This semester at the Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW), OSU Professor Dr. Lyn Tjon Soei Len is teaching WGSS 3200: Breaking the Law - An Introduction to Gender Justice. While she has our typical roster of incarcerated people at ORW, she also gets to teach eight campus students who drive out to Marysville once a week to take the three-hour class. The campus students not only get to see what it’s like inside a prison; they also get to work with the incarcerated people in their class.
Now that we are over halfway through the semester, I sat down with some of the WGSS 3200 students to discuss their experiences taking an OPEEP class. Their answers were overwhelmingly positive. One of our students is even signed up for her third OPEEP class this upcoming semester!
Isa Vigil and Tia Nagy, both in the class of ‘26, and Destiny Loynes, class of ‘27, had a lot to say about how much they loved this current OPEEP class.
We first started to talk about what it was like coming into the prison for the very first class. Nagy explained that she has “... been to prisons before, but you never know what you’ll experience. [She] was nervous but excited”. Vigil agreed, stating that “all [she knew] about prison was from television” and that she had both “good and bad anxiety.” Loynes explained that, “my thoughts ranged from imagining the most amazing day ever to a total disaster and everything in between. I’m so happy to say that this experience is, and continues to be, one of the best classes and programs I’ve ever been a part of here at OSU.” They all acknowledged that the nervousness went away quickly.
Next, we discussed what they learned from OPEEP classes at the prison. They discussed how the stereotypes about prison aren’t true. Nagy explains that “prison isn’t all fighting. There are many smart, non-violent people in there.” She and Vigil spent some time talking about how the media really drives home stereotypes about prison, and that few of them are true. They also noticed many of the restrictions in prison. Vigil said, “I had culture shock for the first few classes. There were so many rules for what people could or could not do.” She discussed navigating her own privilege and working to be friendly to the incarcerated people, making sure to be respectful no matter what their background is. They both repeatedly said how lucky they felt to have been able to take this class.
Loynes also pointed out that “the women I have met and connected with have given me so much perspective on what life is like being incarcerated. I’ve had conversations with them about their lives on the outside, the places they’ve traveled, the things they miss, and even the plans they have for when they get out.” She feels that she is better prepared for her future career because she has met these women.
Finally, I asked why Ohio State campus students should take OPEEP classes. Vigil said that it’s an opportunity that many students will never have again, and that it’s important to de-stigmatize prison. She also was drawn to the positive energy in the classes and felt that the overall experience was refreshing. Nagy said that it’s important for people to realize the privilege that they have. She loves that she’s helping herself as she takes the classes, but that she’s also helping the incarcerated students.
Overall, each of these students were extremely happy that they took this course, and they suggest that anyone who is interested in learning about a different population should register for an OPEEP class. Loynes finished off her interview with the fact that [she]“tell[s] everyone [that] my favorite part of the week is going to prison!”