Arts – Page 3

Navigating the unexpected: Improv offers critical life skills

June 26, 2019 by Aron Kumar Roy

Teachers and students of Prison University Project’s Improv Class

Roars of laughter filled the classroom as the Prison University Project (PUP) Improv Troupe put on the last of two performances for the spring semester.

The April 19 show was a result of everything that the students learned in the Improv for Life class.

“Everything that you are about to see has not been planned; it has not been rehearsed; it comes from the shoulders, or as we say it, improv,” said SQN staffer, MC Aaron “Showtime” Taylor as he welcomed the crowd.

Improvisations are routines in which groups of performers act out skits without any rehearsal or planning. The direction for the skits comes from scenarios suggested by the audience.

Student Angel Villafan took the improv class after seeing improv shows on TV such as Who’s Line is It Anyway and Me Caigo de la Risa.

“I didn’t really know what to expect. I thought we were just going to act,” Villafan said, “I didn’t know there was a science behind it.”

He enjoyed learning about the six pillars of improv: trust, active listening, spontaneity, presence, storytelling, and accepting offers.

“Improv gave me a chance to practice everything I’ve learned in self-help groups, college, and interactions in prison in a real life set- ting,” Villafan explained. “If you told some guys at other higher level prisons, they wouldn’t believe us. This class is very unique. At any other prison, you couldn’t bring the races together. Now, I can call these guys my brothers”

The premier skit was based on a style of game called Super Scene.

Troupe member Dashawn Nicholson explained the rules: three actors, Mike Moore, Devin Torrance and Jonathan Chiu, would direct the other team members to act out scenes in a fictitious movie with imaginary props. When the Improv troupe decided that the scene was over, they would say, “End Scene.” After each director presented a scenario, the audience voted on their favorite 2 scenes, which they would like to see another act from. After the second round, a winner would be chosen for a third and final scene.

Torrance directed the first act in which Steve Brooks — “the quickest gun in the West”—played the main character in a Western movie. As he walked into a saloon, Aaron Taylor, playing a bartender garnered laughter from the crowd as he said, “We don’t serve your kind around here,” while pouring imaginary drinks. Both men are Black, which made this scene uniquely surprising and light- hearted — given the culture of racial segregation and ten- sion in many prison settings. Sheriff Losdini played by Carlos Meza then stood up on the other side of the saloon with his deputies and told Brooks to leave.

AND SCENE

The next skit was directed by Jonathan Chiu — a super- hero movie in which a main champion, accompanied by his devoted sidekick and a set of Siamese superheroes were all searching for a bad guy to battle. Troupe members Brooks and Shatka were the star actors, playing the Siamese

twins as Jonathan Chiu directed them to stand back to back with their arms interlocked. In the tradition of improv, audience members were encouraged to participate in the form of suggesting topics or even by voting for their favorite scenes, but the whole room was pleasantly surprised, including the PUP Improv Troupe, when audience member George “Mesro” Coles courageously and spontaneously stepped out of the crowd to play the evil su- per villain. Everyone prepared for a battle.

END SCENE

The final act of the first round was Mike Moore’s newsroom scene in which three reporters were creating quirky stories. Michael Moore not only directed the scene, but also played the editor in the newsroom. He asked a writer what their story was about and the reporter re- plied it was about cats in the hood. As the crowd was still laughing, the next reporter explained that his story was about rats in the hood. The chemistry between the performers was evident in their ability to seamlessly develop a story upon each other’s last

line. Moore then suggested that the two writers combine their stories into a story about cats and rats gang banging in the hood.

END SCENE

Nicholson conducted the voting round, during which the crowd cheered the loudest for the Western scene and the superhero scene. He bid goodbye to the story about the reporters in the newsroom.

The actors were taught in class that when a story is voted out, they should say goodbye to the story and not to the person who created it. By doing this, they created a culture that celebrated failure as a learning experience and encouraged their team to try again in the future.

The second round started with Devin’s Western scene.

This time Brooks came back to the saloon with his sidekick Jack so that they could finish off the sheriff and his crew. Both Brooks and Jack rode their imaginary horses to the bar and tied them up outside. The following gunfight had the whole crowd laughing as all of the deputies fell to the ground before Brooks was even seen draw- ing his imaginary gun.

“The fastest gun in the West,” said Brooks. The only people left standing were Sheriff Losdini and Brooks.

END SCENE

Next, Chiu opened up his second scene with the main superhero losing his life in the battle while his dedicated sidekick was crying in distress. The Siamese Superheroes were somehow split up during the battle and the sidekick ended up trying to stick them back together.

END SCENE

The crowd then voted for Chiu’s superhero movie to move on to the third round.

The scene opened with the Siamese Superheroes and the sidekick all somehow getting stuck together. With their backs together and their arms interlocked, they had to keep rotating in a circle to fight the bad guy, who was the main super- hero resurrected from the dead.

END SCENE

The show ended with comments from the audience.

“Now y’all have let me know that all y’all crazy,” said Jack Benford, “It was hella good.”

Wife and husband Elena and Martin Lichtenthaler taught the improvisation class. They are also part of the Berkeley Improv Troupe, where they practice improvisation in their free time. The unexpected duo, from Germany, are both visiting scholars at UC Berkeley, with Martin studying chemistry and Elena study- ing Chinese food politics.

“When attending an improv show, the audience should expect to have a good time, to be surprised, and to experience emotions,” said Elena, “It’s much more than just comedy.”

In the class, they aim to teach the scholars-in-blue improv skills that will benefit them in their everyday lives. These skills include: celebrating risk, building trust, supporting others, failing well, and being generous. The troupe practiced these skills throughout the semester, which gave them the cohesion needed for such an entertaining performance.

“If you can be vulnerable, develop empathy, and fail well; it makes you a better person,” explained Martin, “You don’t have to be funny or witty. Just be present, and I’m confident good things will happen.”

Prison and Jail Tour offers unique insight into incarcerated conditions

June 25, 2019 by lloyd payne

A group of college students got a first-hand, up-close look at the California prison system on a recent tour arranged by a former inmate.

About 20 students from Loyola Marymount University went on the Prison & Jail Tour created by a formerly incarcerated man, Francisco “Franky” Carrillo Jr.

