Humans of San Quentin logo
Eldridge, 56

Eldridge, 56

Stories

Meet Eldridge…

I’ve taught myself, instead of reacting to situations, act on them. To think before I act.

Incarcerated: 30 years
Housed: Statesville Correctional Center, Joliet, Illinois

I’ve been talking to men the past 30 years and it’s hard to share your feelings with guys in this place. My mom lives in Michigan so I haven’t seen her in 30 years. We talk on the phone two times a week. I have never had a visit which is sad. Recently I’ve tried reaching out to my kids, two daughters, 31 and 36 and my son, 37. I’ve got grandkids I’ve never met and might not ever meet. I don’t know what to say to my kids. I just got back into their lives in 2020 and it’s been strange. We don’t know one another and it’s hard to write because my hands are shot. I have a tablet, so we can email but they haven’t done it and that’s what hurts knowing I have any kind of future with my kids. I filed a clemency petition last year and getting it scares me more than being turned down. I have no place to go and some nights that keep me up, but I have to lift my spirits up and stay strong. Nobody got me here but myself so I blame myself for all the wrong choices I’ve made in my life. I’ve taught myself, instead of reacting to situations, act on them. To think before I act. I have tested positive twice for Covid but never got sick. But I feel blessed, four of my friends didn’t make it. I shed a lot of tears for them. During these Covid times, please stay safe.

Stevin, 63

Stevin, 63

Stories

Meet Stevin…

As hard as life might be, in and out of prison, I’ve learned a secret that has changed my life. Happiness is a choice, a frame of mind. If you wake up each day and decide that you’re going to feel happiness and joy – you will

Incarcerated: 42 years

When I say I’m in prison, I’m describing where my body is, not my mind or spirit. After 42 years in prison, my body is slowly breaking down, yet despite all that, I feel blessed. It took several decades to learn how to live, and love, and to be happy. I finally found freedom, true freedom. I can only guess that it may be harder for me because of the environment I grew up in. For a very long time I have struggled with identity. I was told in a very harsh way when I was ten that my father wasn’t really my father, that he had adopted me. Not that I didn’t already feel out of place. As hard as life might be, in and out of prison, I learned a secret that changed my life. Happiness is a choice, a frame of mind. If you wake up each day and decide that you’re going to feel happiness and joy – you will. No matter what bad things happen on that day, it is still a present, enjoy it. Being in prison won’t prevent me from sharing my life, loves, joys or sufferings. I am grateful that prison isn’t much worse than it is. I hope all of you out there in the free world are having awesome lives. Remember it’s all a matter of perspective. You can decide your life or your day! It’s all up to you! I hope you are as blessed as I am. Take care my friends and I’d love to hear from you, friends out there, about your lives. 📸Stevin’s

Alfonso, 37

Alfonso, 37

Stories

Meet Alfonso…

“My satisfaction began during my early stage of advocacy volunteering to amend three strikes.”
Incarcerated: 1 year

I’m currently being held for an incident that was caught on tape. It was an open and shut case facing life in prison. I was passing out Daily Bread spiritual advice calendars in my community. I was approached by an old acquaintance, who had viciously and brutally beat me seven years prior. I was unaware that he was well above the alcohol limit, high off cocaine, meth, PCP and THC with a very bad bipolar disorder. In fear of my life, under imminent peril and duress, I acted out in self-defense. I have a wife of 25 years and we have six kids. I am a God-fearing man who has dedicated my life to being a political advocate. I’ve traveled to over 20 states working and interacting with political organizations. Talking and shaking hands with thousands of people who share their views for the future by presenting economic solutions. My satisfaction began during my early stage of advocacy volunteering to amend three strikes. I’ve worked with politicians and mayors. I have registered over ten thousand people to vote. I ran for city council in LA. On my days off I visited homeless shelters. I owned a small business called the A1 kids club and A1 G10 that will hopefully generate thousands of jobs, but is on hold, due to this unexplained sentence of seven years. 📸 Alfonso’s family

 

Ronald, 61

Ronald, 61

Stories

Meet Ronald…

“I befriended the old white man with thinning white hair. I became protective of Tennessee, as I got to know him. He had a speech impediment, a raspy voice from a severe beating. It damaged his nervous system, but overall, he’s sharp and quite vain, despite a disfigured face and bumpy nose.”

