Visiting San Quentin State Prison, and What I Didn’t See Coming

A few weeks ago I got the chance to visit San Quentin and speak with a community of prisoners who are working on personal transformation.  What a surprise.

Unexpected thing #1:  At San Quentin state prison, men with life eligible sentences play doubles tennis on the yard.  Unexpected thing #2: These men (who have at some point killed another person) and I?  We are more alike than I previously ever imagined.  Unexpected thing #3: They are engaged in a year long program to become non-violent persons and peacemakers, and have taken a student peacekeeper pledge that many people ‘on the outside’ can partake in.    (more…)