Sometimes creativity can come from unlikely sources. San Quentin resident Kevin Moore chooses to turn his trauma and life lessons into children’s stories he hopes will inspire the next generation.

On any given day at San Quentin, Kevin Moore is busy going back and forth to class, religious services, or interacting with his peers on the recreation yard. He always has his backpack with him, and among the classwork and study materials are the books he has published over the years. 

In his effort to make a difference, Moore has published three children’s books since 2022.

Born in Richmond, California, Moore said he began writing at an early age. 

“I started off writing music. I wrote my first song when I was seven years old,” said Moore. He remembers performing at family gatherings when he was young, which prompted him to write his first song. “I fell in love with it from the start.”

Moore’s love for all things music would continue to grow over the years as he honed his skills, even during periods of intense instability.

For much of his childhood, Moore said he was forced to move all over the Bay Area due to his mother’s time in prison. 

“My mother was incarcerated when she had me, and so I was born in prison,” said Moore. “I didn’t meet my mom until I was five, and that in itself was traumatizing.”

Moore said his writing and music became a refuge that offered him the outlet to express his feelings, including the pain he had developed from the years of hurt he’d experienced because of his relationship with his mom. His skills helped him build notoriety in his hometown of Richmond as he worked to secure some success in the music business. 

All of this came to a screeching halt when, at the age of 22, he was arrested and eventually convicted for robbery and murder, and sentenced to life in prison. 

“When I first came to prison, it was hard because I didn’t know how to handle the failure and harm that resulted from my poor decisions,” said Moore, who admitted he was in a “deep fog” for the first six years of his incarceration. “I killed someone who was innocent and didn’t deserve it, and I let down a lot of family who were depending on me to make it.”

During this period, Moore said he gave up on writing and didn’t want anything to do with music. But after years of regret, Moore realized he needed to change his life for the better. He recalls how his experience in prison changed when he decided to take self-help seriously and start living for himself, his kids, his family, and his freedom. The positive approach to life would eventually lead him back to writing. 

After attending and completing multiple self-help programs that helped him develop insight into his past, Moore began writing poetry as a way to express his growth, and as a way to connect with himself on a deeper level than he had before. Poetry would soon get him back to writing music, and eventually children’s books.

“I’ve known Moore for 11 years, and in that time he’s become my friend, which is a rare thing to have in prison, and I’ve seen all the positive changes he’s made in his life,” said San Quentin resident David Abdul-Haqq, who connected with Moore through their love for music while in Solano State Prison. “We both still had the desire to be artists and create music that would empower and heal our community. Its good to see all he is doing”

In 2022, Moore wrote his first book, “Tariq and His Dog Busky: Beyond the Fence,” which tackles issues surrounding prejudice and discrimination in a friendly enough style that can be easily digested by a child.

Moore’s other two books are, “Ellen and Andy: A Hero’s Heart,” and “Nosey Rosey Grew From the Concrete,” which tells  a story of courage and determination during difficult life moments. 

Throughout his journey as an author, Moore said he realized writing children’s books was a healing process for him. 

“The writing process has given me a deeper understanding of my own childhood, because they are the stories that I wish I had, and could’ve used when I was younger,” said Moore. 

Moore shared that he is proud of the work he’s doing, and that his family, especially his children, are proud of him and continue to be his biggest fans and motivation. 

His work is also inspiring his peers.

“Moore is a giver – from the music he makes, the programs he creates, to the books he writes. He moves with other people in mind, and stories to touch their hearts and minds while making them feel seen,” said Abdul-Haqq.

Moore said he wants his books to have the same effect on kids that “Green Eggs and Ham” had on him, in reference to the famous children’s book by the legendary author Dr. Seuss. 

“I would love for kids to see the lessons in my books, and learn to apply them to their lives,” said Moore.