San Quentin Rehabilitation Center’s California Reentry Program merged with the nonprofit organization Bonafide and are now building lives together.

For more than 20 years, CRP has helped residents at San Quentin with the pre-parole process. By officially merging with Bonafide, the new consolidated mission is to assist incarcerated individuals in every prison across the state.

“Our program is unique because our clients get one-on-one time with advisors,” said Bonafide Program Manager Sofia Murillo.

Through the Bonafide program, incarcerated people meet outside advisors who can help them with the pre-parole process and make plans for reentry back into society.

Regardless of whether an individual has a determinate or indeterminate sentence, Bonafide helps people take the necessary, tangible steps toward life outside the walls of prison.

Bonafide advisory services include reviewing parole packets and helping clients strengthen potential weaknesses to present the best version of themselves at the hearing.

Advisors help clients with employment, child support information, government assistance, general health, housing, vocational training, substance abuse treatment, higher education, Social Security card application, DMV, and many other post-release support options.

According to Murillo, Bonafide founder David Cohen is a former lifer who spent time at San Quentin.

“David knows what it’s like to come out after 20 years of incarceration,” Murillo said. “The world is moving fast, technology is moving faster, our goal is to help navigate people through those challenges.”

Murillo’s passion for helping the incarcerated came from the love she has for her brother who served decades of a life sentence before his release.

Throughout the years of visiting her brother at multiple prisons, Murillo gained insight on how to navigate the complexities of getting him out. She said once her brother paroled it was hard to leave others behind. Murillo added, “I think that’s the same for everybody here at Bonafide, we do the work because we know how challenging it is.”

Murillo said 90% of the people who work for the program are former lifers and the goal of the merger is to reach clients on a massive scale.

Bonafide is working with CDCR to gain access to more technology, which will in turn lead to helping more people.

San Quentin resident Vernon Evans is a Bonafide volunteer who also helps facilitate the Dialect Behavioral Therapy Program. He said a lot of incarcerated people have done the work needed to be eligible for parole. However, due to the stress and anxiety that comes with being in the board room, many struggle emotionally and misrepresent themselves at the hearing.

“We strive to help the population by teaching them the tools to manage their emotions so they can clearly articulate the work they’ve done,” Evans said.

He explained that Bonafide holds mock board hearings, and the people that act as commissioners are actually board attorneys who understand how the board room operates. Evans added, “This gives a level of authenticity to what is going to happen at the board hearing.”

Lily Logan is a Bonafide volunteer advisor who helps people prepare parole board hearing packets. She found the program by volunteering at other prisons. After shadowing a few advisors at San Quentin, she now assists clients in establishing short- and long-term goals. 

“I started volunteering here because I wanted to make more of an impact towards reentry,” Logan said.

Outside advisor Emily S. has worked with San Quentin residents since 2017. Her goal is to help folks prepare for the Board and a successful transition back into the community. “It’s a little bit of everything. I help people from where they’re at,” Emily said.

After helping SQ resident Jose Fajaro, 45, prepare for his parole board hearing, Emily is using her experience to help him navigate a recent five-year denial.

“It’s important to focus on the last 10 pages of the transcripts,” Emily said. “That’s where you can find the recipe for success.”

She explained the report will show the areas that are lacking, and where a person should focus their energy to present well at the next hearing.

Emily advises clients not to concentrate on the outcome of the hearing but to focus on the work. She said, “Keep focusing on how to make amends, continue taking accountability and always ask yourself, ‘How am I improving myself to be a better person.’”

Steering incarcerated people toward and through the gates of freedom, CRP’s merger with Bonafide is helping the nonprofit organization have a larger impact on prison populations across the state.