There were plenty of smiles and words of encouragement for the 24 men who, one by one, made their way down the aisle to the podium where each received a handshake, a single red rose, a T.R.U.S.T. bracelet, and a certificate of graduation. But for the men, the walk to the stage through the packed audience at the Garden Chapel meant so much more than the material presentations awaiting them upon the stage.
For this was a ceremony to note the achievement of a personal milestone, or perhaps to mark the first step on the road to a potentially life-changing personal transformation. These men had completed the rigorous and comprehensive 22 week program of workshops, classes and symposiums that are the heart of the leadership program sponsored by the San Quentin T.R.U.S.T. (Teaching Responsibility Utilizing Sociological Training) for the Development of Incarcerated Men.
The S.Q. T.R.U.S.T. is the behind-the-walls affiliate of a national organization, The National T.R.U.S.T., whose goal it is to work with men to purge negative thought processes and re-awaken them to their history, culture and values. And in the process, to develop within them a sense of responsibility, respect, unity, pride and integrity. It is hoped that upon completion of the training program, the men will be able to utilize the tools that they have learned to assimilate back into society successfully, capable of making positive changes in themselves and their communities.
The graduation ceremony featured a number of speakers and an audience which included program sponsors, outside community affiliates, T.R.U.S.T. board members and a number of previous graduates.
T.R.U.S.T. board member Paul Jordan opened the Dec. 2 ceremony, and served as the master of ceremonies. Jordan praised the many people who have worked together in support of the group. “We are really blessed to have the full support from these gifted people. Doctors, lawyers and professors, they each come in to SQ to lend their support to the vision of men helping one another,” he said. And with that, he introduced the program’s first speaker.
The executive director of The National TRUST, Dr. Garry Mendez, took the stage to congratulate the recent graduates and commend the work that each has done in an effort to prepare themselves for the work ahead, and to encourage each man present to respect himself and those around him. “I have a vision that I will be helping you see more about yourself,” said Mendez. “You are a person who must accept who you are. TRUSTFELLOWS is a leadership program, and not a prison program,” Mendez said in stressing to the graduates that the program’s values will work for them both inside and outside the walls of the prison.
Many of the graduates shared a unique affinity for the next speaker to make his way to the podium. For Rahman Willie Green, former T.R.U.S.T. chairman and a long-time Lifer resident of SQ’s North Block had been there at the beginning for many of these men. Green was the mentor that so many of them had looked to for leadership following their induction into the T.R.U.S.T. Green had been released earlier in the year after serving more than 25 years in prison, when a Los Angeles judge threw out his conviction after ruling that the main witness against him had lied. So when Green spoke to the men of hope and a belief in themselves, his message resonated well.
“I never gave up on myself,” said Green, and I will not give up on you, either.” Green shared with the men of just how the tools that he, himself, had learned inside the walls and taken out to the streets had contributed to his ability to enrich and enjoy his new life. A life that includes his work with parolees as he assists them into reintegrating back into society. “There is not a day that I do not think about you,” a smiling Green told the men. “I am having fun out there, learning and growing each day. I pray that every one of you will join me out here with your families.”
Following someone like Green with his special bond with the graduating men could not have been easy, but class valedictorian Michael “Yoshi” Nelson next shared briefly with the audience his own perspective on what the training had meant for him. “Taking the time to listen and get to know one another is important,” said Nelson. “We can all use the tools that have been offered in T.R.U.S.T.
The graduates then received their certificates from Dr. Amy Smith, a psychologist, sponsor and supporter for the T.R.U.S.T., who thanked the group for allowing her to be a part of the learning process. “…this class is very special because I have learned more about life and the world through each of you here. As you have turned a liability into an asset. It is an honor to be here with you,” Smith said in her remarks to the audience.
The chief sponsor for the group, Lt. Sam Robinson, delivered the closing comments to the graduating class and the audience. Robinson praised “…the transformative effects of the values that you have learned and acquired. It is a good heart and a good head that will lead you forward in life.”
In addition to the numerous workshops, lectures and symposiums that the T.R.U.S.T. offers, both members and non-members alike can appreciate and enjoy the Yoga classes offered and the Health Fair held each year at SQ. In addition, the group sponsors Anger Management workshops, a class on Mental Health, Cultural Concerts, and the Richmond Project-Violence Prevention; which brings community members and leaders to meet with prisoners in an attempt to resolve issues of violence in the community. The men of the Richmond Project group are also working to create a curriculum for re-entry.
Since the T.R.U.S.T. became an organization in SQ in 2003, they have graduated 84 men through the program. The group meets in the Inter-Faith Chapel Thursday afternoons from 2:30-5:00. It is open to all men with one over-riding qualification; a desire for change in their lives. The T.R.U.S.T. is now a part of the STAND-UP program utilized in H-Unit. Sign-ups for the program will soon be posted in each of the H-Unit dorms and North Block late February.
Contributing writers RAPAEL CALIX & MICHAEL R. HARRIS
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