listening, respect, and understanding between people who might not otherwise interact.
“I feel like it teaches them how to communicate with one another, to listen to one another, and to learn from one another,” she said.
For Leaders and Readers, success is measured in the laughter and conversations during the meetings but also when they come back for the next session.
Lara sees growth in many of the members and believes the experience gives hope to people thinking about their futures.
“I see a lot of growth (and) a lot of confidence. I see people who feel they can move forward and become somebody when they get out. It gives them hope,” she said.
As they near the end of “Can’t Hurt Me,” the club will start their next literary journey. Each CDCR institution has at least one library, with access to fiction and non-fiction books, magazines and book clubs. The CSP-Sacramento library is just one of 106 across California giving incarcerated persons access to education, legal and recreational materials.
Story by Eric Escalante, information officer
Office of Public and Employee Communications
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