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Articles by Spoon Jackson
Read these new books on justice and incarceration in the US.
Home Prison & Justice Writing Works of Justice The Book of Judith: Honoring Judith Tannenbaum (1947-2019) Two years ago, New Village Press published The Book of Judith: Opening Hearts Through Poetry, an anthology in remembrance of teaching artist Judith Tannenbaum, who dedicated her life to students in and out of prison. Tannenbaum’s career in education goes back to 1970, when she began teaching writing and literature in Berkeley, California.
The Book of Judith: Opening Hearts Through Poetry
An homage to the life of poet, writer, and teaching artist Judith Tannenbaum and her impact on incarcerated and marginalized students. The Book of Judith honors Judith Tannenbaum but also reflects, through both form and content, on the complexities of seeing both the parts and the whole. The book presents different aspects of Judith–poet, teaching artist, friend, mentor, colleague–through a collection of original poetry, prose, essay, illustration, and fiction from 33 contributors.
Temperature Check, Vol 6: Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, Spoon Jackson, Lacino Hamilton, and Santonio Murff
Home Temperature Check, Vol 6: Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, Spoon Jackson, Lacino Hamilton, and Santonio Murff June 5, 2020 A new rapid response series from PEN America’s Prison and Justice Writing Program, featuring original creative reportage by incarcerated writers, accompanied by podcast interviews with criminal justice reform experts on the pandemic’s impact in United States’ prisons. To receive this series straight to your inbox, sign up here.
How Carlos Muñoz Crocheted His Way To Freedom
From the series Uncuffed: Carlos Muñoz had been incarcerated for more than 20 years when he finally found his calling—crochet. He started out in hiding, embarrassed to crochet in front of other men. But over time, he brought his art into the light. Carlos shared the wisdom he’s learned from his crochet hooks. This story was originally broadcast on April 29, 2019. This month, Carlos Muñoz was granted parole. After 26 years of incarceration, he’ll be walking free. "Crochet is very forgiving.
In Prison, Rapper Tyga’s Dad Didn’t Know His Son Had Become Famous
From the project Uncuffed: While serving a sentence of life-without-parole, Stevie J. Stevenson lost touch with most of his children. Then, he found out that one of his sons had become a star: the artist Tyga, whose albums have hit number one on the rap charts. "Everybody in prison has a story about, say, gang banging, drug dealing, car stealing, everything that we did.
In Prison, Rapper Tyga’s Dad Didn’t Know His Son Had Become Famous
From the project Uncuffed: While serving a sentence of life-without-parole, Stevie J. Stevenson lost touch with most of his children. Then, he found out that one of his sons had become a star: the artist Tyga, whose albums have hit number one on the rap charts.
Free At Last, Thanks To A New California Law
From the project Uncuffed: The Reed brothers, Jesse and Greg, came to prison as crime partners. Jesse was the shooter and his little brother Greg was just there to rob. They both got life sentences, with the opportunity to parole. "I knew in my heart, I hadn't murdered anybody. I didn't intend to murder anybody." Under California’s old “felony murder rule,” if someone died while you were committing a felony, such as a robbery, you were guilty of murder.
Episode 3: Yoga
Gordon Melvin learned how to do yoga by watching TV. Soon, he was leading classes on the yard. Today, we’re talking about vulnerability, masculinity, and what it takes to put your ass in the air. Gordon was attracted to a life of dope and drink. He was violent with others, and himself. He started watching Priscilla Patrick, the yoga guru on PBS. You’d think that would help, but he was violent with yoga too, practicing it in a violent manner in his cell.
Uncuffed | KALW
From the series Uncuffed: When Mart Meiel was a kid, he heard his grandmother’s voice saying he would go to Alcatraz for twice as long as Al Capone. For years, he dismissed the idea. Alcatraz closed down. Then one day, Mart got a clue from an unlikely place. Uncuffed is produced by men at Solano State Prison. Learn more about them here.
Breaking The Norms Of Prison Culture To "Work With Feelings"
I know how it feels to be whipped with a water hose, extension cord and tree branch. Like me, Joey Pagaduan uncovered his physical abuse. We both found solace in the arts. About one in six male prisoners in the US report being abused as children. "I pushed it all down, and it just turned into just a fire of hate within me. And that's what I sent out into the universe." Joey tells everybody’s story of abuse, anger, and trying to fit in. We both thought beatings were the norm.
