As a chilling wind blew across the prison yard on Feb. 23, members of a running club prepared for a 12-lap race around San Quentin’s lower yard. Some runners stretched and ran laps to warm up, then signed in one by one. At 8:58 a.m., as everyone lined up to start the 9 a.m. race, they seemed to forget about the Bay Area winter weather, everyone except timekeeper, Melody Anne Schultz. “Running makes me feel great. I feel high, and it keeps me healthy” The sleek 76-year-old Schultz stood freezing in her black tracksuit but said she was … [Read more...] about Record holder reminisces during three mile race
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Redeveloping broken relationships with Restorative Justice
You can restore broken relationships no matter how shattered they are, several speakers said at a Restorative Justice forum at San Quentin prison. The first speaker, Robin Petersen, with faith that the Divine would guide her on what to say, stood before a podium with a statue representing Jesus hanging from a plain cross between two 42-inch flat-screens in the background, and addressed the crowd of guests and incarcerated people. Petersen, inside a men’s prison for the first time, talked on the theme of the March 3 event—restoring … [Read more...] about Redeveloping broken relationships with Restorative Justice
Opinion: Inmate consumers say some tennis shoes worthless
Inmate consumers have reported that two sneakers sold through prison package vendors were poorly made and not worth their hard-earned money – Phat Farm Prism from Access SecurePak and Air Jordan 12 Retros from Just Right Packages. Phat Farm Prism has a design flaw that causes mere walking to crack open the bottom of the “court shoes,” according to five different inmates who bought the shoes. The sneakers have a hollow area between the rubber bottom and its interior cushion making stepping on a pebble likely to poke a hole in the sole. The … [Read more...] about Opinion: Inmate consumers say some tennis shoes worthless
Female parolees’ hard road to successful re-entry
Following her parole, Davina, 50, got a temporary job on a website contract, but her parole officer insisted that she find full-time work because, he said, contract work is “too non-traditional,” reported Alejandra Molina in the Riverside Press-Enterprise. Another woman was called “lazy” by her parole officer for attending a trade school and not finding full-time work three months after her release. “I’m trying to figure out my education so I can have a good job,” said the woman, identified only as Shonda. “I want to get my education right so … [Read more...] about Female parolees’ hard road to successful re-entry
California aims to restore the right to vote for felons
California is joining the nationwide trend aimed at restoring the right to vote to convicted felons. A nonprofit called Initiate Justice is seeking support for the Restore Democracy Act, which would restore voting rights to everyone incarcerated and on parole in California. If it gets enough signatures to get on the ballot and is passed by the voters in this November’s election, it would restore voting rights to approximately 162,000 Californians, according to Initiate Justice founder Taina Vargas-Edmund. The petition needs to obtain more … [Read more...] about California aims to restore the right to vote for felons
A nightmare for one incarcerated dreamer
Luis Ojeda, 23, is serving a six-year sentence in San Quentin State Prison after a conviction for assault with great bodily injury. Upon his release, he faces deportation to Mexico. His sister, Jennie, 21, is a law-abiding resident of San Jose, where she is studying and working. Nevertheless, she also fears deportation. “I wanted to be a lawyer and help out my parents,” Luis said. “But, I messed up the opportunity DACA offered me. I feel ashamed for committing a crime. I squandered the opportunity given to me in this country. And, I feel bad … [Read more...] about A nightmare for one incarcerated dreamer
Unibody turns ex-cons into personal trainers
A successful fitness entrepreneur recently launched his own nonprofit organization to train and prepare ex-convicts for employment as personal trainers in the thriving fitness industry. “I spent 10 years in federal prison and spent most of my time there in the gym,” said Hector Guadalupe, founder of Unibody Fitness. “When I left, I had to decide what to do for my career. I became a certified personal trainer and immediately found employment in a New York City Sports Club.” The unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated people is eight times … [Read more...] about Unibody turns ex-cons into personal trainers
The Religion of Sports reaches behind the wall
Sports is a religion according to Tom Brady, Michael Strahan and the other producers of The Religion of Sports TV series. On Jan. 9, The Religion of Sports screened an episode at San Quentin featuring Forty-Niner Pastor Earl Smith, formerly incarcerated legends like Marvin Mutch, current San Quentin A’s players and their families. The documentary, produced by NFL icons Brady and Strahan (who didn’t attend but sent best wishes) along with Gotham Chopra, Chris Uttwiller, Gattanella and Giselle Parets, makes the case that sports is a … [Read more...] about The Religion of Sports reaches behind the wall
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s Valentine visit
About a year and half ago, Aly Tamboura returned home after serving almost 14 years behind bars. He came back to San Quentin on Valentine’s Day with several of his coworkers at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) for a tour of the highly touted rehabilitative prison. CZI advocates for social justice and criminal justice reform. They seek to provide affordable housing in the Bay Area. The organization has social media operations aimed at changing the criminal justice narrative, specifically how prisons operate. Tamboura is a manager for … [Read more...] about Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s Valentine visit
Arnulfo’s dream continues to prosper
This newspaper has previously reported on the life and untimely death of former editor Arnulfo T. Garcia. However, Garcia was much more than editor of the San Quentin News (SQN), he was a towering visionary and dreamer. Unlike most dreamers, he had the rarely bestowed persistence and determination to carry out his dream. The result was the newspaper’s Social Forums and the respect of news organizations from around the world. Under the guidance of Garcia, the San Quentin News transitioned from being a reporter of news to being a source of … [Read more...] about Arnulfo’s dream continues to prosper