Books to Prisoners is pleased to welcome our summer intern, Logan! Logan is a passionate advocate of prison abolition, and is excited about a lot of the community-led work being done in Seattle around restorative justice and opposition to the new youth jail. They became interested in working with Books to Prisoners because of their interest in prison advocacy and literature, and their belief that prison abolition work must be accompanied by support for people who are already affected by inequitable systems.
Logan’s analysis of the prison system in the United States is rooted in an understanding of its historical connections to slavery and its disproportionate impact on people of color, as well as queer, trans, and disabled people.
Since starting with Books to Prisoners, Logan has greatly enjoyed reading the letters sent in to BTP (“It’s really relaxing and fun! It’s easy to get into a groove.”). They were initially struck by the wide variety of requests, and how much faith people have that Books to Prisoners will be able to provide very specific and niche information. Logan says it’s been interesting learning what people most want to read, and what people don’t have access to in most prisons.
In their free time, Logan enjoys reading Asian-American and Asian-Canadian sci-fi and fantasy, as well as YA. Salt Fish Girl by Larissa Lai is a particular favorite, as well as anything by Marie Lu. They highly recommend that everyone reads This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color.
Logan is currently on break from Mt. Holyoke College in Massachusetts, where they study politics. They greatly enjoy snacks, and recommend Books to Prisoners on the availability of snacks for volunteers.