Holidays

Annual Christmas Banquet brings out the holiday spirit

January 1, 2020 by David Ditto

Guests dining at a previous Christmas Banquet

The spirit of the holidays filled the San Quentin Protestant Chapel for more than 300 volunteers and prisoners at the annual Christmas Banquet.

“It’s such a joyous occasion. It’s the best day of the year for so many of us!” said Fred Cole, one of about 250 men in blue.

Some 50 volunteers and the inmates braved the rain and wind on the cold gray Saturday morning, Dec. 7. Inside they joined in a heart-warming celebration to begin the holy holiday season.

Chaplain Mardi Ralph Jackson, dressed in festive red and black, greeted the guests with a warm smile and a handshake. “God bless you,” she said as they passed through the foyer into the beautifully decorated chapel.

Golden angels stood 12 feet high on both sides of the entrance. Green holly and pine garlands and wreaths with red ribbons and bows and glowing lights decked the windows, bannisters and walls.

“Rejoice, Christ is Born,” announced two of the festive banners. The gathering crowd mingled and engaged in lively discussions.

Guests filled the hundreds of seats at place settings with red cups and Christmas napkins on tables draped with red tablecloths. Mini Christmas tree centerpieces glowed with alternating color lights and “Believe” ornaments glittered with gold on each of the 34 tables.

The annual banquet acknowledges the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who share the love of Christ with the chapel’s congregation throughout the year. The guests of honor, the volunteers from all the Christian fellowship groups, sat side-by-side with the men in blue at each table.

“Hallelujah, praise the Lord!” began the emcee as the entire crowd rose to its feet. “The Lord is good.”

Chaplain Jackson joined the Garden Chapel Worship Team, a choir of nine with four musicians – in singing, “We worship You for who You are…hallelujah.”

Then an elder opened in prayer “Thank You, Father God, sup with us, bless us and keep us while we worship You…Amen.”

“Hallelujah!” praised Chaplain Jackson. “On behalf of the men in blue and myself, we welcome you. Thank You, Jesus. We worship Him today. We honor Him. He is worthy.

“We acknowledge every man who worked to turn this sanctuary into a place of celebration. Thank you, Elder Derrick Holloway, thank you brother Christopher Harris. Thanks to the men in the kitchen cooking right now, the crew at the door, musicians, men in leadership and Spanish ministries. Thanks to all our volunteers who sacrifice without any pay and give of themselves in the Lord’s service.”

“Joy to the world, the Lord has come,” rang out through the chapel as the Worship Team began singing anew. The audience, still standing, joined in the spirited performance, “Let earth receive her King.”

The next song had everyone clapping and swaying to the rhythm, “…Glory to the newborn King.”

Next came Tim Young on acoustic guitar, followed by an a cappella solo of “He is Able.” Both performers received standing ovations.

Evangelist Paula Bates from Prayer Garden, who volunteers inside San Quentin with the Greater Love program, had this message: “I can’t help myself but lift my hands and say, ‘Glory hallelujah.’”

In her bright red, black and white dress, Bates complimented the stage decorations that included poinsettias, wrapped packages, wreaths and stockings and a 12-foot-high Christmas tree with lights, garlands, balls and an angel on top.

The entire audience stood as Bates began to sing, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, what a wonder you are.” The musicians joined in and guests sang along, waving their raised hands.

The Prodigal Sons quartet then captivated the audience with a medley, “Merry Christmas to you…Silent night, holy night, Christ the Savior is born…”

The audience responded with joyous praise, cheer and applause. The in-house talent continued with two brothers rapping, “The plan God has for you,” a Spanish prayer, “Gracias Padre bendito, todo para Ti” and “Amazing Grace” a cappella.

Then came the feast served to everyone: barbequed chicken leg and thigh, turkey ham, macaroni and cheese, barbequed beans, corn, potato salad, a roll with butter, cake with chocolate icing and punch. The banquet was so well attended, some of the premium table seats were used twice.

“This is way better than standing in line in the rain for a tray of the same old stuff,” said one San Quentin resident, thoroughly enjoying the top-notch dining experience. “This is even better than Thanksgiving!” commented another.

