San Quentin News

Written By Incarcerated - Advancing Social Justice

The Incarcerated Deaf Have Extra Challenges

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A new community of deaf people has finally arrived at San Quentin Prison.

After battles in the courts and multiple fights contesting the ability of the deaf to function on non-handicapped prison yards, officials have conceded that deaf people may attend the programs that they desire, said one ex-prison official.

“I love the environment and everybody spoke to me,” said new resident Dubose Scarborough through the translation of a San Quentin resident who is fluent in sign language. Scarborough is here from Corcoran State Prison with four years left in his prison term. He wants to do the vocational programs most of all.

 During a tour of the facility, nine deaf people sat in the San Quentin News office in their green vests, looking at their surroundings and asking good questions. Although the incarcerated person who was giving the tour was a skilled veteran of sign language, it was a challenge for him to keep up with the barrage of questions and answers.

“I taught sign at Lancaster prison where I was able to relay messages of change from gang members and testimony from youngsters on peer pressure and choices,” said translator Tommy Wickerd. “So doing this is a pleasure.” 

American Sign Language (ASL) has been around for decades, but not in San Quentin’s level II facility.

At other prisons the deaf may be subjected to harsher treatment from other incarcerated people and/or prison staff.

“Deaf people may serve longer prison terms than their hearing counterparts because they are not able to equally access educational and rehabilitative programming,” said Prison Legal Office attorney Rita Lomio in an earlier interview.

There are almost 100 programs at San Quentin and they are available to everyone who wants to apply. However, being deaf can be a challenge when trying to get into some of them, even though the U.S. Department of Justice Analysis set regulations requiring all jails, correctional facilities and detention centers to provide services that meet the needs of deaf people so they may participate in programs in any place.

When the deaf population arrived, they wanted to know if there was a designated place for them to hang out on the yard. With the help of the officials they were given a specific place.

Other challenges deaf people may face are the numerous alarms that sound off during the day at San Quentin. When the men hear them, they must get down on the ground. Fortunately, the residents at San Quentin are being considerate of the needs of the deaf population.

Scarborough wanted to know about the newspaper and that led to a conversation about its history. New deaf resident Scott Roberson sat quietly and observed, only nodding and suggesting with gestures of his hands.

Deaf San Quentin resident Joshua Lovett is able to speak in a regular fashion and he translates for other deaf residents. He relayed a statement from the only trans female in the deaf group who prefers the pronoun she, Charles “Cristina” Toste. It is her first time in prison, but she feels welcomed in San Quentin as she is. She asked, in humorous fashion, “Are you guys enjoying watching us? And how do y’all accept trans people here?” Men on the news staff addressed the question: There are many trans individuals at the prison now and they have adapted to the community.

She then asked if it was a challenge for the non-disabled, if they found it hard to communicate with those who are deaf, and how the deaf are accommodated.

The American Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that the deaf be treated equally to those without disabilities. An example is phone calls: during the hours of phone use, TDD and telecommunication devices must be available to deaf persons.

It’s no surprise to see that these unique individuals are happy to be inside this new prison environment. The smiles were evident.

There are currently almost 100 deaf inmates within CDCR. A majority are currently housed in the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF). According to prisoner rights advocates, housing these inmates at SATF makes it difficult to provide them with needed interpretation services.

Don Specter, Director of the Prison Law Office, wrote to Ralph M. Diaz, Secretary of CDCR, noting that housing deaf people at San Quentin will allow them to “have improved access to interpretation services; to more and varied programs, services, and activities; to community groups familiar with their needs.”

After translating for the crew, Wickerd felt exhausted. However, he was excited and looked forward to going back to his cell and communicating with his new, deaf celly. “The trippy part about having this particular deaf celly,” said Wickerd, “is that his name is Chris and he looks just like my brother, too.”

The Early Warnings Of a Prison Pandemic

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Timothy Hicks wrote the following article well before the COVID-19 pandemic hit San Quentin. It foretells the disaster that would unfold at prisons generally and at San Quentin in particular.

