No matter the restriction, the control mechanism or oppression, PEN America is a platform for authentic stories—voices that ring loud and free on the page. Jennifer Finney Boylan contributed to PEN’s latest publication Issue: 21 Mythologies, with Transfigured. It connects with incarcerated readers as she writes, “For a long time, I thought I didn’t exist...It was like walking on a long-deserted beach without any footprints.” Searching for identity is not limited to incarcerated people — agency is a normal, human want and need — it’s the … [Read more...] about PEN America releases Issue: 21 Mythologies
Book/Movie Reviews
Formerly incarcerated author, Donna Hylton
Donna Hylton, who was abused as a child, spent 27 years in prison and wrote a book about how she turned her life around. She said her mission today is to be “a voice for the silenced” women still in prison. At age 20, Hylton was sentenced to 25 years to life for her role as a nonviolent accessory to kidnapping and second-degree murder. She is finally freed. Hylton’s childhood was a living hell. She was abandoned by her mother in Jamaica, N.Y., at age 8, according to the article by The Glow Up. At that time, she was subjected to … [Read more...] about Formerly incarcerated author, Donna Hylton
“The Force” by Don Winslow
In the wake of the public demanding more transparency in police departments, The Force is a novel with characters led by police officer Denny Malone, who easily relates to people who’ve had questionable encounters with the criminal justice system. For many behind bars, the concept of justice and fairness is jaded by life experiences: evidence-planting cops, greedy con artists posing as legitimate businessmen, unscrupulous lawyers, and corrupt judges. All of these are elements of this fast-paced story. Author Don Winslow’s ability to … [Read more...] about “The Force” by Don Winslow
“Just Sit” by Sukeu and Elizabeth Novogratz
Authors Sukey and Elizabeth (Beth) Novogratz didn’t write their book on meditation exclusively for prisoners, but much of their approach seems tailor-made to deal with the issues we at San Quentin confront in our everyday lives. On August 1, they traveled from New York to the Q on a quest to discover how their approach to meditation could intersect with our programs. Just Sit: A Meditation Guidebook for People who Know They Should But Don’t emphasizes the importance of story and the writers alert readers to pay attention to the stories … [Read more...] about “Just Sit” by Sukeu and Elizabeth Novogratz
A look inside the bustling San Quentin prison library
Every day, the San Quentin State prison library is bustling with activity. Inmates might be ordering books from the clerks at the counter. Other inmates might be sitting at tables, reading books and talking among themselves. The windows in the librarians’ offices provide a glimpse of San Francisco Bay as well as the mountains. In the legal section, inmates pore over law books, which they can order from a slot through a window. They can also sit at a computer to research legal statutes or write briefs at one of the tables. The library … [Read more...] about A look inside the bustling San Quentin prison library
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Few would connect author Zora Neale Hurston with movie director Spike Lee. But, if you know Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It (1987), you’re familiar with Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937). Both stories chronicle the three relationships of female characters and men who struggle to suppress the female protagonist. In She’s Gotta Have It, Nola Darling is always in control of the men she laid with, while in Their Eyes Were Watching God no matter what physical abuse Janie suffered, she kept her independent thought. Hurston through Janie’s … [Read more...] about Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Tomorrowland
Finding solutions to Earth’s biggest problems is a major theme of Tomorrowland, a Disneyland attraction and name of an alternate dimension movie. Casey Newton, the main character in Tomorrowland, is recruited to save the world by Athena, a child android. When murderous robots try to kill them, they turn to Frank Walker (George Clooney), a former citizen of Tomorrowland, to help them complete their journey. Tomorrowland is a fun and socially conscious movie that pits worldwide epidemics against dreamers seeking to change the … [Read more...] about Tomorrowland
Lucifer
The new FOX series “Lucifer” depicts a lopsided view of America’s criminal justice system, but that may be the least of its sins. In “Lucifer,” Laura German plays Chloe Decker, a homicide detective who struggles to be taken seriously by her male co-workers. Tom Ellis plays Lucifer Morningstar, the fallen angel and beguiler extraordinary. Morningstar is the dark half of his and Decker’s buddy cop-consultant team — think ABC’s hit show “Castle,” but replace author Richard Castle with the Devil. Lucifer loves quips and sex (in that order). … [Read more...] about Lucifer
Baggage Claim
Paula Patton stars in Baggage Claim, a funny romantic comedy about the antics a girl named Montana goes through trying to land a marriage-worthy man in 30 days. Montana’s mother is pressuring her to come to the wedding of her sister, Sheree (Lauren London). Montana feels compelled to produce a fiancé at the big event to avoid her mom’s judgmental eye. Her friends, Gail (Jill Scott) and Sam (Adam Brody of “The OC”), convince her that 30 days isn’t enough time to meet a new man, so they plan to find her ex-boyfriends and see if any of them … [Read more...] about Baggage Claim
Caring Collectively for Women Prisoners
For the San Quentin News staff, reporting news from the perspective of women prisoners is challenging. So reading an authentic source, such as The Fire Inside, became a portal into their world. “The transformation that prisoners’ words go through from being a spoken ‘gripe’ to a printed article validates the writer’s sense that their thoughts and feelings are objective; that they speak to others who hear them in this form,” wrote inmate Urszula Wislanka. The Fire Inside is a newsletter, which has published 50 editions in 18 years. As an … [Read more...] about Caring Collectively for Women Prisoners