In the wake of the 1960s and 70s-era struggles to establish ethnic studies at colleges on the West Coast, scholars and activists are finding new venues to support radical changes and learning about one’s identity.

One such venue is San Quentin Prison in California, where volunteers have been teaching an ethnic studies program to mostly Southeast Asian refugees. Since 2013, the Restoring Our Original True Selves (ROOTS) program, organized by the Asian Prisoner Support Committee (APSC), offers participants at San Quentin the opportunity to learn about immigration and refugee history, intergenerational trauma, leadership development, and planning to re-enter life after prison.