I’m 18 years old and it’s my first day in prison I’m standing in line there’s
in prison I’m standing in line there’s
in prison I’m standing in line there’s like 50 men in line with me and we’re
like 50 men in line with me and we’re
like 50 men in line with me and we’re all going through an intake process at
all going through an intake process at
all going through an intake process at grade four state prison in Pennsylvania
grade four state prison in Pennsylvania
grade four state prison in Pennsylvania we’re instructed to take our clothes off
we’re instructed to take our clothes off
we’re instructed to take our clothes off and go to a shower on the other side of
and go to a shower on the other side of
and go to a shower on the other side of the shower is a correctional officer and
the shower is a correctional officer and
the shower is a correctional officer and the correction officer hands every one
the correction officer hands every one
the correction officer hands every one of us a paper and on top of the paper
of us a paper and on top of the paper
of us a paper and on top of the paper has a has a number at the top of the
has a has a number at the top of the
has a has a number at the top of the paper um you know fresh into the jail
paper um you know fresh into the jail
paper um you know fresh into the jail so I’m I have a bravado so I’m not going
so I’m I have a bravado so I’m not going
so I’m I have a bravado so I’m not going to act like I’m the one that’s gonna
to act like I’m the one that’s gonna
to act like I’m the one that’s gonna follow the rules right so I’m standing
follow the rules right so I’m standing
follow the rules right so I’m standing there he hands me a paper and my first
there he hands me a paper and my first
there he hands me a paper and my first thought is to kind of bone a paper up
thought is to kind of bone a paper up
thought is to kind of bone a paper up and throw it I got her but then I notice
and throw it I got her but then I notice
and throw it I got her but then I notice in front of me there’s a older gentleman
in front of me there’s a older gentleman
in front of me there’s a older gentleman on older inmate that is saying something
on older inmate that is saying something
on older inmate that is saying something to his older gentleman is assisting in
to his older gentleman is assisting in
to his older gentleman is assisting in the intake process and he’s instructing
the intake process and he’s instructing
the intake process and he’s instructing the guy couple guys in front of me
the guy couple guys in front of me
the guy couple guys in front of me something about the paper and I don’t
something about the paper and I don’t
something about the paper and I don’t know what he’s saying
know what he’s saying
know what he’s saying so they got closer I kinda stay back
so they got closer I kinda stay back
so they got closer I kinda stay back from my bravado and asked him say excuse
from my bravado and asked him say excuse
from my bravado and asked him say excuse me but what’s up with the number well on
me but what’s up with the number well on
me but what’s up with the number well on the paper he says you got to remember it
the paper he says you got to remember it
the paper he says you got to remember it I said why and he whispered to me says
I said why and he whispered to me says
I said why and he whispered to me says from now on that’s your name I grew up
typical my upbringing was typical to me
typical my upbringing was typical to me it’s typical to poor communities
it’s typical to poor communities
it’s typical to poor communities throughout you guess every mailed my
throughout you guess every mailed my
throughout you guess every mailed my family on both sides were incarcerated
family on both sides were incarcerated
family on both sides were incarcerated there was drugs and guns readily
there was drugs and guns readily
there was drugs and guns readily available in my community I had a single
available in my community I had a single
available in my community I had a single family household drop down school in
family household drop down school in
family household drop down school in eighth grade at 16 I had a son and at 17
eighth grade at 16 I had a son and at 17
eighth grade at 16 I had a son and at 17 cents to 8 to 20 years in prison
cents to 8 to 20 years in prison
cents to 8 to 20 years in prison when I got to prison
when I got to prison
when I got to prison it was weird angle I mean that’s obvious
it was weird angle I mean that’s obvious
it was weird angle I mean that’s obvious right but we all heard a prison before
right but we all heard a prison before
right but we all heard a prison before so we all know what we know I came in
so we all know what we know I came in
so we all know what we know I came in with the same thoughts there was nothing
with the same thoughts there was nothing
with the same thoughts there was nothing that could prepare me for it it was
that could prepare me for it it was
that could prepare me for it it was aggressive people were angry depressed
aggressive people were angry depressed
aggressive people were angry depressed it was violent I seen people commit
it was violent I seen people commit
it was violent I seen people commit suicide I had friends that were stabbed
suicide I had friends that were stabbed
suicide I had friends that were stabbed and killed
and killed
and killed I myself was stabbed there was a time in
I myself was stabbed there was a time in
I myself was stabbed there was a time in prison that I literally thought that I
prison that I literally thought that I
prison that I literally thought that I was never coming home again there was an
was never coming home again there was an
was never coming home again there was an opportunity to learn video or get on his
opportunity to learn video or get on his
opportunity to learn video or get on his video crew that they had in the prison
video crew that they had in the prison
video crew that they had in the prison and I had no ambitions of doing video or
and I had no ambitions of doing video or
and I had no ambitions of doing video or film or anything like that but I had a
film or anything like that but I had a
