David Ditto

Showcasing their talent the Soulbillies shake San Quentin

October 23, 2019 by David Ditto

A Bay Area band stirred the souls of a hundred San Quentin prisoners with a high-energy Sunday night concert on Aug. 25.

Fliers posted in the cell blocks promised “A Night of Classic Soul.” The Soulbillies delivered with a whirlwind performance that spurred the audience to dance, sing, laugh and clap for two hours of not-so-pure enjoyment.

The five musicians, dressed in all black, took the stage in the prison chapel and began with a couple of cover grooves, including Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools.” Lead singer Shelley Flint belted out the lyrics as drummer Dan Babior and keyboardist Melinda Borello backed her up with the “Chain-chain-chain…” The energy had the audience nodding their heads and tapping their feet.

The five friends, who worked together at a nearby high school, formed Soulbillies in 2015. “We’re from just up the road a bit. We’re teachers. That’s what we do,” said bassist Ian Sethre. Sethre is also an instructor in the Prison University Program at San Quentin. On this night he brought in the whole band for their prison debut. “We do covers and some original stuff. Some are not appropriate for church—for example this next song. …”

Soulbillies broke into their original mambo “Another Lost Soul,” getting the audience swaying again.

“How many of you have had Ian as a teacher?” asked Flint, as several hands went up. “Now you get to hear him sing.”

“I don’t think that’s why they came, but it’s going to happen anyway,” replied Sethre as he flipped his silver-and-black hair back and took the microphone for another Soulbillies original, “Almost Rock Bottom.” The country sound had the crowd bobbing, clapping, and singing along. Every face in the chapel was smiling, from the stage to the last pew.

Soulbillies shifted next to rocking out with “Hard to Handle.” Flint was back on lead vocals. “Baby, here I am, I’m the girl on the scene / Come on baby, let me light your candle / ’cause I’m sure hard to handle now…” Her silver-blonde hair bounced as she danced, and Mike Sloan tore into a solo on his bright red electric guitar. Borello followed with a solo on the keys, her long, dark-brown ponytail swinging down to the bench. Applause roared through the chapel.

The next song slowed the tempo down a bit with, “You tell me that you love me / It’s a good thing you don’t hate me…”

“If you haven’t figured it out yet, most of our songs are about relationships gone wrong—they’re a lot more fun than the other kind,” said bassist Sethre. Soulbillies then took the crowd on a four-song journey, beginning with a cover of “Midnight Rider.” The chapel swayed to the grooves. Then Flint pulled back her hair and straightened her blouse.

The band ripped hard into “Tell Mama,” their biggest hit of the night. The audience yelled and cheered to Flint’s “Mama’ll make everything all right…” while she and Sethre danced to the hard-driving rhythm. The energy in the room crackled and the San Quentin crowd burst into thunderous applause.

A couple songs later, Babior sang the lead on a rendition of a Joe Cocker hit that had the crowd dancing, clapping and “Feelin’ All Right.”

“How much time do we have left?” Sethre asked the crowd. “We got life!” one concert goer yelled back. The band and inmates laughed out loud. “Let me rephrase that,” interjected the bassist. “What time is it?” Time for a dozen more songs, it turned out.

One of the crowd favorites was “Voodoo Woman,” which featured soulful vocals, an energetic drum solo and a groovy guitar solo by Sloan—all to uproarious applause.

The debut of the Soulbillies original duet “Damned If I Do,” co-written by Flint and Sethre, kept the audience fired up. Then musician Jeffrey At- kins jumped up from the audience on to the stage with the band, introduced as “The sixth member of The Jackson Five.” He and Flint danced and sang to the band’s lively rendition of “I Want You Back.”

The groove culminated with two soul-satisfying encores that sparked standing ovations.

“That was awesome—really good energy!” said one concertgoer named Robert. “She knocked that Aretha Franklin out of the park!” commented another.

The inmates, in their prison- issued blue pants and shirts, approached the Soulbillies on stage to meet and mingle. “I had a great time,” said drummer and vocalist Dan Babior. “When the crowd enjoys us so much, then we enjoy it even more.” He said they play at area bars and events in Marin, Sonoma and San Francisco regularly.

