Hacking our justice system | George Gascon | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

George Gascón is the 43rd District Attorney for Los Angeles County. He took office on Dec. 7, 2020, and immediately instituted a series of policies based on science, data and research to bring change within the criminal legal system. He is working to build a national model of criminal justice reform that supports and restores crime victims and survivors while addressing mass incarceration, racism and social systemic inequities. Throughout these historic reforms, public safety has been the overriding priority. On his first day in office, Gascón ended the use of the death penalty as a sentence in Los Angeles County; stopped charging children as adults; eliminated many sentencing enhancements that do not benefit public safety and contribute to mass incarceration; and removed cash bail for misdemeanor or nonserious or nonviolent felony offenses under California law as determined by the California Supreme Court in its People v. Humphrey decision. In 1967, at the age of 13, Gascón boarded a “freedom flight” with his mother and father from Havana, Cuba, to Miami. They had nothing more than the clothes on their backs and a change of underwear that they carried in a cardboard suitcase. Within a week his family moved to Southeast Los Angeles to settle in Cudahy. As a monolingual Spanish speaker, Gascón struggled to keep up with schoolwork and he ultimately dropped out of high school and started bagging groceries. Once he turned 18, Gascón joined the U.S. Army and quickly became the youngest sergeant in his brigade. He earned his high school diploma while simultaneously taking college extension courses, and after earning a history degree from Cal State Long Beach, Gascón got a job as a patrol officer in the Hollywood Division of the Los Angeles Police Department.Over the next three decades, he worked his way up the ranks of the LAPD from patrol officer to Assistant Chief of Police under Bill Bratton. As Assistant Chief, he oversaw operations for the more than 9,000 LAPD officers, overseeing major homicide and gang investigations and weeding out corruption following the infamous Rampart scandal. Then, in 2006, he was tapped to be Chief of Police in Mesa, Arizona, where he stood up to the hateful and anti-immigrant policies of then-Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. In 2009, then-Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed Gascón to be San Francisco’s Chief of Police. Two years later, Newsom again turned to Gascón to fill a vacancy created when then-District Attorney Kamala Harris was elected California Attorney General. Gascón was re-elected San Francisco District Attorney twice. He was the first Latino to hold that office, and the nation’s first Police Chief to become District Attorney. In the many positions Gascón has held throughout his career – from Assistant Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department to Chief of Police in Mesa, Arizona, and San Francisco, and District Attorney for San Francisco and Los Angeles Counties – his commitment to fairness, service and public safety has remained steadfast. Gascón has led the growing movement of progressive prosecutors. He was the first District Attorney in the nation to call for an end of cash bail and to launch an automatic record clearing program for marijuana convictions following legalization and the only District Attorney in California to support a state law that created a stricter standard for when police can use deadly force. Gascón never shied away from holding the powerful accountable, creating the state’s first independent investigation bureau to enhance transparency and limit the conflict of interest that occurs when police investigate themselves in the aftermath of a critical incident. He has earned a national reputation as a visionary in criminal justice reform. Today, Gascón and his work are defined by the same notions of fairness, public safety, service and critical thought that have been consistent throughout his life. In addition to his criminal justice work at the local, state and national levels, Gascón has worked on public safety initiatives in Latin America and the Middle East. He is a board member of the Council of State Governments Justice Center, a graduate of the FBI’s National Executive Institute and a member of the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government’s Executive Session on Policing and Public Safety. After serving two terms as San Francisco District Attorney, he returned to Los Angeles to care for his elderly mother and to be closer to his daughters and grandchildren in Long Beach. He entered the race for District Attorney to enhance the safety and livability of Los Angeles and bring equal justice to his hometown. Gascón is married to Fabiola Kramsky, a three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and recipient of the “Premio Nacional de Periodismo,” the highest recognition given to journalists in Mexico. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from California State University, Long Beach, and a Juris Doctor Degree from Western State University, College of Law.

