Good morning. While protests intensify outside, I’m thinking about Yusef caged inside. 16 (left) when condemned to life w/o parole. 41 now (right w/ his dad). Waiting to be resentenced. Just heard his prison mixed up test results. Exposed to 54 men positive for COVID. More: 
Yusef is a son. Brother. Artist. Friend. 25 yrs ago he drove a car after a shooting by much older kids. Since then he’s grown up behind bars. Done everything to earn a chance at parole. Michigan already delayed resentencing 5 yrs. Then COVID struck. Him at 3 in his Easter suit:
When COVID entered Macomb Correctional in Michigan, where Yusef is caged, he knew that life sentence could turn to death. And then he lost his best friend. William Garrison. Another juvenile lifer. In for 44 years. Dead just weeks before his release. freep.com/story/news/loc…
I’ve had the honor to get to know both Yusef & his father, George, over the last month. Just by phone. But I feel like I know them. I’ve heard them speak. They speak in pained, beautiful poetry. Of love, of sadness, of anger. Of justice. Of what should be.
Yusef on his father: "We’re not guaranteed tomorrow. So knowing who my father is to me now & knowing that there’s something out there that has him at risk, that’s one of the hardest things to deal with right now. That’s what scares me most, right now."
Father on Yusef: "Was he ever really a kid? In America black boys are rarely seen as kids. From when we are born a narrative is created for us, sealing our fate of early death or life sentences.”
Yusef on his life in colors: "If I wanna explain my life in stages using colors, the colors exactly aren’t exact. But in the beginning there was light. Then there was a lot of darkness. And then there’s light. Hope is a different kind of color all together." Some of Yusef's art:
Yusef’s father: "Through the crucible of time & the harshness of space my son has forever been changed. He is no longer that confused 15 y/o boy. He is a 41 y/o man fighting for his life. Until things change Society will forever define him by his past. You don’t have to."
This week, this happened: 54 men were placed in Yusef’s cell who were positive for COVID. He was one of the few still negative. The prison mixed up their results. Now Yusef is in quarantine. Praying he didn’t contract the virus. He doesn’t end up dead. freep.com/story/news/loc…
It now feels like a lifetime ago, but I had the good fortune to be on the phone w/ Yusef. He told his story to playwright, Lemon Anderson. Prison line cut out 4 times. He kept calling back. His story became a script. "You used to be able to trust the air." instagram.com/tv/CAG7kU5p9RK…
Yusef’s dad also took the opportunity to share his story w/ @ShakaSenghor. Who wrote a beautiful monologue performed by the great André De Shields. ”How could a 15 y/os life be summed up by one decision?” instagram.com/tv/CAI3w66jG2A…
Yusef is one of 200 other juvenile lifers in Michigan still awaiting their re-sentencing. His sentence was ruled unconstitutional years ago. The US was already the only country in the world that condemned children to die in prison. They're still holding on.themarshallproject.org/2020/06/03/sen…
You can help now: Yusef’s dad set up a GoFundMe for reentry support for juvenile lifers when they come home. “This campaign is to raise money for re-entering society during a pandemic and immense civil unrest.” Only $1000 of $30,000 raised. We can do this. gofundme.com/f/reentry-supp…