Carrillo was innocent, and he proved it several years ago with the help of the LMU Law Clinic. After obtaining his freedom, Carrillo worked to educate others about the prison industrial complex and mass incarceration.

The 2019 prison tour was organized by Charlye Sweeney and Emma Gibson. For Sweeney, a 21- year-old communications major, the journey was personal. Her father was incarcerated. She had unanswered questions about what the systemic oppression was like for him.

The educational trip started at the California Center for Service & Action – LMU Alternative Breaks program.

LMU Alternative Breaks has a number of trips it coordinates for students. They have the option of taking trips to places like Haiti and Ghana to do humanitarian work combating poverty, hunger and genocide, or visiting jails and prisons.

Growing up, Sweeney heard stories about prison being a distant, unwholesome, crowded and noxious place for people.

They visited the Los Angeles Twin Tower Jail Mental Health Infirmary first. The firsthand account of one officer was tough for Sweeney.

“The officer was just telling us how it’s us versus them, and how he can tell who is mentally ill, and who isn’t,” Sweeney said. “It confirmed what I heard.

“It was horrible to see how people were living in there. It was dehumanizing, and they were not benefiting from being in jail like that.”

Gibson said, “They told us how they checked on them every 15 minutes, but we all felt like what they were saying was odd.”

Sweeney and Gibson reported the sheriff’s deputies explained that past reports of police brutality were not true in the mental health infirmary but happened in Central Booking.

They also visited the Reception Center and general population at the California Institution for Women (CIW).

They spoke to incarcerated peer counselors who assisted other women with anger, substance and drug abuse, education, and other cognitive behavior needs.

At CIW the students met a male guard from Corcoran State Prison. He was contemplating transferring to work at CIW because he said he hated working in the men’s prison. Originally he wanted to be a children’s hospital nurse, according to Sweeney.

“The women’s facility was so different from Corcoran. It’s too different; it doesn’t feel like a prison,” the male guard said, according to Sweeney.

Soledad was the next prison the students visited. Sweeney said the Soledad prison information officer (PIO) said, “You’re going to have a great time at Soledad.” However, Sweeney said they did not get to interact with prisoners.

“I didn’t like that it was super selective,” Sweeney said. “We did not get to see any cells or where they sleep.”

The PIO took them to a prison-based dog program where prisoners train service dogs for disabled people.

“One of the men talked about crying when he had to let his dog go,” Sweeney said. “It’s like your kids— you help them grow, and they grow up, and come back to see you, but the dogs don’t come back.”

San Quentin was the last stop on the prison tour. They went to the Museum, looked at old memorials and learned its history before going inside the prison walls.

Once inside, they were escorted by SQ Lt. Sam Robinson to the Art Building to look at the painting and art of prisoners. There Sweeney met artist La’ Mavis “Shorty” Concoiwilla, who is serving life in prison.

“La’ Mavis’ story touched me, because he told me about how his daughter was sick in the hospital, and he was just trying to take care of his daughter who died,” Sweeney said.

Concoiwilla said, “I told her I wish I had a daughter to call, and get on her nerves, but I can’t. I told her, ‘Her dad’s greatest punishment was not being there with her.’”

The group also visited the SQ Media Center, including the San Quentin News. Sweeney said she felt more open at San Quentin then the other prisons, because the students were able to interact with prisoners and hear their stories without a guard towering over them.

Program helps at risk youth through music

June 25, 2019 by Kevin.Sawyer

John Wallace went to jail and prison19 times, starting at age 18. Then he was sent to San Quentin, where he served two terms and started writing rap lyrics on his last trip there in the prison’s West Block.

An initial opening to a career in music happened by chance when Wallace and other inmates created what he described as a “radio show” called K-FU** Radio in the cell block where they would sing, rap and tell jokes at night. He said it was like comedy night in the cell block, and it inspired him to write music.

“We made the best of our time,” said Wallace, now 41 years old and nearly a decade removed from criminal activity.

Wallace said when he paroled, he experimented with drugs and got involved with gangs and later left both alone. “I didn’t want to come back” (to prison), said Wallace. “I was exhausted and wanted to make some changes.”

When he ran the streets, his family used to tell him he was disgracing himself. But what made him enter recovery was something his daughter said to him on Father’s Day. “I don’t want to bury my father,” she told him.

Feeling humiliated, embarrassed and shame, Wallace decided to deal with his addiction.

Another change came in the form of music. After serving time at California Rehabilitation Center, California Medical Facility- Vacaville, and the ranch at Folsom State Prison, Wallace paroled for the last time in 2008 and discharged from parole in 2011.

John Wallace and David Jassy at SQ media center

Getting out of prison, Wallace said it made him realize his real friends didn’t offer him drugs or try to invite him to commit criminal activity. His good friends, he said, encouraged him to go to school.

Wallace returned to San Quentin in May. But this time he wasn’t wearing prison blues. Dressed in all black attire with red, high-top Timberland boots, he visited the prison’s media center to dis- cuss his nonprofit Surviving The Odds Project, STOP for short, where he is the founder and CEO.

Wallace’s wife, Melissa Greene, is the co-founder and executive director of STOP. She said “John is the face of the program,” and she works behind the scene. We’re “so opposite but (we) work well together,” she said.

“I was trying to hold back tears,” said Wallace. “It was emotional coming back. It’s eye opening to come here.”

“STOP will improve the lives of local youth through engagement in therapeutic self-exploration and self- expression by providing an innovative music and video production program to the underserved and margialized…population in Marin County,” its website says.

Wallace learned about equipment and video production at Community Media Center of Marin. While in the Marin county jail, he learned about a grant for mental health. He said funding was available for people to write about life experiences, so he applied.

Wallace said it was Cesar LaGleva of Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, who clued him in on available funding for kids. LaGleva’s wife, Liz Prior, is the principle viola player for the Marin Symphony.

STOP participants at the studio headquarters

STOP targets at-risk youth who attend Marin County schools, such as Marin Oaks High School, Madrone, and San Andreas. “The kids are really getting an opportunity by coming through our program,” said Wallace. He built a multimedia studio at Marin Oaks, where he decided to make the studio a one-stop shop.

