Kevin D. Sawyer is an African American originally from San Francisco, California. He has written numerous short stories, memoirs, essays, poems and journals on incarceration and other subjects. His work has appeared in outlets such as, Columbia Journalism Review, Harvard Journal of African American Policy, San Francisco Chronicle, The Harbinger, UCLA Law Review, Cal Matters, Bay City News, Prison Journalism Project, and more.

Sawyer is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the 2024 recipient of the award for Best Documentary Pitch at the inaugural San Quentin Film Festival; and a 2024 Stillwater Award recipient for a Best News story. In 2019, he received a PEN America honorable mention for nonfiction. In 2016, he received The James Aronson Award for Exemplary Community Journalism; and in 2014 he was on the San Quentin News team that won SPJ's James Madison Freedom of Information Award.

He holds a bachelor of arts degree in mass communication from California State University, Hayward and a diploma as a paralegal/legal assistant from Blackstone Career Institute. In April 2023, Sawyer was offered admission to the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley.

Bostyon Johnson is the managing editor San Quentin News. The newspaper has given him a chance to walk with confidence and bring him out of his comfort zone. Since working at San Quentin News, Johnson said he has become less selfish and more driven to expose social justice issues in and outside of his community.

Edwin E. Chavez is the Spanish Journalism Guild Chair for San Quentin News. His journey in the newspaper has taken him from being illiterate to an award winning journalist. Being a part of a large marginalized community, he believes inclusivity and education break the barriers that are commonly ignored. As a member of the Editorial Board,  he can speak up for his community by creating a space for their voices to be heard.

For Jerry Maleek Gearin, working for the San Quentin News as a staff writer and Journalism Guild Chairperson has been uplifting. He enjoys working with students, showing them the basics of news writing, and seeing their articles published in the paper. He also enjoys conveying the message of social justice through journalism.

Anthony Caravalho’s experience in the SQ Sports community as a baseball coach led him to become the sports editor for San Quentin News. He made a natural step up to the plate after previous sports editor Tim Hicks was released. He graduated from the Journalism Guild Class in 2018 and has won won several journalistic awards for the newspaper since.

C.K. Gerhartsreiter originally volunteered at San Quentin News to help repair the organization’s word processors. The paper asked the former bond trader to write an article about canteen prices and it won an award from the California News Publishers Association. He joined as a staff writer a few weeks later.

Aristeo Sampablo works for the San Quentin News because he wants to use information to break the barriers of language and to expand his photography and video skills. The social skills he keeps acquiring at the San Quentin News team help him to connect with his community inside the walls.

Eric Allen knows the unique skill set needed to be a staff for the San Quentin News. The newsroom gives him an opportunity to tell stories of men and woman who have been impacted by the criminal justice system. The San Quentin News gives a voice to the voiceless and he likes having a hand in being their spokesperson.

César Martínez came from Mexico City and received an invited to join San Quentin News Journalism Guild by an acquaintance. At the beginning, he focused on improving his Spanish and English grammar by taking Guild classes in both languages, but soon got into the purpose of the newspaper to inform the needs of the Spanish speaking community, which has since turned into his goal.

Michael Callahan is a husband of 17 years and a father to three handsome, kind, and supportive boys. His passions are playing and coaching sports, serving in the Catholic Church, and spending time with his family. Since his incarceration in 2019, he has expanded his writing to journalism, journaling, memoir, and creative expression.

I first saw San Quentin News while I was at another prison and I realized it was produced by the incarcerated and I thought, “Wow, that’s an awesome and informative newspaper.” To be a part of a constructive platform as SQNews, allows me the opportunity to establish a strong work ethic and furthers my ability to make better choices towards recovery.

The teamwork, productivity, and professionalism was informing and allowed me to keep coming back into the newsroom and being part of this team.

As a photographer, I capture moments inside of prison that show people outside the walls what the journey to rehabilitation look like.
SQNews plays a role in my rehabilitation because it offers real life attainable skills that are similar to a business out in society. It keeps me grounded towards achieving what’s right in life.

I’ve been writing since I was 12 years old, and so it has long been my first love and greatest passion. San Quentin News offers me the opportunity to utilize my talents to tell genuine stories about incarceration and rehabilitation. That outlet in itself is the most attractive part of the experience.

My first day on the job was also my first experience in a staff meeting, and it was both extremely informative and welcoming. It was refreshing to be around such professionalism.

As a San Quentin News staff writer, I tell stories that are relatable, informative and empowering not only to the residents at San Quentin but to all incarcerated people throughout the state and the country.

Through San Quentin News, I can undergo personal transformation through building and developing skills, networking and forming positive relationships while developing realistic goals for the future.  

After learning, the art of reporting through the San Quentin News Journalism Guild, my curious nature helped me track down a few newsworthy stories that SQNews published. After my name appeared in a couple bylines and I received some positive feedback, I was hooked.

I worked hard to finally become a part of the SQNews team, so my first day on the job was very rewarding.
As a staff writer I report on stories that pertain to social justice and giving the incarcerated people a voice. I also cover current events and write creative original stories.

Outside newspapers emphasize putting people in prisons; SQNews highlights the road to redemption of the incarcerated people. In other words, I write about the path to freedom.