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OP-ED: Arts in the Prisons Create Opportunities for Justice

Published

11 years ago

July 4, 2015

By Troy Williams

California Lawyers for the Arts and the William James Association, in collaboration with the University of San Francisco (USF), recently hosted a four-day national conference, “Arts in Corrections: Opportunities for Justice and Rehabilitation,” which showcased insights into new developments and challenges in providing prison arts programs to incarcerated men and women across the United States.

Practitioners of prison arts projects came from as far away as New York, New England, Florida, Philadelphia, Oklahoma, Connecticut, New Mexico, and of course California. More than 200 individuals packed the McLaren Conference Center at USF.

One group of panelists discussed the nuts and bolts of working in prisons across the country. On this particular day, I was the only formerly incarcerated person in the room.

Having been incarcerated in California only eight months ago, I was in the unique position of providing critical insights from the perspective of inmates.

I sat on a panel with a group of experienced practitioners from different disciplines, including dance, theatre, music, literary, and visual arts. After hearing other panelists speak, I was even more grateful for my experience in prison arts projects while incarcerated.

While in prison, I acted in several Shakespeare plays produced in association with Marin Shakespeare and co-authored four books in the Brothers in Pen creative writing class.

But my gratitude is not just for prison arts but also for the humanity of those who provide the prison arts.

Practitioner after practitioner spoke on different panels throughout the day. There seemed to be a consensus throughout the country that the Department of Corrections does not care about providing programs to inmates.

Based on my experience, many prisons in California have a “lock-em-down” first, then ask questions later approach to providing programs. Many times the safety and security of a particular prison can and does override the need for public safety.

Keep in mind, the majority of prisoners will return home. My question is: “In what condition do you want them to return?”

When one practitioner said, “We have to take an evidence based approach to supporting prison arts,” I raised my hand and shouted, “here I am.”

The truth is that there are hundreds of formerly incarcerated men and women who participated in Arts In Corrections programs. They have paroled and are out in the community working with youth, community based organizations or just living law-abiding lives.

There is an emotional component I learned from acting in Shakespeare plays and writing, which taught me to understand my own emotional makeup as well as the emotional make up of those I come in contact with. When emotionally hurt or verbally confronted, my first instinct has become to explore character rather lash out in flight or fight mode.

What more evidence is needed than walking, talking, living proof that these programs work?

It was the humane treatment from caring individuals – Zoe Mullery, Sonya Shah, Lesley Currier, Laurie Brooks, and Alma Robinson – that inspired me to care enough to change.

Oakland Post

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Related Topics:arts in prison OP-ED Opinion prison art projects prisons Troy Williams USF

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Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

7 months ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Special to The Post

The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) announced its awardees for the 2024-2025 New Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing Notice of Funding Availability (New Construction NOFA) today Five permanently affordable housing developments received awards out of 24 applications received by the Department, with award amounts ranging from $7 million to $28 million.

In a statement released on Jan. 16, Oakland’s HCD stated, “Five New Construction Multifamily Affordable Housing Development projects awarded a total of $80.5 million to develop 583 affordable rental homes throughout Oakland. Awardees will leverage the City’s investments to apply for funding from the state and private entities.”

In December, the office of Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 City Councilmember, worked with HCD to allocate an additional $10 Million from Measure U to the funding pool. The legislation also readopted various capital improvement projects including street paving and upgrades to public facilities.

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is the media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

12 months ago

January 30, 2025

Oakland Post

Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 city councilmember. File photo.

Special to The Post

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units, including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

Oakland Acquisition Company’s Acquisition of County’s Interest in Coliseum Property on the Verge of Completion

The Board of Supervisors is committed to closing the deal expeditiously, and County staff have worked tirelessly to move the deal forward on mutually agreeable terms. The parties are down to the final details and, with the cooperation of OAC and Coliseum Way Partners, LLC, the Board will take a public vote at an upcoming meeting to seal this transaction.

Published

1 year ago

January 11, 2025

Oakland Post

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Haubert. Official photo.

Special to The Post

The County of Alameda announced this week that a deal allowing the Oakland Acquisition Company, LLC, (“OAC”) to acquire the County’s 50% undivided interest in the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum complex is in the final stages of completion.

Oakland has already finalized a purchase and sale agreement with OAC for its interest in the property. OAC’s acquisition of the County’s property interest will achieve two longstanding goals of the County:

The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum complex will finally be under the control of a sole owner with capacity to make unilateral decisions regarding the property; and
The County will be out of the sports and entertainment business, free to focus and rededicate resources to its core safety net

In an October 2024 press release from the City of Oakland, the former Oakland mayor described the sale of its 50% interest in the property as an “historic achievement” stating that the transaction will “continue to pay dividends for generations to come.”

The Board of Supervisors is pleased to facilitate single-entity ownership of this property uniquely centered in a corridor of East Oakland that has amazing potential.

“The County is committed to bringing its negotiations with OAC to a close,” said Board President David Haubert.