The San Francisco 49ers returned to San Quentin for their annual gift-giving visit.
The team brought staff and players that included Corey Rush Vice President of Communications, Pastors David Jackson and Earl Smith, Alumni Tom Rathman, Eric Wright, Donald Strickland, and Hall of Famer Bryant Young. Current players in attendance were Nick Bosa, and Spencer Burford.
The current spiritual leader of the 49ers former SQ Pastor Earl Smith was master of ceremonies, and conducted a “Barber Shop” style forum with members of the team and incarcerated residents in SQ’s Garden Chapel.
Smith stated that the annual visits started after the NFL became interested in social justice initiatives. The team has continued its involvement with SQ since that mandate.
Residents started the opened dialogue by discussing the Ricky Pearsall’s (a rookie 49er wide receiver) shooting incident which the audience expressed made the city look bad. The shooter was not from San Francisco.
“I will say that the perception from an outsider’s perspective is that [San Francisco] is a big, crime-riddled city. That’s kind of what you see from the news and social media. Obviously when a first round pick gets shot in a very affluent area that doesn’t help,” said first time visitor and 49er pro-bowler Nick Bosa. Bosa also stated he did not have solutions to the city’s struggles.
Smith added that crime numbers in San Francisco are actually down.
Spencer Burford, who derides in Texas, shared a different view. He informed the crowd that residents of Texas obtain handguns after passing certain background checks.
“Everybody should be on their P’s and Q’s where they’re at and whatever situation they’re supposed to be in,” Burford said. “What happened to Ricky was very unfortunate. He can’t control that and he was doing something for a totally different cause. [It] could’ve happened to any one of us.”
Four Time Super Bowl Champion Eric Wright shared that he has been in and around Union Square for more than forty years, and in that time much has changed.
Wright mentioned how a Los Angeles Dodgers Player and his wife were robbed in Southern California and the overall need to have “some type” of protection seems mandatory if you are going to wear flashy jewelry in public.
“I guarantee you got guys as soon as you hit that pavement watching what kind of car you’re rolling in [and] who’s in your posse. Some places you [just] don’t need to go,” said Wright.
Smith pointed out that the 49er Alumni who came to SQ this year hoped to encourage SQ ‘lifers’ and long term residents to continue mentoring Youth Offender Program members as a means to make amends and give back to the SQ community.
Smith asked what attendees were doing to contribute to the betterment of their fellow residents, specifically Youth Offenders.
YOP Mentor Steven Wright discussed lack of business knowledge and financial literacy that is prevalent in the YOP community and the fact that education must start from the ground up.
“Education should never be taken lightly and financial literacy should be taught from grade school through high school,” said Young.
“Pride prevents some from learning because they don’t want to admit they don’t know something. Always stay curious, [because] curiosity develops the brain and moves you forward. It’s never too late to learn,” Young concluded.
Today Steven Wright encourages sponsorship for the YOP program to assist with resources that aid them with gaining athletic opportunities. “Self-reflection is a principal of growth… Some [youth offenders] didn’t have parenting or guidance, we need to show them love. We’re all human and we all make mistakes.”
“It trips me out because the things you think they know, they don’t know.” Wright continued,… never had a car, don’t know how to get a car, never had a bank account, the little small stuff.”
SQ Warden Chance Andes was the final speaker in the chapel.
Andes discussed how these gatherings of athletes, residents and staff foster a sense of community and tear down walls. He said it wasn’t until he reached SQ that he saw the level of accountability by the residents that exists here.
“When we play sports in prison against the residents, so many people got us twisted,” said Andes. “These guys have lost their minds, you’ve got police officers playing football, softball, and basketball and they’re over familiar [with residents]. It isn’t even about that, these are the safest days in prison.”
Andes said he now believes that instrumental steps in rehabilitation lead to mutual respect and trust.
After the ‘Barber Shop’ discussion ended, the entourage visited SQRC’s South Block, and then to the visiting room where the children of selected residents met the players to receive gifts donated by the 49er organization.
Andes attributed a large amount of SQ’s successful transition to the “California Model,” and sport organizations.
