Nicole is one of our 2026 Human Rights Summer Research Grant winners and a featured guest blogger. More importantly, I have been working to understand what this reveals about the possibilities and limitations of prison advocacy as a mechanism of accountability. As a helpline intern, I help receive countless letters from incarcerated individuals documenting concerns, and we connect people with resources and support whenever possible. ImageBefore this summer, incarceration felt somewhat distant to me. Follow Duke Human Rights Center on social media and sign up for our newsletter to keep up with our Student Stories: Summer Research Series.