The Corona Virus has hit the U.S., prompting a fear is that it may hit prisons, with many questioning its possible impact.

“Given the volume of incarcerated people in America, the conditions under which they are detained, and the current spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, there is every reason to question whether American detention facilities, as a whole, are up to the challenge,” said Nina J. Ginsberg, the president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

According to Business Insider, the US prison and jail systems have more than two million people incarcerated.

“They’re unique because these people are in tight confines, often tightly packed,” said Dr. Burton Bentley II, emergency medical physician and founder of the consulting firm Elite Medical Experts.

The respiratory virus has sickened almost 100,000 people worldwide, reported the Marshall Project. Almost 5000 people have died so far with many of the initial deaths in Wuhan, China where the virus originated.

At San Quentin, prison officials are taking preventive measures to stop the virus from spreading into the prison from the outside. They have shut down the visiting room at the prison, as well as all the volunteer-led programs.

“I’m going to miss my wife,” said Arthur D. Jackson. “But, she understands why they would do that, because if it got in here in this close environment it would spread like wildfire. Although, I am conflicted and I miss my wife I do understand and I know it is for the best,” said Jackson.

Earlier, college classes within the prison closed down because of the coronavirus.

“It’s disheartening,” said Jackson, who works as the main clerk for Mt. Tamalpais College   (formally known as Patten College.) “It’s going to stagnate a lot of guys’ programs and put their education on hold. Some people are working on their A.A. degrees and earning credits that can reduce their time they spend in prison.”

“The suspension is a hiccup but I really commend the college staff for making that move to suspend its program voluntarily. It shows how much they really care for us in this community in prison,” Jackson added.

According to local news agencies, schools and other social gathering places were recently shut down and those elderly and most vulnerable to the virus were advised to stay home. Now, everyone in the six Bay Area counties has been told to “shelter in place.” Only those in the most essential services will continue to go to their workplaces.

“There is no way to stop it in prison,” said Don Specter, executive director of the Prison Law Office. Specter has been briefed by correctional officials on plans how to handle the COVID – 19 behind bars. This theory is based on protocols on how the prison system handled the flu virus.

In China, the prisons have become a hotbed for the new coronavirus, reported the Business Insider. Iran has already had outbreaks in their prisons of the Covid-19 virus.

According to a Prison Policy Initiative report, some of the considerations to combat the coronavirus:

Release medically fragile and older adults from prisons and jails. Those with complex medical needs are more than likely to be affected. That will reduce the need of care for those who have chronic illnesses. It will also help prevent them from being infected by viral infections like COVID-19. Iran has already given temporary leaves to a quarter of its prison population, said the report.

Other solutions the report lists: Lowering jail admissions to reduce “jail churns.” To reduce the churns some state leaders are re-classifying misdemeanor offenses, reducing parole or probation meetings and even eliminating parole and probation revocations for technical violations altogether.

A joint statement by 31 elected prosecutors from jurisdictions throughout the US supports such changes and also advocates for immediately releasing those who are within six months of finishing their sentences, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Meanwhile, Yale School of Public Health epidemiologist Gregg Gonsalves blames the prisons for having many issues that are hazardous. “Prisons throw people into the paths of epidemics, whether it is TB or HIV or corona virus, said Gonsalves.”  He continued, “People without proper ventilation is a perfect breeding ground for quick transmission of any respiratory virus.”  

People who are incarcerated do have health care, but he doubts that it is adequate. “Prison healthcare isn’t what it should be,” said Gonslaves. “The question is whether the U.S., state and local correctional facilities are up to the task of preventing infections and whether they have necessary resources to care for the sick, and I’m not sure they are up to the task.”

Nearly 15,000 meals per day served at San Quentin with a special touch

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Correctional Food Manager II. (CFM) Martha Garcia

San Quentin’s newest food manager says in a predominately-male prison, it takes a woman’s touch to balance out the population, especially when it comes to food.