Youth and today's society | Sherman Jackson | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

This piece is inspired by events that have transpired in Sherman Jackson‘s life and the lives of people around him. He believes that the youth of today‘s society should have more information about crime, drugs, and their consequences in order to help reduce the rate of incarceration. Sherman is 25 years old and from Troutdale, Oregon. He is Lakota, Oglala and aspires to return to his reservation as a drug counselor to help alleviate the drug and alcohol problem. He currently is attending Palo Verde College to obtain not only an AA but to become a drug counselor through the Alcohol and Drug Studies course.

I have a song | Paul Carillo | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Paul is 58 years old and has been a resident of the California penal system for over 33 years. He is from the Tohono Oodham o-tem Tribe, the San Xavier Reservation District, Arizona. Paul‘s number one sport is fishing, and he loves hiking. Born in Palm Springs, California, in the Cochella Valley desert in Riverside County, he is an avid Sweat Lodge participant of the Native American Indian ways, and loves life to the fullest. ―I Have a Song‖ it is in the beauty of discovering the hidden song in each and every one of us. Paul is giving a song to the world for healing, and wishes you to sing with him. Let‘s sing! Let‘s begin the healing.

Infinite incarceration | Steven Vincent Price | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

I am a straightforward, outgoing, and sensitive person. I love life, people, the outdoors, all sorts of activities, and the enchantment of exploration and discovery. I am a strong and healthy person who likes to work out and eat healthily. I love to develop, build and race cars, boats, motorcycles, handicraft projects, and I love to share those experiences with others. I have multiple degrees and continue working on my master‘s. I am open, honest, affectionate, and appreciative of the smallest things. I love listening to music and playing instruments (guitars and harmonica), and jamming with a band. I would like to share the meaning and purpose of my life by helping others find meaning and purpose for theirs.

The prison, the mohawk, and the two-sided coin | Lenore Anderson | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Lenore Anderson is the co-founder and President of Alliance for Safety and Justice, and founder of Californians for Safety and Justice. She is an attorney with extensive experience working to reform criminal justice and public safety systems. Lenore was the Campaign Chair and co-author of Proposition 47, a 2014 California ballot initiative to reduce incarceration and reallocate prison spending to mental health, drug treatment, K-12 programs and victim services. The initiative represents the first time in the nation voters have elected to reclassify multiple sections of the penal code to reduce incarceration and reallocate state money from prisons to communities. More than half a billion dollars has been reallocated from state prisons to community-based public safety programs. She also served on the Executive Committee for California’s Proposition 57 to expand prison rehabilitation and earned credit for release and Florida’s Amendment 4 to provide voting eligibility to people with old records in Florida. Previously, Lenore served as Chief of Policy and Chief of the Alternative Programs Division at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, where she spearheaded innovative initiatives to expand alternatives to incarceration and build community partnerships. She also crafted local and state legislation to aid victims of domestic violence and protect violent crime witnesses. Lenore also previously served as Director of Public Safety for the Oakland Mayor, overseeing the Mayor’s violence reduction initiatives, and as Director of the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice where she oversaw the city’s violence prevention grants and launched city-community partnerships to improve public safety. Lenore serves on the Advisory Board of the Institute for Innovations in Prosecution of John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is a member of the California Health and Human Services Agency’s Behavioral Health Task Force. She served as the inaugural Chair of the Board of the Center for Youth Wellness, an initiative to reduce the health impacts of toxic stress on urban youth. She holds a J.D. from NYU School of Law and a B.A. from UC Berkeley, and lives with her family in Oakland, California.

The sins of the father | Gerry Cypert | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Gerry Cypert is the proud, loving and devoted father of three children: Emily, 25, Savanah, 21, and Brandon, who recently turned 18. Gerry has struggled tirelessly over the 18½ years of his imprisonment to play a supportive role and remain relevant in the lives of his children. He believes firmly that imprisonment is no excuse to abandon a parent's responsibilities to his or her children, no matter the difficulties and obstacles which must be overcome.

Infinity explained in 3 minutes | Hakeem Oluseyi | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Astrophysicist, educator, and humanitarian,TED Fellow Hakeem Oluseyi trounced race and class to become an important contributor to computer technology and space research. Back on Earth, he's doing all he can to give young and underfunded scientists a chance to reach for the stars.