“Kids hear about the program through word of mouth,” said Wallace. “And no experience is necessary for kids to participate in STOP.”

The program starts with a group of about 15 kids. Wallace said about 11 to 12 finish the program. which meets twice a week for several months. There, they feed the kids, teach them song writing, recording and videotaping skills.

Wallace does on the outside what artist and producer David Jassy does with youth offenders on the inside of San Quentin. The two met in the prison’s media center and shared some ideas. Jassy extended an invitation to Wallace to participate in the 16 Barz Behind Bars project at the prison.

“I think it’s cool for you to come back to do 16 Bars Behind Bars,” said Jassy.

Jassy said “Some people don’t understand the impact this music has on kids.” He said Wallace’s influence will help make a difference.

Jassy prepared Wallace to record a few rap lyrics. After Wallace selected music created by Jassy he was ready to record.

On playback they overdubbed some ad lib tracks and layered the previous vocals with a duplicate track to expand the dynamic presence of the sound. The two of them discussed the possibility of STOP, YOP mix tape inmates and San Quentin’s SQUIRES program collaborating to help youth inside and outside of prison.

“I’m super excited to work with you, especially from prison,” Wallace told Jassy.

Bread & Roses presents tribute to honor Audrey Auld

May 15, 2019 by David Ditto

Audrey Auld singing for Day of Peace on lower yard in SQ

A parade of San Quentin musicians entertained about 100 inmates while honoring the late folksinger Audrey Auld, a favorite performer at the prison.

“She opened up her heart; she brought her music. She was amazing!” guitarist Richie Morris said of Auld.

“Audrey’s final performance at San Quentin was the performance of a life- time—the show to top all shows. She left exhilarated. It’s an example of the healing power of music,” said Lisa Starbird of the music organization Bread & Roses.

Audrey Auld, commenting about that night: “If I died in my darling’s arms today, I would be the happiest woman knowing that I have succeeded in connecting with those men in such a true way. I am so touched by their heartfelt statements of connection and acknowledgement.”

Starbird welcomed the crowd and promised high- caliber music—after a video tribute to Australian folk singer/musician/songwriter Auld.

The Sunday night concert showcased in-house musicians in a tour-de-force of jazz, blues, funk, pop, R&B, rap and rock ’n’ roll.

Starbird told the San Quentin News that Auld brought her heart, soul, and talent into San Quentin to collaborate with incarcerated talent.

“Inmate musicians wrote lines that Audrey weaved together into songs.” Auld recorded their songs, including “Hey Warden” and “I Am Not What I Have Done” in Nashville and produced the CD in 2015. The music is available for loan in the San Quentin Catholic Chapel loaning library (on CD) and for purchase through Walkenhorst and online.

Tower of Power song accompanied by the “oohs” of the back up singers: Jason Griffin with Paul Comauex and Tony O’Neil from music group NSF. The crowd roared.

“She opened up her heart; she brought her music. She was amazing!”

The final number by Just Us, “Rejuvenation /Play That Funky Music White Boy,” burst the audience into ovation.

The solo act hip hopper “Flame” took the stage next. After a sound check, he rapped, “Ease the Pain,” then sang—a cappella—“Your Love Is Like Magic” into an R&B groove.

Gino & Friends filled the stage next, featuring Gino Sevacos on lead vocals and guitar, Mark Kinney on keyboards and vocals, and Jaspar on bass. Liam Atkins on cajon, Dwight Krizman on drums, and Chris Thomas on mandolin completed the sextet.

They played three conscious awareness songs, beginning with “Planet Love.” Gino introduced their second song, “We learn to love each other…diversity is what I like about our country.” The crowd of inmates was fired up as the band moved into its final piece, featuring “too busy to connect…” in the lyrics.

The final act was Quentin Blue, featuring three guitarists: Richie Morris on acoustic guitar, Chris Koppe on lead electric guitar, and Dwight Krizman on bass. Mark Kinney on keyboards, Liam Atkins on percussion, and Thomas on mandolin completed the group of six.

Quentin Blue began its set with “I’d Send You Home to Mama.” Morris then introduced their next piece by telling the audience, “Music is an opportunity to do something beneficial for the outside —beyond the wall.” The song, “Upward I Fall,” was a peaceful, more tranquil style, reminiscent of Guns N’ Roses’ “Patience.”

The final Spanish-sound- ing number, “Baby I Knew You Were Leaving Me,” got the audience rockin’ again. The “Olé” ending triggered applause, but signaled the end of the concert— just in time for lock-up.

Here are comments about Audrey Auld from those present: Gino Sevacos – “I knew her for 10 years. I was there for her first visit—cool, collaborative writing. Audrey was friendly, fearless, like a breath of fresh air.”

Lee Jaspar – “Her biggest impression was her willingness to bring what she loved—her music and her friendship—into this institution and make us part of her family.”

Charles Ross – “She was always warm-hearted and smiling. It’s an honor to be picked to play in her memory.”

Comments on the in-house talent concert: Chris Thomas – “This is a great venue to showcase the rehabilitation, dedication, and drive to be better people.”

Jeffrey Atkins – “It’s so nice of Lisa to showcase the in-house talent.”

Inmate in audience – “It’s always good—you always get your money’s worth around here.”

Lee Jaspar – “It was good. The evening went off really well. Thanks to Lisa—she gives tirelessly.”

Tom Lapinski of the Through The Bars Foundation – “Enjoyed watching all these musicians mixing into different bands. It was great!”

Lisa Starbird – “A wonderful success…a lot of fun having the diversity of music.”

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Bread & Roses bringing music into San Quentin State Prison. They are a nonprofit organization that sponsors volunteer music events, including about one each month inside San Quentin.

is available for loan in the San Quentin Catholic Chapel loaning library (on CD) and for purchase through Walkenhorst and online.

“Audrey came back home from Nashville because she got cancer,” Starbird said. “She died in 2015, about a month after her last performance in San Quentin.”

“In Loving Memory—We Love You 2015,” began the video featuring Auld’s folk music performance with Pam Delgado and Jeri Jones on the San Quentin Day of Peace on the prison recreation yard in April 2015. “I love you like the storm, I love you like the sea, I love you like the birds that are flying free,” Auld sang in her peace sign tie-dye t-shirt. The audience applauded the video.

