Some San Quentin Black residents trace their lack of participation in politics to subpar education and feeling ostracized by the government that’s said to represent them.

America’s laws, from voting rights to tax contributions and everything in between, eventually shape and define reality in the country. How active someone is in the political realm, can weigh greatly in determining what that reality eventually looks like.

If participation is important, why are so many Black people choosing not to become politically engaged?

“A lot of Black people believe they don’t have a voice or a serious stake in the country,” said Mesro Coles-El, a San Quentin resident who became deeply engaged in politics through his practice of Islam. 

“We don’t feel we are apart of the country as much as other Americans. When you don’t think you are a part of something then you won’t respect it,” said Coles-El.

Statistics from the 2024 presidential election reveal that 40.4% of eligible Black voters did not vote, according to USAfacts. There were myriad factors that contributed to low voter turnout, including Black voters feeling underrepresented by candidates, lack of outreach by political campaigns, and existing barriers such as closures of polling centers and discriminatory voter ID laws.

Additionally, research conducted by Tufts University reveals that 66% of eligible Black voters between the ages of 18-29 did not vote in the 2024 election, compared to 53% of all people of the same age group. In the study, young Americans said they don’t believe that their vote will make a difference in their lives.

“We already believe politics is against us, so we don’t think our participation is going to matter. These thoughts are rooted in the systems, from education to prison, that we feel dehumanizes us,” said James Miles, a SQ resident who says he attempts to stay politically aware because of how laws and decisions may affect his family.

How does all of this affect incarcerated people who are unable to vote while in prison?

Black people are disproportionately present in the criminal justice system throughout the state and the country. A 2023 study by the Public Policy Institute of California shows that Black people represent 6% of California’s population, but make up 28% of the state’s prison population.

The Pew Research Center found that Black people make up 14.4% of the U.S. population as of 2023, but represent 38% of people incarcerated in the country.

William Harris is a resident at San Quentin incarcerated for 29 years. He says that he remains consistently engaged in politics because the laws effect him directly and indirectly. He believes politics, for incarcerated people, is the most important thing in the world.

“Our voices have never mattered, but that is beginning to change. We have the power to improve our conditions, but we have to be engaged and we have to want to change,” said Harris.

SQ residents believe solutions to disproportionate incarceration rates will come from incarcerated people self-educating and then getting involved in local, state and federal politics.

“People who are incarcerated have a unique experience because we’ve seen it from the inside. In order to change the narrative we need to get involved and change people’s minds,” said Coles-El.

Formerly incarcerated people in California gained some power in 2020 when Proposition 17 granted voting rights to convicted felons currently on parole. Prior to the law, people with felony records had to discharge parole before becoming eligible to vote.

Along with voting rights, there are organizations, such as the Los Angeles based non-profit Initiate Justice, which work to provide political education to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people while encouraging them to become involved in the politics that create the laws affecting their lives.

Incarcerated Black people may have valid reasons to harbor discontent toward the political structure within the country. But, this does not mean they are powerless. Through education and participation, Black people inside and outside of prison can be the catalyst to the change that will bring meaningful and lasting improvements to their lives.