“I never in a million years thought that I would be able to seek higher learning as well as attend college-level classes while incarcerated. This was both exciting and challenging because I never had the opportunity to do so prior to my incarceration. Now, as I prepare to graduate, I hope to leave a legacy for all new students demonstrating that hard work and perseverance is crucial in anything you set out to achieve in life. Maybe the work that I have done and continue to do will inspire others to do the same. I hope someone notices me and thinks, “If he can do it, I can do it.” I would then say to that person, ‘You can do more.’”

“I want to leave a legacy of empowerment. I hope that my life inspires men to seek education because knowledge is power, and with more power we can make meaningful changes in our lives and communities. Also, I would hope that my life shows members of outside communities that even though we’ve made bad choices that led us to prison, we are human, we can change, and we value education.”

“The College Program allowed me to better myself intellectually. It enabled me to have better relationships with my family by allowing me to communicate more effectively with them. The program helped me build up more self-esteem and changed my negative identity—one of a convicted felon—to a more dignified one as a college graduate.”

“For me the most challenging part of being a college student has been the language barrier. English is my second language and I have had to double up in my efforts to understand some of the lecture concepts given by the professors. There were lots of times when I did not understand something in class. I would not ask the teacher to repeat it because I did not want to look dumb in front of the whole class. Then, when it was time to give my presentation I really had to push myself because my English is not that good and I wanted to make certain that my teachers and peers could understand me.”

“The College Program made me aware of life beyond my immediate surroundings. Now my aim is to help young people in my community with problems and challenges they have in setting goals.  I’m from Los Angeles, from an area that’s gang-infested. I keep in touch with a lot of young people in my family now—I feel super obligated—I want them to learn from my situation. They are the future. I write them and ask them directly to stay in school. I try to provide a vision for the youth in my community to shift their focus from negative thoughts, to make them aware that they have value, and to recognize their strengths.”

“In the beginning, I doubted myself and didn’t know if I had the intelligence to make it through the program—I had never written essays before. Now, I’m a writer and a poet. Writing has become a crucial part of my healing process. Writing helps me identify what went wrong in my life and my childhood, and it allows me to heal by expressing it. My passion for writing personal narrative and nonfiction stories keeps me grounded. I’m able to escape from reality and be anyone and anything. I can go anywhere, anytime.”

“In my early semesters, I lacked the social skills required in a college/classroom setting. Naturally, this discouraged me from participating in classroom discussions, or asking for help. However, the more eager I became to learn, the more inquisitive I came to be. I began being more proactive by asserting myself, and raising my hand more often. I’d say things like, “I believe I was next,” or “Excuse me, I have something to say.” As a result, I began feeling more confident, and started sitting in the front of the class. I became motivated to be the best student I could be, and decided I will not deny myself the opportunity to learn as much as I could. The College Program taught me both social and coping skills, impacting not only my academic intelligence, but my emotional intelligence as well.”

“When I was younger, I enjoyed learning but the peer pressure from those I believed to be my friends outside caused me to veer away from that path. The College Program brought me back to the kind of person I was always meant to be—the kind I always wanted to be, the kind my family wanted me to be and could be proud of. Today, I can hold intelligent conversations with people I truly respect. I have made the kind of connections that will last a lifetime and which showed me that I can be comfortable among educated people, that I belong with them and not with the negative influences that I allowed to take me away from the learning environment I always loved.”

 

As you prepare to graduate, what kind of legacy do you want to leave? How do you want your life to touch others in the College Program, and San Quentin, and in the larger community?
I want to leave the Prison University Project knowing that I can be proud of the fact that I didn’t quit. And I would like for those that follow to know that if I can do it, anyone can. Everything I’ve ever done in my life, I’ve walked away from. This degree will always be a reminder that I’m no longer a quitter. It’s one of the proudest moments of my life.

 

What has been your favorite class?
One of my favorite classes was an Art Appreciation class that focused on photography. Nigel Poor was the instructor. I enjoyed it because I was always interested in photography and through her experienced instruction, I was introduced to the world of Art. Not just photography; I learned to take in all forms of art, and almost as a byproduct, it taught me acceptance, understanding, and tolerance towards other people’s right to express themselves in whatever way they pleased. It also refocused my perspective, in that I see beauty all around me.

