Prisoners and community volunteers gathered in San Quentin’s Protestant Chapel in early March to attend the eighth annual graduation of 22 new members of San Quentin’s T.R.U.S.T. program. T.R.U.S.T. (Teaching Responsibility Utilizing Sociological Training) seeks to motivate, educate, prepare, and assist men in prison for release to their communities.
Kathleen Jackson said the anxiety associated with being newly released from prison would be lessened if the process of transitioning back to the community began while incarcerated. She joined T.R.U.S.T. in 2006 and supports the men by connecting them with community volunteers.
Family counselor Ameeta Singh teaches the importance of healthy family relationships by showing effective self-expression. She says that her work with the men promotes the health and wellness of the family unit, which in turn improves the community. Graduates of the six-month program were: Binh Vo, Nelson T. Butler, Henry Montgomery, Gary Calhoun, Robert Watts, Wayne R. Villafranco, Orlando L. Harris, Gilbert Joseph Briones, Rodger Tillman, Touly S. Vang, Dennis Pratt, Moses Jesus Duran, Trenton W. Capell, Nguyenly D. Nguyen, Eric Boles, Michael Endres, Lorenzo Romero, Eric Phillips, Eric Womack, James Asoau, and Kevork Parsakrian. After the ceremony, several graduates explained how T.R.U.S.T. influenced their lives.
ROMERO: “I learned how to have respect for myself and others. I also learned better communication skills. I will put all the tools I’ve learned into practice, as well as share these tools with others.”
WATTS: “T.R.U.S.T. opened the door for me to step up and join other groups. I joined the Alliance Group.”
ENDRES: “I learned a lot about myself, which gave me so much insight. T.R.U.S.T. provided us with so much information. Anyone serious about change has to go through the T.R.U.S.T. process. I will continue to work on change and apply it to my life.”
WOMACK: “I learned that I’m a better person than I was before and I’ll be a better asset to my community and the past does not define me any more. I’m in college and the California Reentry Institute program. I am glad I came to San Quentin. It allowed me to see things from a different perspective, which made me proud of who I am today.”
BRIONES: “I’m able to be more sociable. I took advantage of all of the information they provided. What really got me was the mock board hearing. It scared me, because it showed me that I must face reality, and to see how serious things are. I’m so glad to have this opportunity and graduate.”
VO: “I learned new tools on how to manage my anger. And, I learned to take care of myself so that I can take care of others.”
VANG: “T.R.U.S.T. made me think about my life outside the institution and what to expect when I get out. They taught me how to network and how to be respectful, not only to the family, but to the community. Now I think about taking things more seriously when it comes to life choices and now I want to serve the community. The members of T.R.U.S.T. were very supportive, and they help me in every curriculum that T.R.U.S.T. provided.”
VILLAFRANCO: “It was a beautiful and interesting challenge because I learned new ideas and methods of how to deal with everyday issues. The experience taught me how to deal with family problems and how to attend to their needs more so than my own. T.R.U.S.T. provided me with the tools to go out and seek help from those who are working to help me. The members were very generous and were attentive to what I had to say.”
HARRIS: “The volunteers offer a lot of insight to the things we talk about. The psychologist gives us techniques that help us stay centered and focused on our tasks. Her suggestions are always helpful, because her perspective is respected. Other volunteers encourage us to get involved with our community. They keep us well-connected to our community and that’s important for us.”
DURAN: “The life skills I learned will benefit me here, and will be a benefit to the community that I will parole to. I learned people skills. I gained insight about myself, and what it will take for me to stay out in the free world.”
Warden Kevin Chappelle attended the event. Neu Dae provided gospel music with a band that included talented guitarist Marco Davidson.
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