‘Should we bear the burden of our past when our present has been involved in fixing the future?’ Lewis Conway Jr., a formerly incarcerated man, is challenging disenfranchisement by running for public office in Austin, Texas. “We want people with arrests and convictions to engage in the democratic process,” Bill Cobb, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Campaign for Smart Justice, said in an article by Jordan Smith for theintercept.com “Lewis has dedicated his life not only to serving his community, but specifically to … [Read more...] about Running from the prison cell to public office
San Quentin Kings recruit new talent
The talent and hustle displayed during full-court scrimmage basketball games helped coaches of the San Quentin Kings decide who will replace players leaving the prison. “We need to improve in all areas,” Orlando Harris, the King’s head coach, said. “I think one recruit can help.” The Kings lost several post-up players, who left on parole or transfers, including J. “Mailman” Ratchford (transferred) and Julio Saca (paroled). They also lost shooting guard Aubra-Lamont “Coocoo” McNeel, who paroled. Trevor Woods showed he could fill their shoes … [Read more...] about San Quentin Kings recruit new talent
Formerly incarcerated man helping others on parole
While serving a life sentence, Nighiep Ke Lam promised to help restore the community. Now on parole, despite several struggles, he is keeping that promise. Lam overcame incarceration, deportation, the daily struggle, and other barriers the formerly incarcerated face, to become an Asian Prisoners Support Committee (APSC) reentry coordinator. He helps people acclimate back into society after years of incarceration. “The ability to look back and help those who are going through that struggle helps me find some healing in my own life,” Lam … [Read more...] about Formerly incarcerated man helping others on parole
Innovadora alternativa para sancionar la violencia doméstica
En la prisión de San Quentin se llevó a cabo un simposio de la Justicia Restaurativa, en la cual los voceros expresaron que el perdón es un elemento esencial para sanar del abuso y llegar a tener éxito en la vida. Igualmente se abordó el tema de las demandas legales como una alternativa para no imponer sentencias que lleven a una persona a la prisión. La invitada Tracy Sovereign habló de como perdonó a su padre abusivo quien nunca se disculpó. Después participó Esquire Tia Katrina Tarue Canlas quien está a favor de demandar a hombres que … [Read more...] about Innovadora alternativa para sancionar la violencia doméstica
Redeveloping broken relationships with Restorative Justice
You can restore broken relationships no matter how shattered they are, several speakers said at a Restorative Justice forum at San Quentin prison. The first speaker, Robin Petersen, with faith that the Divine would guide her on what to say, stood before a podium with a statue representing Jesus hanging from a plain cross between two 42-inch flat-screens in the background, and addressed the crowd of guests and incarcerated people. Petersen, inside a men’s prison for the first time, talked on the theme of the March 3 event—restoring … [Read more...] about Redeveloping broken relationships with Restorative Justice
Opinion: Inmate consumers say some tennis shoes worthless
Inmate consumers have reported that two sneakers sold through prison package vendors were poorly made and not worth their hard-earned money – Phat Farm Prism from Access SecurePak and Air Jordan 12 Retros from Just Right Packages. Phat Farm Prism has a design flaw that causes mere walking to crack open the bottom of the “court shoes,” according to five different inmates who bought the shoes. The sneakers have a hollow area between the rubber bottom and its interior cushion making stepping on a pebble likely to poke a hole in the sole. The … [Read more...] about Opinion: Inmate consumers say some tennis shoes worthless
California aims to restore the right to vote for felons
California is joining the nationwide trend aimed at restoring the right to vote to convicted felons. A nonprofit called Initiate Justice is seeking support for the Restore Democracy Act, which would restore voting rights to everyone incarcerated and on parole in California. If it gets enough signatures to get on the ballot and is passed by the voters in this November’s election, it would restore voting rights to approximately 162,000 Californians, according to Initiate Justice founder Taina Vargas-Edmund. The petition needs to obtain more … [Read more...] about California aims to restore the right to vote for felons
ROOTS graduates learn inter-generational trauma
The audience cried and laughed with recent graduates of the Restoring Our Original True Selves (ROOTS) program as they told stories of healing generations of intergenerational trauma and jokes. “For a lot of groups coming from refugee and war-torn situations that have strong disconnections with the generations before them, intergeneration trauma is definitely one of the keys to healing,” ROOTS Facilitator Roger “The Professor” Chung said. ROOTS is an Asian Pacific Islander culture awareness group that focuses on teaching intergenerational … [Read more...] about ROOTS graduates learn inter-generational trauma
The Religion of Sports reaches behind the wall
Sports is a religion according to Tom Brady, Michael Strahan and the other producers of The Religion of Sports TV series. On Jan. 9, The Religion of Sports screened an episode at San Quentin featuring Forty-Niner Pastor Earl Smith, formerly incarcerated legends like Marvin Mutch, current San Quentin A’s players and their families. The documentary, produced by NFL icons Brady and Strahan (who didn’t attend but sent best wishes) along with Gotham Chopra, Chris Uttwiller, Gattanella and Giselle Parets, makes the case that sports is a … [Read more...] about The Religion of Sports reaches behind the wall
Javier Stuaring brings victims and offenders together
Javier Stuaring organizes healing dialogues between families of people who have a loved one murdered with families of loved ones serving life sentences for murder. He wants to see the criminal justice system changed to incorporate the healing needs of both families. “Our current system over-relies on punishment,” said Stuaring, the executive director of Healing Dialogue and Action. “We have a justice system where a crime occurs, we punish them and that’s it. That really just continues the cycle of hurt and pain.” He told a story about a … [Read more...] about Javier Stuaring brings victims and offenders together