Roots graduate Javier Jimenez and Roger Chung San Quentin’s Asian community organized a festive and all-inclusive ceremony to honor “Super Cycle 5”—the latest graduating class of ROOTS (Restoring Our Original True Self). ROOTS Chairman Kevin Neang served as emcee and made sure the June 9 event reflected great reverence for history and tradition, while also keeping a positive perspective on the future. “I guess we’re really going to be Asian today,” joked Neang after he was thrown a bottle of Sriracha sauce instead of a microphone. “We … [Read more...] about ROOTS celebrates, tradition, inclusion and freedom
ROOTS
San Quentin holds 15th Annual Health Fair
Hundreds of prisoners formed long lines on San Quentin’s Lower Yard at the prison’s 15th Annual Health Fair on Aug. 24. Stations were set up throughout the prison where volunteers offered medical services and wellness information, ranging from blood pressure checks and chiropractic services to mental health seminars, diabetes tests and nutritional information. In total, 156 volunteers served more than 2,000 prisoners throughout the day. “It’s important for everyone to have the education to take care of themselves,” said Madeline … [Read more...] about San Quentin holds 15th Annual Health Fair
Borey Ai is out of prison, but he’s still not a free man
Borey (PJ) Ai has served his sentence in the California prison system, but he is not yet a free man. Even as he walks the streets of San Francisco and rejoins his family in Stockton, he can’t loosen up, can’t let his guard down. “This could be temporary. Any day this could be taken away,” said Ai, who is under the supervision of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and could at any time be deported to Cambodia, a country he has never set foot in. A black GPS ankle monitor sits just above his right Nike, sending his whereabouts to ICE … [Read more...] about Borey Ai is out of prison, but he’s still not a free man
Out of prison but not yet free of ICE
Borey (PJ) Ai has served his sentence in the California prison system, but he is not yet a free man. Even as he walks the streets of San Francisco and rejoins his family in Stockton, he can’t loosen up, can’t let his guard down. “This could be temporary. Any day this could be taken away,” said Ai, who is under the supervision of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and could at any time be deported to Cambodia, a country he has never set foot in. A black GPS ankle monitor sits just above his right Nike, sending his whereabouts to ICE … [Read more...] about Out of prison but not yet free of ICE
Life of crime overturned by positive choices
A variety of rehabilitative programs, including dance, helped Anouthinh Pangthong turn his life around despite a rocky youth and 21 years in prison since the age of 15. “Life in prison can become tedious, doing the same thing over and over. Sparks of violence would break the monotony. When an opportunity came to do something different through dancing, I jumped at the chance. My life has since been anything but ordinary,” said Pangthong. “Dancing really saved my life.” Pangthong, known to his friends as Choy, is the latest Kid CAT member to be … [Read more...] about Life of crime overturned by positive choices
ROOTS Solidarity Run helps spirits of the community
While community volunteers ran in the Oakland Run Festival to raise money for an ethnic studies program at San Quentin State Prison, 33 incarcerated men ran in solidarity with them. The Asian Prisoner’s Support Community (APSC) ran to raise funds for the Restoring Our Original True Selves (ROOTS) program on March 24 and 25. “Our community and volunteers, in their free time, ran to raise money for us,” Kevin “K” Neang, the ROOTS incarcerated chairman, said. “Let us show solidarity and run with them.” The 33 incarcerated participants completed … [Read more...] about ROOTS Solidarity Run helps spirits of the community
ROOTS graduates learn inter-generational trauma
The audience cried and laughed with recent graduates of the Restoring Our Original True Selves (ROOTS) program as they told stories of healing generations of intergenerational trauma and jokes. “For a lot of groups coming from refugee and war-torn situations that have strong disconnections with the generations before them, intergeneration trauma is definitely one of the keys to healing,” ROOTS Facilitator Roger “The Professor” Chung said. “According to a RAND analysis, every $1 invested in such [inmate] education generates at least $4 in … [Read more...] about ROOTS graduates learn inter-generational trauma