about satori scholars
Before there was a program or a name in 2021, Stephanie began reading with her Uncle Stephen, who is currently incarcerated. What started as simple book exchanges and written reflections quickly turned into meaningful conversations. As others witnessed the impact of those early discussions, interest grew with the addition of Mr. Jay, the other founding member of the book club.
Seeing how powerful books and intentional dialogue could be, Stephanie and Keyana joined forces to create a formal reading initiative. In Fall 2024, Satori Scholars was born.
Satori Scholars is a literacy and mentorship program that supports incarcerated men in growing in faith, character, and hope through thoughtfully selected books and encouraging written responses from community volunteers.
Our goal is to influence the lives of incarcerated men one book, one verse, and one discussion prompt at a time.
We hope you feel inspired by this mission and will join the Satori Scholars community as a responder, a supporter, or an advocate. This is only the beginning of our journey, and with your support, we hope to expand to serve more scholars in the years ahead.
“Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself.” Hebrews 13:3 (NLT)
our impact
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As of March 2026, we have 23 incarcerated scholars currently reading with us at the Telford Unit in Texas.
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70 books sent into the prison system to date
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Dozens of written reflection exchanges between volunteers and scholars fostering growth and mentorship
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Growing population of community responders
While the numbers tell part of the story, the true impact is found in the reflection responses and the steady commitment of scholars and community responders to engage cycle after cycle.
how you can help
Give: Become a one-time or monthly supporter helping to provide books and
materials for incarcerated scholars by clicking this link.
Serve: Read alongside our scholars and offer thoughtful written responses that
encourage reflection and growth. Sign up to be a community responder here.
how it works
Every 5 weeks, participants read a book that connects everyday stories with biblical
scriptures and submit personal reflections to provided prompts through Securus
e-messaging. A member of the Satori Scholars community replies with encouragement, so
participants feel heard and supported.
what our scholars are saying
stephen
“We thank both of you for your patience and your belief in the people with little to no hope. It is people like yall, who inspire an old man like me to want to do better and be better.”
jamal
“I can proudly say that I am in a good place spiritually and mentally as a result of the literature you all share. My relationships have been transformed by my application of the principles that
are laid out in the books I’ve read.”
mr. jay
“Who would have thought that my faith would be strengthened, and the burden of my legal battle lightened by joining this book club.”
baldemar
“We are excited to see what this program will bring, we are cultivating to become better men in this unit, this world, and mainly our family needs it.”
Our book selections are chosen intentionally to reflect the interests and lived experiences of our scholars. Above are the books we’ve read together so far.
introducing this cycle's book
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho:
The Alchemist follows Santiago, a young shepherd who leaves his home in Spain to search for a hidden treasure in the Egyptian desert. Along the way, the people he meets and the obstacles he faces begin to reshape how he understands the world and his purpose within it.
This book can be purchased at several locations:
Thriftbooks | Amazon | Target | Audible
You can find the The Alchemist prompts here
“Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself.”