THIS FALL I attended the first-ever movie competition on the San Quentin Rehabilitation Middle. Huge identify celebrities attended, like Kerry Washington, star of the TV drama “Scandal,” comedians Jerry Seinfeld and W. Kamau Bell, and Wire Jefferson, winner of the Academy Award for finest tailored screenplay this yr for the movie “American Fiction.”
I watched as visitors mingled exterior the jail’s Backyard Chapel with incarcerated filmmakers, close to a phenomenal panorama and a water fountain. I noticed pictures being taken of those that stood on a strip of purple carpet.
“This is one of the most beautiful days of my entire life,” stated Jefferson. “I want you to know I have seen some of the greatest of humanity here, so much love and friendly vibes.”
Not lengthy after that got here the November election, when Californians voted no on Proposition 6, a poll measure that will have amended the California Structure to formally acknowledge incarcerated peoples’ humanity by eliminating involuntary servitude (i.e., compelled labor), the final vestige of the brutal apply of slavery that also exists in California prisons.
Filmmakers working to vary minds
A sure on Prop. 6 would have given incarcerated individuals freedom and autonomy to make use of our artistic and mental skills to pursue passions like filmmaking. Rahsaan “New York” Thomas is a previously incarcerated one who lived beneath this inhumane system of compelled servitude. Thomas co-created the San Quentin Movie Pageant.
Whereas incarcerated, Thomas co-starred within the documentary “26.2 to Life: The San Quentin Prison Marathon,” a movie in regards to the transformative energy of the SQ 1000 Mile Operating Membership. He produced a documentary known as “Friendly Signs,” that focuses on an incarcerated man who learns signal language to speak along with his brother.
Contribute to Native Information Issues
Earlier than his launch from jail, Thomas campaigned in opposition to dehumanizing remedy of the incarcerated, by working to eliminate phrases like “inmate” and by selling phrases like “incarcerated people.” He empowered himself by way of his writing.
“While incarcerated I was a Pulitzer Prize finalist with Ear Hustle podcast,” he advised the movie competition crowd. “I published 42 stories in 31 months in major publications through creating the Empowerment Avenue program.”
Attendees of the inaugural San Quentin Movie Pageant pose for pictures on the purple carpet, Oct. 10, 2024. From left: Filmmaker Louis Gross sales, San Quentin Movie Pageant Founder and Co-Director Cori Thomas, corrections officer L.L. Romero, SQFF Inside Workforce member Harold Meeks, The Individuals In Blue Asst. Secretary/Sergeant at Arms Tam Nguyen, and President of The Individuals In Blue Arthur D. Jackson. (The Individuals In Blue through Bay Metropolis Information)
By creating the San Quentin Movie Pageant, Thomas hopes to interrupt down the partitions of compelled labor and encourage Hollywood elites to see the humanity and talent of the previously and presently incarcerated. He’s campaigning for honest and equal alternatives for employment and pay for these nonetheless in jail.
Whereas the minimal wage in California is $16 an hour, incarcerated individuals solely make between 16 cents an hour and a most of $2 for expert peer mentor positions. Incarcerated firefighters could make between $5 and $10 a day. In addition to cash, Prop. 6 was about not forcing incarcerated individuals to work in harmful conditions, like we did through the COVID-19 pandemic. Over two dozen of us died throughout COVID outbreaks and many people had been engaged in compelled labor after we caught the virus. Prop. 6 was additionally about having the ability to select an academic or vocational program, quite than compelled labor.
Studying expertise improves odds of incomes wages
Bernard Raheem Ballard is an incarcerated one who obtained a uncommon alternative to take part in a movie vocation within the San Quentin media middle. On the San Quentin competition, he gained the Supported Artist Award from the Worldwide Documentary Affiliation and an American Documentary award for his movie “Dying Alone,” which focuses on three aged males serving life sentences who’re in search of compassionate launch attributable to sicknesses. His movie is now eligible to be proven on PBS.
Louis Sale is one other media employee who obtained a uncommon alternative to pursue a movie vocation and create a documentary known as “Healing Through Hula,” a movie about native Pacific Islanders who use hula dancing to seek out their approach again to their tradition. He gained finest brief documentary. He has individuals eager about compensating him for his work.
Kevin D. Sawyer gained an award for finest documentary movie pitch, in regards to the historical past of jail journalism. “After I won about four different producers came up to me and said we need to talk about doing this documentary,” he stated.
Any incarcerated individual in California will be compelled to labor for 30 years and by no means be paid. Many people could by no means study an actual marketable talent or have the ability to be moderately compensated for any work we do whereas incarcerated.
Sawyer and different award-winning incarcerated documentarians are gaining precious expertise that different incarcerated people solely dream about. They’re rising their means to realize a livable earnings after they reenter society.
I’ve been compelled to work in harmful circumstances, in factories and fields, for nearly 30 years, making wages as little as 8 cents an hour. I labored for many years with out having the ability to construct up a Social Safety security web, or being supplied a chance to economize for my hope of returning to society. Because it stands, any incarcerated individual in California will be compelled to labor for 30 years and by no means be paid. Many people could by no means study an actual marketable talent or have the ability to be moderately compensated for any work we do whereas incarcerated.
Californians voting no on Prop 6, solely units incarcerated individuals up for failure. If persons are critical about public security and reducing recidivism charges, the final remnants of slavery that exists in California prisons should go.