“I worked with men and around men my entire career,” said Martha Garcia, Correctional Food Manager II.https://www.calhr.ca.gov/state-hr-professionals/Pages/5480.aspx (CFM). “So it’s no big deal to be a woman in charge of a situation like this. This is not my first rodeo,” she adds with a big smile.

Known as the “Big Boss” by her nine staff members, Garcia and her crew are responsible for feeding nearly 5,000 men at San Quentin Prison three times a day, 365 days a year.

Garcia says her love of cooking began at home but evolved into a passion to cook for the public. Her first gig was teaching young adults how to cook in a state funded program. She has worked in restaurants and participated in cooking clubs. She also has experience in catering. Her first job in a prison was at Salinas Valley State Prison,https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/svsp/ Level IV.

She rose through the ranks over the years as a cook in several other prisons, Tehachapi State Prison, Old Folsom Prison and California State Prison,(CSP) Sacramento just to name a few. It was at CSP that she wanted to make a difference in the diet for the older incarcerated men.

“I always loved food,” Garcia said compassionately, “I always want to put the best food forward. I saw a lot of older men getting sicker, and I wanted to change the medical condition.”

Garcia came to San Quentin over a year ago because she liked its historic relevancy. When she arrived, she estimates the kitchen was under staffed by at least 50 %. Since she became Food Manager, the food and services have improved.

“When she came here the breakfast eggs changed for the better,” said part time incarcerated kitchen worker Maurice Reed. “Yeah the eggs are cooked better now. In fact, breakfast, lunch and dinner got better. Lunches got them granola bars in them and fresh veggies and the food is good at least 3 times a week now. I miss the real catfish for dinner; I cannot wait to have that again. The only thing I can say that I wish would happen is that it be more consistent.”

Reed has been at San Quentin for almost 8 years now and he said he definitely has seen the food change for the better.

Garcia added new meals and a variety of foods, such as fresh yogurts, puddings, tangerines and chocolate milk.

The lunches are bagged with treats such as granola bars and BBQ potato chips. Dinner meals on Fridays are not the usual processed breaded fish. The men in blue now dine on real fried catfish and potato wedges, (fish and chips). One recent Friday meal was chicken covered pizza.

Although Garcia loves cooking for the men-in-blue, her other main concern is the staff. At the sound of an alarm, she is quick to make sure her staff is okay.

She oversees day-to-day operations from her office. However, that is not where you’d find her most of the time. She is usually helping her, “overly strained and over worked,” staffers with their duties.

“She is doing an exceptional job,” said five-year veteran Supervisor Correctional Cook, (SCC) I. Sapao.

Sapao is usually the morning supervisor but is working the night shift due to a staff shortage.

“I never seen a manager who helps out, but she helps,” she said.

From unloading the trucks on the dock, to the preparation of the food, Garcia is involved in it all.

“I remember my humble beginnings,” Garcia said, “To deal with people you have to be a people person. You have to have a sense of humor and be a little quirky. Just because you’re here (in prison) don’t mean that you have to be down.”

She added, “I learned that it’s important to respect people and incarcerated men have always showed me respect.”

Garcia gets along with people she works with—free staff and men in blue alike.

“I never had a problem with her, and she is always easy to communicate with,” said two-year incarcerated worker Jose Ledesma. “She never gives us problems, and she is just a good food manager. She’s the same every day.”

The men in blue receive fresh whole veggies and fruit daily. Garcia credits the previous food manager for that. However, she smiles while she takes the credit for adding all of the “crazy ones,” like red bell peppers and squash.

Not everyone likes all of Garcia’s changes.

“Only complaint I received so far is that I put too much spice in the food or too many onions or something of that nature,” Garcia smiles modestly.

The gratitude form the San Quentin residents have not gone unnoticed.

“I really appreciate the addition of the yogurt,” said San Quentin resident Stu Ross.

