It is a well-known fact among the San Quentin News staff that former Warden Clinton T. Duffy wanted inmates to voice their opinions about whatever subjects they felt comfortable addressing. Duffy’s creation, San Quentin News, was the beginning of inmate journalism at San Quentin and an opportunity given at the time to increase public safety and strive for social justice. It is a well-known fact among the San Quentin News staff that former Warden Clinton T. Duffy wanted inmates to voice their opinions about whatever subjects they felt … [Read more...] about San Quentin News’ historical journey
Editorial
Remembering a great brother, father, son and friend
Arnulfo Timoteo Garcia was our mentor and best friend. He died in a car crash shortly after gaining parole, but I still feel his hand guiding everyone in the San Quentin News family to do the best for our community, including our advisers, volunteers and prison administrators. He’d always say: Moving forward! When we first met, I didn’t see myself working for a prison newspaper. But Arnulfo saw a reporter in me. He brought me into the San Quentin News family and it ended up being the most important job I’ve ever … [Read more...] about Remembering a great brother, father, son and friend
San Quentin’s big transition as non-designated facility
San Quentin State Prison’s transition from a General Population (GP) facility to a non-designated programming facility has uncovered old prejudices and uncommon collaborations. The inmate response to the new housing designation is as diverse as the prison population. Most inmates have been indifferent to the inflow of newcomers, while others have been cautious and alert. Some prisoners transferred out of San Quentin because they did not want to deal with the unknown. Few inmates, and administrators, could predict what was going to … [Read more...] about San Quentin’s big transition as non-designated facility
Reflexiones de un Hombre sobre mujeres
“Las mujeres maduran más pronto que los hombres” esto es algo que escuche con frecuencia al ir creciendo. Cuando reflexiono acerca de mi niñez y de los hombres con quien me he asociado, es fácil de darme cuenta de la veracidad de este comentario. Recuerdo a mujeres que han tenido que criar a sus hijos por si solas y me preguntaba dónde estaba el padre en ese momento. ¿Amaban estos padres a sus hijos? ¿Dejaron estas mujeres a sus esposos por abusadores así como mi madre dejo a mi padre? Quizás sus hijos terminarían como yo en prisión. Es … [Read more...] about Reflexiones de un Hombre sobre mujeres
A chance to change is always welcomed
At age 18, I was arrested and sent to Deuel Vocational Institution in 1992. Prisoners called it Tracy or “The Gladiator School.” It was my first time in prison. I didn’t know anyone there. I was scared. The established prisoners came up to me and asked, “Where you from? What’s your name? What gang you in?” Although I answered every question, I didn’t really fit in anywhere, and I felt like I had to. Since then, I’ve been to many prisons and hung out with different people. And, at every new prison, I was asked the same questions all over … [Read more...] about A chance to change is always welcomed
Digital Divide Explained
Which game do your prefer, SCRABBLE or SUDOKU? One works like the world you know. One operates like the digital cloud. The digital cloud is just another way of describing content that is stored in databases and accessible on the internet. The cloud changes how we use digital content and interact with each other. More than a third of millennial say that if a man compliments a woman’s looks it is harassment, according to a recent survey by The Economist/YouGov reports The New York Times 1-17-18. These two games function quite differently and … [Read more...] about Digital Divide Explained
Reflecting on being a mother and parent
“Women mature faster than men” is something I heard often while growing up. When I reflect on my childhood and the men I have associated with, it was easy to see how true that statement is. I remember women who had to raise their children on their own and I wondered where the fathers were during that time. Did they love their children? Did these women leave their husbands as my mother did because of abuse? Perhaps they ended up like me, in prison. It is a fact that my children wondered the same thing I did about my absent father. I … [Read more...] about Reflecting on being a mother and parent
One man’s journey with the revitalized newspaper
In June 2016, I became the editor-in-chief of San Quentin News. I never thought I would be editor-in-chief of anything, but being able to work with San Quentin News staff gave me the courage to move forward. John Wilkerson, the print shop instructor when San Quentin News was revived in 2008, taught me how to better myself. He is the reason why I believe in being independent instead of dependent. When I began working in the print shop, I was hesitant because of the stories floating around about a guy who chopped his fingers in a … [Read more...] about One man’s journey with the revitalized newspaper
The disappointment of Proposition 57
Conversations about Prop 57 were once a hot topic around San Quentin’s prison yard. Now it’s a disappointing whisper. For decades a lot of prisoners around California have worked hard to rehabilitate themselves, hoping that one day they would be recognized and rewarded for their growth and change. That hope has slowly disappeared as the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) continues to roll out its proposed emergency regulations for Prop 57. These emergency regulations seem to offer some prisoners less hope to continue their … [Read more...] about The disappointment of Proposition 57
Mom’s name in a tattoo
When I first came to prison, I didn’t know what to expect. And, like many people who have never been behind these walls, I believed everything I heard or saw on TV. I believed prisons were filled with nothing but violent and vindictive predators. By spending time in more than 10 different prisons around the state, this belief was dispelled. One of my early discoveries was that many convicts really love their mothers. They proudly proclaim it with that famous tattoo inscribed on their body somewhere, depicting a bright red heart, with Mom … [Read more...] about Mom’s name in a tattoo