I was released from SQ 7 months ago, after almost 7 years there. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of the suffering that is occurring there & at all of the prisons & jails right now. I want to lift ppl up, not be adversarial. I never want to fight with anyone ever again 1/
In 2018 Governor Brown commuted my sentence for extraordinary conduct. Basically, my service to the community demonstrated my worthiness to re-enter society. I came home thinking of how fortunate I was & how many others were equally or more deserving. After all...2/
I “only” did 15 years. I was surrounded by ppl at SQ who had done at least twice that. Like me, these were ppl who went to great lengths to avoid causing harm, all while living in spaces we wouldn’t let our pets live in. They did it bc if their remorse, accountability, and..3/
Belief in the system. Every message told them that what they were going through was solely their own fault, & if they only “behaved” they’d be restored to society. So they behaved, behaved, & continue to behave 4/
They display incredible accountability in their behavior even as the state does too little to protect them from a deadly pandemic. & I’m now on this side of the walls, realizing that my same community service, now that it MAY threaten the status quo, is no longer seen the same 5/
Now it’s political, & I find myself drawn into political discussions, even as some of my closest friends fight for their lives. Literally. The dignity of ppl should never be political, & a system that cannot respect the humanity of ppl within its care should not be tolerated 6/
From prison I learned that violence is never a solution, even if it comes from the state, & that ppl are worth investing in even if they have caused harm before. I’ll close by saying that we need nurture not punishment & #carenotcages