San Quentin gets about $5.4 million annually according to Garcia, which is spent quarterly to provide food for the prison. Prison officials in Sacramento create diet meals and issue the budget that Garcia has to follow. She stays within budget by searching the internet for the bargains.

“I’m a foodie,” said Garcia, “I don’t believe that you need all that expensive stuff to have a good meal. I work toward the goal of having a palatable meal. Plus, I look for deals that will provide opportunity to save money plus provide a good meal.”

Funding for higher education in prison

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Incarcerated men and women seeking a college education face challenges due to funding restraints, a new report finds.

Funding for incarcerated college students stalled when the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act was enacted in 1994 and eliminated federally funded Pell grants. Student enrollments dropped 44% in one year, and 20 states reduced college courses.

The report, ITHAKA S+R (Unbarring Access) found that Pell grants cover a small percentage of incarcerated college students. The numbers could be dropping even lower.

Some prisons prioritize access to higher education based on the amount of time that person has left on his or her sentence.

Several barriers also hinder efficient higher education:

• Write ups, (Prison infractions)

• No GED or High school diploma

• Age

• Crime and conviction

• Tab test

• Length of incarceration

• No U.S. citizen and

social security number

• No one receives a Second Chance Pell grant if the applicant has any government loans in default or has not registered for Selective Service.

• Funds are suspended if the incarcerated student is convicted for the sale or use of illegal drugs.

The report said prison education programs use a “carrot for good behavior,” an incentive for those incarcerated who “behave the best.”

Despite push back from correctional officers, the report found programs have awarded thousands of Associate, Bachelor’s and even Master’s degrees across the nation since 1972.

Coalition for Social Justice graduates 17 participants

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Karen Lovaas, PhD, the program coordinator of Coalition for Social Justice saw 17 of her 21 participants graduate from its sixth cycle on Feb. 12, in the ARC Building in San Quentin.

“The primary goal of the group is to help develop community leaders who deal with criminal behavior from a perspective of social justice and transformation,” Lovaas said, explaining the mission of the group.

“I learn more in here about justice than I do on the outside,” said Lovaas about her graduates.

Lovaas teaches The Rhetoric of Criminality and Punishments at San Francisco State University. She has been involved in American studies for 16 years, and she loves to share the prison experience with her students, she said.

“When I bring my students from the outside in here to see the men in class, it has a profound effect on the kids when talking about justice from the guys’ [perspective] on the inside,” said Lovaas.

Although, coming inside prison has a joy to it for the kids, said Lovaas, it also is a heartbreaking one for the kids having to leave the men behind.

“Amazing how characters are missed from the outside world,” Lovaas said. “It’s magical how communities form in different ways.”

I takes four months to graduate, and the men form close bonds in that time.

“It’s beautiful how a group of strangers can form a community like this,” said chairman and facilitator Royse Rose, 44, referencing Lovaas’ statement. “How are you gonna want justice if you never say anything about the injustices you go through?” Rose told the men.

Rose has been facilitating the group since 2014, and he said it is an honor to give back and see the light of knowledge turning on for the men who get it. To give back is his greatest pleasure, he said.

A graduate who shares the same joy as Rose is Jamar Henry,40.

“I’m excited to be graduating, and I plan to take the knowledge I learned in this class out on the streets with me when I parole in eight years,” said Henry.

He is incarcerated for great bodily injury and said that the class has helped him see life more clearly now.

Third session volunteer Mary O’Sullivan has been coming to the prison for a year and a half. She called the ceremony “sweet” and said in response to Henry, “The world needs people like you who really know the system to be out there and guide the lawmakers to just laws.”

During the passing out of certificates it is customary for each graduate to speak.

First time graduate Chase Washington, known as the class joker, made light of the times when he spent many days in jail.

“My mama used to always tell me that a hard head makes a soft ass,” Washing- ton said. “Well, my ass is cot- ton right now.”

The intimate crowd burst into laughter.