 

If you could share one piece of advice with incoming students, what would it be?
No matter how frustrating or dull it gets, just get through it and don’t quit!

 

What do people most commonly misunderstand about the criminal justice system, and about incarcerated people? What do you wish people understood?
I came to prison as what I call a “late bloomer” at the age of 48. Before that, I sometimes watched programs like “Locked Up,” depicting prisons that are violent and dehumanizing . But when I got here, scared and leery of everything around me, I began to see all of the positive people, programs, and volunteers around me. I later began associating with other inmates that wanted to better themselves as much as I did. I soon discovered that most of the people I’ve met in prison have more integrity and honesty than some of the people I used to be around in the outside world. What I would like for people to understand outside is that most of the people in prison are just like everyone else. Through positive role models, education can dramatically change the hearts and minds of anyone. It certainly has changed mine.

 

As you prepare to graduate from the Prison University Project, what kind of legacy do you want to leave? How do you want your life to touch others in the College Program, at San Quentin, and in the larger community?

Education is important. Most look at college as a means for getting a sheet of paper to qualify for a job. That is a shallow view of the value of education. The years it takes to graduate from college prepares you for whatever the future holds. I missed out on so much when I tried to ignore the merits of a good education. College courses are not engineered to completely change your minds about your life, either. In a means-to-an-end sort of way, all a college course does is give you just enough curriculum to meet the professors’ criteria for passing the class. Go deeper into classes. Is it such a bad thing if it changes something about you? What if the class teaches you something right that you thought about wrongly? I would say, make it a point to welcome the change in your life that comes with education.

 

What has been your favorite school assignment, and why? What did you learn?

I cannot point to a single school assignment that I can call my favorite. I can indeed point to my college experience as a whole, and say it was far beyond my expectations. Prison sucks. Straight up. I am incredible grateful to the Prison University Project, because the volunteers here could be doing literally anything else: teaching at renowned schools, owning their own businesses, skiing in Aspen…anything. Instead, they choose to spend their time in here, working with us. That is an incredible blessing. I am an interactive learner. I need to be able to speak to a teacher when I have questions, instead of watching a video over and over. It is really good to be able to come to an actual classroom and have an actual class. Hearing ideas from teachers and students at the same time is the best way to learn, in my opinion.

 

What piece of work are you most proud of, and why?

During a chemistry midterm exam, I came across an extra credit question that read, “Make us laugh! Tell us a chemistry joke!” I could not think of a single thing resembling a joke, so I wrote a poem I called “Human Element.” It is a poem about finding identity through the periodic table, and had some terminology from the course as well. Honestly, all I was trying to do was get an extra five points. I have learned that sometimes we write what we feel without trying. I would never have learned that without coming to college. Another piece I wrote was called “The Rock, the River, and the Tree,” which was about being American, word to Walt Whitman. It got published in OpenLine a few years ago. It started as an assignment for English 99A. I did a set of film boards for Introduction to Film, too.

 

If you could share one piece of advice with incoming students, what would it be?

I would say, take your education seriously. It is a great opportunity to attend college, and there are a lot of great classes and teachers that will make your life better for having experienced and known them. This is a chance of a lifetime, and to miss it is to do yourself a grievous disservice. A chance for an education is not given to everyone the way some think it is. Indeed, I had to work extra hard to even consider going to college. The professors are in your corner, and the classes themselves are interactive and dynamic and informative.

 

Beyond completing your AA Degree, what other goals have you set for yourself?

I want to teach. I have to go back to school so I can learn more. I want to learn how to use computers for CGI, video games, films, and websites, as well as for educational and vocational means, including hardware and software programming. Once I learn all that, I want to teach others to do the same. I am also into spreading art and creativity, and in this digital world, computers are the way to go. I also want to use my writing to effect social change. As an emcee, I feel a burning need to make people aware of what is happening in the world, and to open up discussions about what to do about changing those harmful issues in a positive way.

 

What has been the most challenging part of being a college student? Is there a time you’ve had to push yourself outside of your comfort zone? Tell us about it.

