Kid CAT Childhood development program

The Beat Within – monthly quote

September 30, 2020 by John Lam

Your writing should reflect a positive message that helps the youth make a better decision in life. Your stories will be read by the youth in detention centers. If published, you will receive a free copy of the publication. Your story can make a difference. Tell The Beat Within you read about them in KidCAT Speaks!

Words from the wise, quote of the month – “I believe that you see something that you want to get done, you cannot give up, and you cannot give in.” – John Lewis (1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American politician and civil rights leader who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 until his death in 2020. Lewis also helped organized the 1963 March on Washington. He fulfilled many key roles in the civil rights movement and its actions to end legalized racial segregation in the US.

What do you think of this week’s quote? Can you relate? What is something in your life (your freedom, your family, making a change, an education, a job) that you want to get done, and you will not give up or give in? “I believe that you see something that you want to get done, you cannot give up, and you cannot give in.”
The Beat Within
P.O. Box 34310
San Francisco, CA 94134

Air Force vet commits to working with youth organizations

November 18, 2019 by Joe Garcia

KidCAT’s Will VanBrackle and his wife, Kellene

Will VanBrackle served his country in the U.S. Air Force. Now he serves the Bay Area youth community by helping the kids of incarcerated parents through Project Avary—and by volunteering as a KidCAT facilitator inside San Quentin.

A troubled youth himself, VanBrackle faced his own life struggles before finding a path to being of service. “As a teenager, I spent a lot of time doing the wrong things in the wrong places, a whole lot of dumb stuff— the same kind of activities that lead guys to wind up in here” he explained.

“Had my luck been different or had I been a different color, those things could have easily landed me in an establishment just like this one. I was very fortunate,” he said.

To escape poverty and what he perceived as a dead- end existence, VanBrackle enlisted in the military.

“I joined the Air Force with all the dreams and aspirations that one recruiter could fill my head with,” he said. “During my time serving in the military, I experienced more than any poor kid from Pennsylvania could have wished for.”

VanBrackle’s plan to spend a full career in uni- form, however, became de- railed through numerous tours of duty.

“Five years later, I had more time deployed to combat zones than time spent state side,” he said—the glint of a thousand-yard stare almost returning to his eyes. “I had lost best friends, relationships and family.

“I felt like I was in an endless cycle of self-harm that was being fueled by the military. I was broken— physically, emotionally and mentally.”

With only a two-week break between deployments, VanBrackle realized he needed to break the cycle. According to him, his superior officers offered him no choice but to declare that he was “mentally unfit to go.”

“Had I not said those few words, they were prepared to throw me in jail for fail- ing to obey a lawful order,” he stated. “But it enabled me to start getting the treatment I needed.”

The USAF relieved VanBrackle of all his duties and eventually discharged him for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

“Distanced from friends and coworkers, I was isolated at a time when I needed support the most,” he said. “There were no support groups, mentoring or help. I was alone.

“My time in the military was over, and I knew serving my country wasn’t the service I was best suited for.”

VanBrackle began forging a career for himself in the food service industry, eventually finding a niche as a personal chef for well-to- do families.

“But I was not fulfilled,” he said. “Something was missing.”

With his wife Kellene by his side, he would listen to stories shared by her parents—stories spanning 40 years of professional service in the medical field. Beyond their retirement, his in-laws still served as volunteers, consultants and advocates for their community.

“They continue to inspire Kellene and me. We would sit in awe,” VanBrackle said. “It was those nights and those conversations that motivated me to find my path.”

Kellene became a pro- gram director for Project Avary, the local organization designed for children with a parent or loved one incarcerated. Often serving as a communal safety net, Project Avary provides out- door adventure days, sum- mer camp, retreats, and lots of family-style meals—all free of charge through donations and funding.

“From the late night work sessions to the long camps, watching her give her all for these children and this community has been nothing short of inspirational,” he said. “Mostly, we try to make sure these kids get the chance to have fun and be surrounded by love.”

A tight-knit crew devoted to their work, Project Avary welcomed VanBrackle’s culinary expertise. It didn’t take long for them to embrace him as family.