Other graduates Reese Rackley, 23, and Arthur Freeman, 39, are excited to find out how the law really works and are enthusiastic to go back to their communities to help make them better.

“I want my son Malik Freeman, who is in prison at Susanville, to see me graduating,” said Freeman. “I want him to know that education is the best route. I want him to be a better example for his little brothers and sisters.”

When it was time for spon- sor Nate Moore to speak, he kept it direct and to the point.

“Keep doing what you do- ing and get free.”

Moore has been volun- teering in the prison for seven years.

Mentors and facilitators congratulated the men and shared their sentiments for the graduates.

“The men grew into a co- hesive crew of a community,”

said facilitator Aron Roy. The purpose of the group is to learn more than law, said mentor Eric Crutcher,46. “I’ve been a mentor for seven years, and I learned about many different justices,” said Crutcher. “I saw this class save so many lives. I also helped a kid get off drugs, and to me that’s priceless.” Coalition for Social Justice provides reentry services for returning citizens, and Lovaas recommends men who are returning to contact the organization Bonifide.

Coalition for Social Justice Graduates:

Graduates: Patrick Bellard, Jesse Blue, Matthew Brown Lll, Authur Freeman, Jon Golberg, Mario Gomez, Harry Goodall , Angelo Green De, Jamar Henry, Dejon Joy, Christopher Miranda, Wayne Mobley, Don Nicora, Reese Rackley, Vincent Rivera, Jasjit Singh, Ivan Staich, Jake Stebler, Curtis Thiessen, Clenard Wade and Chase Washington

Facilitators: Royce Rose, Phillippe Kelly, Bennett Alan, Aron Roy, Adamu Chan, Authur Jackson
Mentors: Ronald Carter, Eric Crutcher, Elton Kelly, John “Yahya” Parratt, Charles Ross

SQN Johnson earns first Master’s Degree in 10 years

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Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson

Striving for a good education has its challenges for anyone, but for incarcerated students those trials and tribulations are greater. However, one incarcerated man has persevered and has become the first student to earn a Master’s of Business and Administration (MBA) degree at San Quentin State Prison in almost a decade.

Michael Johnson, 37, earned his MBA with an emphasis in “Leadership” from Adams State University of Colorado, where the motto is “Great stories start here!”

“He is the first guy to receive that level of a degree since I started overseeing the education department in 2013,” said Michael Wheeless, the principal of San Quentin’s education department. Wheeless is in charge of handling educational tasks and the overall education responsibilities, plus keeping track of who receives AA degrees and BA degrees.

There are other outside correspondence colleges active at San Quentin, as well as the Prison University Project that offers face-to-face classes and awards Associate Degrees upon graduation.

“For an incarcerated person to achieve any accomplishment in education is remarkable,” Wheeless said.

“Since Proposition 57 was implemented in November of 2016, there have been plenty of instances when inmates have earned time off their sentences for achieving AA and BA degrees, but this is the first time under the San Quentin rules of Prop.57 that I’ve seen a Master’s earned.”

Smiling while leaning back in his chair and beaming proudly, Wheeless continued,

“I’m impressed with Mr. Johnson’s educational achievement, at having earned an MBA degree while incarcerated. It means even more to have earned it while in prison rather than being on the streets.”

However, Johnson is modest about earning the MBA during his prison stay. Although he received his bachelor’s degree while at another prison, the challenges there were much greater to overcome.

“I treated my prison time as if I was away at college,” Johnson said, “I did my time and did not allow the time to do me.”

Johnson took such courses as Managerial Accounting and Business Management along with a laundry list of other business classes– and emerged triumphant.

He maintained a 3.86 grade point average, earning “A’s” and “B’s,” grades that he could not imagine earning back in Woodland, California where he was born.

“When I was in the fourth grade I could not even read; I was like in what they call, “slow learning classes,” said Johnson. He was a late starter and said that he actually started learning after he got to high school.

“I was determined to learn, though,” said Johnson.