Time management has been one of the biggest obstacles in my whole educational career. For the most part, the furthest outside my comfort zone I have had to go was during a Communications class. Writing lyrics and writing speeches are similar, in that you have to work with and regulate what you say to have maximum impact, establish credibility, and tug at the heartstrings of your listeners. The nervousness is born of wanting to get whatever it is you have to say across to all listeners without flaw, to deliver the message properly. Public speaking and rapping on the street corner barely differ in terms of audience, also. I have given speeches in classrooms, served emcees in clubs and the streets, and written essays for juveniles and whoever else wants to read them. I would never have done anything like that if it were not for college, especially with the Prison University Project.

 

What do people most commonly misunderstand about the criminal justice system, and about incarcerated people? What do you wish people understood?

I have researched and learned that the bulk of people are under the impression that the criminal justice system is beyond reproach, and that all incarcerated people do is kill and rape each other. The stereotype further states that we are the lowest of the low, and that it is our fault that society is failing. First of all, we do not spend our time killing and raping each other. It does happen, but those occasions are exceedingly rare. Time is spent working on ourselves so we can join society and be a benefit rather than a hindrance. Also, the criminal justice system is broken, and change needs to happen so justice can prevail. All of us, incarcerated and free, are responsible for that, and we need to fix it together.

 

Tell us about an instructor or tutor who has been especially influential in your experience as a student. How has s/he impacted you?

I cannot point to a single instructor or tutor that has been very influential in my college career here. Every teacher and tutor I have interacted with has had an impact on my educational endeavors. The teaching methods and curriculum have helped me in my own aspirations to become a teacher myself one day. Being able to talk to instructors that are open-minded and dedicated to actually helping instead of just going through the motions is key. It makes me want to be more involved in the educational progress of every student that asks me for help along the way.

 

What does Liberal Arts Education mean to you? Why study liberal arts?

Liberal Arts helps you prepare for more specialized areas of study. By studying a broad array of subjects, not only will you get a bit of knowledge about a lot of things, but you will gain the skills needed to further your educational goals. The Liberal Arts cover all educational pursuits in some way, or can at least be helpful and foundational. Also, Liberal Arts drive our lives, and studying them can help with navigating and functioning in the world, and having that sturdy foundation and knowledge can aid in bringing about change in the world, so it’s a better place for our future generations.

 

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about so many things. Literacy. Gaming. Mathematics. Social change. Battle. Hip hop. Science fiction. Suns. Astrophysics. Education as a whole. I suppose all of these things, for me, are seen in terms of battle. Not that I am combative, or overly aggressive, or mean-spirited. Quite the opposite, in some cases. Battle, to me, is art and science combined. I have had to fight and struggle my entire life, with bullying classmates and teachers, family members and strangers, and especially with myself. Most of my life is spent girding for eventual battle, so I can have a chance to win, or at least participate fully in any and every battle, from social change to expanding my horizons.

 

Are you involved in any activities outside of PUP? What are they, and why are they important to you?

I am in the process of publishing my first book, and I am very excited about it. I strive to promote literacy and education, and while my book, Triumph, is science fiction, there is still a good amount of education that went into writing it. I also write for social change, mentoring young people so that they can live better than I have. The children are literally our future, and I want a better world for them, so they can improve the world for their children.

I am also an avid gamer. Games improve cognitive function and prosocial behavior. I apply gaming techniques in my life, including in educational pursuits, and when engaging in battle.

 

Who are the people in your life who have helped you succeed? Tell us about them.

The volunteers at the Prison University Project have helped me succeed, to be sure. My parents encouraged me to be the best I can be no matter what I do in life, so completing college is a great accomplishment for me. My friends and fellow classmates have helped me immensely, or those that really wanted to help me, at any rate. Mostly, though, I had to make a conscious choice to listen to those people who wanted to see me do better in life. To ignore the encouragement given by people who care enough to see me succeed is foolish, and would be detrimental to life as I know it. My self-esteem is better, too, because knowing people care is the best motivator ever.

 

What are some words of wisdom, congratulations, or encouragement that you’d like to share with your fellow graduates?

Congratulations to every graduate, whether it is from high school, getting a GED or high school equivalency, college – inside and out – those paroling and graduating to the street, those going through self-help groups, picking up coins for sobriety, and everything in between. Congratulations. Keep on fighting to make the world a better place. The world needs us to keep fighting, keep motivating each other, keep succeeding, so the future generations can follow our example. “When you know better, you do better” is the cliche people use, but it is the truth. Remember, though, that the more you know, the more you owe. Another cliche about sharing knowledge, which benefits everyone. Thank you.