film or anything like that but I had a kind of a secret agenda that I would get
kind of a secret agenda that I would get
kind of a secret agenda that I would get on the crew just to be able to learn
on the crew just to be able to learn
on the crew just to be able to learn video to video myself so I could send a
video to video myself so I could send a
video to video myself so I could send a videotape of myself home to my son so he
videotape of myself home to my son so he
videotape of myself home to my son so he would learn who I was just in case I
would learn who I was just in case I
would learn who I was just in case I would never get a chance to tell him
would never get a chance to tell him
would never get a chance to tell him myself or see him if I over eight years
myself or see him if I over eight years
myself or see him if I over eight years after eight years I was preparing to go
after eight years I was preparing to go
after eight years I was preparing to go home if I admitted or not I trusted the
home if I admitted or not I trusted the
home if I admitted or not I trusted the system i trusting the Phoebe keep me
system i trusting the Phoebe keep me
system i trusting the Phoebe keep me warm
warm
warm sometimes protect me I trusted the
sometimes protect me I trusted the
sometimes protect me I trusted the system so I trusted that when I went
system so I trusted that when I went
system so I trusted that when I went home I was prepared to go home their
home I was prepared to go home their
home I was prepared to go home their programs they knew what I needed to do
programs they knew what I needed to do
programs they knew what I needed to do to go home and stay home they know I
to go home and stay home they know I
to go home and stay home they know I don’t know
don’t know
don’t know so I’m 25 years old preparing to go home
so I’m 25 years old preparing to go home
so I’m 25 years old preparing to go home and I took every program they had this
and I took every program they had this
and I took every program they had this is an example of a program that they
is an example of a program that they
is an example of a program that they gave me what’s going on here what are
gave me what’s going on here what are
gave me what’s going on here what are you doing home what do you think you’re
you doing home what do you think you’re
you doing home what do you think you’re doing you supposed to work tonight we’re
doing you supposed to work tonight we’re
doing you supposed to work tonight we’re not doing anything we’re just hanging
not doing anything we’re just hanging
not doing anything we’re just hanging out
out
out I can’t believe I ever trusted you feel
I can’t believe I ever trusted you feel
I can’t believe I ever trusted you feel hot all over and my muscles are tight
hot all over and my muscles are tight
hot all over and my muscles are tight she’s not gonna get away with this she
she’s not gonna get away with this she
she’s not gonna get away with this she is disrespecting me by doing drugs in my
is disrespecting me by doing drugs in my
is disrespecting me by doing drugs in my home I’m angry and really surprised
silly right it’s funny laugh is silly
silly right it’s funny laugh is silly especially for somebody like me that
especially for somebody like me that
especially for somebody like me that just came from an environment like that
just came from an environment like that
just came from an environment like that in prison this is gonna prepare me to go
in prison this is gonna prepare me to go
in prison this is gonna prepare me to go home this won’t look like nobody I know
but this is my tool to go home and this
but this is my tool to go home and this is real but when I went home this is the
is real but when I went home this is the
is real but when I went home this is the environment I’m going home to this is
environment I’m going home to this is
environment I’m going home to this is what I seen this was my reality or where
what I seen this was my reality or where
what I seen this was my reality or where I was going to and nothing in prison no
I was going to and nothing in prison no
I was going to and nothing in prison no program I took prepared me for this do
program I took prepared me for this do
program I took prepared me for this do the whole time of Trent you know trying
the whole time of Trent you know trying
the whole time of Trent you know trying to prepare to go home it’s it’s it’s
to prepare to go home it’s it’s it’s
to prepare to go home it’s it’s it’s they make you very aware of the stats
they make you very aware of the stats
they make you very aware of the stats the stats are there’s 700,000 people
the stats are there’s 700,000 people
the stats are there’s 700,000 people every year in the United States that
every year in the United States that
every year in the United States that come home from prison 700,000 people
come home from prison 700,000 people
come home from prison 700,000 people that come home from prison and of that
that come home from prison and of that
that come home from prison and of that 700,000 people to come home two-thirds
700,000 people to come home two-thirds
700,000 people to come home two-thirds of them go back to prison five hundred
of them go back to prison five hundred
of them go back to prison five hundred and twenty-five thousand people go back
and twenty-five thousand people go back
and twenty-five thousand people go back within the first three years no I never
within the first three years no I never
within the first three years no I never had it got a high school diploma I never
had it got a high school diploma I never
had it got a high school diploma I never had a job before I’m expected to come
had a job before I’m expected to come
had a job before I’m expected to come home gained employment somehow and you
home gained employment somehow and you
home gained employment somehow and you know feed myself and my son with those
know feed myself and my son with those
know feed myself and my son with those stats looming besides the fact that if
stats looming besides the fact that if
stats looming besides the fact that if you’re african-american in in the u.s.
