ChallengesCounty Time

The interviewee describes his first time in county jail as a young person.

Challenges“Can’t Just Run Over”

The interviewee discusses some of the challenges of living in highly race segregated prisons.

Challenges“Leave Me Alone”

The interviewee describes his experiences in solitary confinement and some of the reasons he ended up there.

IdentityRacial Strongholds

The interviewee describes how prison labor was divided by race.

Identity“I Fit Right In”

The interviewee describes how his first experience in adult prison was similar to juvenile detention.

ChallengesTrial was a Farce

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.

ChallengesIt Wears On You

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.

IdentitySHU Reputation

Interviewee describes how his reputation in the SHU smoothed his transition onto a level 4 general population yard.

GrowthNew Rules in Programming

The interviewee describes how race no longer matters when in the rehabilitation groups.

ChallengesThe Killing Fields

The interviewee describes the extreme levels of violence and racism in San Quentin.

IdentityInteracting With White People

The interviewee describes some of his experiences good and bad in the Jim Crow South.

IdentityBrothers in Prison

The interviewee describes how his brothers had limited opportunities in the segregated South and experienced incarceration.

ChallengesSurviving the Klan

The interviewee describes an attempted abduction by a white man in the Jim Crow south and his desire to move away.

IdentityFinding Acceptance in a Gang

The interviewee describes how joining a gang of young people with similar experiences to him made him feel accepted for the first time.

IdentityBeing an “Other” in Prison

The interviewee describes experiencing prison labeled as an “other” for not being one of the main races or ethnicities in CA prisons.