Housed: LaBelle, Pennsylvania

The old man with a paralyzed right arm held close to his chest, walked with a sliding gait to the chow hall. I wondered what the hell he could have done to be in this HELL HOLE. I watched him slide his right foot after his left, being careful not to trip himself as he made his way down the long tier. I befriended the old white man with thinning white hair. I became protective of Tennessee, as I got to know him. He had a speech impediment, a raspy voice from a severe beating. It damaged his nervous system, but overall, he’s sharp and quite vain, despite a disfigured face and bumpy nose. For some, he’s a freak show to make fun of, but Tennessee is feisty in his old age. He eventually had the good fortune of having the governor commute his sentence to life on parole. He stayed free for 27 years until he was imprisoned for parole violations stemming from visiting the state of Tennessee, to visit his relatives. He had been taking this trip once a year, but this time upon his return, his parole officer informed him he was taking him back to jail. Can you imagine the devastation? So, Tennessee took a swing at his parole officer, despite his limited physical prowess. After all, it was his parole officer who gave him permission to go to Tennessee in the first place. But the PO couldn’t very well tell that to his supervisor, so Tennessee was left for the buzzards. There’s no mercy for this old, beaten down, beaten up, can hardly hear, can hardly walk, partially paralyzed man who poses no threat to anyone and who only wants to die in peace in Tennessee. Tennessee turned 79, October 1, 2005. If I was still at Graterford, I would’ve treated him to a TastyKake and given him a birthday card, to let him know that there still are people who care. My heart goes out to him and all the old people who suffer, hoping, praying for MERCY. Please pray for them. Pray that they all can get to die in peace at their homes, whether they’re in Tennessee, or Timbuktu, and not in one of these cages in one of these HELL HOLES. We’ll all be old one day.

Elizabeth, 57

Elizabeth, 57

Stories

Meet Elizabeth…

“My background is in the theater. I performed for 25 years in the Twin Cities. Now my focus is on writing. I advocate for incarcerated people and their children. My play “Supernova” can be found on the Open-Door Playhouse podcast.”

Incarcerated: 14 years

Housed: Minnesota Correctional Facility, Shakopee

I don’t know which cat originated the game. Laying in bed, I hear an unfamiliar noise. My brain begins to rolodex the sound. It registers. Bird wings flutter. I instantly go from a cozy sweet state to an eye-popping Oh my God, there is a bird flying in our living room. Peeling off blankets, I run to witness my three cats “catch and release” a sparrow and bring it undamaged into the house. On high alert, the cats run wild-eyed and action-ready while a frantic sparrow searches for a safe place to land. I wrangle cats one by one and toss them in the bathroom. I close all doors and then open the front and back doors. Guiding the distressed bird towards an exit takes several minutes that feel like forever. After the bird makes it to freedom, I’m left sweaty and exhausted. To a chorus of desperate meowing from the bathroom, I release my predators. They dart and search for their latest toy. Once they realize it’s gone, they make it known that they really, REALLY need to go back outside. I can’t be mad at them as it is their nature to hunt, but no field trip today. This has happened three times. I just pray it is not the same bird. Worse than sparrow flutter is Atrial Flutter. Atrial Fibrillation sounds like Tinkerbell flight, children laughing, bumble bee’s wings, a feeling of unexpected joy. But Atrial Flutter is a common abnormal heart rhythm that starts on the atrial chambers of a racing heart. My husband has Atrial Flutter. The danger is blood can pool and lead to clots that can break off and produce a stroke. Both of his parents died of strokes in their 80s and 90s. Dan is 58. He has undergone three catheter ablations. Three times, doctors inserted a catheter through a vein in his groin and sent it up to the heart. It interrupts the electrical circuit causing the flutter and creates a small burn and scar. Dan has been shocked seven times to get his heart in rhythm. I have yet to see it, but he tells me he has a scar the size of a coffee can on his chest from these procedures. I have not asked how big a coffee can. 📸Elizabeth’s

 

Receive more inspiring stories and news from incarcerated people around the world.