Then the live music by five groups of San Quentin musicians began.

Jazz and Friends, featuring Lee “Jazz” Jaspar on electric guitar, got the crowd moving. Dwight Krizman on drums and Mark Kinney on key- boards completed the jazz trio. They began with “Impressions” by John Coltrane, followed by Jaspar singing the bluesy jazz number “Gee Baby.” Their finale, “Well You Needn’t,” energized the audience, responding with cheers.

Next up was the group Just Us featuring Jeffrey Atkins on keyboards and vocals, Charles Ross on drums, Lynn “Funky” Walker on bass and Liam “Lee” Atkins on electric guitar. They began with the ’80s pop song “Rumors.”

Then they switched to up- beat funk that got the crowd’s heads nodding and J. Atkins’ dreads flying, “giddy up,” “do some blues.” Then L. Atkins’ guitar solo took over the Tower of Power song accompanied by the “oohs” of the back up singers: JasonGriffin with Paul Comauex and Tony O’Neil from music group NSF. The crowd roared.

“She opened up her heart; she brought her music. She was amazing!”

The final number by Just Us, “Rejuvenation /Play That Funky Music White Boy,” burst the audience into ovation.

The solo act hip hopper “Flame” took the stage next. After a sound check, he rapped, “Ease the Pain,” then sang—a cappella—“Your Love Is Like Magic” into an R&B groove.

Gino & Friends filled the stage next, featuring Gino Sevacos on lead vocals and guitar, Mark Kinney on key- boards and vocals, and Jaspar on bass. Liam Atkins on cajon, Dwight Krizman on drums, and Chris Thomas on mandolin completed the sextet.

They played three conscious awareness songs, be- ginning with “Planet Love.” Gino introduced their second song, “We learn to love

each other…diversity is what I like about our country.” The crowd of inmates was fired up as the band moved into its final piece, featuring “too busy to connect…” in the lyrics.

Lee Jaspar – “Her biggest impression was her willingness to bring what she loved—her music and her friendship—into this institution and make us part of her family.”

Charles Ross – “She was always warm-hearted and smiling. It’s an honor to be picked to play in her memo- ry.”

Comments on the in-house talent concert: Chris Thomas – “This is a great venue to showcase the rehabilitation, dedication, and drive to be better people.”

Jeffrey Atkins – “It’s so nice of Lisa to showcase the in-house talent.”

Inmate in audience – “It’s always good—you always get your money’s worth around here.”

Lee Jaspar – “It was good. The evening went off really well. Thanks to Lisa—she gives tirelessly.”

Tom Lapinski of the Through The Bars Foundation – “Enjoyed watching all these musicians mixing into different bands. It was great!”

Lisa Starbird – “A wonderful success…a lot of fun having the diversity of music.”

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Bread & Roses, a nonprofit organization that sponsors volunteer music events, including about one each month inside San Quentin.

San Quentin’s 52nd annual Native American Pow Wow

May 6, 2019 by Marcus Henderson

Healing sister, Mike “Lil Voice” Powell & Gregory “White Eagle” Coates dancing to bless the ceremony

Native American spiritual leaders from across California and the na- tion brought the spirit of family and the traditional healing dances to San Quentin’s 52nd annual Pow Wow.

Colorful dancers from Oklahoma and elders from Oregon mixed with the local Native American prisoners to celebrate the sacred circle of life.

“We came to let the men know that they are warriors and not gang members. A warrior takes care of his family,” said Tish Jordan, a reform advocate from Oregon. “We came to encourage them in the Native life-style and sobriety. One cannot enter the circle until one is purified.”

Sun, Gourd and Fancy dancers twirled and stomped around the prison visiting room to bless the event with their traditional tribal steps.

A Grass and Jingle dancer rounded out the ensemble, representing another part of Native Indian spiritual life through dance.

“It was amazing that this prison helps the people in their culture, where they can wear their regalia and sing their songs,” said Cindy Famero of the Comanche Nation, who traveled from Oklahoma. “I’m really honored to have connected with the people here, to hear their stories and hold prayer.

“It’s because of that feeling of being disconnected that this cycle of incarceration continues,” Famero added.

The March 22 event also celebrated the life and death of Myra Smith, a long-time San Quentin Native American Group volunteer. Smith was dying of cancer in the hospital, while the Pow Wow was underway.

“She touched a lot of people’s lives,” said Bill Churchill, a visitor, who performed the “Offering” (funeral) prayer for Smith at the ceremony. “She helped a lot of people get sober. She made the path of sobriety attractive and helped a lot people become empowered.”

Churchill’s song and spiritual chants filled the room. He sought to evoke a vision of Smith’s soul traveling over the plains and rivers of America as she makes her way back to the “Great Grandfather” (Creator).

“My friend, it’s me, I’m dancing in the west and watching you,” Churchill chanted in his Native tongue, “it means the sun rises and ends,” he explained.

Lee Planco, a visiting elder, 81,warned the small crowd not to take life for granted, nor to take for granted holding this event inside a prison.

“We never had jails or prisons in our ancient world,” said Planco. “So remember, behind that blue uniform there is an Indian. A women gave you birth, and she is sacred, remember that.”

Planco is a retired correctional officer, chaplain and advocate for Native American prisoners’ rights throughout the nation.

“We would have liked the men’s children to have been a part of this event,” said Jordan, the prison reform advocate from Oregon. “Most departments of corrections don’t allow the children to participate, but our circles are inter-generational; it teaches the future generations.

“When we come together as a people, it’s medicine and our kids’ spirits are innocent,” Jordan added.

James Gregory, Elijah Williams & Mike “Lil Voice” Powell

San Quentin resident Gregory “White Eagle” Coates was given the honor to lead the ritual Grand Opening Dance. Everyone left the visiting room and danced their way back in forming a circle, representing the infinity of life. The dance was done before the meal was served.

“I had to learn my culture in prison,” said Coates. “So having others come in from out of state helped expose us to more of our traditions. The best was dancing for Myra (Smith, who was gravely ill) — she was a great woman.

