San Quentin News
THE PULSE OF SAN QUENTIN
VOL. 2008 NO. 2 AUGUST 27, 2008 SAN QUENTIN, CALIFORNIA 94964 POPULATION:5,274
Hope Realized Coming Through the Front Gate
By: David Marsh & Michael R. Harris With a message of hope and inspiration for the graduates of the San Quentin Education Department's 2008 class, Willie Rahman Green returned to the institution from which he was released only 90 days ago. Only this time, as Green pointed out to an attentive audience of over Willie Rahman Green and Julio Medina after the graduation 300 gathered in the Garden Chapel, his entrance to the degree from Patten University of personnel for the organizaprison had been made through through the Prison University tion. "I learned never give up, never the front gate as an invited Project at San Quentin. And by guest, while his previous trip to doing so, he became one of the give up hope, and never allow San Quentin prison had begun 74 men who have received lib- anyone to define you," Green told thru R&R while wearing hand- eral arts degrees through the his listeners, who can, perhaps, define who Green is most aptly program. cuffs. In addition to his involvement by looking at the man he has be"What I bring back is hope and a message to the men here as a student, his determination come, during, and despite, his at San Quentin," Green told the to help others achieve their own long period of incarceration. Julio Medina, himself an expacked crowd. "You don't have goals and to realize their to keep coming through R&R to dreams led him to become a convict who served 12 years in come back to prison. You can tutor for Project R.E.A.C.H., an New York's Sing Sing prison, come through the front gate!" acronym for Reach for Educa- also spoke to the graduates, and Green received a special invita- tion, Achievement and Change emphasized the education he retion to deliver the commence- with Help. R.E.A.C.H. trains ceived during his incarceration as ment speech to an audience inmate volunteers as tutors. the foundation for what his life which included graduates of the Green used his math skills to has become today. Medina, the GED, vocational and college help many fellow inmates to Executive Director/Founder and programs, their relatives, staff develop academically, includ- CEO of Exodus Transitional of the Education Department, ing one of the three valedictori- Community, Inc., or E.T.C., and various prison officials ans of this year's graduating earned a Master's Degree from the New York Theological Semiincluding Warden Robert classes. Green was one of the found- nary, and is presently enrolled as Ayers. If the three minute ovation he received was any indica- ing members of the San Quen- a candidate of that school's Doction, his message was well re- tin T.R.U.S.T. (Teaching Re- toral program. Medina's organization is a faith sponsibility Utilizing Sociologiceived by those in attendance. based re-entry After serving program that has more than 25 over years of a 33 "Education," said Medina "is the most significant thing that helped exy e a r s - t o - l i f e is going to help us when we get back to the communities." 3 , 0 0 0 convicts, both term for a murder Green says he did not com- cal Training). The T.R.U.S.T. is male and female, transition back mit, Green walked out of S.Q. a a group of ethnically diverse into the community. E.T.C. profree man after a Los Angeles men whose goal is to educate vides counseling, employment county superior court judge and empower inmates to assist preparation, job, housing, health threw out his conviction after them for a successful transition and education referrals, court and ruling that a key prosecution to a non-incarcerated life. The parole assistance and computer witness had lied during the trial. group also works with various training. Medina founded E.T.C. Prosecutors declined to retry citizen groups and elected offi- in 1999. "Education," said Medina "is the case. Green says that he is cials in the communities of slowly adjusting to the pace of Richmond and Oakland in an the most significant thing that is life on the outside, and is not effort to reduce crime, violence going to help us when we get bitter against anyone, including and recidivism, and to prepare back to the communities." His the witness who lied during his inmates from these communi- message, much like Green's, ties for reintegration back into resonated with hope to those trial. The audience listened atten- the community. Green served wearing blue in the audience. "I tively to a man who only re- the group for over five years, started from behind prison walls, I cently was himself a 14 year- including the past two as chair- think that's what's important," he added. long resident of North Block. man. Medina credited education as For Green, life outside the During his time behind the walls at San Quentin prison, prison walls does not mean an the most critical component in Green became heavily involved end to involvement with the state's rehabilitation efforts and in many of the programs run by causes that came to play such a attempts to make substantial cuts the Education Dept. as both prominent role in his life. He in inmate recidivism rates. Educastudent and tutor, giving and remains in close contact with tion, he emphasized, empowers David Cowan, the man whom inmates to make changes in their receiving. Many in the audience know he mentored and prepared to own lives, and only with that him personally through one of succeed him as the chairman of power can the cycle be broken. "Let's stop allowing other peohis many roles as friend, fellow T.R.U.S.T.. Green's plans are student, tutor, associate or men- to remain active networking ple to solve our problems," Metor. Green has himself gradu- with the various community dina told the audience. "We solve ated with an Associate of Arts groups, and in the recruitment our own problems!"

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