“Once I met and cooked for the children, it felt like every light bulb in the world had been turned on,” he said. “My head was spinning and my heart was exploding.

“I didn’t know it, but Project Avary was what I had been looking for.”

It hurts VanBrackle deeply to see and hear kids deprived of some basic elements in growing up happy—good food in a family environment.

“One of the reasons I love cooking for Avary is watching the children and counselors come together over a shared meal—passing dishes, trying new things, chatting about the ups and downs of their day,” he said. “Families across the globe look so different, but sharing food together is a funda- mental experience that has been going on for centuries.

“To see them so happy eating my food is the best feeling in the world… and Project Avary is what brought me to KidCAT.”

At San Quentin’s annual Avary Walk in 2018, VanBrackle met members of KidCAT for the first time while he and Kellene got to know the men responsible for organizing the fundraising walk.

Each year, KidCAT encourages everyone at SQ to participate and donate at least five dollars to Project Avary. With fund matches pledged by outside donors, KidCAT was able to help raise over $18,000 in 2019.

“It was the same feeling I had when I first started working with the children of Avary,” said VanBrackle. “Kellene and I went home with our heads spinning. It took a few days to come down from that.

“That experience, combined with our current world events, left me feeling like I needed to do more. I just wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to come back inside.”

VanBrackle’s mind never strayed too far from Kid- CAT’s mission of serving the incarcerated youth offender community and at- risk youths outside of prison.

“I had long stretches of time between seeing the members of KidCAT,” he said. “It’s a lot harder to get in here than you’d think, but I eventually wiggled my way back in.”

Through the advice and assistance of longtime Kid- CAT volunteer Bev Shelby and SQ’s Community Partnership Analyst Dina Durano, VanBrackle became an official member of Kid- CAT’s facilitation team.

“I had a lot of time to think about the why,” he said. “Why this path? Why San Quentin? Why these men?

“Project Avary is there to break the cycle of incarceration and give the children an outlet. But who and what is there for these men?

“Why are we as a community not doing more to help these men? So when they rejoin society they are more than ready? Who is there to tell their stories?”

The same reason that KidCAT became involved in helping raise funds for Project Avary now became a reason for VanBreckle to extend himself into the KidCAT family and SQ community.

“These men share some of the traits I see in the children of Avary—perseverance, resiliency, hope, potential and love,” he said.

VanBrackle wants the world to understand, empathize and join him in his cause.

“I serve to help reduce the stigma of incarceration. I serve to create awareness in our community,” he said. “I serve to be the bridge be- tween these men and their future home.

“I serve to make our community better as a whole for everyone.”

To learn more about Project Avary, go to www. projectavary.org or write to KidCATSpeaks.

Oakland Police Chief delivers apology at SQ Barbershop Forum

September 16, 2019 by Juan Haines

Oakland Police Department’s Police Chief Jane Kirkpatrick with KTVU Fox 2’s Paul Chambers

Oakland Police Chief Jane Kirkpatrick delivered an encouraging message of respect, hope and an apology for law enforcement misdeeds to more than 200 San Quentin prisoners looking forward to freedom.

“We have a future and hope together,” Kirkpatrick said. “You will be given an opportunity for restoration and you will be welcomed home.

“When you come home, you will be home and you will have a police department that, as long as I am their chief, will address you with respect by your name.”

Lt. Bobby Hookfin, a native of Oakland, talked about the “historic mistrust” between the community and the police — mistrust rooted in “enforcing unjust laws.”

Participant Arthur Jackson speaking with a District Attorney

“We know that — but we’re establishing trust across the nation,” Hookfin said. “We want to recognize that there’s no finish line to public trust. It doesn’t end here, once you’re released, it continues to build to make our community better – did you hear, our community better.”

Kirkpatrick and Hookfin spoke July 26 at the second Barbershop Dialogue held at San Quentin. There have been more than a dozen dialogues held in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Barbershop Dialogues came about after a BART police officer killed Oscar Grant on New Year’s Eve, 2009.