The voices of fellowship from each table’s conversations kept the chapel warm during supper, even as the cold storm continued outside. A couple of volunteers were talking with a San Quentin resident at one table. Chris Clark, a volunteer with Cornerstone Fellowship, has been coming into San Quentin for six years.

“This is amazing. God is bringing glory right to where we are,” said Clark. After struggling with addiction for 28 years, faith transformed him. “I had my come-to-Jesus moment and woke up with a new hope and a new high,” he shared.

“I really love coming here, I love being here, I love the fellowship and the testimonies,” said Ronda Clark, who has been volunteering with Cornerstone at The Q for about a year. She and Chris have been married for five years and they share the same sobriety date in 2012.

“I tried it once and I was hooked,” said Ronda about the Christian Fellowship volunteer program. “You don’t even know how much we are blessed by you. It warms my heart every time. Even after we leave the prison, we keep you in our hearts and prayers.”

The Clarks pray with the inmates during the evening services. They will be here two more times in December, including Christmas caroling in the cell blocks.

Rick Burger has been a San Quentin resident about three years. He expressed appreciation for the chapel volunteers and the opportunities they bring: “Thank you for sharing your blessings with us. I hope I can be as big a blessing to others, inside and out.” Burger continued, “If someone would have told me when I was in county jail that when I go to prison, I would attend college, go to church and work, and become an amazing soldier for God, I would have told them, ‘Let’s pray for something a little more realistic.’ This chapel is a miracle.”

As the dining slowed down, entertainment resumed. Soothing acoustic guitar by David was followed by a “parable” by comedian Jesse Ayers that got the crowd roaring with laughter.

Chaplain Jackson took the stage once again to present the certificates to the volunteers. “The San Quentin Garden Chapel Christian Fellowship presents these certificates to you to express our gratitude for you and all you do to share the love and fellowship of Jesus Christ with us,” she said to each group. Representatives came onto the stage to accept the certificates and say a few words.

Some of the groups and volunteers recognized were 19^th Street Baptist Church, Second Chance Ministry, Man to Man Ministries, Hillside Covenant, Tiburon Baptist Church, Malachi Dads, Aldo Yannon, Steve Wiegert, Overcomers, Evangelist Leslie Smith, New Faith Cathedral, Brother Donald Mack, Pastor Tom Pham, Elder Darryl Jenkins, Pastor and Sister Hipple, Evangelist Sam and Karen Knapp and Larry Wilson.

“How many mighty men of God we have here!” said Chaplain Jackson. The audience burst into a standing ovation.

“During this season, if you feel like giving up or if you feel like you’re all alone, remember God loves you. Jesus is your hope,” said Evangelist Paula. Then she closed the celebration with a strong and soulful song, “He is the reason…Jesus is the reason…”

The sun shone in through the chapel windows as the storm outside cleared and the guests began to trickle back out to the garden.

A competitive spirit reigned during the Fourth of July celebration at SQ

September 16, 2019 by Juan Haines

San Quentin’s Lower Yard opened on Independence Day to a carnival-like event that kept hundreds of prisoners entertained all day. A Christian coalition of young incarcerated men, Graced Out Ministries, sponsored the festivities.

“The idea was to bring young men and people of all ages together to express their gifts and talents and to let everyone know that God loves them no matter where they are,” said Graced Out organizer Dwight Kennedy.

Graced Out Ministries and the Protestant Church collected donations to give away cookies, chips and sodas as prizes, in addition to providing more than 900 burritos and bags of chips to everyone.

Fifteen people lined up to devour a Honey Bun at top speed to win a “pie-eating” contest. The Ironman Contest was a grueling task of 40 pull-ups; 40 bar dips; 40 squats and 40 pushups, followed by a lap around the Lower Yard. Finally, a 100-pound heavy bag had to be carried about 50 yards and brought back by pushing it on the ground to the start line. There was also a Three- Legged Race, Potato Sack Race, a Home-run Derby, Basketball Three-Point and Skills Contest, a Four-Man Push-up Contest and a Rock/ Paper/Scissors Contest.

The first Ironman contestant, Brian “Sharky” Holiday, completed the tasks in 6:24:69, a time that held nearly all day, until several youngsters broke it in consecutive runs. In the end, Jeremiah Lee scored 5:20:72, a time that couldn’t be beat.

“I did that for my son,” Lee said. “I never met him.”

