Challenges
The interviewee describes some of the tricks and tactics he had for surviving away from home as a young man.
The interviewee describes the death of a family member from addiction and how that influenced his sobriety.
The interviewee describes two women he loved, how those relationships ended with prison, his crime and the early period of his incarceration.
The interviewee describes growing up in the South in a segregated school system and having to leave school early to support his family.
The interviewee describes an attempted abduction by a white man in the Jim Crow south and his desire to move away.
The interviewee discusses how he acquired permanent disabilities in prison due to medical negligence.
The interviewee describes how he believes the justice system is corrupt.
The interviewee describes the extreme levels of violence and racism in San Quentin.
The interviewee discusses how difficult the trial process and period was and his refusal to take a deal.
The interviewee discusses some of the violence and threats of violence he experienced moving from juvi to adult prison.
The interviewee describes how he was not allowed to be tried as a juvenile and that his lawyers repeatedly waived his right to a speedy trial.
The interviewee describes how the cards were always stacked against him in prison even when he was doing things right.
The interviewee discusses how he learned to deal with the violence in prison.
The interviewee describes his first time in county jail as a young person.
The interviewee describes how he felt he couldn’t fully understand his trial experience.
The interviewee discusses how it took him a while to understand how serious his crime was and how many people he hurt.
The interviewee discusses the emotions he feels about his life sentence crime.
The interviewee describes his internal struggle to understand what to do after stumbling upon a crime scene.
The interviewee discusses how he was convicted of felony murder for being a look out.
The interviewee discusses some of the challenges of living in highly race segregated prisons.
The interviewee discusses his first time being locked up as a 12 year old and how scary that is.
The interviewee discusses some of his challenges and successes around learning to feel and show his emotions again.
The interviewee describes how he lost friends after quitting smoking in prison.
The interviewee describes the constant undertone of violence in prison.
The interviewee describes his experiences in solitary confinement and some of the reasons he ended up there.
The interviewee describes how is life is limited in the reentry process.
The interviewee describes establishing status in prison and not getting caught.
The interviewee describes some of the codes and rules of prison.
The interviewee describes making "easy money" when he was a teen runaway.
The interviewee talks about how he isolated himself from everyone after running away from home.
The interviewee describes his trial experience and they heavy weight and stress of it all.
The interviewee describes a conflict with one of his program leaders that may have interfered with him gaining a “chrono” from her.
The interviewee talks about how he was failed because his attorneys did not fight for him and that's how they system works for Black people.
The interviewee describes how they could only count on themselves to police and check themselves because the guards ignored everything.
Interviewee describes the process of joining a gang in her hometown and how she was very badly beaten in order to join the gang.
The interviewee talks about how he saw gates and bars everywhere, which affected him and everyone else, and how the community has been taken away from Black people.
The interviewee describes his difficult childhood as a child surrounded by neglect, addictions, and a toxic environment.
Interviewee shares his turning point in prison. Witnessing other individuals who were incarcerated taking their own lives he chose to make life changes that supported his recovery.
The interviewee describes how vital it was to build a social network in prison, but still having to become emotionally numb to survive.
Interviewee describes COVID conditions in the prison and how he adjusted to life in a pandemic after getting released.
The interviewee explains why he believes his life took a turn for the worse after being on his own.
The interviewee recalls his girlfriend cheating on him with his best friend shortly after the passing of his stepfather.
Interviewee shares about his experience losing his grandfather at a young age.
The interviewee talks about how he recently got back in touch with his son and their relationship.
The interviewee describes the fear he felt going into prison and the sorrow he felt having to leave his family. He describes what things were like in prison.
The interviewee describes how a newly designed prison differs from older facilities, including how the guards had control over everything.
Interviewee discusses his first time in prison and his experience in county jail.
Interviewee recounts the acceptance he felt from being in a gang and how his main job within the gang had him in survival mode.
The interviewee describes his battle against alcoholism and the events that lead up to his life crime.
The interviewee describes becoming an meth addict in his teen years.
The interview describes some frustration at losing his job and how he is coping with it.
The interviewee discusses experiencing PTSD symptoms after his decades in prison.
The interviewee describes some of his mental health challenges inside including addiction to cope with stress and the over-medication he received from the medical department.
The interviewee discusses how his transitional housing failed to help him in key areas, especially as someone who is undocumented.
The interviewee describes his crime of commitment for his life sentence.
The interviewee discusses some of the struggles he faced in the United States being a child of immigrants. His parents had to work multiple jobs and were rarely home.
The interviewee describes some of difficulties of finding a job after decades spent in prison, including how difficult it is to put prison jobs on a resume.
The interviewee describes his experience being taken into ICE detention after his parole from state prison.
The interviewee describes the numbness and fear he felt after receiving a life sentence and entering prison for the first time at a young age.
The interviewee discusses his fears and concerns about the possibility of deportation, including leaving his family and friends to an unknown place.
The interviewee describes the lack of proper medical care he received in prison and how it affected his physical and mental health.
The interviewee describes some of his challenges around turning his life around on the inside, the loss of his family members, and not receiving proper mental health care.