One of those attending was Jack Bryson, whose two sons were with Grant when he was shot. Bryson said he wanted to take action about the strained relationship between the police and the Bay Area community. He teamed up with Oakland police officers Captain Michael Carroll and Hookfin to provide spaces for conversations about how policing affect communities.

A couple of years into the dialogues, television reporter Paul Chambers (KTVU) began airing the meetings. District attorneys, police officers, criminal justice reform advocates, formerly incarcerated, as well as incarcerated individuals, sat together and talked.

“It is my great honor to be here and thank each of you,” Kirkpatrick told the audience. She turned to Bryson, adding, “Jack, on behalf of police, I want to say I’m sorry and I want your forgiveness.” There was immediately a hush, followed by a collective, “Wow!”

Jack Bryson with formerly incarcerated Donald “DC” Barlow

Chambers asked Kirkpatrick why she apologized to Jack and told the prison- ers they would be welcomed home.

“We have caused some hurt and harm,” Kirkpatrick said. “Everybody in this room has hurt someone. I don’t want to forget that there are victims that we hurt and we need to learn to say we’re sorry. Then we need to make amends through actions and not cheap words. Many of you have never heard, ‘We’re sorry.’ It matters. That’s why it’s important.”

Several San Quentin prisoners responded to Kirkpatrick’s apology.

“I had no respect for law enforcement until that lady got up there and said what she said,” Troy “Talib” Young said. “At 7-years-old, I watched my father being beat up by LAPD. Her apology changed my life.”

Timothy Hicks said, “I’m from Oakland. To know that she’s the chief of Oakland, my community, and to get a verbal apology – to have been harmed – to hear that from someone of such high ranking is humbling.”

Paul Salseda commented, “That was very profound because you can’t begin a healing process without an apology. We can’t even begin to move forward in our lives until we come to some type of repentance in our hearts and say ‘I’m sorry’ to our communities, our families. For someone at the top to express that is huge. We have the chief to say that and say when you come home; we have a spot for you in the community.”

Kevin Neang gave an apol- ogy to the victims of his crime and all the people that he hurt.

“It’s not the title that made it powerful,” Neang said. “She removed the chief label and just reminded us that we’re all human. The whole world — the system — wants us to be accountable and to hold your- self accountable; you have to see yourself as a human.”

Kirkpatrick responded, “My heart and soul is to heal all of us together. I do recog- nize that I’m in a chapel and I want us to have a future and hope. I want to be a part of the change.”

She added, “I know a fake. I can smell them from afar. I have no time or energy for cheap talk. We need to heal. Thank you, Kevin, for saying, ‘I’m sorry.’”

working with returned residents through Developing Impacted Lives (DIL).” She said she would accept suggestions from “anywhere and anyone” that would help pre- vent the youth from going to prison.

Benoit said he tells incarcerated youngsters who are struggling, “There’s a differ- ent path and a different way. You don’t have to wait; check out SQUIRES and KidCAT.”

Chambers asked, “What about the hard-headed kids. How could you get in their head?”

Benoit responded, “The only people who talked to me then were still doing wrong. So, the real issue is getting them talking to former or incarcerated people.”

Kenneth Vernon, 47, proposed teaching young people “emotional intelligence.”

He said he came to prison at age 23.

“At that time, nothing would have impacted my choice,” Vernon said.

He said emotional intelligence allows individuals to “recognize what you’re feeling in your body. If I would have had something like that in school, it would have been a great help.”

Also present was former San Quentin News staffer Miguel Quezada, who paroled almost two years ago.

“It’s going to get great out there,” said Quezada to the audience that included several men who did time with him. “It’s important for people to hear your voices and understand what you’re doing to get out of here.”

After Chambers observed there were “a lot of district attorneys in here,” the conversa- tion shifted to preventing the youth from coming to prison.

Isaiah Caldwell, a father of three, asked if someone like him, who is serving a life sentence, could collaborate with programs geared to serving at-risk youth.