Other SQ residents stopped by to congratulate Johnson even during this interview, but he modestly accepts compliments on his achievements from his peers. His wish is that he can encourage other guys in prison to pursue their dreams like he did.

Johnson understands the challenges an incarcerated person can face while in prison. During his humbling six year prison experience, Johnson was not always on the right path to education. It was a life-altering experience with a family member that sparked his desire of higher learning.

“My first year in prison my grandmother passed away,” Johnson recalls, “Her name was Mary Rita Moncrif. She was my inspiration to do better. She raised me and when she passed, it pained me that I could not be there for the funeral.”

He somberly sank back in his seat at the memory. So, in honor of her memory, Johnson wanted to do something that would make his grandmother proud of him. For Johnson, education was the best way to show his appreciation to his grandmother for raising him.

Throughout his life, Johnson has been familiar with loss in many other situations. Due to alcoholism he lost his wife and other assets. “Now I know how to appreciate the things that really matter in life, like family and loved ones, not the material things, the superficial things.”

He credits his Aunt Elizabeth for supporting him financially and helping him achieve his education goals.

“Feels good to be the first one to achieve this milestone at San Quentin,” Johnson said.. “I encourage other guys to go ahead and do it, too.

“If the government would focus more on education instead of just locking people up, I believe that would help communities out there a lot better.”

Nevada introducing bill for the formerly incarcerated to vote

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Nevada Democratic Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson is introducing a new bill that would restore voting rights to formerly incarcerated men and women.

According to The Nevada Independent, the 90,000 Nevadans who were not able to vote in the 2016 election because of their prior convictions may now have the right to vote in the upcoming election in 2020.

“I believe when we have folks involved in the criminal justice system and expect them to reintegrate into society, there is, especially in this day and time, no better way to motivate someone to stick to the rules, to comply with societal norms, than to allow them to participate in the electoral process,” said Frierson.

The Independent notes that, before 2003, all those with felony convictions in the state of Nevada could not serve on juries or vote unless they individually petitioned the Department of Public Safety or were granted a pardon.

In 2003, lawmakers approved a bill allowing for the automatic restoration of voting rights for most people convicted of a felony. According to The Independent, the law included a few exemptions including whether the person had an honorable discharge from parole or probation and whether the person had committed a category A felony or certain types of category B felonies.

According to the article, former Gov. Brian Sandoval vetoed a 2011 bill that would have automatically restored the voting rights to any person upon release from prison. Instead, he signed AB181 into law in 2017, restoring voting rights to individuals convicted of a nonviolent Category B felony or lesser felony charge or was dishonorably discharged from parole or probation. The bill also retroactively restored civil rights such as jury services and voting rights to anyone released from prison or discharged from parole or probation prior to Oct. 1, 2017.

The article said that the 2017 bill did not apply to individuals convicted of multiple felonies. Category B and Category A felonies would not meet the criteria. That law took effect in January and was not in place prior to the 2018 midterm elections.

Felonies in Nevada are categorized from A to E with Category A being the most severe and subject to the most punitive punishments.

According to the article, Frierson’s bill would automatically restore the voting rights to any person regard- less of the severity of their crimes. Likewise, the bill would almost instantaneously restore the rights to vote for any person released from prison living in Nevada, even if they had not served time in the state or were released prior to the passage of the bill.

“We don’t have thrown away citizens,” Frierson said. “We believe in second chances in my opinion. The spirit behind the existing law came from a period where we threw away citizens, where we didn’t value everyone’s input, and it was only those who had the wherewithal to fully participate that were able to do so.”

Few Republicans have shown their support of the bill. Senator Keith Pickard and former Assemblyman Paul Anderson were the only two Republicans who supported the 2017 legislation.

Other states are also making adjustments to their laws to allow felons the right to vote, while others never even took felons’ voting rights away to begin with. Nearly 65% of Florida voters approved a 2018 ballot measure automatically restoring the right to vote for any person with a prior felony conviction upon their release from prison, except for murder or sexual offenses.

