119: When Is it Safe to Ignore the Law?

This is the fifth episode in a 10-part series inspired by the people Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. You will hear new stories by her former students wrote and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world.

On this episode, we feature an essay by Rashmi Airan, who reads her story and answers questions on the show. Rashmi is an internationally recognized corporate and motivational speaker and entrepreneur. As a leader in her community and beyond, Rashmi empowers others to overcome adversity and challenges. She is currently working on a memoir. Rashmi’s essay was originally published in The Washington Post on Feb 20, 2020.

Her essay reveals her inaction and culpability in her job as a lawyer when she sensed that her clients were not following the law. Rashmi was operating under some psychological phenomenon she came to discover and explains, called moral humility and overconfidence bias, which enabled her to stay silent. Like so many incarcerated people, she didn't think she'd get caught.

Rashmi candidly answers questions about prison life, working garbage detail, her mindset going in, what she learned, and what life has been like since she was released. 

Writing Class Radio is produced by Allison Langer, Andrea Askowitz, Xaire, and by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski and Courtney Fox at the Sound Off Media Company. Music by Xaire, Koi, Marnino Toussaint, Amadians.

There’s more writing class on our website, writingclassradio.com: including video classes, essays to study, and editing resources. 

If you love the lessons you get on each episode, you can get them ALL in one place--our three-part video series--for $50. Click Video Classes on our website.

If you want to be a part of the movement that helps people better understand each other through storytelling, follow us on Patreon. For $10/month Andrea will answer all your publishing questions. For $25/month you can join Allison’s First Draft weekly writers group, where you can write and share your work every Tuesday 12-1 (ET). www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio.

A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. So look for us. 

There’s no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What’s yours?

This series is dedicated to Luis Aracena. You are missed and loved. May you rest in peace.