EARNED LIVING UNITS DEAL WITH LONG WAIT
LISTS BY STARTING THEIR OWN GROUPS
San Quentin’s Earned Living Units are providing programs for themselves by creating incarcerated-run self-help groups.
South Block’s Alpine and Donner units now offer the Returning Citizens Program, a weekly interactive, reentry-based approach to human development. The 18-week program consists of workshops covering courses in subjects ranging from relapse prevention to criminal thinking patterns that result in write-ups for contraband cellphones.
“When I got to San Quentin, I thought I would be able to take groups. That’s why I chose to transfer here,” said SQ resident Larry “Ali” Deminter, the program’s creator. “Instead, I heard about these waiting lists that are years long. That’s when I decided to try to start up my workshops.”
Deminter developed the courses while incarcerated at California Men’s Colony- West, where he also taught it under the Ambassadors of Change banner, another self-help group. The group was formed around all the information Deminter has collected over his 19-years of incarceration and studying self-help materials.
At its height at CMC, there were 12 workshops running and 150 men graduated every three months.
Now, here at SQ, Deminter has ten men and two workshops. He plans to expand.
These workshops are for the
—Larry “Ali” Deminter
men here who are serious
about programming and
changing their lives.
While correctional staff were initially hesitant about the program, it got moving when South Block’s Lt. Haub got involved.
Deminter jokingly refers to Lt. Haub as the program director of his workshops because of the vital assistance he has so freely given. Lt. Haub agreed to sign the laudatory chronos to acknowledge participation of incarcerated people in attendance, he makes any copies needed and even hunts down a whiteboard for the classes. Building staff now assist by closing the dayroom in Alpine to make space for the classes.
Other incarcerated residents also help. Alpine resident Terrell “TJ” Marshall currently holds the position of secretary, and has plans to facilitate one of the workshops himself. He experienced similar setbacks with his programming when he arrived at SQ two years ago.
“I’ve been waiting two years just to get into college. When I got here I signed up for a bunch of stuff. After a year of waiting, I managed to get into AA. But during a Covid lockdown I missed three weeks and got kicked out,” Marshall said
When Deminter proposed the idea of the workshops to Marshall, he jumped onboard immediately. Marshall handles getting the rosters made as well as putting up signs for the program.
Deminter teaches the classes as a part of his living amends. But here at SQ, he said it has become more than that for him. “Before getting here [Alpine], I was told that the people living in the Earned Living Units would get priority on groups, but that hasn’t been the case,” he said. “These workshops are for the men here who are serious about programming and changing their lives.”
Despite all of his efforts, he believes that it will not succeed unless staff gets more involved. At CMC West, staff and administration were involved with the workshops. They attended the meetings, provided the needed copies and supplies, and hosted graduation ceremonies. That help and support from staff is what kept it going.
The current plan for Returning Citizens is to soon have workshops every day of the week. Deminter also wants to hold them within the building, where they do not have to worry about staff coverage, program being open, or room availability. He wants attendance to remain exclusive to just those in the Earned Living Unit.