I have a plan | Michael De Longis | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Born in The Bronx in the dark ages before cell phones and the Internet, Michael De Longis graduated high school in New Jersey, moved to California and settled in Sonoma County at twenty. He became a carpenter and award-winning contractor. Since becoming travel impaired, Michael has graduated from Coastline Community College and also earned a paralegal degree. Certified in Literary Braille in 2011, Michael now focuses his efforts transcribing for the blind and is working toward Nemeth (math) certification, allowing him and his wife to better serve the blind community upon his release. Michael speaks on his personal growth and how Braille affected his life.

Love, commitment, rehabilitation, and respect | Tony Cardenas | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Raised by hard-working immigrant parents, Tony Cárdenas was brought up with simple ideals – that integrity and dedication were the keys to success. Rep. Cárdenas is committed to bringing awareness and change to the issues most important to the San Fernando Valley and its families. A passionate advocate for justice, Cárdenas’s work on common-sense gun safety, immigration reform, juvenile justice, and championing solutions that will make the U.S. economy even stronger has been recognized and praised both locally and nationally. Rep. Cárdenas was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2013 for the 113th Congress (2013-2014) and has represented California’s 29th district since. Now in the 117th Congress (2021-2022), Rep. Cárdenas sits on the prestigious House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where he is fighting for hard-working American families. He has worked on and authored legislation to lower prescription drug prices, protect American consumers, combat climate change, and ensure that everyone has access to affordable, quality health care. The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest of the "authorizing" committees in the House. Rep. Cárdenas was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2013 for the 113th Congress (2013-2014) and has represented California’s 29th district since. Now in the 117th Congress (2021-2022), Rep. Cárdenas sits on the prestigious House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where he is fighting for hard-working American families. He has worked on and authored legislation to lower prescription drug prices, protect American consumers, combat climate change, and ensure that everyone has access to affordable, quality health care. The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest of the "authorizing" committees in the House. These are the qualities that he has brought to his career as a public servant, and he continues to offer that today as a United States Congressman. And when it comes to America’s youth, Rep. Cárdenas has been a steadfast champion. Cárdenas led the passage of the bipartisan At-Risk Youth Medicaid Protection Act, which he co-wrote with Virginia Republican Morgan Griffith. This law ensures that at-risk young people have much-needed health and mental care coverage when they reenter the community from juvenile detention centers. The resolution acted as an extension of his work within the bipartisan Crime Prevention and Youth Development Caucus, which he co-founded along with Rep. David Reichert of Washington during the 113th Congress. During the 113th Congress, Rep. Cárdenas also founded the bipartisan Congressional Student-Athlete Protection Caucus along with Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, underscoring his dedication to fostering America’s youth through bipartisan support.

Whose foot is on my neck? | Gloria Bridget | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Gloria Bridget has been working in the criminal justice field for over 10 years as a Case Manager for The Female Offender Treatment and Employment Program, Transitional Counselor for the Re-Entry program at Ironwood State Prison, and as well as a Motivational Speaker. She has assisted thousands of people, including offenders, change their lives and reintegrate into society. Because of Gloria‘s professionalism, expertise, training, and commitment she is able to overcome many of the challenges that are presented to her. Using her education, life experiences, and networking she is committed to enhancing peoples‘ lives every day.

Damaged petals | Bertrand Thompson | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Bertrand Thompson's poem explores how underdeveloped minds plagued by the effects of abnormal conditioning can create a lapse in reasoning, which gives rise to the alarming rates of juvenile and adolescent incarceration. Like a lot of our youth, Bertrand Thompson was once caught up in the gravitational pull of the streets. He got involved with drugs, alcohol and associated himself with like mentalities. For years he cultivated the kind of behavior that served as and contributed to the perplexing problems plaguing our neighborhoods. These days in his striving, he utilizes his experience and knowledge to conduct the kind of consciousness that demonstrates beneficial change as he strives to regain the trust of our communities and help bridge the social gap between the incarcerated and society.