“We’ve never played in a church before,” said keyboard- ist Melinda Borello. “We’ve never played for a crowd so in- teractive with us. That was re- ally awesome!”

Lead singer Shelley Flint responded to a fan asking what inspires her to sing: “This may sound funny coming from a white girl. As a young girl, I used to sing the theme from The Jeffersons, ‘Movin’ On Up,’ into my hairbrush. Later, I started singing Janice Joplin.” Flint continued, “Now, I enjoy singing as an opportunity to release ‘the beast within’ and express myself.”

Soulbillies will perform at Hotel Utah in San Francisco on October 19. Some of their recorded music is available at Soulbillies.com.

The soul-fulfilling concert was coordinated by Bread & Roses, a nonprofit, volunteer- based organization that brings “Hope and Healing Through Live Music” into San Quentin and other Bay Area institutions. “I just love bringing music in and seeing all the smiles,” said organizer Lisa Starbird after the concert.

Demonstrating great achievement under difficult circumstances

September 16, 2019 by San Quentin News Staff

By David Ditto and Michael Johnson, Staff Writers.

Graduating class of Robert E. Burton and Coastline, Feather River and Lassen Community College

Tasseled caps and gowns flowed as diplomas, degrees and certificates were conferred in San Quentin’s visiting room during Robert E. Burton Adult School’s 2019 Commencement. College, high school, and vocational program graduates celebrated their accomplishments with family, friends, teachers, and administrators at the annual ceremony on July 26.

“We’re so proud of all the incredibly hard work you have put in,” said teacher and emcee H. Lucas to the graduating class. “Not everyone in your block put in the blood, sweat, and tears you have,” she added. “What you have overcome to get to this place is no small thing.”

Top: SQ PIO Lt. S. Robinson, Wickerd’s wife Marion, Wickerd’s mother Linda, sister Judy Herrera Bottom: Wickerd’s nephew Robby Herrera and GED Graduate Tommy Wickerd

25-year-old Tye Barker was the first graduate speaker at the ceremony. He described growing up while his father was in and out of prison, “I lost out on so much because I didn’t graduate.”

Later, imprisoned as a young father himself, Barker realized he was headed in the wrong direction. “My kids needed me to change,” he said to the audience. Barker was one of eight graduates from San Quentin’s new High School Diploma program.

“Tye really turned his life around,” said Ms. Anita Kaur Sufi, the teacher for the program. “Now he’s ready for college, a career, and anything he sets his mind on.”

Adamu Chan, Correctional Counselor III Ian Palmer, and Associate Superintendent for the Northern Region, Jennifer Winistorfer (Office of Correctional Education)

Sufi said that the diploma program is an alternative to the equivalency program. She explained that it began after Brant Choate, Director of the Division of Rehabilitative Programs, saw the need for another pathway for students who already have many credits to acquire a certified high school education.

Receiving a six-month education credit, Barker went home two weeks after graduating.

“I came to San Quentin with a third- to fourth-grade education,” said Tommy Wickerd, the second graduate speaker. He said he confessed to his teachers that the 12.9 grade-level test scores on his record were actually from cheating when he first came to prison. “I slid through the cracks for 15 years.”

“At San Quentin I learned how to set and achieve goals,” Wickerd said. He ran three marathons and earned his GED in his almost four years at the Q. “On the final math test for my GED, I got a 149– four points more than I needed. Now I know what an over- achiever feels like! Now the 12.9 is mine – and the GED!”

Graduate Watson Allison and attorney Michael Clough

“This is monumental,” said GED graduate Earl Orr’s sister Patsy Orr. “He’s my first brother to get his GED.” She said their older brother spent about 10 years in and out of San Quentin in the 1970s after serving in the Vietnam War. “In San Quentin back then, they worked out and smoked. That’s it. No classes, no groups,” Patsy said. “I wish they had this quality education program back then. Earl has found himself again through education. I’m so amazed at the change.”

Earl met his 19-year-old granddaughter Ariel Klimpel for the first time at the gradu- ation. She said: “I walked right up and hugged him. It felt so good!”

Coastline Community College graduate Adamu Chan obtained his A.S. degree in Business. Chan said that the experience taught him responsibility, follow-through and self-motivation.