“Can we talk to the youth and tell them what they’re facing?” Caldwell asked. “They would listen to us because our fathers were missing, too — they’ll listen to us.”

Troy Young got up again to talk about being a reformed gang member from Los Ange- les. He offered his life experience to share the realities of prison.

“We have to stop them out there,” Young said. He turned to the district attorneys and asked,“How can we work together?”

Jill Klinge, a top district attorney for Alameda County said, “In our office, we’re working with returned residents through Developing Impacted Lives (DIL).” She said she would accept suggestions from “anywhere and anyone” that would help prevent the youth from going to prison.

Kling spoke about SQUIRES, a program where troubled youth come into San Quentin for candid conversations and intense listening sessions with selected prisoners.

“But, the first thing is getting yourself established, and then come to us to help.” Klinge said to the men.

Some prisoners asked the district attorneys about pending legislation that would encourage younger prisoners to take an active role in rehabilitation.

“This bill can change the perspective from despair to hope,” said Romeo Baca about the California Senate Bill, which would give prison time reduction to individuals who committed their crime at a young age.

Baca said he came to prison at age 16.

“It was very frightening, but I acted like it wasn’t,” Baca said. “KidCAT helped me deal with prison. When you give kids opportunities, they won’t let you down.”

Participants of the Barbershop Forum on the Garden Chapel Courtyard after the event

KidCAT (Creating Awareness Together) is a support community for men who committed their crimes at a young age, often as teenagers, and sentenced as adults to life terms. The group’s mission is to inspire humanity through education, mentorship and restorative practices.

Chase Benoit said he came to prison at age 19.

Benoit said he tells incarcerated youngsters who are struggling, “There’s a differ- ent path and a different way. You don’t have to wait; check out SQUIRES and KidCAT.”

Chambers asked, “What about the hard-headed kids. How could you get in their head?”

Benoit responded, “The only people who talked to me then were still doing wrong. So, the real issue is getting them talking to former or incarcerated people.”

Kenneth Vernon, 47, proposed teaching young people “emotional intelligence.”

He said he came to prison at age 23.

“At that time, nothing would have impacted my choice,” Vernon said.

He said emotional intelligence allows individuals to “recognize what you’re feel- ing in your body. If I would have had something like that in school, it would have been a great help.”

Also present was former San Quentin News staffer Miguel Quezada, who paroled almost two years ago.

Kid CAT Chairman Si Dang’s 2019 youth address

January 24, 2019 by Si Dang

For many of us who are incarcerated, the ultimate dream is freedom. The question of whether we will achieve that dream, however, often lies in our pursuit of it.

My name is Si Dang, and I am the new chairman of Kid CAT. Over the last 22 years, I have pursued my freedom in a variety of ways, many of them dysfunctional and leading me right back to where I started: without freedom and with no meaningful change in who I was.

It was not until six years ago that I finally tapped into my courage and begin facing my personal issues, which ultimately lead me on the road towards my pursuit of freedom and the change I was after.

It is now my purpose as the new leader of Kid CAT to bring that change and pursuit of freedom to all of our members and the youth, which we represent.

It is my hope that I might serve Kid CAT with a spirit of accountability and change that inspires each of us to find the courage to not only pursue our most important dreams, but achieve them.

In fact, it is with this spirit in mind that I would like to thank our out-going chairman, Charlie Spence, for his many years of service, leadership, and mentorship to our organization and members.

It is under Charlie’s guidance that our organization has thrived and Kid CAT successfully achieved many of its goals and objectives in 2018.

For example, in 2018, Kid CAT officially implemented the Power Source curriculum in its Youth Offender Program (YOP) “BE-IT.” At the same time our First-Step Childhood Development curriculum graduated over 40 individuals and has now entered into a new cycle with new participants.

We also helped raised over $15,000 for Project Avary, and raised close to a $1,000 in support of The Beat Within program through our Foodsale.

Additionally, in October we hosted our annual banquet to raise awareness of the “forgotten” voices of youth, highlighting youth violence and the power of restorative justice to heal.