“Our women have been holding it down. They have been keeping the language alive and the sweats (sweat lodge ceremonies). They are teaching the children. It’s time for us men to do our part,” Coates added.

“The drum is the heartbeat of the people. It feeds the spirits and the ancestors we carry within us”

Mike “Lil Voice” Powell, the colorful Fancy Dancer, performed the traditional Buffalo and Horse dances. The dances are for purification and healing as the steps are intended to banish evil.

Powell’s regalia was based on a spiritual vision he had. He created the dress that blended the colors of tall green grass, rainbows and eagle feathers. Powell is from the Ponca Tribe and is traveling the country to bring healing through the dances.

“I’ve been in and out of jail myself. I’ve been an addict and homeless, so I pray for the men here,” said Powell. “Once my family broke up, I stopped dancing and that started my downfall. But I prayed and received help. I was led back to dancing – now it’s tradition over addiction.”

The dancing and singing blended with percussions sounds of the Central Valley Native American Drumming Group. The rhythmic drumbeats are to simulate the human heartbeat, fast or slow.

The drum is one of the major parts of Native life; it is used for prayers, calling people together even announcing lunchtime. The songs and drum rhythms are passed down like the dancers’ steps through the grandparents or elders.

Most of the drummers are versatile in Southern and Northern tribal drum rhythms and officiate at inter-tribal marriages.

“The drum is the heartbeat of the people. It feeds the spirits and the ancestors we carry within us,” said Jordan. “Who are we if we don’t identify with our traditions and culture?”

Eddie Madril teaches inmates the traditional Hoop Dance

The men in blue learned the Hoop Dance, taught by visiting Grass dancer Eddie Madril, who also MC’d the event. Madril’s sister was the Jingle dancer, her dress made of healing bells for the community. James Gregory performed the Tracking and Scouting dances. He is from the Men Southern Traditional dancers.

“It is important for the men here to know the dances that heal the community,” said Madril. “They need to understand that we used dance to tell our stories.”

Gregory also danced for Myra Smith, who helped him get clean and sober.

“She taught me how to dream again. If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t be sober now.”

The ceremony bought together the various forms of tribal healing, steeped in tradition and grounded in family, which included the Native Indians who are incarcerated; the music and chants intended as a symphony of love.

Artist and mentor Pat Mahoney retires

May 6, 2019 by Juan Haines

Pat Mahoney spent the last 40 years coming inside San Quentin to mentor incarcerated artists on the finer points of art; however, he’s best known as a keen listener and caring person.

Mahoney is one of the founders of the San Quentin Arts in Corrections program, sponsored by the William James Association. He retired from the Arts in Corrections program last February.

Mahoney helped create the Upper Yard mural with the Helen Caldicott quote: “We are the Curators of life–We Hold it in the Palm of our Hands.”
“He’s very idiosyncratic and works in an intuitive way,” said Carol Newborg, Program Manager of the William James Association. “His art is inspired by aboriginal themes. It’s holistic — mind, body and earth, very untraditional.”

Several inmate artists gave their comments regarding Mahoney’s impact on them professionally and personally:

“What I noticed besides his artistic talents was his interest to the guys,” said Anthony “Sonny” Ramirez who is in his 20th year of incarceration.

Ramirez has been at San Quentin for around eight years and in the Arts in Corrections program for seven years.

“Guys would start off talking about their art, and then the conversation of the inmate would switch over to someone in his family, like his wife or daughter. What I noticed is that he had the ability to pay attention. I think one of his greatest assets was his willingness and ability to listen.”

Ramirez continued, “Pat likes to portray figures seen on the walls of caves and canyons. Not too many people see them unless they are archaeologists, and they search for that kind of art — those tiny figures are enjoyable to see.”

Lamavis Comundoiwilla has been involved in the Arts in Corrections program since he arrived at San Quentin about 18 months ago. He has been incarcerated 24 years.

“Because of Pat, I start creating my own style of paint- ing,” Comundoiwilla said. “I have a unique form of pointillism, cubism, surrealism and impressionism that are merged together. I learned how to do that from what Pat taught me.”

Jeffrey Isom has been at San Quentin for about a year. He got right into Arts in Corrections and credits Mahoney for improving his art.

“Pat inspires me because he’s very patient when he works with someone,” Isom said. “You can see the love from all of his students. He make me feel accepted. When he teaches, he encourages at the same time.”

Mark Stanley-Bey, has been in the Arts in Corrections eight years. He’s been incarcerated 35 years.

“Pat Mahoney’s character and experience in the art field only increased my ability to express my point of view by using art as my medium, and his instruction has been welcomed and honestly appreciated,” Stanley-Bey said. “The Arts in Corrections program brought to me an opportunity to express the beauty of art and to give back to the community—a sense of purpose and peace through art.”

Mahoney continues to be involved in the art community through his painting, drawing and working with family.

Cori Thomas brings attention to criminal justice system with play

May 1, 2019 by Rahsaan Thomas

Thomas (center) with the cast for the first rehearsal

When the Rattlestick Theater commissioned playwright and San Quentin volunteer Cori Thomas to write a play in 2016, she penned a draft featuring a 62-year-old man who has been incarcerated since he was 16 called Lockdown. At the time, she had never visited a prison or envisioned having her first play, which debuted in New York City, become a tool for discussion about the criminal justice system.

“It’s about a group of people who are incarcerated and the challenges they face—individually and within the system itself,” said Daniella Topol, the artistic director for the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, who commissioned Thomas. “The play is also now about some- thing much larger: forgiveness, humanity and empathy.”

Thomas added, “It’s becoming a tool for prison reform conversations.”

Lockdown, which runs at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater from April 17 to May 19, unless extended, shows the difficulty of earning freedom for a man serving a life sentence for committing a heinous crime, even though the man turned his life around and mentors youth.

“Forgiveness is a really hard thing,” Thomas said. “I made sure to go into the victim’s point of view. I want to make sure the audience sees both sides, what’s it like to suffer loss. But I think that when a person has remorse and has had a transformation because they now understand what it is that they have done, they can’t forget. They live with that forever, and that’s a form of punishment.”

