By Angelo Falcone
Many of the men on the mainline know MAC President Johnson and Vice-president Alvarez. However, here is an introduction to the other four men who serve on the MAC Executive Body: Executive Secretary Matthew Nguyen, Parliamentarian Darryl Hill, H-Unit Senior Advisor Willie Thompson, and Sergeant at Arms Nicola Bucci. After being elected to the MAC General Body by a vote of the mainline population, these men were voted into the Executive Body by a vote of the General Body of MAC Representatives.
1. How many years have you been a MAC Representative?
Executive Secretary Matthew Nguyen: “Two years.”
Parliamentarian Darryl Hill: “I have been a MAC Rep. for the past six years.”
H-Unit Senior Advisor Willie Thompson: “I have been a MAC Representative since 2015.”
Sergeant at Arms Nicola Bucci: “From March 2015 to the present.”
2. Were you ever a MAC Representative at another institution?
Nguyen: “No.”
Hill: “Yes. I was a MAC Representative at DVI-Tracy and at Soledad Prison.”
Thompson: “No, but I would work and talk to them about issues.”
Bucci: “Yes. I was the vice-chairperson at ISP from April 2013 to April 2014.”
3. Why did you become a MAC Representative?
Nguyen: “My friend was a MAC member, and he needed help structuring the council. I had no experience working in that capacity, but I have been in positions of influence and power in the past, so I figured I might help him as long as I knew the law of the land and the nature of the beast I will be dealing with.”
Hill: “To help general population programs run smoothly and effectively as possible. My hopes are to always help solve a situation before it becomes a problem.”
Thompson: “I like to help people and let them know that they are not alone.”
Bucci: “To give back to my community and reinforce my leadership skills while feeling a sense of self-worth.”
4. What is your top priority as a MAC Representative?
Nguyen: “To get us what we have coming. If it’s in the Title 15 and the DOM, I want us to have it by right of the law.”
Hill: “To research legal matters through the DOM and the Title 15.”
Thompson: “To have a relationship with the other inmates and the staff in H-Unit and San Quentin. I always encourage the men in H-Unit to please come and talk to me if there is an issue that I can help them with. I am not hard to find and most everyone in H-Unit knows me.”
Bucci: “To be transparent with my peers and with the administration. I feel it is my responsibility to my victims, community and family to live a pro-social life within my community, and as a MAC representative, I must inform my fellow inmates of their rights.”
Nguyen oversees the administrative operations of MAC, Hill chairs the Recreation Subcommittee, Thompson oversees the H-Unit Subcommittees and Bucci chairs the North Block Subcommittee.