As the holidays approach, the hearts of the people in the San Quentin community flood with thankfulness. “Asked on the Line” conducted 61 random informal interviews with the men in blue, group sponsors, and members of the Prison University Project (PUP) and asked them to respond with the first thing that came to their heart and mind: Who is the one person or group of people you are most thankful for having in your life? And, what is the one thing you are most grateful for having?
The number one answer for the first question, for all groups, was “family.”
For the men in blue and group sponsors, the top answers for the first question, in rank order, were:
1. Family. 2. Parents. 3. Friends. 4. Children. 5. Partner or spouse. Other responses included siblings, grandma, chapel or church families, God, Jesus Christ, and fellow inmates. Robert Frye was thankful for the “Catholic Community” and Felix Lucero said he was thankful for “Metallica!”
The top replies for PUP members were as follows:
1. Family. 2. Partner or spouse. 3. Friends. A three-way tie for fourth place went to parents, chosen family, and “peers in education or fellow tutors.” Fifth place was a two-way tie: siblings and mentors. In sixth place for PUP members were children and “rotary friends.”
Almost everyone had a unique answer to the second question, the one “thing” for which they were most grateful, but the top three replies for the men in blue were 1. Health. 2. Life/to be alive. 3. Faith or God.
Dee Winn, Chief Sponsor for the San Quentin T.R.U.S.T., said, “I am thankful for my nuclear and church families, as well as for my mind.”
The top three replies to the second question from PUP members: 1. Health. 2. Education. 3. Opportunities to contribute and/or help.
When it came to the second question, there were some interesting replies. Amy was thankful for “peanut butter,” Julia was thankful for her “prepaid Muni pass” and Sam was grateful for his “orange and blue bicycle!”
Asked on the Line wishes everyone in the San Quentin community and in the world a warm and safe Thanksgiving Holiday! Live long and prosper!
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