After each performance, the Fortune Society, an organization dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated people become successful on parole, will host discussions with the community about issues raised in the play. Different stakeholders, including formerly incarcerated people, will lead the conversations.

Lockdown, starring Zenzi Williams, Keith Randolph Smith, Eric Berryman and Curtis Morlaye, is Thomas’ first world premiere to debut in New York City, although the accomplished Marymount- Manhattan College theater program graduate has penned several others over the years.

Her first big break was a play called “When January Feels Like Summer.” It won an American Theater Critics Award, and Sundance chose it for a development retreat. It premiered in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Lockdown may go even further than her past plays. It was chosen for the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, and Thomas said commercial producers like Shadow Catcher Entertainment are interested in taking it to bigger theaters.

“Everything that happens with this play, I get happy because I feel like it honors the men inside,” Thomas said. “If it’s being recognized, they’re being recognized.”

Lockdown isn’t Thomas’ only play aimed to spark change.

“Pa’s Hat”, based on a trip with her father to Liberia, West Africa, where a child soldier pointed a gun at her, led to the creation of the Pa’s Hat Foundation.

“It broke my heart,” Thomas said. “Why would a young boy be on a street corner pointing a machine gun at me? I wanted to bring attention to child soldiers and how they’re forced to do that.”

The nonprofit helps former child-soldiers and other under-served citizens in Liberia, West Africa, with education and employment opportunities.

Currently, Thomas is work- ing on another play about incarcerated people, this time with the No More Tears self- help group, where she volunteers at San Quentin State Prison.

Thomas is co-writing with No More Tears the sequel, ’Til You Know My Story 2; the stimulus for it occurred back in September of 2016, when Thomas visited a prison for the first time. She came to conduct an interview for an Amazon Audible project and was surprised by what she found.

“I thought I’d meet a bunch of people whispering, ‘Hey, I didn’t do it, get me out of here,’” Thomas said. “What I met are men who are articulate, intelligent and who take accountability for the crimes they committed.”

No More Tears, founded by Lonnie Morris, an incarcerated man who has served more than 40 years, helps men address trauma and heal. No More Tears first wrote, produced and performed the play “ ’Til You Know My Story” in 2012.

Morris and Thomas met when she came into the prison’s media center. He asked her to work with him on the sequel “ ’Til You Know My Story 2”, also to be performed at San Quentin, and Thomas agreed.

“When I left this prison, I knew immediately that I want- ed to write “ ’Til You Know My Story,” Thomas said. “I met Lonnie and was struck by how intelligent and articulate everyone was. I had no idea that these types of minds existed in people who are locked up. If I don’t know, other people don’t know.”

Thomas plans to turn inter- views with incarcerated men into monologues for “ ’Til You Know My Story 2.” “I did not know a whole lot about the criminal justice system in this country,” Thomas said. “Coming in here made me open my eyes and made me want to use all the tools I had at my disposal, which is writing and words. I have the ability to let people know.

“I believe there’s a role incarcerated people, if freed, can serve in society because there’s no one better equipped to teach the young people than them. They could actually have civic duties. I think there’s a role for them that hasn’t been tapped into and that they could actually make communities safer.”

Lifer: A play about former SQ resident Glenn Bailey

May 1, 2019 by San Quentin News Contributer

Playwright Dr. Ayodele Nzinga was already collect- ing stories of communities impacted by the carceral system when she met Glenn Bailey, in 2014.

She had just started work on “Beyond Bars: Growing Home,” a performance that explored how returning citizens processed the trauma of coming home, inspired by interviews with men recently released from San Quentin Prison.

Bailey had just come home himself, after serving 52 years inside.

His tale is remarkable in its own right. But Nzinga was quick to see how it fit into the larger story of a unique and mostly invisible demographic: Lifers, those Nzinga describes as “hav[ing] spent half a century, a quarter of a century, in the belly of the beast.”

Out of conversations be- tween Bailey and Nzinga, a book project began to take shape, as well as a play based on Bailey’s experiences called “Lifer.” The Lower Bottom Playaz, an Oakland-based theater company co-founded by Nzinga, first performed the play in January 2018.

For a group interested in exploring “what creates the potential for thriving in marginalized spaces,” “Lifer” was a natural fit. Nzinga said she’s invested in bringing

The cast of Life after the performance right way. It wasn’t easy. The pressures of prison are hard. I was blessed to have Bailey as a mentor.” He add- ed, “I graduated from college because of this man.”

The same lessons, they said, applied for returning home.

James, who now works as a reentry coordinator for Ta’leef Collective in Freemont and for San Francisco’s Bayview Senior Services ex-offender program, summed up the shared wis- dom. “People need support coming home,” he said with life changes large and small.

“They need to know how to work a cell phone. I just learned how to work an iPad, and I’m a case man- ager. I’ve been out for years, and I’m still learning how to come back after being away a long period of time.”

The event attracted a full house, including students from Concord’s De La Salle and Carondelet high schools. Speaking directly to the young people in the audience, James said, “What we need [is for you to] go get those degrees, come into the system and support those who are coming home.”

Mike Aquino, who teaches a criminal justice class for the two high schools, was enthusiastic about the performance. He noticed that his students responded differently to the play and spoken word than they did to other kinds of public events, including the Barbershop Forum.

“I really love the question-posing that art does around criminal justice,” Aquino said, “[it] can be a way to get students to think about concepts that talking to a person or reading an interview alone can’t really capture.”

In the coming months, as Nzinga continues to write Bailey’s life story, the conversation will move from the stage to the page, bring- ing the possibility of a new, larger audience into the next round of dialogue.

Prison artists display their work in San Rafael’s Bartolini Gallery

April 30, 2019 by Rahsaan Thomas

Lamavis Comundoiwilla painting “Kufu” and “Candice” done in a style he calls Fusion

William James Arts and Corrections sponsor Carol Newborg

Incarcerated artists under the tutelage of the William James’ Arts & Correction program produced “museum- quality” paintings that were displayed at the Bartolini Gallery in San Rafael from Jan. 16-March 28.

“It’s just truly museum quality in so many ways,” said Libby Garrison, who cu- rated the exhibit. “They [the artists who are incarcerated] maybe have never been to a museum or never studied art. They are relying on the expertise and the teachings of these incredible teaching artists.”