Oklahoma initiates new parole reforms

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Oklahoma recently began a new way to parole inmates in its prison system.

In 2018, the Legislature approved House Bill 2286 among a host of criminal justice reform measures, reported the Oklahoma Watch.

They established it as what they called administrative parole, rather than the traditional way of paroling, according to the article.

“If you meet the five statutory requirements, we skip that part,” said Justin Wolfe, general counsel for the Pardon and Parole Board. Wolfe is referring to the process where inmates have had to appear in front of the board and then undergo a pre-review investigation before the board members approve them. The new “truncated” parole process cuts out those two parts, said the article.

Eligible inmates must have served one-quarter to one- third of their sentences, and they must be “substantially compliant” with Department of Corrections case plans, the Oklahoma Watch said.

Oklahoma has standard requirements that are similar to those implemented by California’s Proposition 57 in 2017. Proposition 57, which was passed by California voters in 2016, allows California inmates to earn good time credits that will shorten their prison or jail time by significant margins. Both nonviolent and violent offenders capitalize on the bills.

Oklahoma’s bill took effect on Nov. 1, 2018, and a list of eligible inmates was recommended to the board the following month. The initial list of 138 was eventually reduced to 74.

The board approved one- third of nonviolent offenders in Oklahoma in 2018, an increase from the 27% approved two years prior.

The new approach is draw- ing skepticism from criminal justice policy analysts on whether it will work or not. Damion Shade, an analyst with the Oklahoma Policy Institute, is taking a “wait- and-see” approach, said the article.

“I think the biggest issue with the administrative pa- role part of the process is that it began in November of last year…Those individuals who came into the system before November 1 don’t have ac- cess to the remedy of administrative parole,” Shade said.

Wolfe disagrees. Unlike California’s Prop. 57, the administrative parole of Oklahoma is retroactive. This means that the time inmates served before the law went into effect would count toward eligibility, he said.

71 year old breaks new record in rainy three-mile race

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Mike Keeyes, 71, the oldest 1000 Mile Club, runner ran three miles in 21 minutes and 40 seconds
Mike Keeyes, 71, the oldest 1000 Mile Club, runner ran three miles in 21 minutes and 40 seconds

Despite the torturous weather conditions on Feb. 15, Markelle Taylor, who was fighting off a cold, still managed to come only 27 seconds short of beating his own record. He had a finish time of 17:14 on the 3 mile (5k) run that the 1000 Mile running club hosts annually.

“Even though I run because it’s therapeutic, I dedicate this run to my daughter, who has lupus,” Taylor said. “I hope to not only race in prison but I want to represent the men in blue and go race in the Boston marathon, if I get released.”

The 1000 Mile Club prepares the runners for the SQ marathon, held at the end of the year, by gradually increasing the miles each meet, starting at one mile. There have been 12 marathons thus far.

Commitment is what it takes. Last year’s newcomer Fidelio Marin gave Markelle “The Gazelle” Taylor a run for his money but came in second place with a completion time of 19:01.

For the 5K race, the storm beat down on the runners as they strived through the rain and light thunder.

Assistant coach Jim Morris, 70, is an ex-marine biologist. He advised the runners: “Don’t blast too fast; take it slow and keep an even pace and especially watch out for slippery spots.”

But last year’s ankle problem did not stop veteran Chris Scull from stomping through and taking third place. Time: 19:31.

Starting at a moderate pace, Jonathan Chiu suddenly got a burst of energy and took a leading stride past Steven Brooks and flowed through the finish line placing fourth, with Brooks graciously taking fifth place. Michael Ybarra took sixth while veteran Tommy Wickerd settled for seventh.

“I was just expecting to finish and not slip and get hurt again,” said Wickerd after recovering from a knee injury last year. “Here we have the option to program and make good choices, and running keeps me away from the negative influences.” He was referring to his 17 years of being sober and away from gangs.