Niece Toby Hutchens, sister Patsy Orr, Graduate Earl Orr, granddaughter Ariel Klimpel, and friend Sherry Reynolds

John Bergeron, a Feather River college graduate, obtained an A.A. degree in Social and Behavioral Science. “I never really finished anything in my life,” he said. But now, he said, he is the first person in his family to finish college.

Graduate Watson Allison received his A.A. degree in Social Science from Lassen College. He was the speaker for the college graduates. He started his speech with a quote from Malcolm X, “‘Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.’ I’ve heard that quote many times as a youth. How- ever, it didn’t make sense, but today it does.” Allison spent 30 years on Death Row after a murder conviction at the age of 23. In 2013 his death sentence was overturned. “Then I was transferred to Solano Prison, where the CC3 counselor assigned me a mentor to help me adjust from death row living. By May 27, 2014, I passed the test for my GED. It was the first positive accomplishment in my life.”

Vocational Plumbing graduate Vadim Zakharchenko said, “I wanted vocational training because I want a career in the construction industry.” He plans to work for his brother-in-law doing prefab homes when he gets out.

Plumbing instructor Pryor said that his vocational class has a lot of math and isn’t easy, but has tutors in the class to help. He said that he “has had five guys parole and make a career out of this training.”

Machine Shop instructor J. Johnson said, “These guys can take this experience and apply for good paying jobs.”

College proctor Mr. Young said, “The guys here today have overcome all their fail- ures of the past…This is the happiest day of the year.”

Principal Wheeless said, “It takes a lot of hard work by the students to get to this day of celebration and I commend them.”

Educator D. Searle and H. Lucas with Graduate George Moss and Graduate Quincy Paige

“I feel so encouraged – full of joy and a sense of accomplishment,” said graduate George Moss the day after he passed his final GED test – just a week before the graduation. Moss persevered through the flu, surgery, lockdowns and administrative segregation during the two years he worked on earning his GED.

Incarcerated for 14 years, he wanted to quit school and learn plumbing when he arrived at San Quentin.

Principal Wheeless told him, “No. Just knock this GED out first.” “I thought it was punishment,” said Moss. He said that now he is grateful to the principal, his teacher D. Searle and tutor Quincy Paige.

Now, after earning their high school equivalencies, both Moss and Paige are en- rolling in Vocational Plumbing.

Andrew Smith is a GED graduate from the Voluntary Education Program (VEP). He said he received excellent one-on-one tutoring from the Teachers’ Aide and said, “Thanks to my teacher, Dr. Marez, for pushing me in the right direction.”

“I never thought I would do it because of my incarceration,” said graduate Luis Ojeda. “But look – now I got my GED!” He said that Mr. Kaufman, the teacher in the ABE I class where he began, was always there to help him and motivate him to get to the next level.

“Now I’m confident,” Ojeda said. He will go home in about a year. “Inside or outside – I’m going to get my college degree.”

Twenty-three-year-old Raiveon Wooden received his high school diploma at the ceremony. He acknowledged help from his teachers M. Ficarra and Mr. Santos to get him ready for the diploma program. Wooden said that with his high school diploma, now he envisions a better job, a brighter future and college.

The 2019 class included 78 graduates, about half of whom attended the graduation. Many had already paroled.

Total number of Graduates:

High School: 8
GED: 43
Coastline: 7
Lassen: 1
Feather River: 1
CTE: 18

San Quentin’s college class of 2019

August 12, 2019 by David Ditto

On a sunny June morning over- looking the bay, 12 incarcerated scholars were honored at the 2019 Prison University Project (PUP) graduation. University instructors, staff, classmates and family of the graduates gathered in San Quentin’s main visiting room to celebrate the conferring of Associate of Arts degrees in liberal arts to the men in blue.

As “Pomp and Circumstance” sounded, the 2019 graduates began their procession, and PUP Board Chair Maddy Russell-Shapiro’s eyes were already welling up with tears.

“One of the things I love about PUP is that the students are going to become a growing body to represent the carceral state and represent the truth of what’s really going on in here,” she said.

“This is an achievement we all can be proud of,” said valedictorian Tommy “Shakur” Ross.