The importance of fathers | Correctional Officer Calvin Williams | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Single father of 3 children, Correctional Officer Calvin Williams of Ironwood State Prison speaks about the importance of being a father. Calvin Williams is a widower and a single father of three wonderful children. A spiritual man, he believes we should love God, our family, and all God's creations, including ourselves. He also believes we should all work for what we get. He is a peace officer and is employed at Ironwood State Prison.

Prison to school pipeline: education as transformation | Douglas Wood | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Inside prison, education can be the pathway to transformation. Dr. Douglas E. Wood is Director of the Aspen Institute’s Criminal Justice Reform Initiative. From 2011-2018, he was a program officer at the Ford Foundation on the Youth Opportunity and Learning team and for nearly two years served as Acting Lead of the foundation’s global Higher Education for Social Justice initiative, managing grants in the U.S., Colombia, Peru, Chile, Southern Africa, Egypt and China. He also funded a myriad of programmatic grants focused on criminal justice reform at the national, state and local levels including investigative journalism, theater and documentary film. Prior to joining Ford, he was Executive Director and Chief Education Officer of the Tennessee State Board of Education, chair of the Basic Education Program Review Committee that oversees Tennessee’s $3.2 billion K-12 budget, a member of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, a gubernatorial appointee to the Education Commission of the States, a Fellow at the Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University, executive director and principal investigator of the National Academy for Excellent Teaching, Teachers College, Columbia University, and Associate Dean at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, The New School. Dr. Wood began his career as a public school teacher and while a graduate student at Harvard, worked as a consultant with the Urban Superintendent’s Program, the World Bank’s Office of East Asian Affairs, and taught at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Dr. Wood received the 2018 Alumni Council Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and is a board member of the Partnership for College Completion. Dr. Wood holds a B.A. degree in History from Wofford College, a master’s degree in English from Middlebury College, and a master’s and doctoral degree from Harvard University. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and holds the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from Middlebury College.

When time doesn't heal all wounds | Dr. Robert K. Ross | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Robert K. Ross, MD, President and CEO of The California Endowment, gives a compelling overview of the role that exposure to childhood trauma plays in the lives of troubled and chronically ill Americans. Robert K. Ross, M.D., is president and chief executive officer for The California Endowment, a health foundation established in 1996 to address the health needs of Californians. Prior to his appointment in July 2000, Dr. Ross served as director of the Health and Human Services Agency for the County of San Diego from 1993 to 2000, and Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Philadelphia from 1990 to 1993. Dr. Ross has an extensive background in health philanthropy, as a public health executive, and as a clinician. His service includes: medical director for LINK School‐Based Clinic Program, Camden, New Jersey; instructor of clinical medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and faculty member at San Diego State University’s School of Public Health. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pediatrics, served on the President’s Summit for America’s Future and as chairman of the national Boost for Kids Initiative. Dr. Ross received his undergraduate, Masters in Public Administration and medical degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Dr. Ross was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar from 1988 to 1990, focusing on urban child health issues. Dr. Ross has been actively involved in community and professional activities at both the regional and national level. He serves as a Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans, a Board member of the California Health Benefit Exchange Board, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors; Co‐Chair, Diversity in Philanthropy Coalition; Board member, USC Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy; and has served as a Board member of Grantmakers in Health , National Vaccine Advisory Committee, the National Marrow Donor Program, San Diego United Way and Jackie Robinson YMCA. He has received numerous awards and honors including the 2011 Public Health Champion award from the UCLA School of Public Health, 2011 Latino Health Alliance Champion Award, 2011 California Association of Human Relations Organization Civil Rights Award, 2009 Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Access to Justice Award, and the Council on Foundations’ 2008 Distinguished Grantmaker of the Year Award. He has also been named by Capitol Weekly as one of California’s most influential civic leaders in health policy, and he was recently named by the NonProfit Times as one of the 50 Most Influential Non‐Profit Leaders in America. In 1999 he was named by Governing Magazine as a national Public Official of the Year for his leadership in innovative health and social services delivery. During his tenure at The California Endowment, the foundation has focused on the health needs of underserved Californians by championing the cause of health coverage for all children, reducing childhood obesity, strengthening the capacity of community health centers, improving health services for farm worker and ex‐offender populations, and strengthening the pipeline for bringing racial and ethnic diversity to the health professions. In the Los Angeles region, he has provided leadership to support the re‐opening of the Martin Luther King Jr. Medical Center and the revitalization of Charles Drew University. In 2010, The California Endowment launched a 10‐year statewide commitment investing $1 billion to advance policies and forge partnerships to build healthy communities and a healthy California. Recently, he has helped bring greater philanthropic attention to the health and well‐being of young men of color across California and the nation. Dr. Ross and his wife Robin have four children, and he serves on the Vestry Board at the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