Tony Trinidad entered four contests: Rock/Paper/ Scissors, the Three-Legged Race, the Potato Sack Race and the Honey Bun eating contest.

Referring to Graced Out Ministries, Trinidad said, “I like them because it’s us talking to us.” Trinidad is a participant in numerous self-help groups at San Quentin, including the Prison University Project, Criminal Gangs Anonymous as well as Vocational Plumbing “I didn’t expect that many people to show up,” said Graced Out organizer Antoine Waite.

The most popular comment from hundreds of men for the day was “fun.”

The Honey Bun contest went like this: with hands behind your back, eat a Honey Bun as fast as you can. The first man chewing and then opening up an empty mouth is the winner.

“I need water!” said first place winner, John Ray Ervin. “I’m going to pay for it.”

Cones lined the basketball court for the Three-Point Contest, Half-Court Shot Contest and the Skills Challenge.

Half-Court Shot Win was Anthony Guillebeau. Coming in second and third respectively were Raiveon “Ray Ray” Wooden and James Harrison.

As the yard’s PA systems announced, “In five minutes, the Three-Legged Contest will began in Right Field,” the old tied themselves to the young, Black to White, tall to short — they took off racing — step, step, hop and some tumbled in laughter while rolling in the grass.

The contestants for the Rock/Paper/Scissors Contest lined up, five men facing five opponents to play two out of three to determine the winner. Each contest began with smiles and handshakes; once they began; their hands shook three times to reveal — Paper covers Rock, Scissors cut Paper or Rock breaks Scissors.

The Four-Man Push- up Contest completed 25 push-ups. Winner Vadim Zakharchenko led the winners.

The day ended with a raffle to give away leftover prizes. Remarkably, there were no alarms sounded the entire day.

Graced Out Ministries organizers were Dwight Kennedy, Antoine Waite and Aaron Tilas.

Fellow incarcerated men Kevin Kelly, Norman Willhoite, James Benson, Paul Salseda, Danny Pita and Armando R. Gonzalez assisted Graced Out.

Juneteenth weekend celebration at San Quentin

August 14, 2019 by Kevin Sawyer

The 2019 Juneteenth weekend at San Quentin concluded with speeches and musical performances in the prison’s Catholic Chapel. About 70 inmates and a handful of outside guests attended the evening event.

The prison’s R&B band New Syndication of Funk (NSF) was the driving force behind the music playing songs such as “What You Won’t Do For Love” by Bobby Caldwell. Lee Jaspar delivered a memorable solo on guitar, and Rico Rogers was unmatched with his solo on the keyboard.

Inmate Paul C. Hamilton was one of the organizers and host of the early evening event. “I’m going to tell you what time it is” (about prison), he said at the beginning of his speech. “It’s serious business.”

Hamilton asked the au- dience. if they had five minutes to get on a bus departing from prison to take them home, which di- rection would they go? H- Unit, West Block, or North Block?

“At the end, when I finish speaking, you will know the answer to the question,” said Hamilton, explaining that “darkness symbolizes ignorance” before he told a story of how the worst place in Europe put men on a ship and sent them to Louisiana with slaves.

Inmate Tim Young played original music on an acous- tic guitar using a looped progression of major-seventh and minor-seventh chords as inmate Michael Mackey rapped and inmate Adriel Ramirez played the drums.

The trio performed the original song “The One You’re Overlooking,” a song about history, and current events with an overall politi- cally conscious message. It was met with a warm round of applause.

Young said “time alone” inspired the song. “Me myself, thinking about this life and how I felt.”

NSF returned to the stage to perform oldies such as “That’s The Way I Feel About You,” by Bobby Womack, “Can’t Hide Love,” by Earth Wind & Fire, “It Just Gets Better With Time,” by The Whispers, and what has seemingly become their anthem “Joy and Pain,” by Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly.

“It’s the second time we’ve ever done this song,” said Rogers, before the band played its original song “Vi- sions.” Tony “Tone” O’Neal and Rogers traded off sing- ing with Rogers doing most of the chorus as Paul Comaux played the tambourine. Jaspar added a jazzy guitar solo to the mix.

