Everyone who donates $40 or more to San Quentin News this year will get a free gift – a full color 32-page Wall City magazine Volume 2– written and created by inmates. This is the second volume of Wall City – the San Quentin News publication focused on keeping you informed on criminal justice and rehabilitation issues. The all-new spring 2019 magazine gift is in addition to our gift of twelve months of the San Quentin News newspaper delivered to you. Generous contributions from readers like you are vital in fulfilling our … [Read more...] about If you want all of Wall City magazine Volume 2 – look here!
Featured
Programas de rehabilitación dan esperanzas a reos
Mario Rodriguez La estrategia del departamento de correcciones de California para comenzar un programa de rehabilitación más efectivo ha dado como resultado las Undesignated Yards. Estas unidades son para aquellos reos que han decidido abandonar las pandillas o simplemente buscan una oportunidad de salir de prisión. El programa comenzó en el 2018 en la prisión de San Quentin, California con un aproximado de 20 reos transferidos desde otras instituciones. Desde entonces decenas de reos han sido integrados a la población general. La … [Read more...] about Programas de rehabilitación dan esperanzas a reos
San Quentin’s 52nd annual Native American Pow Wow
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 … [Read more...] about San Quentin’s 52nd annual Native American Pow Wow
Google attends San Quentin mixer
Harry Hemphill speaking about graduating from the coding program The morning of April 11 started with fun and games with participants from Google.org and incarcerated coding students as a way to socialize. The first game, the circle name game, an icebreaker consisted of everyone yelling out his or her name and that of the person next to them as fast as possible, which was easy to see that the day was going to be relaxed and fun. Subsequently, the room was broken into groups to play Charades, Game Night and then Family Feud, San … [Read more...] about Google attends San Quentin mixer
Cori Thomas brings attention to criminal justice system with play
Cori 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 … [Read more...] about Cori Thomas brings attention to criminal justice system with play
Students have great impact on UC Davis after prison
University students, who are formerly incarcerated, are changing life and perceptions on their campus by taking over a college classroom to challenge traditional teach- ing methods and holding informative seminars to bring awareness to who they are as students. Beyond the Stats (BTS), an organization of formerly incarcerated and system impacted students at the University of California Davis introduce a panel discussion and a class course title Education as Freedom: AKA “Amerikkka This is How You Made Me,” last year and continues to grow. … [Read more...] about Students have great impact on UC Davis after prison
Dr. Gabor Maté lectures at SQ’s Enneagram event
Susan Olesek, Jason Griffin, Ronell “Rauch” Draper, Dustin M. Baldwin and Dr. Gabor Maté Once a week, Susan Olesek comes inside San Quentin to help incarcerated men discover the roots of their personalities and how it plays into the way they see everyday life. The program she oversees helps men realize how life experiences mold personalities and how negative experiences create behaviors that turn into serious problems. Gabor Maté was invited to San Quentin, on March 1, to lecture on brain development, trauma and addiction to an … [Read more...] about Dr. Gabor Maté lectures at SQ’s Enneagram event
Kid CAT’s hygiene drive raises money for homeless youth
Kid CAT members with hygiene products donated from the residents of San Quentin for Huckleberry Youth Multi-Service Center A group of San Quentin prisoners collected money and hygiene items for Bay Area homeless youths. “Even in prison, guys got that spirit of giving,” said Gregory “Eagle” Coates, a member of the youth offender organization Kid CAT. Gregory Coates, Tommy Ross, Nou Phang Pang and Kid CAT Chairman Si Dang loading hygiene products in the rain “It’s always rewarding, especially for the guys that’ve had the … [Read more...] about Kid CAT’s hygiene drive raises money for homeless youth
The cost of reputation in prison: being transgender in prison
The purpose of earning a reputation in prison is for one reason—survival. However, the cost of survival may take extreme forms. “When I first came to prison in the 80s, being a transgender meant being someone’s property. We would be used to carry weapons, for sex, to wash and clean dirty workout clothes, but, in that we were also well protected, and it gave you a sense of security,” says Jarvis “Lady J” Clark, who has been incarcerated 30 years, serving a 27-year-to-life sentence for first-degree murder. “However, the … [Read more...] about The cost of reputation in prison: being transgender in prison
Prisoners contributed their input on criminal justice reform
Participants sitting in a small circle share their personal experiences in the San Quentin Protestant Chapel Criminal justice reform took center stage at a San Quentin State Prison forum that brought together inmates, social justice advocates, formerly incarcerated citizens and public officials. “Reform has to change, as we all together are changing,” said Assemblymember Timothy Grayson, D-14th District, Concord. “We all still are rehabilitating. When I leave here, I’m going to tell people I just came from a place called ‘Project … [Read more...] about Prisoners contributed their input on criminal justice reform