Both inside and outside guests shared their personal stories while representatives from the Huckleberry House, Project Avary, The Beat Within and long-time Kid CAT volunteer, Bev Shelby, spoke about the importance of advocacy and volunteerism within our communities and institutions.

In 2018, five Kid CAT members who served life sentences paroled, two of which were commuted by the Governor. They are all now being productive members of their communities.

Additionally, this past Thanksgiving, five more of our Kid CAT members had their life sentences commuted by the Governor, bringing the total to seven commutations.

With the departure of our members, we invited five new faces into Kid CAT all of who are (YOP) inmates. All of who have shown tremendous potential and willingness to carry on Kid CAT’s mission of creating awareness and community service.

Going into 2019, we are excited to get to work. Some of our goals include expanding our charity work with the Huckleberry House, Avary Project and The Beat Within.

With our partners, we hope to bring greater awareness to the issues of homelessness, youth with incarcerated parents, and the overall challenges that youth offenders face in the juvenile justice system.

Additionally, it is our organization’s goal to expand the accessibility of Kid CAT Speaks page in the San Quentin News as a platform for more youth offenders to share their voices and send messages of hope and gratitude.

We also plan to increase accessibility of our Childhood Development curriculum to more incarcerated individuals in other prisons.

Since making our Childhood Development curriculum available, three of our paroled Kid CAT members hosted an orientation of the curriculum at Lancaster State Prison. We also held a joint training with volunteers from Tracy State Prison who will be starting a Kid CAT curriculum there.

It is also our goal to advocate for provisions that would allow youth offenders to earn milestone and RAC credits toward their youth offender date as opposed to their minimum eligible parole date (MEPD).

Throughout the new year, our organization will be working toward becoming more transparent in our individual and collective efforts to uphold the integrity of our goals and vision.

It is our objective to begin to hold each other more accountable for our actions while administering higher standards of professionalism within the organization.

It is our hope that transparency and accountability will translate into a stronger group and individual commitment in supporting and advocating for all youth offenders.

In closing, this year, Kid CAT would like to inspire everyone to pursue their dreams and find the courage to face the new challenges that may stand in their way. There is nothing that one cannot achieve without hard work.

We encourage all of you to take advantage of new opportunities and work to create meaningful change in your lives and, in the process, make your dreams a reality.

“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.”-Walt Disney

Former youth offenders start Kid CAT program at Lancaster

December 30, 2018 by Joe Garcia

The successful San Quentin Kid CAT program for youth offenders is expanding to Lancaster Prison, thanks to help from three former inmates.
“It was really the guys inside’s hunger to get the program,” explained Tommy Winfrey, who left San Quentin in 2016. “There was a hunger there to change their lives. I saw the same concern and willingness to change that I witnessed during my time at San Quentin.”
Kid CAT alumni Winfrey, Philip Melendez and Anouthinh Pangthong recently visited Lancaster to help them start their own Kid CAT chapter. After paroling from San Quentin, the three men continue to advocate for awareness of youth offender programs. They reported on their work via e- mails to the San Quentin News.
Lancaster Community Resource Manager Erika Lane reviewed Kid CAT’s First Step curriculum and looked for successful members who could become part of the orientation process. The inaugural group at Lancaster consisted of 30 youth offenders, with a growing wait list.
“We’ve set up nine members who are going to facilitate the curriculum and develop the group in as close of a model as we can get it to the San Quentin group,” said Melendez, released from San Quentin in 2017. “I’m still continuing the restorative work that I learned in Kid CAT.

“I couldn’t come home and forget about the experiences of survivors or the experiences of folks who are in prison. The healing needed on all sides is what motivates me.”
“I’ve often heard that programs like Kid CAT can’t operate and affect change on a level IV yard, but I believe that sentiment is wrong,” Winfrey remarked. “People want to be a part of a community. They want to change for the better; they want to go home and be productive members of society.”

“On the Level IV, there are some programs, but not enough to meet the needs of the long waiting lists of guys who want to participate in programs,” added Melendez, who flew to Los Angeles from San Francisco.
“I didn’t get paid to do this; in fact, it cost me money,” said Winfrey, who lives in San Diego. “I did it because I was once one of those guys on a Level IV yard with nothing to help me change—no hope and the feeling of being forgotten.

