I became the man I am today through pain, responsibility, and the long consequences of my own choices.
Dear Humans of San Quentin,
I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to a single mother. I am the oldest of five children. Growing up we did not have much, and me along with my younger siblings witnessed a great deal of domestic violence. I jumped off the porch at the age of 14 to explore what the streets had to offer.
I quickly began to indulge in gateway drugs like marijuana which led to prescription drug abuse, drug dealing, and burglary. I found myself in and out of juvenile facilities and group homes several times.
At the age of 18 I landed in the adult system for the first time for burglary and weapons possession and served eleven months in a bootcamp. I came home in 2016 and got in the lifestyle of drug trafficking which I felt became a necessity to support my son who was born the following year.
I had two more beautiful girls in 2020. Being a father of three I felt compelled to provide my children with all the things I never had growing up. My son Kavaughn eight, daughter Kanary five and Kaneema five were all that mattered to me.
But being young and naive I wasn’t thinking on how the actions I took to provide for my children would be the reason I am incarcerated for years away from them. They were one, two and four when I went away and I hate the guilt of knowing I was not there for the first days of their schooling.
I am not there to answer the “Daddy what’s this or that?” questions 1000 times in each day. I am not there to squat down with them and point out the insects and identify the birds of the heavens to them.
My two oldest are autistic so it brings me joy to communicate with them through my art and to just let them hear my voice since they are non verbal.
I find beauty in my pain knowing it will make me stronger for my babies and able to coach them through theirs with comfort and I am blessed to know that when I come home they will still be young children.
So as of now I just aim to educate myself utilizing the limited resources we have at my facility to learn parenting skills along with those that can help me to make an honest living. To be able to stay in all my loved ones lives and help those going down a similar path take a different route.
I have learned there is no good excuse for doing the wrong thing. The Humans of San Quentin stories have been a major inspiration. Seeing and hearing those from all walks of life have resilience despite their condition motivates me to change and be a story to share to impact someone else the same hopefully.
Sincerely,
D’Angelo
