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The first time Tina Nouri-Mahdavi ’25 entered a prison, it was to participate in Right-to-Write, a Sarah Lawrence program offering writing workshops to incarcerated individuals. “I was nervous because it felt unfair that after two hours, I could leave,” she recalled. Bracing for skepticism from the participants, she was instead met with warmth and enthusiasm. “They were moved that we wanted to be there, and they were so dedicated to writing. We connected immediately.”
Right-to-Write exemplifies the transformative power of education. The program fosters mutual learning and understanding between incarcerated individuals and Sarah Lawrence students, offering both groups opportunities to challenge systemic barriers and redefine personal and academic growth.
Founded over 30 years ago by faculty members Regina Arnold and Myra Goldberg, Right-to-Write is administered through SLC’s Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement. “The goal of the program was — and remains — to offer the best possible writing workshop for incarcerated people,” said Nelson Rodriguez, the office’s director. The Program hosts a young men's group on Mondays, an all women's group on Tuesdays, and a Caregiver's group on Wednesdays.
Right-to-Write is part of what drew Natalie Goldberg MFA ’26 to study writing at Sarah Lawrence. “Since I took a class as an undergraduate on the criminal justice system, I’ve wanted to work to change that system,” said Natalie. “Sarah Lawrence not only gave me the chance to learn how to teach, but also let me support people who often lack access to creative spaces.”
Natalie now serves as a graduate student coordinator for the program. Alongside Tina and other students, they facilitated workshops at the Westchester County Correctional Facility’s women’s unit from September 2024 to April 2025.
“We asked them to write about their names,” Tina explained. “One woman wrote how her parents were going to name her Bernard if she’d been a boy.
I am most grateful that I stand here before you not a Bernard.
What would I even do as a Bernard?
Obviously, I would be born in khakis and a sweater vest. By the age of 6, I’d
be carrying around a briefcase, inviting other kids in my kindergarten class
to meetings, claiming we’d need to go over things in their file.
“The piece cracked us all up, and Bernard became the inside, running joke,” Tina said. The sense of community built in the class, and the women’s courage to be vulnerable, led to powerful, moving work. Each year, Sarah Lawrence anthologizes these pieces and distributes the collection back to participants.
For some, this experience sparks lasting transformation. Alumnae like Rachel Sander ’13 and Cat Adler-Josem MFA ’21 have built careers inspired by their time in the program. Cat is now the co-director of Transforming Lives New York, a nonprofit offering writing mentorships to incarcerated individuals, and she also volunteers with the Parole Preparation Project. Rachel is the executive director of SUNY’s Office of Higher Education in Prison, where she oversees 14 campuses across 24 prisons, supporting more than 1,000 incarcerated students in earning college degrees. “My work is all about collaborating, problem-solving, and working with diverse stakeholders,” said Rachel. “It’s like managing a massive conference project,” she added in a nod to a distinctive element of SLC’s academic model.
Sarah Lawrence students consistently say the program has reshaped their worldviews. “I learned how to be open, to not bring expectations into my relationships,” said Tina. “I want to teach creativity as something that everyone has — not something reserved for those who get to study it in college.”
Through Right-to-Write, Sarah Lawrence creates powerful, reciprocal learning experiences — proving that education can thrive wherever people are given space to express themselves.