Michael Keeyes, 71, set a new San Quentin 3-mile-race 70+ record, finishing eighth. Bruce Wells came in ninth, John Levin took tenth, and Ismael Altamirano finished in 11th place.

Moua Vue took 12th place. Vue started running last year; he joined through a commitment that he made to a friend. He began by running short distances to build up his stamina. “Training does matter,” he said. “I was gonna set a goal and break a record, be- coming faster and faster than my last time. This race I just want to do well.”

Michael Johnson took 13th.

Although the track was muddy and the rain—and even hail, at times—was sporadically beating down, Coach Frank admonished the runners to run a comfortable race because he is not taking excuses.

First timer Ben Tobin, 30, said, “Markelle ‘The Gazelle’ inspired me to participate. It’s amazing to see his level of focus. I never ran long distance before, and it’s a new adventure for me. I want to prove to myself that through commitment I can get better with time.”

Coach Frank Ruona said that Tobin started out too fast, and that’s why he came in 14th.

The race was completed when the 23rd place was taken by Edward Scott, who caught the end of the pouring winter rain.

Runners & Finish Times
1. Markelle Taylor – 17:43
2. Fidelio Marin – 19:01
3. Chris Scull – 19:31
4. Jonathan Chiu – 20:28
5. Steven Brooks – 21:10
6. Michael Ybarra – 21:21
7. Tommy Wickerd – 21:35
8. Michael Keeyes – 21:40
9. Bruce Wells – 22:10
10. John Levin – 22:13
11. Ismael ALtamirano – 22:22 12. Moua Vue – 22:38
13. Michael Johnson – 23:03 14. Benjamin Tobin – 23:20 15. Nicola Bucci – 24:43
16. Darren Settlemeyer – 24:56 17. Malcolm Jones – 25:53
18. Eric Rives – 25:53
19. Eddie Deweaver – 27:07 20. Al Yaseng – 28:00
21. Ernie Soltero – 28:51
22. Jeery Gearin – 33:32
23. Edward Scott – 19:20

Advocacy group for the incarcerated finds home in Oakland

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An organization established 40 years ago to advocate for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people recently relocated to Oakland, reports Carla Williams on oaklandnorth.net.

“If we don’t protect Oakland, we won’t have an urban community to call our own,” said Dorsey Nunn, executive director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC). He was referring to the fact that Black people now make up only 4 percent of the population in San Francisco.

“We lost San Francisco, but we have the opportunity to do something great here in Oakland,” Nunn said.

LSPC was based in San Francisco until the organization bought a building across the bay as its permanent location.

The organization is staffed with the formerly incarcerated and family members of those who are currently incarcerated. Nunn is also a formerly incarcerated man who served more than 10 years in prison for a robbery/ homicide committed at age 19.

One of the employees, Oscar Flores, said he thinks the reason why the group lasted these 40 years is its power in leadership.

According to Flores, the LSPC answers every letter it receives from inmates. The organization assists inmates with litigation or finds an attorney to help with legal affairs. Flores added that they also help people get information about child custody, divorce and, if people have children, parents or guardians who leave the country, they can help with locating them.

Williams reported that in 2017, the group helped sponsor the bill AB 412 that became law to help protect low-income people who fail to appear in court from a penalty fee that could have charged them more than $300.

“So much history takes place over 40 years,” Director Nunn said. “I think that LSPC is evolving in a good way.”

To celebrate their 40-year anniversary, the organization hosted a sold-out event at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland. Guest speakers at the event included Marc Lamont Hill of BET News, Vonya Quarles of Starting Over, Inc. and Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: MassIncarcerationintheAge of Colorblindness. All three advocate for alternatives to prison and say imprisonment is not the only form of punishment that can be used.

Journalist Hill emphasized, “We’ve got to get rid of this idea that justice means punishment…and for too many of us punishment means confinement.” He continued, “Our ultimate goal can’t be a world where cops get locked up for killing us. It has to be that cops are demilitarized and disarmed so they can’t kill us, so prison does not become our end goal.”

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