-Mr. Positivity, San Quentin State Prison
Some of the misconceptions I have from a lot of the free people is that since I am in prison that I want to use people to bring in drugs, or a cell phone, or tell a sob story to get out of prison.
So, most of the time I keep staff at a distance because I feel that they don’t really care. I am just another person in blue. We are all the same. Plus, I am a person of color, so that’s another thing.
If you’re black or Latino in here I had staff, say somethings like you’re a screw up and you’re never going to change. Plus, I have tattoos also so it’s another misconception that I have gang tattoos. They are all culture tattoos. At times I think that what I am doing, all of the things I am doing, they don’t even see. They just see me in blue and a Latino in prison.
They don’t see someone who has a story of a rough childhood. I have been taken away and split up from foster care. I have an adverse childhood experience (A.C.E.) score of eight out of ten. That was a major factor on why I am in here (prison doing a life sentence).
I grew up on the streets, and my parents were on drugs. I had no positive role models, and my self-esteem was very low. I looked for validation from all the wrong people coming up and dropped out of school.
People don’t see that person, but this misconception of I am a criminal, and don’t really want to know who I am. They just judge me that I am in prison. Yes, it hurts to be treated less than for a bad choice I made at nineteen years old.
Today at thirty-four years old, I have accomplished so much. I am far from that nineteen-year-old young kid. I have gotten my GED and now I am in college. I’m going for my AA. I have done a speech in front of law makers about my childhood trauma.
I’ve been trying to share my story so that law makers can help the next generation from going down the path I went on. I’m working towards getting out of prison. I am a facilitator for The Beat Within and I enjoy being that role model for others. I love talking to the youth that are at risk of coming down this path.
I am going to prove all the people wrong who say I am not going to amount to nothing. I have this passion for success for myself, and it makes me feel good because I really want to help to make a difference. That’s the picture I am painting for myself but I’m putting in the hard work. It will pay off.
So, if someone has a misconception about you, prove them wrong. There isn’t nothing you can’t accomplish. You got it. With Much Love,