At the exhibition’s open- ing celebration on January 16, a crowd braved pouring rain and power outages to view what many hailed as professional-quality works from budding incarcerated artists. The exhibit also featured the work of formerly incarcerated artist and Arts & Corrections instructors, plus photos taken at San Quentin by photographer Peter Merts.

The paintings of Lamavis Comundoniwilla, one of the incarcerated artists, greeted the guests as they entered the museum.

“His work to me was immediately striking,” said Garrison, who is Director of Marketing and Communications for the Marin County Department of Cultural Services. “You can almost feel the painstaking time it took to paint each point, each dot, each color on the artworks.”

Comundoniwilla claims to have created a new style called “fusion.” His colorful art combines cubism, pointillism, impressionism and Viennese Secession. He uses bright colors to paint vivid African themes. Some attendees characterized his work as stippling or pointillism, similar to impressionists.

“He’s combining many things into his own personal style,” said Arts & Corrections instructor Carol Newborg. “He’s got a beautiful eye for texture and color.”

A local gallery owner also complimented Comundoniwilla’s paintings.

Patron admiring Patrick Maloney’s work (right)

Visitor viewing Stan-Bey’Orisa’s Rising (left) and O. Smith’s Clown collection (center)

“What I also love is the way that he’s just express- ing himself and his culture through these pieces in such a beautiful way,” said Donna Seager of Seager- Gray Gallery in Mill Valley. “This is labor intensive. His aesthetic sensibilities are sophisticated.”

The Bartolini Gallery exhibit was the 50-year-old Comundoniwilla’s chance to debut his pieces. He just started painting last year.

His career as an artist started back in 1998 while in administrative segregation where he began draw- ing, he said.

In 2018, he joined the William James program and through books the program provided, the Compton, Ca. native studied painters like Gustav Klimt and Georges Seurat. From these sources of inspiration, he named his style “fusion.”

“Studying art history books and various artists here at Arts and Corrections taught me a lot,” Comundoniwilla said. “The other artists in this room showed me more than I could have learned from books.”

Comundoniwilla’s classmate Stanley Bey submitted two paintings combining stippling and pointillism, which he considers to be in the same fusion style.

Bey began drawing Spiderman from Marvel com- ics when he was 13 years old. Now 64, he expanded his work with the help of Arts & Corrections instructors like Ned Axthlem, Bey said.

Bruce Fowler, also incarcerated at San Quentin, acts as a teacher’s assistant for the Williams James pro- gram. He had two pieces displayed at the gallery.

“Getting our stuff out to where the public can see it gives you a sense of participation in society instead of always feeling like you’re locked in a box,” Fowler said. “It’s a huge honor to be invited to something like that. It give you a sense of hope for the future.”

“This program has given me a way to give back,” Fowler said. “It’s a way we get to give a lot of donations. Meanwhile, Merts’ photos gave gallery attendees a glimpse of the artists at work inside the prison.

“My job is to bring the message about who inmates are because people can connect through their work; but in this show, the photos by Merts brought people back inside,” Newborg said. “It’s was like an exchange between inside and outside.”

“This show was one of our best ones ever,” Newborg said. “It has amazing individual art and the way it’s arranged tells a story. The works feed off each other.”

The following artists also had painting on display:

Anthony Vazquez-Ramirez, Daniel Sherman, Ben Chandler, Jeffrey Isom, Gerald Morgan, Orlando Smith, Eduardo Flores, Eric Phillips, Mike Williams, Gary Harrell, Oran Hutson, Michael Hedges, James Duff, Sam Marquez, Frederick Tinsley, Khalifah Christensen, Scott McKinstry, Lumumba Edwards, Isiah Daniels, Justus Evans, Dennis Crookes, Henry Frank, Ned Axthelm, The Artist Hines, Patrick Maloney, Katya McCulloch, Amy M. Ho, Carol Newborg, Joe Krauter, Paul Stauffer, Carlos Moreno, John Robb, Nicola Bucci and Peter Bergne.

Origami pieces were contributed by: Chanthon Bun, Son Nguyen, Ekaterina Lukasheva, Hieu “Rocky” Nguyen, Danny Ho, Alvin Timball, David Brill, Sok Song, Dontay Turner, Jun Hamamoto, Danny Thongsy, Viviane Berty, Si Dang, Jay Gonzalez, Moua Vue, Omid Mokri, Kenji Jinbo, Ricky Lemon, Franciso Oritz, Kunihiko Kasahara, David Le, B. Singh, Christopher Smith, Charlie Thao, Tith Ton and Thanh Tran.

Prison University Project celebrates the year with Open Mic

February 27, 2019 by Juan Haines

Personal stories, comedians, singers and dancer entertained an audience made up of about 300 incarcerated men and 40 local volunteers late last December at the Prison University Project (PUP) annual open mic.

San Quentin State Prison’s Christmas decorations were still on display in the Protestant Chapel as more than two dozen inmates, who attend PUP classes, entertained the audience that included many of their teachers.

Jonathan Chiu (San Quentin News staffer) began the show with a standup monologue that about the PUP students who won a debate against a local college. Things turned serious when Chiu changed the topic to a recent academic conference held at the prison as well as the university’s collaboration with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to create ideas for criminal justice reform.

Chiu wandered the audience asking questions.

“How many times have you come into San Quentin and been mistaken for an inmate?” he asked PUP Coordinator Derrius Jones. “Like twice,” he said laughing.

Brian Asey showed a welcoming short documentary that explained the source of the event — B. Knowledge, a poetry instructor, brought in the idea nearly two decades ago.

Various acts reflected an appreciation to higher learning.

David Schiltz performed a comedic piece, Sketch on Algebra & Numbers.

“I’m a math addict,” Schiltz said as he told a series of jokes that referred to time reduction credits. “My favorite part of algebra was the pie chart,” he said. He rubbed his belly and said, “Marie Calendar has pretty good pies.”

Other acts reflected the power and insight gained from a higher education.

R. “Nephew” Bankston performed See What I See — an incarcerated person’s point of view referring to love and beauty throughout the prison grounds.

