Help Us Spread the Word — Call for Submissions for Fair Opportunity Month 2026
The JSTOR Access in Prison team is proud to announce our 2026 Fair Opportunity Month Open Call for Submissions. Each year, we dedicate April to uplifting the voices, experiences, and creativity of people who have lived, learned, and persevered inside carceral settings. This is our fourth year running this project, and every cycle reminds us how much wisdom, talent, and insight exists inside carceral settings.
This year, we are reintroducing April as Fair Opportunity Month. We chose this language because learning should not be framed as a “second chance.” Learning opportunities belong to everyone. Fair Opportunity Month celebrates the full humanity, curiosity, and intellectual power of people inside and those returned home.
Our 2026 theme is “We Learn Together.”Learning happens in many ways: through formal classes, vocational training, quiet study, workshops, conversations, shared challenges, personal research, art-making, faith, reflection, mentorship, and the everyday problem-solving that life inside requires. We want to hear from people who have experienced these forms of learning while impacted by incarceration.
We invite submissions from:
- People who are currently incarcerated
- People who are formerly incarcerated
- People whose lives have been shaped by incarceration
We welcome essays, literature reviews, poetry, artwork, photography, and any creative format that feels right. Selected submissions will be featured on the JSTOR Blog throughout April 2026.
Submissions are due February 28, 2026.Full instructions are included in our Call for Submissions.
We encourage you to share this announcement widely—with your students, your reentry networks, your campus programs, your families, volunteers, educators, people still inside and anyone who is part of your community. We have made two versions of this call for submissions: a flyer and a fully text version for easy copy/pasting into email.
Thank you for helping us amplify the stories and perspectives of people who learn, teach, and grow in places where opportunity has too often been limited. We can’t wait to read what emerges this year.
Flyer full text:
OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Fair Opportunity Month 2026
“We Learn Together”
Presented by JSTOR Access in Prison
This April, JSTOR Access in Prison will celebrate Fair Opportunity Month, uplifting the voices and creativity of people currently and formerly incarcerated people, or anyone whose life has been touched by incarceration. This is our fourth annual call for submissions, and we invite you to share your story, your knowledge, and your art.
2026 Theme: We Learn Together
Learning happens everywhere: in classrooms and workshops, in libraries and dayrooms, in moments of frustration and moments of joy. We invite you to reflect on the many ways people learn together inside.
You might write about:
- What learning looks like for you—academic, vocational, artistic, spiritual, self-directed
- How you learn, and who helps you along the way
- A moment of discovery, challenge, or breakthrough
- Someone who encouraged your learning—an educator, librarian, peer, friend, or family member
- What motivates you to keep learning
Submit a personal essay, literature review, poem, artwork, photograph, or creative piece in any medium. No JSTOR use is required.
Selected submissions will be featured on the JSTOR blog during April 2026. The JSTOR blog highlights writing and art that connects current ideas, events, and conversations with scholarship available on JSTOR.
Submission Requirements
Who can submit:
- Anyone currently incarcerated
- Anyone with a history of incarceration
- Anyone directly impacted by incarceration
Include the following:
- Your submission (any creative or written format)
- A short biography (2–5 sentences)
- A pseudonym, if you prefer not to publish under your real name
How to Submit
By Mail: ITHAKA One Liberty Plaza, 5th FloorNew York, NY 10006
Mark envelope: “ATTN: JAIP ESSAY”
By Email: EssaySubmission@jstor.org
Deadline: All submissions must be received by February 28, 2026
Questions: EssaySubmission@jstor.org