you’re african-american in in the u.s.
you’re african-american in in the u.s. one out of three go to prison anyway so
one out of three go to prison anyway so
one out of three go to prison anyway so I have no chance and and have no chance
we’re trying and on top of those stats
we’re trying and on top of those stats and on top of seeing this these images
and on top of seeing this these images
and on top of seeing this these images and haven’t given been given the
and haven’t given been given the
and haven’t given been given the programming that was totally and
programming that was totally and
programming that was totally and relevant to our the position I was in on
relevant to our the position I was in on
relevant to our the position I was in on top of all that when I first come home
top of all that when I first come home
top of all that when I first come home and I walked to a door I stopped and
and I walked to a door I stopped and
and I walked to a door I stopped and paused because I didn’t even know what
paused because I didn’t even know what
paused because I didn’t even know what to do with the door there’s no doorknobs
to do with the door there’s no doorknobs
to do with the door there’s no doorknobs in prison
in prison
in prison there’s no doorknobs as the toilets
there’s no doorknobs as the toilets
there’s no doorknobs as the toilets don’t look the same I didn’t know about
don’t look the same I didn’t know about
don’t look the same I didn’t know about keys cash none of that we hadn’t
keys cash none of that we hadn’t
keys cash none of that we hadn’t expected to succeed or make a plan for
expected to succeed or make a plan for
expected to succeed or make a plan for the future but what I did have I had
the future but what I did have I had
the future but what I did have I had amazing friends and families mentors
amazing friends and families mentors
amazing friends and families mentors that ensured my success they made it
that ensured my success they made it
that ensured my success they made it their business that they loved the human
their business that they loved the human
their business that they loved the human in me enough that they refused to see me
in me enough that they refused to see me
in me enough that they refused to see me fail still to today do those networks I
fail still to today do those networks I
fail still to today do those networks I was able to start to use my skills to
was able to start to use my skills to
was able to start to use my skills to actually teach kids so I started
actually teach kids so I started
actually teach kids so I started teaching video so teaching video all
teaching video so teaching video all
teaching video so teaching video all around I started setting up media labs
around I started setting up media labs
around I started setting up media labs media programs started making films
media programs started making films
media programs started making films I had a unlikely I was I was
I had a unlikely I was I was
I had a unlikely I was I was commissioned by the US Attorney’s Office
commissioned by the US Attorney’s Office
commissioned by the US Attorney’s Office which is the Department of Justice the
which is the Department of Justice the
which is the Department of Justice the US Department of Justice to make films
US Department of Justice to make films
US Department of Justice to make films for them it was always been my vision to
for them it was always been my vision to
for them it was always been my vision to use my skills and my experience to help
use my skills and my experience to help
use my skills and my experience to help someone that found themselves in the
someone that found themselves in the
someone that found themselves in the same situation I was in when it was
same situation I was in when it was
same situation I was in when it was somebody man or woman that were in
somebody man or woman that were in
somebody man or woman that were in prison for you know X amount of years
prison for you know X amount of years
prison for you know X amount of years that’s prepared to go home I can show
that’s prepared to go home I can show
that’s prepared to go home I can show them through film what home looks like I
them through film what home looks like I
them through film what home looks like I can show a lawmaker or a you know
can show a lawmaker or a you know
can show a lawmaker or a you know prosecutor what the home looks like in
prosecutor what the home looks like in
prosecutor what the home looks like in living conditions look like
living conditions look like
living conditions look like the people that they serve do my time in
the people that they serve do my time in
the people that they serve do my time in prison and since I’ve been home even now
prison and since I’ve been home even now
prison and since I’ve been home even now today I see people go back and forth to
today I see people go back and forth to
today I see people go back and forth to prison it’s like they go back and forth
prison it’s like they go back and forth
prison it’s like they go back and forth so regular it’s like a change of address
so regular it’s like a change of address
so regular it’s like a change of address to me the way I explain it as if it’s
to me the way I explain it as if it’s
to me the way I explain it as if it’s like second nature or if its nature like
like second nature or if its nature like
like second nature or if its nature like you know and and and as natural as as a
you know and and and as natural as as a
you know and and and as natural as as a forces of gravity with support from the
forces of gravity with support from the
forces of gravity with support from the Department of Justice I was able to
Department of Justice I was able to
Department of Justice I was able to create a film called pull of gravity
create a film called pull of gravity
create a film called pull of gravity that focuses on those specific
that focuses on those specific
that focuses on those specific environments and those pools that pull
environments and those pools that pull
environments and those pools that pull someone back into those life that
someone back into those life that