“I wanted those guys to know there is hope, that they are not forgotten, and have a program that can help them see that reality.
“Since returning to society, I have been working in the field of juvenile justice reform, and this is an extension of the work I am committed to.”

“At the end of our two-day visit, we went around and checked out,” Melendez noted. “They all were super grateful and inspired by our stories.
“We told them about the charitable and restorative work we did at SQ, and I even talked to their community resource manager about the Hygiene Drive, Amala Walks, food sales and Project Avary. The guys at Lancaster will definitely be able to create these events and are anxious to start giving back.”
“I hope those guys will take charge of their destiny, join the conversation about justice in this state and country, and realize how they ended up in the place that they did,” Winfrey said. “I hope that the group grows and changes the culture of a yard so much so that critics look at them as a model of what is possible and don’t say they don’t deserve anything.

“These guys are not their actions, and they can be better tomorrow—just like the guys on Level II yards. They just need hope in their lives, and I believe that is what we left them with.”

Letter to Kid CAT by Ashley Fehrmann

December 2, 2018 by San Quentin News Contributer

Dear Kid CAT,

Thank you so much for your generous gift of $617.50 from the San Quentin Kid CAT program in support of Social Advocates for Youth’s programming. On behalf of the homeless and disconnected youth of Sonoma County, we express our deep gratitude for your outstanding level of support!

Our youth have taught us that programs and services make the most impact when they are accessible, appropriate and flexible. Your gift of unrestricted funding will allow us to continue this critical work and serve our vulnerable youth when they need us the most.

It is a great honor to stand beside you in our quest to stabilize and prepare homeless youth to transition to permanent housing and self-sufficiency.

Thank you again for joining us in ensuring that youth struggling in our community have the support they need.

For the kids,

Ashley Fehrmann

Chief Development Officer, Social Advocates for Youth

Dear Social Advocates for youth,

Thank you so much for your great work in the community to assist some of our most vulnerable citizens – the homeless youth. It gives us great pleasure to be able to give assistance to a program that will in some way help to break the cycle of neglect. From all of us in Kid CAT and the San Quentin community, thank you again for giving us this opportunity to help. Keep up the good work!

Dear Kid CAT by Joseph Montes

November 14, 2018 by San Quentin News Contributer

I’m sending this letter to you today to inquire about the curriculum. I know generally speaking, your program is available for lifers, and not Death Row inmates. There are many of us who were sentenced to death as youths. Myself included. I just turned 20 when I received my sentence. My question is this: Could we begin now to start taking classes that your program offers to youth offenders? We already have a group of individuals who would start taking classes now if you were to make that available to us. The only thing we would need is a sponsor, and I’m sure we could arrange for that to happen.

Lastly, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to all of the members of Kid CAT. We understand how much work and effort goes into a program that is geared to- ward helping youth offenders see beyond their circumstances. Thank you so very much.
Joseph Montes,
San Quentin State Prison – Death Row
Dear Mr. Montes,
Thank you for expressing interest in our program. Until your letter, we never knew if there were youth offenders in Death Row interested in taking our program. We will do our best to work with you in conjunction with our community partnership manager to see if we could help set up a Kid CAT curriculum program for Death Row inmates. By the way, Kid CAT is open to and advocates for all youths regardless of sentence or incarceration, not just for lifers. Stay encouraged.

Kid CAT curriculum now available

Texas court updates death penalty protocols

Study explores lifers going before the parole board

Building lives through health and wellness TRUST

San Quentin News & Wall City Merchandise

After 22 years Antoine Brown is a free man

October 17, 2018 by John Lam

After receiving a commutation of his sentence from Gov. Jerry Brown, Antoine Brown became the latest Kid CAT member to be found suitable for parole.
“During his 22 years of incarceration, Mr. Brown has demonstrated a clear commitment to his rehabilitation,” Governor Brown stated in his Dec. 23, 2017, commutation of Antoine Brown.