“We live in a world now today where the color of our skin and sexual preference is more important than our character,” Mackey said,

quoting rapper and author Sista Souljah. Then he sang “Sweet Dream or Beautiful Nightmare,” using prerecorded sound tracks from a CD played on the chapel’s PA system. “I’m just venting,” he said when the song ended.

Hamilton’s sermon con- tinued about prison being “a serious situation.” He said we live in a time where we can be exposed to the truth. “Some societies control the news and laws.” He said it’s how propa- ganda is disseminated.

“We don’t pay attention” (in prison), said Hamilton. He said there are people of color telling you that you can’t go anywhere. “We have to pay attention to what hap- pened in the past.”

“That’s why it took us so long to get the message (about the end of slavery), because we weren’t paying attention,” said Hamilton. “Whose fault was that?” His message was about law, freedom and being vigilant about what’s happening in prison. “If you don’t hear your name, you won’t get on the bus.”

At the end of the show, the performers and speak- ers all gave thanks to Sis- ter Aurora for helping them produce it. “I thought it was great,” she said. “Good beats and vocals. I enjoyed it. A lot of participation.”

Inmates Jamie Acosta and Eric Rives worked the sound and mixing for the event.

The uplifting experience of Good Friday at San Quentin

June 24, 2019 by Juan Haines

Watson Allison, who spent more than 30 years on San Quentin’s Death Row, was one of many in awe of sunset ser- vices for Good Friday — the day Jesus Christ was crucified.

Allison stood inside the Protestant Chapel as light filtered through its blue-tinted windows, dusk approached and men-in-blue mingled. Listening to Raul Higgins slapped the congas, Albert Flagg’s fingers danced on the piano while Greg Dixon rang out his piping organ. Dixon switched to a Fender guitar, adding a new dynamic to the drumming of Sincere Carter over Leonard “Funky Len” Walker’s bass guitar.

Edward Dewayne Brooks stood stage left, clapping and rocking in conversation with fellow ushers, choir members and the Worship Team.

As he listened, Allison said that he felt like he’s on the right path.

“I have a lot of support from people checking-in with me,” he said. “People come over to me just to see how I’m doing. That’s enriching to the soul.”

Nine long, fresh palm branches sat on the chapel stage. They shared the stage with the cross at the center. The palms stretched, nearly touching the chapel ceiling. A lone branch lay sideways on the stage’s steps.

Chaplin Mardi Ralph Jackson stood at the rear of the chapel as 34-year-old Carrington Russelle took the stage to share his addition to the sermon.

“She spends more time with us than she does with her family,” Russelle said about Chaplin Jackson. He encouraged the men-in-blue to take advantage of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.

“We made some poor choices to get into this blue attire,” Russelle said. “Now you can make the best decision of your life by accepting Jesus.”

He emphasized that Jesus Christ was not murdered–he sacrificed his life to save us.

Vadim Zakharchenko, 32, gave a tearful sermon that brought attending men-in-blue to their feet. Zakharchenko said that, in the past, he came to church only semi-committed to Jesus Christ. He became tired of living that way, and after a conversation with his mother, he became fully committed to Jesus Christ.

George E. Moss, 49, shared his experience in administrative segregation in isolation after catching the flu. The experience restored his faith, and helped him understand God’s wisdom.

Armando R. Gonzalez’s sermon grappled with where true power comes from and why Jesus Christ sacrificed himself.

Happy Mother’s Day from the women at the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility

May 29, 2019 by San Quentin News Staff

Happy Mother's Day

May 12, 2019 by San Quentin News

FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOUR UNDYING LOVE I LOVE YOU MOM DUSTIN

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY WE LOVE YOU MICHELLE SMITH & CARLOS SMITH

San Quentin celebrates Holy Week

May 6, 2019 by admins

Holy Week is the Catholic Church’s most sacred time of the year. It is the remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

The celebration at San Quentin’s Catholic Chapel, which was open to all, started with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, April 18, and ended with Vespers on Easter Sunday.

“This is the high point of the Christian year, and it goes back to the earliest celebration of the Church,” said SQ Catholic Chaplain Father George Williams.

Thursday night’s mass began with the Last Supper celebration. “It continues with the washing of the feet, communion, and the solemn procession of the Eucharist to the altar of repose where the faithful spend time in adoration and prayer,” according to the Inland Catholic Byte.