Rick and Renee Roberts, Valedictorian Tommy “Shakur” Ross, Adrienne Skye Roberts, Fania Davis and Reggie Davis

He described to the audience the research project he did in one of his PUP courses. “I am most proud of this work because it altered my worldview about women, igniting the initial spark that led to my identity as a feminist.

“Now who would’ve thought that I, a former full-fledged, hard-core, misogynistic gangbanger, would be writing papers on feminist theory? But here I am!”

The alluring calls of a higher education resonate within the walls of this prison

Ross thanked his family, including his fiancée, “She has been my inspiration.”

“I’ve seen him become more of a critical thinker,” said Ross’ fiancée, Adrienne Skye Roberts, after the ceremony. “He’s always been hardworking and disciplined.”

Graduate Matthew Nguyen’s family was also in attendance.

“I’m so happy my son finished college!” said San Nguyen, Matthew’s father. “I believe his future will be very good.”

Matthew translated in Vietnamese for the San Quentin News interview with his father, who was dressed in a suit and tie for the occasion. San Nguyen said his son looked very handsome in his cap and gown. “This is my first time attending a college graduation,” he said. “It’s very emotional.”

“I’m really proud of him,” said Matthew’s sister Martha Nguyen. She said that before her brother was incarcerated, the two of them went to college together.

“I had no idea about the Prison University Project,” she said, “I’m thankful Matt had the opportunity to get his degree.”

“Even though he did something bad, he turned his life around,” said Matthew’s mother, Theresa Nguyen.

“I’m overwhelmed,” she said during the post-ceremony celebration, “just trying to take everything in.”

Matthew’s niece Jessica and nephew Brian were also celebrating the graduation. Brian said his uncle’s accomplishments in college at San Quentin inspired him to excel in high school, where he graduated the week before.

Graduate Timothy Young’s family also attended the graduation. “It’s a huge accomplishment!” said his sister-in-law Anjeanette Young. “I’m very proud of Tim and everything he’s learned on his journey.”

“The college program changed my life and the way I see the world,” said Timothy Young, “It opened doors, and I have more hope for my future.”

“He’s very humble, and he doesn’t start trouble,” said Tim’s brother Clifton Young. “He’s 100% genuine,” added their sister Sandra Webb.

“People are capable of becoming better than their worst moments,” said key- note speaker Kenneth Hartman, development coordinator and prison programs specialist at the Catalyst Foundation. He was incarcerated for 38 years with an LWOP (Life Without Parole) sentence until he received a sentence commutation from Gov. Jerry Brown and was released in December of 2017.

“People outside are not waiting to throw rocks at you when you get out,” Hartman said. “I have not had a single negative encounter with a single person out there.”

“I attribute my success to all the instructors and tutors who treated me as the student they knew I could become,” said graduate Sumit Lal to PUP Development and Communications Director Lauren Hall in an interview. Lal is the youngest member of the graduating class.

“I’ve seen such a tremen- dous change in him. He’s made such a big change in such a small time,” said Lal’s brother, who attended the ceremony. Lal paroled from San Quentin just days after his graduation.

“Me sentí muy emocionado, contento porque fui capaz de lograr algo que cambiará toda mi vida,” (I felt very excited, happy be- cause I was able to accomplish something that will change my whole life), said graduate Juan Espinosa, de- scribing the ceremony. He said that learning English, his second language, at the same time was difficult and sometimes frustrating—but worth the effort.

PUP’s mission is to provide excellent higher education to those at San Quentin, to support increased access to higher education for incarcerated people, and to stimulate public awareness about higher education access and criminal justice.

Louis Calvin, Nythell Collins, James Evans, Jose Luis Lopez, Corey McNeil, Jerry Smith and Kamsan Suon rounded out the dozen graduates of PUP’s class of 2019.

“Congratulations to all the graduates!” said Jody Lewen, Ph.D., Executive Director of PUP, after the degrees were conferred. “It’s not possible to describe the dedication to the unbelievable work you do.” Director Lewen acknowledged the extraordinary teachers, staff, Board of Directors, donors and tutors. “We couldn’t do everything you see here today without you.”