Shakespeare Gives Actors Choices, Even In Prison
By Spoon Jackson • 20 minutes ago From the series Uncuffed: I found acting in prison, and Steve Drown had acted most of his life through high school and college. One actor from the desert and the other from the city. We both rediscovered the magic of theater at Marin Shakespeare’s program at Solano Prison. We discussed our love of William Shakespeare and Samuel Beckett, who some call the modern day Shakespeare.
How Carlos Muñoz became the crochet king of Solano State Prison
By Spoon Jackson • Apr 29, 2019 From the series Uncuffed: Carlos Muñoz had been incarcerated for more than 20 years when he finally found his calling—crochet. He started out in hiding, embarrassed to crochet in front of other men. But over time, he brought his art into the light. Carlos shared the wisdom he’s learned from his crochet hooks. "Crochet is very forgiving. All you have to do is pull on a string, go back to where you made your mistake, and just redo everything all over again.
Lifers without the chance to parole face a different kind of death sentence
From the series Uncuffed: Life without the possibility of parole — LWOP — is a sentence in some ways equal to the death penalty. It means you will spend the rest of your life in prison. The only reprieve is by a governor's commutation or pardon, which is as rare as snow in Barstow, California. I'm an LWOP who has been incarcerated for over 40 years and still my sentence has not been commuted. "I'm happy that you got your commutation.
Uncuffed poetry: Spoon Jackson
You can also read the poem here.
Yoga is an equalizer at Solano Prison
By Spoon Jackson • Mar 11, 2019 From the series Uncuffed: Gordon Melvin, a Canadian imprisoned in California, learned how to do yoga by watching TV. Soon, he was leading classes on the yard. Melvin was attracted to a life of dope and drink. He was violent with others, and himself. He started watching Priscilla Patrick, the yoga guru on PBS. You’d think that would help, but he was violent with yoga too, practicing it in a violent manner in his cell. "I still got involved in a couple more riots.
The Book of Judith
Description The Book of Judith honors Judith Tannenbaum but also reflects, through both form and content, on the complexities of seeing both the parts and the whole. The book presents different aspects of Judith—poet, teaching artist, friend, mentor, colleague—through a collection of original poetry, prose, essay, illustration, and fiction from 33 contributors. In so doing, it echoes her own determination to perceive contradiction without judgment.
Raiders fan sews gear in prison
From the series Uncuffed: Roy Walker is a diehard Raiders fan. He also loves to sew. In prison, he’s woven his two passions together by sewing handmade Raiders gear. He was interviewed by Spoon Jackson, a fellow prisoner. "You can walk across the yard and see ten people wearing clothes that came from you, came from the hard work that you put in." Uncuffed is produced by men at Solano State Prison. Learn more about them here.
Free-spirited bluegrass musician remembers days riding the rails before his incarceration
From the series Uncuffed: Joe Kirk is known for his quiet ways, and commitment to the arts. He’s a musician, a singer, and an actor. Before he came to prison, he used to ride the rails, going from town to town and playing music. I spoke to Joe about the life he left behind, and the art of hoboing. I lived in Barstow California across the sticker-bush field from the railyard. Often I encountered hobos under the railroad bridge on my way to and from school.
Crosscurrents
Nazira Babori moves around The 1951 Coffee Shop with ease: mixing, steaming, and grinding coffee like a pro — but the truth is, she’s new to this, and not so long ago, she was in a very different place. Some inmates say food in a prison's chow hall is tasteless and bland. But that's not the case when John Parratt — also known as Yah-Yah — is in the kitchen.
Props 62 and 66: Death penalty debate behind enemy lines
Read the perspectives of Spoon Jackson, serving a sentence of Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP), “the other death penalty,” at Lancaster State Prison near Los Angeles, and Tim Young, on San Quentin’s Death Row near San Francisco. I just saw the first ad from the supporters of Prop 62. Mike Ferrell, the head of that movement, claimed that a “yes” vote on Prop 62 saves innocent lives on Death Row, by giving them all Life-Without-the-Possibility-of-Parole death sentences.
What does it say if dogs get better treatment than inmates?
The dogs marched under the barbed razor and electric fencing, across the prison yard and into Cellblock Five. Paws for Life, a program of Karma Rescue and the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, had arrived at California State Prison, Lancaster, to train inmates to care for once-condemned hounds. I’d known the dogs were coming as I’d helped clean out the 24 pens on the back of the cellblock, each pen five or six times the size of my cell.
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