Last month, we covered the first post-Covid graduation ceremony of the Guiding Rage Into Power program, commonly known as GRIP.
The graduation was a two-day event attended by a number of notables from across California, including a state senator, folks from CDCR headquarters, and friends and families of graduates, all of whom gathered to witness and celebrate students’ new roles as Peace Makers.
During my 16 years of incarceration I remained in denial, mak-ing excuses while minimizing my culpability. I was exposed in Tribe 847 which taught me to “sit in the fire” of awareness.
JIM Doherty
This month, we highlight the graduates themselves for their unflagging dedication, hard work, and sincere commitment to change.
The deadly coronavirus pandemic and repeated quarantine lockdowns turned the normally one-year program into a two-and-a-half-year ordeal. These Peace Makers never gave up, but rather found a welcome challenge and opportunities for deeper personal reflection in the extended periods of isolation.
El internalizar el concepto “yo no soy mi crimen” fue muy importante en mi transformación. Entender que mis acciones no definen mi verdadera identidad. Me permitió dejar de odiarme a mi mismo y empecé con el proceso de reconexión con mi yo verdadero. [Internalizing the concept, “I am not my crime,” was very— important in my transformation. Understanding that my actions don’t define my true identity, allowed me to stop hating myself and begin the process of reconnection with my authentic self.]
Tare Beltranchuc, faciliador
