When Demiantra Maurice Clay, a.k.a. young “Bout It,” first came into the California prison system, he was only 15 years old. He was convicted and sentenced to three life sentences plus 69 years for his role in gang activity in the murderous streets of “Oak Park” in Sacramento, Calif.
But he did not lose hope. He took advantage of his time in prison and became an author. In 2018 he published his first book, “Last Time I Checked I Was Alive.”
“Inside the pages of this book is the raw inscription of a young reala,” the book reads.
“I do know a few thug lords,” Clay said in an interview with SQNews. “I am not a saint nor am I the devil. So, please forgive me if any of my thoughts, words, or actions in real life offend you.”
This is Clay’s life story, an autobiography filled with childhood trauma and too much exposure to the harsh realities of the streets. “People who have babies should be careful not to expose those babies to certain things,” said Clay. “It can lead to terrible outcomes.”
In this book, Clay talks about his struggles with having alcohol- and drug-addicted parents. He turned to the streets, and eventually the gangs, to cope. His life takes him from the ghettos of East St. Louis, Ill., to the cracks, crevices, and backwoods of Little Rock/North Little Rock, Ark., and all the way to Sacramento’s treacherous Oak Park neighborhood.
Clay’s life took a turn for the worst when he joined a gang. Trying to make it on his own, he found himself to be angry and vengeful. He has been in prison for 26 years. He expected to die in prison. But now he is eligible for parole due to new youth offender parole laws in California.
Clay broke ties with his old gang in 2016 and hopes his book can serve as a warning to youth.
“Find something other than the streets and wrong friends,” he said. “Find anything to fill the void in your life like academics, sports, therapy, but not the streets or wrong friends.”
“I grew a taste for reading, learning, and getting my GED, taking college courses,” he said. “I just finished the HEART program in 2023, which is a domestic violence prevention course.”
Clay reads a lot of self-help books, such as “The Power of Now” and “The Four Agreements,” which helped change his outlook on life. He is now an IDAP worker, helping disabled people at San Quentin. He pushes wheelchairs and assists people in obtaining food, medication, and packages. He is a tutor for the Youth Offender Program. He also volunteers as a teacher’s aide, helping people get their GED.
In response to the question of why he wrote this book, he said, “I really wasn’t doing it for myself, but once I did, I realized it gave me a better view of my own life.”
Since the age of 14, Clay has loved to write poems and letters. “I plan to write more books,” he said.
He is currently working on a book highlighting women he believes are deserving of credit for great accomplishments, but who don’t get that credit in this male dominated world. If and when he is released from prison, he wants to work in communities helping abused women and at-risk youth.
“That’s where the disenfranchisement comes into effect,” Clay said. “If we are going to rectify it, we have to address these two [groups].” He encourages people to learn about their trauma, learn how to deal with it, and then start approaching it and handling it.
“It works miracles,” he said. Clay will appear before a parole board again in January 2024.