someone back into those life that lifestyle we created this film pull of
lifestyle we created this film pull of
lifestyle we created this film pull of gravity we shattered over a year period
gravity we shattered over a year period
gravity we shattered over a year period of time we followed three individuals I
of time we followed three individuals I
of time we followed three individuals I was one of them we used a film as a tool
was one of them we used a film as a tool
was one of them we used a film as a tool we screen it hundreds of time all of
we screen it hundreds of time all of
we screen it hundreds of time all of hundreds of times all over the country
hundreds of times all over the country
hundreds of times all over the country from prisons and colleges federal
from prisons and colleges federal
from prisons and colleges federal departments whatever from on a Monday I
departments whatever from on a Monday I
departments whatever from on a Monday I could be with judges a conference of
could be with judges a conference of
could be with judges a conference of judges three hundred some judges and
judges three hundred some judges and
judges three hundred some judges and afterwards as always always one judge
afterwards as always always one judge
afterwards as always always one judge afterwards that I’m in the hallway of
afterwards that I’m in the hallway of
afterwards that I’m in the hallway of components I said you’ll out come here
components I said you’ll out come here
components I said you’ll out come here come here come and there’s a judge you
come here come and there’s a judge you
come here come and there’s a judge you know listen listen I’ve been unjust for
know listen listen I’ve been unjust for
know listen listen I’ve been unjust for thirty years and I was never told to
thirty years and I was never told to
thirty years and I was never told to consider at all the environment people
consider at all the environment people
consider at all the environment people read that are coming home to or reentry
read that are coming home to or reentry
read that are coming home to or reentry as a whole or that same week I would be
as a whole or that same week I would be
as a whole or that same week I would be in a federal prison screening for prison
in a federal prison screening for prison
in a federal prison screening for prison officials staff and the population
officials staff and the population
officials staff and the population Demi’s and I would have an inmate
Demi’s and I would have an inmate
Demi’s and I would have an inmate without fails I would have an MA stand
without fails I would have an MA stand
without fails I would have an MA stand up every time and say I thought I was
up every time and say I thought I was
up every time and say I thought I was prepared to go home now I’m scared to go
prepared to go home now I’m scared to go
prepared to go home now I’m scared to go home
home
home scared to go home last August I was
scared to go home last August I was
scared to go home last August I was asked I was invited to meet with
asked I was invited to meet with
asked I was invited to meet with President Barack Obama to meet and
President Barack Obama to meet and
President Barack Obama to meet and discuss his criminal justice
discuss his criminal justice
discuss his criminal justice reform initiative and I remember vividly
reform initiative and I remember vividly
reform initiative and I remember vividly two two rules they gave me they said you
two two rules they gave me they said you
two two rules they gave me they said you know stand up on the time I met him
know stand up on the time I met him
know stand up on the time I met him right so I’m nervous right I’m like all
right so I’m nervous right I’m like all
right so I’m nervous right I’m like all standing there sweaty and nervous this
standing there sweaty and nervous this
standing there sweaty and nervous this is big right so meeting the president so
is big right so meeting the president so
is big right so meeting the president so I’m standing there they told me two
I’m standing there they told me two
I’m standing there they told me two rules they said when he comes in stand
rules they said when he comes in stand
rules they said when he comes in stand up and you greet him as mr. president
up and you greet him as mr. president
up and you greet him as mr. president some of the guy I got this I got two
some of the guy I got this I got two
some of the guy I got this I got two rules like cool I can work with that so
rules like cool I can work with that so
rules like cool I can work with that so I stood up I heard his motorcade come in
I stood up I heard his motorcade come in
I stood up I heard his motorcade come in her screeching is impressive he gets out
her screeching is impressive he gets out
her screeching is impressive he gets out the car and I’m like standing there and
the car and I’m like standing there and
the car and I’m like standing there and he walks up and I says mr. president yes
he walks up and I says mr. president yes
he walks up and I says mr. president yes sir hello mr. president he grabs my hand
sir hello mr. president he grabs my hand
sir hello mr. president he grabs my hand he says mister L saw your wonderful to
he says mister L saw your wonderful to
he says mister L saw your wonderful to meet you
meet you
meet you right at that moment I found myself
right at that moment I found myself
right at that moment I found myself flashing back to holding that paper in
flashing back to holding that paper in
flashing back to holding that paper in my hand with the number across the top
my hand with the number across the top
my hand with the number across the top an older gentleman telling me to
an older gentleman telling me to
an older gentleman telling me to remember the number because now that’s
remember the number because now that’s
remember the number because now that’s my name from now on but I’m not a number
my name from now on but I’m not a number
my name from now on but I’m not a number I have a name
I have a name
I have a name thank you so much
thank you so much
thank you so much [Applause]
”
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