Ryan Dietz and “Prison Daddy” Kenny Vernon Ryan Dietz arrived at San Quentin in 2016 ready to succumb to all the usual pitfalls that await youth of- fenders—substance abuse, cellphone activity and peer- pressured violence. Instead, the 19-year-old found a supportive community of mentors and positive role models that guided him onto a better path and a brighter future. Dietz paroled from SQ on July 7 with a heart determined to pay that forward. “Ultimately, prison gave me back my life,” Dietz told SQNews. “When I look back, I know I’m … [Read more...] about Getting a rare second chance in prison: How one youthful offender reclaimed his life with the help of others
KID CAT
A walk on the yard sends youth to camp
Visitors and inmates making the circle of peace at the Lower Yard “We march in solidarity, we all are behind bars,” were the lyrics of a rap song that blared through a massive speaker on San Quentin’s Lower Yard. The song captured the voices and themes of SQ Project Avary’s 3rd Annual “March for the Next Generation.” The June 22 event had inmate Philippe “Kells” Kelly and Eric McCanty of Project Avary rapping those powerful words in front of a host of prisoners and guests. Cesar of Project Avary peroforming “Incarceration carries … [Read more...] about A walk on the yard sends youth to camp
Scholarship recipient overcame a dark and troubled past
“I only knew what others had told me: that I was worthless, stupid, and a failure” Prison taught Daniel Hen- son the value of education, and now he has earned a college scholarship. “I did not finish kindergarten because of my parents’ bitter separation,” said Henson. “As a result, from then until I was 14 years old, I bounced from school to school.” After failing out of 8th grade in 1996, Henson said that he “quickly spiraled out of control, associating with other delinquents and engaging in substance abuse. I did not go to school … [Read more...] about Scholarship recipient overcame a dark and troubled past
The Beat Within celebrates 21 years of giving youth a voice
Dave Inocencio (second from left), The Beat Within and KID CAT members For the past five years, Dave Inocencio has been coming to San Quentin to lead a writing workshop for The Beat Within publication that he started 21 years ago in San Francisco. He got involved with San Quentin through Karen Drucker, who, at the time, worked with the KID CAT program and emailed him asking him to be a part of it. The first time he saw the CAT program, Inocencio was blown away. “[KID CAT shows] all those who are incarcerated that they matter and have … [Read more...] about The Beat Within celebrates 21 years of giving youth a voice
The complicated role of a SQ Correctional Counselor
Correctional Counselor V. Sibley Youth offenders keep CCI V. Sibley's hands full Ask any prisoner about his or her experience with correctional counselors and the responses will vary greatly—from torrid expletives to heartfelt praise. That’s the nature of the inmate/counselor dynamic: Does the prisoner feel he got helped or got screwed over? Correctional Counselor V. Sibley knows all about this tricky duality. “There’s plenty of inmates pissed off at me, I’m sure,” she told SQNews. “We counselors do what we can, but we can’t … [Read more...] about The complicated role of a SQ Correctional Counselor
Dear Kid CAT
Hello KidCAT Speaks, My name is Deontre Brown. I’m 21 years old and currently serving a 25-year bid at SATF/ Corcoran Prison. For some reason while at the law library I picked up a SQN October 2018 issue, and I read about “Antoine Brown Is a Free Man After 22 Years.” I noticed we both had the same last name—that’s what caught my eye (but no relation). Any- way, after I read it, it inspired me. It brought more faith to my situation. To know that you could go through a bad situation and turn it to a good situation. I finished … [Read more...] about Dear Kid CAT