HRW Senior Advocate Children’s Rights, Elizabeth M. Calvin and Antoine Brown in SQ’s Protestant Chapel

“Mr. Brown committed a senseless crime, but he has shown a clear rejection of violence and gang activity for many years. In light of his age at the time of his crime, his positive conduct in prison, and his determination to continue giving back to society if released, Mr. Brown deserves an earlier opportunity to make his case to the Board of Parole Hearings so they can determine whether he is ready to be released from prison,” the governor added.
On April 20, Brown was found suitable for parole.
“I committed a crime that took the life of an innocent man and attempted to kill two other people it is only by the grace of Allah, Governor Brown, and the Board of Parole Hearings that I am given another opportunity,” says Brown, 40, who was serving 36 years-to-life for first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate my change and for them to believe in me,” he adds.
Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles by his single mother and stepfather, Brown is the second of four kids.
“Growing up, my household was peaceful. We went camping, fishing, and I had a great relationship with my stepfather,” Brown says.
The happy dynamic of the family changed when Brown’s parents were on the verge of splitting when he was 14.
“The love and attention I had was gone, and I thought it was my fault that they were going to split,” he says.
To cope, Brown turned to the streets.
“I went outside the house to find that love and belonging by joining a gang,” Brown says, during an interview.
“Soon I started ditching school, carrying a gun and getting into fights.”
At 15, Brown dropped out of school.
“I started hanging out in the neighborhood, selling drugs, gang banging and going to parties. That’s all I did,” Brown says.
A day after learning his girlfriend was pregnant, Brown was informed that a fellow gang member had been shot at, and he took it upon himself to retaliate.
“When I heard my friend had been shot at, I didn’t even think about my unborn son. I was only thinking about building my reputation and proving my loyalty to my gang,” Brown says.
Twenty minutes after committing murder in a retaliation, Brown was arrested.
“During the whole time in jail, my mind was on getting out. I didn’t even think about the consequences of my actions or the victims’ feelings,” he says.
Brown’s son was born while he was in Juvenile Hall in 1996.
After a year and a half, Brown was convicted of first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
“When I got convicted, I felt devastated knowing that there was a possibility that I will never go home to be with my son, who I’ve never held,” Brown says.
The fear of prison daunted Brown. “When I first came to prison, I had a lot of misconceptions and was willing to do anything to survive. However, it wasn’t like what I saw on TV. I was very fortunate to have older guys to guide me in the right direction.”
Brown received his GED in 2000.
He attributes his total transformation to his time in San Quentin. “The programs they had here, like VOEG and No More Tears, helped me gain the insight necessary for me to understand the impact I’ve had on my victims because of my actions.”
While in San Quentin, Brown became the co-founder of Kid CAT .
“We wanted to create a program that would shed light on youth offender issues,” Brown says. “To see how it has now given back to the homeless and to help at-risk youth has been amazing to see.”
Brown has many accomplishments, but they didn’t come without any speed bumps.
“In 2013, I received a disciplinary write-up for a cellphone,” Brown says. “I felt really ashamed and a hypocrite for letting so many people down who believed in me. I knew if I was ever to get out of prison and set an example for my son, I needed to change my behavior.”
“Two years ago, my son was arrested, and it served as another wake up call because he reminded me of myself.”
In 21 years, Brown has only met his son six times in person.
“The relationship I have with my son today is great, thanks to the mother of my son,” he says.
“My only hope now is to be a father to my son and be there to support him and ensure that he feels loved.”
Upon parole, Brown wants to work with at-risk youths in juvenile halls. Brown paroled on Sept. 2018.

