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Timothy, 46

Timothy, 46

Stories

Meet Timothy…

I wanted to remember my mom with good memories, and the good person she was.

Timothy, 46
Incarcerated: 27 years
Housed: San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA

The Butterfly
The butterfly represents
Your beauty,
Your beauty carries love.
Don’t let nobody take your love away,
And you will always be beautiful!

Her Majestic Dignity
This poem is to honor my mom, who passed away from cancer. I was in a prison while she was dying of colon and cervical cancer. Even though she was really sick, she still didn’t want me to worry about her. She told me to make her a list and she’d send me a package, which I’d never gotten before. She told me, “Jesus had healed me.” But my sister said, “What are you thinking? She has no hair. She’s dying.” The package never came, but a dark time did. I went into solitary confinement where I was really depressed. I started doing an enhanced outpatient program and with classes and medication, I got to a better place. I wanted to remember my mom with good memories, and the good person she was. She raised four kids by herself, and she did the best she could, what was needed.

Arise, for your highness is now here.
Do favoreth honor and fear.
For her, within all purity is absolute royalty.

Excellent in appearance, such glorious beauty to behold,
Her countenance is of greater radiance than shiny gold.
The splendor of her mighty acts tell all
Her great fame and strong pride mounts up in triumph.
No soul could ever forget such a victorious name.

Her greatest grandeur
Not the ornament of her beauty compared to shiny gold.
Nor is it her majesty’s strength which is exceedingly more
Powerful in abundance being multiplied more than a hundred fold.

Nay, the glory of her greatness,
You’ve seen it a thousand times over,
tis, that true heart she possess –
for you and for me.
I call it
Her majestic dignity.

Diana, 45

Diana, 45

Stories

Meet Diana…

I neglected myself and society as a whole, I couldn’t bear it. I took a step forward to change and I went against the odds.

Diana, 45
Incarcerated: 7 years
Housed: California Institution for Women, Corona, CA

I was five when my little brother and I were given our first drink of alcohol by my mom and dad. My upbringing was full of fear and anxiety. My dad was in and out of prison and abusive. All I saw was dysfunction. My mom tried to be a single parent and raised us in heartbreak, gang infested, poverty. At five I started running away from the lack of love and security in my life. For the lack of love, I grew up seeking it in relationships.

I settled down at 14, domesticated. I stayed home doing the wifely things, when I should’ve been in school, being educated. My own family was still upside-down as I tried to do all I could to help. Alcohol was my go to, before you know it, it was my all. At 18, I went to prison for the first time, scared and lonely. I couldn’t cope with the drastic mistake that changed my whole life. I became a person I never intended to be. In 2016, I was arrested again, this time I was broken into a million pieces. I neglected myself and society as a whole, I couldn’t bear it.

I took a step forward to change and I went against the odds. For the last seven years, I’ve been highly proactive in my personal self development and it’s permanent. I knew I wouldn’t remain in a life I wasn’t ever meant to live. I owe a lot to this community, they have tons of resources, education, jobs, self help groups , you name it. I feel like they are here to rebuild me from the inside-out. I want to build a bridge back to society and re-enter as an asset. My inner and outer freedom is priceless.

Chimezie, 40

Chimezie, 40

Stories

Meet Chimezie…

Through her letters, poetry, song lyrics, phone calls, visits, deep thought provoking conversation, and mental stimuli, Beauty helped me elevate beyond the wallows of my self pity.

Chimezie, 40
Incarcerated: 20 years
Housed: Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, Shirley, Massachusetts

In the early years of my bid, I never slowed down long enough to write letters. I was always in some form of trouble. If I wasn’t lifting weights, I was chasing someone who owed money. If I wasn’t in the hole, I was headed to the hole. An intellectual connection with a female was the last thing on my mind. I lived in a crime college, and criminality served as my solace. That changed when a friend introduced me to a young lady, I’ll call Beauty.

