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Dara Yin Highlight
When you give people access, it changes everything.
About Dara
- I was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at the age of 19—for 10 years, I gave up on life and sunk deeper into the prison system.
- A visit from my mother, where she told me “I love you” for the first time in English, cracked open my heart and planted the seed for change.
- I earned my GED on a violent yard in Lancaster and mailed the photo home, desperate to give my mom one small thing to be proud of.
- I left my gang identity behind and transferred to a “soft yard” to pursue an education.
- Studying in prison introduced me to a brotherhood of learners—men like me—who debated, wrote papers, and reimagined what respect meant.
- I earned my bachelor’s degree while incarcerated and later my master’s at USC, where I created curriculum while still learning how to write it.
- After my sentence was commuted and I was released from prison, I made it my mission to try to undo the harm I once caused by showing up with empathy and helping others believe they can change too.
- I now work with youth and adults reentering the community—mentoring them, connecting them to jobs, and making sure they feel seen and supported.