Meet Larry…

I dressed in my blues, name tag on and greeted the one and only Kim Kardashian. As a member of the Reform Alliance, she wanted to show her sister Khloe, rapper Lil Baby, and friends, our dogs and trainers participating in the truly life-changing program offered here.

Larry, 69
Incarcerated: 20 years
Housed: Lancaster, California

I dressed in my blues, name tag on and greeted the one and only Kim Kardashian. As a member of the Reform Alliance, she wanted to show her sister Khloe, rapper Lil Baby, and friends, our dogs and trainers participating in the truly life-changing program offered here. Kim sat on the floor next to me, petting my dog, Pepper, and getting covered with her fur. Pepper is a twenty-five pound, six-month old, energetic Husky puppy with bright blue eyes. All the guests were very impressed, down to earth, and excited to be here. They asked what skills the program builds and we had an assortment of answers including responsibility, leadership, time management, critical thinking, compassion, public speaking, communication, and teamwork. My friend, Jason Jenkins told me that he and guest Hanna Jackson discussed their similarities, saying, “We trauma bonded over our experience of having a father who was incarcerated while growing up. I told her about my dad having gone in and out of prison, then being killed by police officers and saw how much it touched her.

She shared her experience of how, after serving time, her father was raised by the prison system and was violated while on parole. We had similar stories but we were two totally different people.” For some, entering prison can be scary and intimidating: guard towers, rolls of sharp razor wire and of course, the electric fence. But, my encounter with this group was very positive. To see celebrities in prison is humbling. I don’t take it for granted. I have had quite a few famous people visit us: Emily Deschanel, Sophia Bush, Natalie Portman, Common, Nick Cannon, John Legend and his wife, Kim and Kanye West,  Justin and Hailey Bieber. I appreciate them for taking time out. It is a genuine sign of kindness and friendship. I was inspired, encouraged, and deeply affected with their relaxed and easygoing demeanor. They left with a favorable opinion of how prison can be rehabilitating by giving us a chance to give back to society. I learned people outside haven’t forgotten about us as they work tirelessly for prison reform. This is true dedication and devotion!