Beauty and I began exchanging letters, then phone calls, and eventually she came to the prison to visit me. I remained non-committal and detached. My primary focus was on the wrong things. In 2013, the Supreme Judicial Court denied my direct appeal, and the reality of a lifetime prison sentence became a realistic reality. I was devastated. I was on the floor y’all. I tried to pull away from Beauty, but she pulled me closer to her. Through her letters, poetry, song lyrics, phone calls, visits, deep thought provoking conversation, and mental stimuli, Beauty helped me elevate beyond the wallows of my self pity. My mind was able to transcend the imposed limitations of prison and depression, through Beauty’s otherworldly devotion to our bond. Beauty nurtured me back to form with love. When I was close to defeat, I rose to my feet. The universe sent me an angel that changed the trajectory of my life. I’m humbled and forever grateful.I’ve learned firsthand, love is the only emotion strong enough to override human nature. Love is divine power. Inspiration through love is a divine influencer.

To Beauty, you saved me from myself. To the women loving incarcerated citizens of our communities despite conventional wisdom telling them to do otherwise: You are the heartbeat of an often forgotten tribe. To my fellow incarcerated citizens, follow your hearts, and dare to love. Love truly conquers all. May peace be with you. Always and forever.

Gerardo “Jerry” “Junebug”, 39

Gerardo “Jerry” “Junebug”, 39

Stories

Meet Gerardo…

Prior to prison I was a college athlete running track and playing baseball. I had a full time job as a fitness counselor and had a beautiful, kind loving pitbull named Eva.

Gerardo “Jerry,” “Junebug”, 39
Incarcerated: 16 years
Housed: Centinela State Prison, Imperial, California

Prior to prison I was a college athlete running track and playing baseball. I had a full time job as a fitness counselor and had a beautiful, kind loving pitbull named Eva. My life was tied together by sports. I always felt it was my ticket to a brighter future. I constantly found myself surrounded by friends having a good time. Today I realize I never had any real friends because every one of them has turned their backs on me. Being alone has been the hardest adjustment I’ve had to make, now I understand the true meaning of family and friendship. I truly value those who have stood by me during these hard times. It’s easy to take things for granted, but I can’t do that. I embrace the things I don’t have and honor the things I do. I’ve spent many days and nights searching deep inside myself to find where I went wrong and why things turned out this way. I’ve made a lot of changes for the better to become the best version of myself and to praise those who walk this journey by my side and if I’m ever given an opportunity to regain my life, the first thing on my list is to show people how much I appreciate them. We all make mistakes in our lives and sometimes there are consequences for our poor choices. It’s what we do in our efforts to change and learn from our actions.

Even though I am locked up, I’d like to think I can do some good and lend my voice to someone out there in hopes my story can make a difference. My new voice is spoken through my art. It is also the sole reason Humans of San Quentin came to hear of me, through my platform on, Art For Redemption. I came into prison scared and confused and only worthy of drawing stick figures. I was sitting in isolation and my neighbor came to check on me and saw I wasn’t doing well. He suggested I try drawing, but I had no skills. He continued to visit me and each day he gave me tips and showed me his techniques enough to where I could fly on my own; that was 16 years ago. Today, my art has touched every corner of the globe and it’s how I’ve become inspired to continue with people out there in the real world picking me up with praise, letting me know I matter and I’ve done something to draw their interest. My passion lies in the emotions I put on paper, sometimes sad and sometimes happy. It all translates to the same language when a piece is complete. 

Christopher, 26

Stories

Meet Christopher…

We were out eating dinner with her family, when I got on one knee and asked her to marry me. We were married by a lake while on vacation, and have been married ever since and have two more kids.

Christopher, 26
Incarcerated: 2 years
Housed: East Arkansas Regional Unit, Marianna, Arkansas

How I Met My Wife

I was staying with a buddy of mine and we went to pick up a friend of his. While we are chilling and his girlfriend calls. He’s talking to her while texting another girl, and it pisses me off.  So I get on Facebook and send a message to his girlfriend and tell her the truth about what her boyfriend is doing. She asks for proof and I give it to her.  So she broke up with him. She and I stay friends and eventually go on a couple dates. I moved in with her and her daughter Carlee. We were out eating dinner with her family, when I got on one knee and asked her to marry me. We were married by a lake while on vacation, and have been married ever since and have two more kids. She was 20, I was 21 when we got married but we are not together anymore.

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