San Quentin held its third annual celebration of life, circumstance, brotherhood, and legacy. In the Mourning Our Losses event, residents and staff took turns celebrating the lives of persons lost within the San Quentin community. Spoken word and musical and theatrical performances depicted human connections and experiences.
“We witnessed their journey and we forged a brotherhood, but their lives are much more than the legacy they carry,” said the emcee and event organizer, resident Michael Shukry. The event, which took place in Chapel B, created a platform for residents and staff to process grief and loss and showed that grief is not something that they have to process alone.
One resident said, “We didn’t know how to process grief and loss when we were on the streets; we would just pour out a little liquor and go out and shoot at other people we felt were responsible.”
Bobby Ojeda delivered a rap performance explaining his life, people who influenced him, and his adaptation to change and transformation today. In his journey he recognized the effects of rap music on his life and the influence it carried in the lessons and experiences he faced.
A performance by residents and SQ staffers showed a live theatrical performance that reenacted the ripple effect on a family after the murder of their father. At one point during the performance, the daughter stood over the dead body and said everything she had never told him while alive.
“Experiencing death and processing the loss of life within the walls of confinement where the effects are different than in the free world.”
Resident Mark “Stan-Bey” Stanley talked about his experience as an ADA worker. He elaborated on the trials and rewards of the experience of caring for persons in one of their most vulnerable stages of their lives. “As an ADA worker, I experienced a lot of loss,” he said about a client named Mr. Nixon who had signed a declaration that requested not to resuscitate him. Incarcerated for 40 years, Stanley had lost many people, including his mother. He said he remembered how difficult that time was for him.
“It kind of gave me that solace after she passed,” Stanley said. “Even though we are mourning our losses, this is about us.”
Stanley said he wanted to be a person who can spread positivity during the vulnerable stages in other persons’ lives. He said he realized the reward of the history lessons and the advice he had received from persons for whom he had cared. “When I get in a situation, I remember the words (of advice) that they said,” Stanley explained.
Michael “Egypt” Shukry who works with the MOL committee and had organized the event talked about being approached by persons affected by loss. He recognized the 21 fallen friends honored during the celebration. Resident veterans honored four of their fallen comrades. San Quentin’s Imam Muhammad Fasih shared the importance of understanding the path of life and that life provides opportunity for accomplishment.
“Every single person on this world for something. Right now is the time to mend relationships and to be a good human on this earth,” he said. Residents related stories about people whom they’ve done time with in prison and ways that they have been coping with that loss since. Resident Jesse Milo talked about hearing from a corrections officer during Covid-19 about being scared of death. In that moment he Milo said he realized the similarities between the officer and himself.
“Crying is a universal thing that happens inside and outside of prison,” Milo said.
Dr. Shannon Harrigan and Rufael Henok discussed the role of the Lightkeepers group at San Quentin, a group of incarcerated people who train in suicide prevention techniques and empowers people in blue to support one another.
“If you’re uncomfortable talking to Mental Health, there are people in blue that you can talk to,” Henok said. Dr. Shannon also noted the importance of recognizing a person who needs help. She talked about the benefits of coming together with others to participate in the celebration of life.
Other residents related stories of losing parents, children, and close fiends.
San Quentin’s Catholic Chaplain Father George Williams read a poem about faith and said that he believed that persons whom one has loved and cared for, one would see again.
Many residents played music including Banda Esperanza, Samuel Jackson, and Anand Alexander, who honored lost lives.
Brian Conroy and Patrick Piceno dedicated songs to their loved ones. Piceno’s sang about being alone on the specific date of December 12. “Everyday feels like the last, what I wouldn’t give to hear you laugh,” he sang, “We will always remember the 12th of December.”
“If you could take the Bible and reduce it to five words they would be ‘Love is stronger than death,’” said Father Williams.