I see tears that won’t drop off the mask of elders who’ve been incarcerated longer than you and I been alive. I see trash, gun rails, faded signs and wonder if guys notice it too. I see men preserved, reserved, listen to, but not heard.

Delvon Adams performed Fatherless Child.

Life seemed much better when there was a role model in the house until my role model began to fade away and me becoming mad. Then, it felt comfortable doing things out of madness until I realized I had to be a better parent than the one that raised me. A father is there to provide, protect, teach, love and to never leave your side in any situation life brings you.

David B. Lê performed, A Moment Reconsidered. It is a very provocative personal essay about a 14-year-old boy’s encounter with an older girl. The audience members were on the edge of their seats, whooping and hollering at the tantalizing details that Lê gave about what was in his young mind. However, Lê made clear even though that moment stays with him decades later, it was more about the person, who he never saw afterward, than the moment.

There were acts that had a social justice message, while others were pure comedy.

Oran Artwork Hutson and Donald Rauch Draper performed Reluciadated, a satire that began by Draper bringing up a social justice idea such as peace or equality and having the thought end by Hutson saying, in dramatic form, conform or, “I will stab you.” After each exchange, the audience would erupt in laughter.

“The best way to get people to listen to a story is to make them laugh,” Hutson said. “You could tell the person the most horrible thing, and they’d listen, as long as you make them laugh.”

Stu Ross performed MiG — the comedic reading of a screenplay, based on an imagined observation. It brought chuckles through out the audience.

James Jenkins performed Is It Funny?

“Does God have humor?” Jenkins joked about passing gas in the small cells at San Quentin. He went on to joke about the art of passing gas and having other people blaming each other for doing it.

Many of the acts showed off musical talents.

Aaron “Showtime” Taylor engaging the audience

Donald Rauch Draper and Oran “Artwork” Hutson

Phillipe “Kels” Kelly and Eric “Maserati-E” Abercrobie on stage

Gregory “White Eagle” Coates and Courtney Rein performed a duet with Coates on wood flute and Rein on violin.

Gregory “White Eagle” Coates on flute and Courtney Rein on violin

“Last year … it didn’t go too well with Susan Hirsch on banjo,” Rein said. Rein said that Hirsch asked her to redeem the act through her violin.

This year the combination between a free violinist and incarcerated flutist received a standing ovation after their well-polished exchange of trading short interludes and bursts that seemed like a conversation.

Eric Maserati-E Abercrombie performed Can’t Hold Me Back, featuring Phillipi “Kels” Kelly. About halfway into the performance, Kelly was led down the center aisle blindfolded with images of social justice figures taped to his blue shirt as the duo sang, “One day everything is going to change from feeling like a slave.”

After the performance, Kelly announced that he recently received a sentence commutation. He spoke about the social justice icons on his shirt and his responsibility to carry on their legacy.

“I never got good grades after grade school; however, with the help of PUP, I got my first A,” recording artist Jeffrey Atkins said before performing #1. “In here. I’m Free. This song is about all you guys, making yourself number one.”

Spoken word personal, essays and poetry were in abundance.

Richard “Rock” Lathan read a poem, Heaven Take Me There/Encouragement. The poem was written to honor the 36 lives lost in the Ghost Ship fire, but he said that it could honor anyone’s passing. He also read a letter that he wrote to himself about waking up and honoring his own life. “When you speak from the soul, the real power within you will exude,” the poem ended.

Kamsan Suon told a story, Uncharted Memories (Justice is Rape!) The dramatically told story vividly depicted his witnessing of the Cambodian Kumar Rouge genocide — “I feel the young boy’s tears, and I weep for them,” he said in closing.

Michael Mackey’s spoken work, All…For You was about respecting the efforts of incarcerated men.

Clark Rockefeller read, Opportunity, a sonnet.

“Who wouldn’t want opportunity to come one’s way?” Rockefeller asked before adding, “How many of us are in blue because of opportunity?”

Andrew Gazzeny’s One Man focused on resentments. “That’s not good,” Gazzeny said. “Why can’t you forgive?” he asked himself. “Nobody ever taught me how to forgive. I stand on the far end of life trying to find peace. Is it possible for the whole meaning of life is to forgive?”

Anthony Watkins read two poems about respecting people and being present in relationships.

Meredith Sadin: Why are we doing this? To honor the premier prison educational model in the world. She came to talk about her survey to study what is going on in the college program at SQ.

George “Mesro” Coles read Mesropiece Theatre. It told a fantasy story about a hero’s quest for redemption.

Derry “Brotha Dee” Brown performed Why I Write. The spiritually based spoken-word piece was performed passionately with pop-dance moves. The hook: I write to reveal light.

Aaron Taylor performed the rap “Paid in Full” by Rakim. The piece had the audience standing and singing along.

“Once I got my guitar, I got in tune with myself,” Tim Young said before playing Music From My Soul. The Latin/Salsa beat was smoothly played, had fingers snapping, hand clapping and heads bobbing.

James Vick read Forsaken in Paradise.

Osbun Walton read The Power Within. It was a remembering about his neighborhood and how “seeing a void, absent of joy and celebration that turned violent and disrespectful.” Walton reminded the audience that the power within is love.

Kevin Valvardi read Utopia. Valvardi said he wrote this piece for someone that he loves dearly. He also read Lights on the Horizon.

Markelle “The Gazelle” Taylor performed Vintage Dance Therapy. Taylor’s break-dancing had the audience yelling “Go, Go, Go Markelle!” and “Hey, Hey Hey!”

Antwan Banks Williams closed the event with Look.

Antwan “Banks” Williams closing the show

“The vulnerability and power of emotion to communicate truth is what stood out for me,” PUP teacher Courtney Rein said. “The Cambodian piece about the Rohmer Gouge genocide and Tim’s guitar — those moments welcomed the audience into their experience.”

Jill Azevedl, an English teacher, added, “Rauch is one of our students, and his performance was amazing; it was all really good and amazing.” It was her first time to a PUP Open Mic.

Music was provided by: Terry L. Slaughter, Bass; Aaron “Showtime” Taylor, Guitar; Jeffrey Atkins, Keyboard; Leonard “Funky Len” Walker, Bass.