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 reading it and saw at the bottom the KidCAT curriculum is available. I would like to start a KidCAT youth offender group at this institution—due to the fact on this yard there are a lot of dudes that have been in prison since they were youths and would like to make a change.
But this yard doesn’t have very many programs to benefit from.
I also understand you need a sponsor or community partnership. At the moment, I don’t have that, but I can gather up a bunch of signatures from inmates who would like to volunteer in this program on the yard.
Please respond back because it means a lot to help people that want to be helped but don’t know which way to go to start. Thank you and God bless.
Deontre Brown 2/18/19
Deontre,
KidCAT Speaks hears you loud and clear. KidCAT began because of guys like you hanging together on a yard with no youth offender programs. With or without a curriculum, you younger men have to support one another—break across racial lines and get the whole self-help conversation started.
Right now, you must reach out and contact the community partnership manager at your facility. CDCR requires that as the proper line of communication. Whoever your CPM is, they must then contact San Quentin’s CPM to get the curriculum ball rolling. That’s how it has to be done.
Most importantly, do not give up on yourself, Deontre. The main mission of KidCAT is to motivate and encourage you to remain optimistic. Don’t ever view yourself as forgotten, even if it seems that way when you’re sitting in your cell. And this is an attitude that you can help spread to other inmates around you. Being the service to others to helps you most of all.
