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Dozens of children with painted faces posed for pictures to show men doing time in San Quentin what Father’s Day means to them. Thanks to Get on the Bus (GOTB), sons and daughters, mothers and fathers boarded buses on June 2 and traveled from cities as far as Los Angeles to visit their incarcerated relatives. GOTB, in conjunction with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), has held the pre-Father’s Day event for 17 years. Sara L. Smith and Tami Falconer from the CDCR Office of the Ombudsman stood in the … [Read more...] about Celebration of fathers and family with GOTB

Deaths, stabbings, heart attacks and attempted suicides – they are all in a day’s work for the inmates who make up the San Quentin Fire Department. These first responders work hand-in-hand with correctional and outside paramedical staff to save lives. The four-member crew consists of David Clifford, Pedro Cruz, Rolon Morris Sr. and Leroy Cota. “I’ve seen so many people die and that weighs on you,” said Cruz. “Not so much of the natural deaths, but those who harmed themselves through suicides – that stays with you. “We worked on people in … [Read more...] about Inmates serving the community 24/7

After serving 16 years in New York state prisons as a juvenile, Sean Pica has had a fundamental role in bringing college education to prisoners nationwide. For the past 10 years, Pica has been the executive director of New York’s Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison. He also serves on the board of the newly formed Alliance for Higher Education in Prison, which includes Jody Lewen, executive director of the Prison University Project (PUP) at San Quentin. “The Alliance is about giving access to higher learning to prisoners across the … [Read more...] about Former inmate brings higher education to prisoners

When a deadly influenza virus swept through San Quentin last February and March, many sick inmates said they were reluctant to report being ill to medical personnel because they feared facing medical isolation in administrative segregation. One inmate died during this year’s influenza season, said San Quentin Chief Medical Officer Dr. Elena Tootell. The inmate who died was elderly and had chronic health problems, Tootell said. For privacy reasons, she would not go into details about the inmate’s death but said the flu virus may have attacked … [Read more...] about Deadly influenza virus goes unreported by sick inmates

Nigel Poor, one of three members of a unique prison podcast, Ear Hustle, received an award dedicated to honoring public servants. The Jefferson Award for Public Service is given weekly to one person for his or her behind-the-scenes work in the community. In Poor’s case, her work is behind the walls of San Quentin State Prison. “I was shocked,” Poor said when she was notified by the selection committee. “It’s feels great, but I’m usually shy about things like that.” Poor, a Bay Area resident, artist and art history professor at California … [Read more...] about San Quentin’s own quiet hero

A new generation of women activists has arisen. Their calling card is the hash tag #Nevertheless, She Persisted. These women are challenging the male-dominated political and economic system and breaking barriers. The phrase “Nevertheless, she persisted” was lifted from the US Senate’s recent decision to silence Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) during a debate. Trailblazers include Tamika Mallory, Carmen Perez and Linda Sarsour, co-organizers of the Women’s March on Washington in January. They stood before huge crowds on the Washington Mall and … [Read more...] about #Nevertheless,ShePersisted