San Quentin celebrated its third annual Mental Wellness Week in September to promote suicide awareness and prevention through events aimed at encouraging, empowering and inspiring the residents of San Quentin State Prison.
The week of fun-filled events concentrated on a variety of mental-wellness support systems and emotional check-in opportunities for individuals to support their fellow humans who may be struggling to overcome a circumstance or situation.
“We’re promoting anything that brings people joy,” said Dr. E. Anderson, organizer of the event and the Suicide Prevention Coordinator here at The Q.
Mental Wellness Week allowed residents of San Quentin to have access to a special platform where they can be vulnerable yet relaxed in an environment outside of formal groups and classrooms.
“Preparation for the event started in 2021 while everyone was locked down. It is Dr. Anderson’s compassion that gave me the courage to giveback to the community,” said the week’s emcee, incarcerated resident Louis Light.
“I am CCCMS, and helping her organize the event with our committee allows me to see I am not alone. Twenty-eight years ago, when I joined mental health, it was stigmatized. Today I am proud to be a part of mental health rehabilitation,” Light said.
The opening event was called Hope Gathers and featured Alive Inside, who performed easy-listening music for the 80 incarcerated people in attendance. Performers John Elliott, Chelsea Coleman, Lydia, Rachel Garcia, Than Tran and Nick Jaina filled the chapel with live music. After sharing some of their mental wellness experiences and personal stories, they opened up the stage for members of the audience to share their struggles.
“I am so grateful to be here,” said Timmy Estrada, a resident of West Block, who discussed his journey to find his higher power and the mental struggles that he endured.
Besides music, the week was filled with poetry, a magic showcase, open forums, art, sports and a special presentation from members of the Board of Parole Hearings on the hearings process and how to find support.
Many incarcerated individuals took the stage in support of mental wellness by reciting poems, testimonies, raps and spoken word, validating the idea of seeking help from support groups that are available within California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Tuesday’s event was a magic show performed by professional magicians Taylor Hughes and Cameron Zvara. Some of the incarcerated population was invited to the stage to help with the tricks. There were moments of excitement as the visiting performers awed the audience with mind-blowing displays of magic illusions.
This included a notable performance where a Rubik’s cube was passed around to the audience to change however they saw fit. Once that Rubik’s cube was collected by the performer, the cube matched identically to a Rubik’s cube that was located in a jar on the table.
Every speaker was followed by a live performance by one of the visiting musicians. The last day of Mental Wellness Week was Field Day. This was a fun-filled day for everyone to gather outside the chapel on the Lower Yard to witness expressive arts, music and recreation activities.
The benefits of the week were not limited solely to residents. “You guys teach me more than anyone on the outside… It has changed my life to come in here,” said Big Ned, speaking of his experiences visiting San Quentin.
Suicide awareness and prevention continues to be an important focus of CDCR, according to the coordinating team for Mental Wellness Week. Anyone needing help should speak up and reach out to their facility’s mental health staff. After all, one of the big themes of Mental Wellness Week is that we all need help sometimes.