Lam Paroled After 22 Years

New Advocate Group Targets Parole Board

29 years in prison is enough for Mike Webb

September 12, 2018 by John Lam

Mike Webb at Kid CAT banquet

After six parole hearings and 29 years in prison, Mike Webb, a beloved Kid CAT member, was found suitable for parole.
“Mike Webb is one of the most compassionate and committed persons that I know,” said Charlie Spence, Kid CAT Chairman. “We will all miss him very much, because he has been such a positive impact in our group and in this community.”
The youngest of three children, Webb was born and raised in Los Angeles by his single mother.
“Growing up without a father was tough,” he says. “I didn’t have anyone I could turn to, to learn how to be a man.”
At the age of 5, Webb’s father left his family to be with another woman and her kids, which left him with deep insecurities and resentments.
“My life began to spiral out of control when my father left,” Webb says. “When he left, I felt rejected and that I wasn’t worthy of his love.”
From the ages of 5 to 10, his grandfather tried to fill the role of a father.
“The only thing that kept me going was my grandfather,” he says. “But when he got murdered, I just gave up on life and sunk into depression and became numb.”
The absence of a paternal figure led to behavioral problems and expulsion from 10 different schools.
“I became very destructive and took my anger out on other kids at school,” he says.
When Webb got into his teens, he turned to the streets.
“I wanted things that my mother couldn’t provide for me, so I started robbing individuals in the neighborhood,” he says. “Robbing people gave me a sense of power and control that I didn’t have in my own life and I became addicted to that power.”
His addiction to robbery would result in a murder during a botched carjacking.
“Four days after committing my crime, I was arrested for first-degree murder-robbery,” he says.
After being convicted, Webb was sentenced to 25 years-to-life at the age of 19.
“I didn’t know what 25 years-to-life meant,” he says. “When it finally sank in, I didn’t think I was ever going to get out.”
In prison, Webb continued the same behavior.
“When I came to prison, my mentality was that I wasn’t going to be no punk or victim, so I victimized others,” he says. “I would run into people’s cell and take their properties, clothes, canteen and jewelry.”
In 1997, Webb was sent to solitary confinement for extorting people.
Over the course of his incarceration, Webb accumulated seven write-ups ranging from disobeying staff to inmate battery.
In 2002, Webb had an intervention at the behest of his building officer.
“The C.O.s asked my cellmate to talk to me, because I was out of control,” Webb says. “So my cellie sat me down and talked to me like he was my father and told me that if I ever wanted to get out of prison, I needed to change, and that he would help me.
“That’s when I started to change my behavior and started attending Alcoholics Anonymous, which I still continue till this day.”
But the change for Webb didn’t come easy; his past would repeatedly come back to haunt him.
“From my first board appearance in 2004 to the next four hearings in 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2016, my extortion charges in 1997 played a role in me being denied parole,” Webb says.
Taking the lessons he had learned, he would often share his testimony with the youths he interacts with.
“I mentor at-risk youths through a program here called Real Choices, and I also write for The Beat Within, a youth publication,” Webb says.
Through his job assignment in Receiving and Release, Webb shares his experience with newly arrived young prisoners.
“I try to help them understand the consequences of their decisions that they make here in prison and the impact it can have on their families because of those choices,” he says.
“Today, I realize that I not only harmed my family, but the choices I made have also caused irreparable harm to my victims and community.”
On March 8 Webb was found suitable for parole.

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Dear Kid CAT, I. Medina,Tehachapi

July 24, 2018 by San Quentin News Contributer

During the past couple of months I have spoken to several facility sponsors concerning the Kid CAT Childhood development program and support group. As of today there are a couple of sponsors willing to support me toward proposing a Kid CAT branch here in California Institution in Tehachapi. This has taken me time because of the programs pending approval by our Community Resource Manager (CRM).

Once I look over the curriculum and facilitator’s manual, I will prepare the proposal directed to our CRM.

On behalf of the community here in Tehachapi we thank you for the curriculum and know that the program will prosper for the better of the inmate population here.

Sincerely,

I. Medina, California Correctional Institution

Dear Medina,

Thank you for your interest and hard work in trying to create a Kid CAT branch at Tehachapi. We are grateful for the opportunity to be of service to support your endeavor to find solutions for rehabilitation on behalf of the community there. We look forward to hearing about your progress and how the group is coming along. Good luck!

http://sanquentinnews.com/optionb-org-support-group-overcoming-effects-incarceration/