The new American hustle | Shadeed Wallace-Stepter | TEDxSanQuentin 2016
No matter how far down the wrong road you travel, it’s never too late to turn around. Former street hustler Shadeed Wallace-Stepter discovered this while pursuing his AA Degree in San Quentin State Prison. Sha grew up in a household where the majority of adults either used or sold drugs. By the time he was in high school, Sha was a full-fledged drug-dealer who placed the value of money over everything including his family, friends, and even the well being of others. Being incarcerated would help Sha finally shatter the destructive mentality that he had subscribed to the majority of his life, While pursuing his A.A. Degree in San Quentin , he discovered entrepreneurship. He would draw parallels between his past life of street hustling and this business model. Sha would come to believe that many of the characteristics used to be a successful street hustler are the same characteristics needed to be a successful entrepreneur.Sha now spends his time showing individuals who come from similar backgrounds as his that entrepreneurship provides a positive, more productive alternative to hustling and that the streets have already equipped them with the tools to be successful in this field.
The power of "when" | Darnell Washington | TEDxSanQuentin 2016
An uncle's faith propelled Darnell Washington to college despite growing up in a gang environment. Hear how in prison Darnell uses positive belief and the power of "when" to transform lives Once Darnell entered prison he decided to turn his life around. He chose to walk away from a destructive lifestyle that was full of hurt, pain, and loss. In order to address his internal issues, Darnell would get involved with every self-help group that he could. While at San Quentin he would be drawn to the Restorative Justice Roundtable, largely because it dealt with the healing of victims, offenders, and their respective communities. He would also become interested in the social justice program The San Quentin Alliance for C.H.A.N.G.E., which teaches participants how different forms of justice can be applied to building a healthy and self-sustaining community. Darnell has become a leader and facilitator in both groups. His goal is to use his newly acquired knowledge to become a community activist and Motivational Speaker who educates and brings healing to the community.
My daughter, my hero | Sam W. Johnson, Sr. | TEDxSanQuentin 2016
After turning 6, a little girl visits her dad in prison and changes his life. After being incarcerated for 22 years, Sam W. Johnson, Sr., was released from San Quentin on Friday, February 24, 2017. For the past six years, Sam has been the Executive Chairman of the Men’s Advisory Council at San Quentin, meeting with the Warden and administration to represent the interests of the inmate population. He's also a facilitator for Insight Prison Project's Victim Offender Education Group, a restorative justice program. He is the Co-Leader of the Alliance for Change Mentor Department and also co-facilitates their anger management course. Through the Prison University Project, he received an A.A. degree from Patten University.
How to end veteran suicide | Ron Self | TEDxSanQuentin 2016
America would never send a soldier to fight without basic training. Yet we have sent thousands of vets home unprepared to handle the devastating mental damages of war. Speaking while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, former combat veteran Ron G. Self shares his personal struggle and outlines a plan to help our veterans. Find out more about Ron's program Boot Camp Out and the amazing work of Veterans Healing Veterans from the Inside Out, (http://veteranshealingveterans.org/donate.html). Learn more about San Quentin's exemplary Prison University Project https://prisonuniversityproject.org/, which was just awarded the National Humanities Medal. Ron G. Self, a former combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served from 1987 to 1996, is currently incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. While in prison, Self's personal struggles prompted him to found the self-help group Veterans Healing Veterans From The Inside Out to try to stop the alarmingly high suicide rate among veterans.
TEDxSanQuentin 2016 promo
Written, directed, and produced by Shadeed Wallace-StepterDirector of photography and editing by Brian AseyNarrated by Philip Melendez