For most of us, the name "Shakespeare" evokes memories of 9th-grade English class and literary devices of a bygone era. Very rarely would people associate social justice and the prison system to the Bard of Avon. The Marin Shakespeare Company is seeking to change that through their work. Started in 1989 as a way to reinvigorate Shakespeare's works in Northern Californian theaters, the Marin Shakespeare Company has evolved into a cultural mainstay in the west coast. Today, the non-profit provides classes to all ages during all times of the year. The company is headed by Artistic Director Robert Currier, Managing Director Lesley Currier, and Social Justice Director Suraya Keating.

In 2003, I was in Kindergarten and the Marin Shakespeare Company was beginning their outreach program at San Quentin Prison. Nearly 15 years later, they still offer weekly classes at that same prison. They conclude their season with an annual Shakespeare play, several of which are posted on their official YouTube channel. In these weekly meetings, the men learn theater skills that can be translated and applied to their daily lives such as "the ability to focus, to work together as a team, to communicate expressively, to be in contact with emotions, to combine discipline with creative inspiration, to problem-solve individually and as part of a group, to celebrate victories, and learn from mistakes". The collaborative nature of the program has not only helped inmates access personal emotional complexities now subdued by their experiences, but has taught them substantive skills needed to adapt and succeed once they leave prison dynamics.

This is all part of a bigger movement started in 1977 to bring arts education to California's prisons through the William James Association, and it is working. Just this past year, an alumnus of the program at San Quentin Prison, Dameion Brown, was cast in a professional production of 'Othello' as the titular role after being incarcerated for over 20 years. Programs like these are proving the positive concrete effects of arts education in all communities, and the importance (*ahem* hello, lawmakers) of exposure to the arts through high-quality opportunities.