Facing fear | Sean Wilson | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

As a kid, Sean Wilson had big dreams....but he gave up on those dreams because of fear. But he discovered the power of education while he was incarcerated, and now has a 4.0 GPA and lives free of fear. Sean Wilson was born in 1989 in Los Angeles into a loving family. Behind his guarded exterior, you‘ll know him by his playfulness, distinct laugh, and generous heart. He is the only athlete you‘ll meet that doesn‘t watch sports, so don‘t ask. Music is his sports, as he is a self-proclaimed rap enthusiast. One thing most people don‘t know about him is he can draw. With a 4.0 GPA, he will be graduating this June with an associate‘s in business management and plans to further his education in the arts. His free time is spent exercising, listening to music, and planning for the future. He wants to learn to produce creative sounds in music that people love.

A journey of forgiveness | Ellen Rutledge | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

From the perspective of a mother whose son was murdered in 2008, Ellen Rutledge speaks on the topic of her journey of forgiveness, which is the ultimate gift to herself. Ellen Rutledge began her second career in the clerical field at Ironwood State Prison after resigning from the Palo Verde Unified School District where she worked as a Paraprofessional in Special Education for nearly 30 years, beginning with the elementary grade levels and progressing to the high school senior level. Since the murder of her son, she has been compelled to speak out on topics that reflect her journey through the grieving and forgiveness process. She is actively involved with the planning of the Crime Victims’ Service conducted annually during the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week at Ironwood State Prison in conjunction with Chuckawalla State Prison.

Grateful for the opportunity to be in prison | Marquise Clark | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Marquise Clark was born and raised in Los Angeles, the fourth of ten children: seven boys and three girls. He says he has a unique personality behind his many layers and has a kind heart. He has always been energetic and loves helping others when he can. Marquise is a former youth offender who is currently enrolled in college. His short-term goal is to get his associate degree in business before he goes home. He is in a bittersweet situation of being in Ironwood State Prison. The transformation of a gang member to a law-abiding citizen is in progress after it clicked that Marquise wanted a better life for himself. He knows education is his way out and is grateful for the opportunity.

Second chances | Richard Branson | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Sir Richard Branson bootstrapped his way from record-shop owner to head of the Virgin empire. Now he's focusing his boundless energy on encouraging his Virgin group of companies to employ people freshly released from prison, and even some who are still inside and working towards release. "Everybody deserves a second chance," he says.

Infinite possibilities | Mark Taylor | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

"If we as a nation can find the compassion to show troubled youth that our country values them and is willing to invest in them, then I can assure you that the vast majority of these young men and women all rise above the existential challenges they face while they simultaneously carve out brighter, more promising futures, and, by doing so, they will teach us a little something about the transformative power of hope." Mark Taylor was born in Lakenheith, England, raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and settled in San Diego, California, at the age of 15. Since his incarceration, Mark has 5 Associate level degrees from Palo Verde College, graduating with honors (Summa Cum Laude) and a 4.0 GPA. Additional achievements include a United States Library of Congress Braille Transcriber certification, Alcohol & Drug Studies Specialist I & II certifications, and an Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) Team Coordinator certification. Upon his release, he plans to transcribe Braille, counsel drug addicts and gang members, and advocate for fair and just policies and laws.