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San Quentin REACH Visit - A Study in Contrast
I was honored to take my first look inside San Quentin State Prison on August 26th, 2009, while attending Project R.E.A.C.H.'s Student Acknowledgement & Check Presentation Event. This MLP-sponsored program, "Reach for Education, Achievement and Change with Help," trains and supports inmate tutors who mentor over 50 men per year in the development of literacy skills. Let me share with you what I saw, which became essentially a study in contrast.
Approaching the foreboding medieval-style castle entrance, I notice the hand-welded bars above tall arched windows. Yet the tower parapet is covered with 21st century satellite dishes.
While waiting in the "sallyport" for guards to hand-operate the ancient gates, there is some dread of what is to come. It is soon assuaged by stepping into a courtyard and gardens, beautifully maintained by inmate gardeners. Yet contrasts continue as we compare the religious facilities on the north side with the grimy Adjustment Center and Death Row on the south.
Continuing on our path, we walk on buckling pavement and follow a crumbling brick wall that opens to a smooth surface tennis court and immaculate baseball diamonds. Thanks to a recent successful fundraiser/rock concert, the baseball fields are a beautiful home to teams that beat all visitors. If it isn't great coaching, then it must be that continual "home field" advantage that makes them constant winners!
A walk past a spiritually active Native American firepit contrasts with our modern pre-fab modular destination. Nervous about inmate contact, I soon feel at home as we are warmly greeted by the five-member REACH Executive Council. They have been working for weeks to establish a list of inmates who are approved to attend the event, and who have each been given a hand-written "ducat." The only signs of modern technology are the nicely printed programs and the overactive air conditioner. Everything else, from setup to cleanup, runs by inmate hand labor.
Although dressed in well-worn denim shirts and pants, I see much pride in appearance with neat pressing and finely-stitched patches.
Despite the fact that many housing units and much of the yard are segregated, the REACH classroom is one place where all races learn together in friendly camaraderie and safety.
As my co-workers and I worry over the fat grams in our KFC box, I realize how eager my inmate dinner partner is to remove my container when finished, in the hopes of salvaging uneaten items. He is not displeased. All men ate voraciously, claiming the chicken and cake were "the best food we've had in months."
We forget that many of the older, long-term scholars have not partaken in the rapid changes of the outside world. One of the inmate "technical experts" remarked that he has never sent or received an email, and that when he left civilian life, "gas was 99 cents per gallon."
The ultimate contrast is the presentation, especially when we see diminutive Jane Curtis speak among men half again her height. Eyes look upon her with respect and love. Appreciation is evident for her and the work of prison co-sponsors Debra Sheldon and Tom Bolema. Along with three regular and several occasional "outside" tutors, they have provided a way for incarcerated men to improve their literacy skills.
As their printed program asserts: Project REACH is making a pronounced difference in the lives of those involved. Every time a man learns to read a new work, graph an algebraic equation, write a letter home, prepares for a successful passage of the GED - or simply sees that he can wish, ask for, and receive help with something that matters very deeply to him and his sense of self-esteem - it is a transforming experience. Project REACH and its participants are at the heart of every one of those transformations.
The two-hour visit, with its look at past versus present housing as well as learning conditions, speaks well for Project REACH. My view may be colored by my enthusiasm for the program, which attracts the most motivated of the incarcerated. Nevertheless, I am convinced that despite what goes on elsewhere in San Quentin, what goes on inside the REACH classroom promotes a brighter future for everyone involved.
Marin Literacy Program offers adult and family literacy programming through its Inmate Literacy Services both at San Quentin State Prison and Marin County Jail. Visit MLP website www.marinliteracy.org for more information. Jane Curtis is Coordinator of Inmate Literacy Services, and Kaaron Carver is Marin Literacy Program's Office Assistant.
Submitted to California Libraries by:
Kaaron Carver
Marin Literacy Program
Posted on October 27, 2009 10:59 AM | Permalink