Roots graduate Javier Jimenez and Roger Chung San Quentin’s Asian community organized a festive and all-inclusive ceremony to honor “Super Cycle 5”—the latest graduating class of ROOTS (Restoring Our Original True Self). ROOTS Chairman Kevin Neang served as emcee and made sure the June 9 event reflected great reverence for history and tradition, while also keeping a positive perspective on the future. “I guess we’re really going to be Asian today,” joked Neang after he was thrown a bottle of Sriracha sauce instead of a microphone. “We … [Read more...] about ROOTS celebrates, tradition, inclusion and freedom
Prison Programs
An emerging class of peacemakers from San Quentin
TRIP graduates Tribe 379 Restorative justice program GRIP continues its legacy of healing with its newest grads After examining their lives, past traumas, their crimes and taking account- ability of it all, nearly 150 incarcerated men underwent a “rite of passage” in San Quentin’s visiting room that ended with the men pledging to live as peacemakers. Guiding Rage Into Power (GRIP), the 52-week offender accountability program, held graduations on the last two Fridays of June. Incarcerated men, their families, and guest from San … [Read more...] about An emerging class of peacemakers from San Quentin
Kern Valley State Prison recognizes graduating class of Substance-Use Disorder Treatment program
Back Row (left to right): Estrada, Guardado, Lambert, Villa, Abel , Sapiens, Front Row: Norton, White, Tucker, Hernandez Today is not another run- of-the-mill day in Kern Valley State Prison. The D-Facility Visiting Room is packed full of people, all with cause for celebration. The energy in the room is palpable. Today is graduation day for the Substance-Use Disorder Treatment Program (SUDT). It is a day of jubilation for dozens upon dozens of people, not all of them inmates. Warden Pfeiffer was kind enough to come and share some … [Read more...] about Kern Valley State Prison recognizes graduating class of Substance-Use Disorder Treatment program
Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs checks out San Quentin Enneagram program
Enneagram class on lower yard with Micheal Tubbs & wife Anna Tubbs Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and his wife, Anna, came to San Quentin to join a class aimed at helping prisoners gain self-respect and overcome childhood trauma. Anna Tubbs said they came to the prison because they’re “both social justice concerned. It’s important to meet people directly impacted by policy choices—to be seen personally—to understand the needs of the people.” Michael Tubbs & wife Anna with Enneagram class & Sponsors The incarcerated men par- take in … [Read more...] about Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs checks out San Quentin Enneagram program
Quentin Cooks culinary program serves up big audience
Graduate Derry Brown receiving certificate from Chef Huw Thorton A documentary filmmaker spent a year in San Quentin filming a cooking program as it progressed. He found that learning high-end culinary arts changed the way incarcerated people see the world. “The guys really talk about the pride of cooking for the other guys,” said filmmaker Santhosh Daniel, “When you cook for someone else and put your soul into it, it changes you from thinking about yourself to thinking about the people around you. The word is love.” Dipti Ghosh … [Read more...] about Quentin Cooks culinary program serves up big audience
The nature of our addiction
"The men at Avenal State Prison find support in rehabilitation" The men at avenal State Prison program participants Today is a day of Victory. For most just an ordinary day, but for some of us, that’s not the case. As we manage to live one more day, hour and minute from the destructive addiction that is trying to destroy not only us, everyone we come across, every day of our lives. As addicts, we lost hope and gave up the idea that one day we would be able to stop this deadly addiction. In most situation’s it takes years to actually … [Read more...] about The nature of our addiction
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
Criminal canines given reprieve through rehabilitation at SQ
Dogs with their inmate trainers at SQ firehouse In the County of Marin, some animals that are stigmatized because they are pit bulls are given a second chance. Mack is one of those dogs. He was afforded the opportunity to be trained and prepared for adoption through the Pen Pals program—a 14-year alliance between San Quentin State Prison and the Marin Humane Society. The program connects dogs with behavioral problems and nonviolent prisoners who want to care for them, according to the Marin Independent Journal. Rashid Lockheart and … [Read more...] about Criminal canines given reprieve through rehabilitation at SQ
An interview with former Death Row prisoner Alfred Sandoval, from Pelican Bay’s Newsletter “The Pelican”
SQ_Lethal_Injection_Room K: Thank you for sitting down with me and for agreeing to do this interview. If I remember correctly, you said you’ve been in prison for about two-thirds of your life? That... is a long time. S: Trust me, it’s been very long. From the boy’s home to death row – I came into the system in ’79. K: Has it been hard? S: No. It’s life. It’s survival. Out there, in the streets, you have to deal with everything – bills, jobs, boss, kids. In prison it’s the same. Life. It doesn’t mean it’s easy or hard. It’s just … [Read more...] about An interview with former Death Row prisoner Alfred Sandoval, from Pelican Bay’s Newsletter “The Pelican”
Bread & Roses presents tribute to honor Audrey Auld
Audrey Auld singing for Day of Peace on lower yard in SQ A parade of San Quentin musicians entertained about 100 inmates while honoring the late folksinger Audrey Auld, a favorite performer at the prison. “She opened up her heart; she brought her music. She was amazing!” guitarist Richie Morris said of Auld. “Audrey’s final performance at San Quentin was the performance of a life- time—the show to top all shows. She left exhilarated. It’s an example of the healing power of music,” said Lisa Starbird of the music organization Bread … [Read more...] about Bread & Roses presents tribute to honor Audrey Auld