On Friday there was a noon service for the Stations of the Cross, which commemorates Jesus’ ordeal on the road to Calvary. Later in the day there was also the Good Friday evening service in remembrance of Christ being crucified and buried.

“On Holy Saturday night, in silence and in darkness, we enter into the Easter Vigil… Thanks be to God!” said the Inland Catholic Byte.

The main celebration took place Saturday night—Easter Vigil Mass and the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. It included Baptism, Confirmation and Oblate Vows.

Everyone received their own candle upon entering the Catholic Chapel. Before the service began, SQ’s Deacon Matt went around getting all the candles lit.

The lights went out, and candlelight filled the chapel. “The candle is a sign of the light of Christ,” said Deacon Matt.

More than 70 inmates and 20 visitors from the outside had a candle in hand.

“It was a glorious vigil. There had to have been more than 20 visitors from outside of San Quentin,” said inmate Greg Jordan.

Ken Miller, a visitor from San Francisco, said, “I’m a converted Catholic myself, went through confirmation in the 90’s. It’s always a neat experience. I attend the vigil every year. This is my first vigil at San Quentin.”

Later, in the service inmate Eric Rives was baptized, fully submerged under water by Deacon Matt.

Rives said, “I feel the love of Christ.” In explain- ing why he became Catholic and decided to get baptized, said Rives by saying “Simply love, love of God, love of Christ, love of the Holy Spirit, love of the church. I feel loved; deep tender, compassionate love. This love impels me to love others with the depth of God’s love and Christ’s love; to walk in service of others just as Jesus did. I am free.”

Celebrating the holiday homecoming of incarcerated women

April 30, 2019 by San Quentin News Contributer

Nancy Skinner with volunteers and formerly incarcerated women at the event

After prison, women face different reentry barriers than men do, primarily be- cause women have much greater responsibilities (as caregivers, parents and relationship supporters to family, intimates and their communities and social net- works) than men do.

When women go to prison and jail, the roles they have served become lost to the people who relied on them. Compounding this problem is the reality that women do not receive the same types of support they give others while they are incarcerated and most in need of continuity and help.

Women having a discussion at the event about the trials of reentry

Aminah Elster, a current Elder Freeman Policy Fellow at Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) and a returning woman almost two years ago, explains, “I can vividly remember visit- ing my ex-husband in prison and the long lines of women who were always there to vis- it men who were incarcerated and show them love and sup- port, but when I was imprisoned for almost two decades, the few visits I received came from women family, friends and outside organizational supporters. The reality is that most currently and formerly incarcerated women do not experience an equal level of commitment, support and consideration as our male counterparts.”

Most current penal polices neither respect nor promote the continuance of family and interpersonal bonds while women are incarcerated. As a result, women experience a lot more shame, blame and loss of prior identities due to the numerous roles they once played in the lives of those around them being disrupted by incarceration.

All of these combined factors create greater hurdles to reintegration and the reestablishment of a woman’s place in the community when she returns home. Most often, women cannot easily resume their previous roles and struggle to receive adequate enough support to create new identities in the community as returning citizens.

A study by the U.S. Department of Health and Hu- man Services on women returning home from prison noted that women need to be supported with relational models in reintegration that are sensitive to their racial, ethnic and cultural back- grounds. They also need programs that promote their self-worth and provide role models and mentors to help them navigate their reintegration and reentry.

Women building sisterhood and networking

Organizations like LSPC, which was founded in 1978 to support the continued relationships of incarcerated parents and children, and the California Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP), founded in 1995 to address institutional abuse and systemic conditions women face while incarcerated, are work- ing to develop programs and models for reentry services that reflect the unique needs and challenges of returning women.

According to Policy Manager and Event Coordinator Sabina Crocette, “LSPC developed the idea of celebrating and welcoming women home from jail, prison, detention and other forms of incarceration for the holidays each year as a means of acknowledging their importance and value as returning citizens and members of the community, who need to be respected and embraced throughout their journeys back home.”

“A Woman’s Journey Home: Challenges for Fe- male Offenders and Their Children” (2001). U.S. Department of Health and Hu- man Services. The report can be found at: https://aspe.hhs. gov/basic-report/womans- journey-home-challenges- female-offenders-and-their- children.