“California’s three-strike laws gave me 2 life sentences for drug possession. After serving 28 years, mostly in solitary confinement, I am free to lead a movement to get the formerly incarcerated to give back.”

 By Richard Johnson

I have written this book in hopes of being able to help others from not traveling down the path that leads to imprisonment or a cemetery.  At the very beginning of writing this book, it began as a message to my son Fati Yero Gaidi, who was only two years old at the time that I was given two life sentences in prison for drug possession, under the newly implemented three-strikes-you-out law. The more that I wrote, the book began to evolve beyond its intended purpose for my son; it became something that any and everyone could utilize on their separate journeys through life challenges that we encounter. The book helped me put my thoughts, reasoning, perceptions, and views on display, while opening doors that, for the most part, were closed. The book can be purchased via Amazon. Learning life lessons.

About the Author

By Post staff

Richard “Razor” Johnson, 74, is a man whose life journey is marked by hard-earned wisdom, redemption, and an unshakable commitment to guiding the next generation. Once sentenced to life under California’s Three Strikes Law, he was released through what he calls nothing short of divine intervention.  His time behind bars, particularly in Pelican Bay State Prison, gave him a new raw and unfiltered understanding of life’s hardest truths.

With the realization that time is precious and the future is shaped by the lessons we learn, Richard writes with urgency and purpose. His book—a 300-page labor of love—is dedicated to young men who may not have a father to teach them the meaning of life’s most important words. Through definitions filled with wisdom, experience, and deep personal insight, he offers direction to those who find themselves lost, just as he once was.

Since his release over five years ago, Richard has committed himself to making a difference, particularly by reaching out to women and families who lack the presence of a father or husband.  He knows he cannot undo the years lost behind prison walls, but he is determined to use his past to build a better future for others. His story mirrors that of many who have walked a similar path. Yet, it remains uniquely his own – a testament to the power of change, resilience, and the belief that even from tragedy, something good can emerge.

His words are not just lessons; they are a call to action.  He hopes that by investing in young minds with wisdom and insight, they will be better equipped to navigate life’s trials, learn from their mistakes, and find their path to success. Richard “Razor” Johnson writes not just to be heard, but to help – because he knows firsthand that sometimes guidance can make all the difference.

Post publishers Paul and Gay Cobb visited Johnson in San Quentin and attended his graduation while he was in prison. He became a columnist with the Post News Group and has continued his advocacy for the formerly incarcerated by urging them to “give something back”. Johnson says he will be speaking at prisons, colleges, and media outlets to help organize voter registration and community service projects.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom is criticizing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for rolling back federal protections for emergency abortion care, calling the move an “unnecessary danger” to the lives of pregnant patients in crisis.

Effective May 29, CMS rescinded guidance that had reinforced the obligation of hospitals to provide abortion services under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) when necessary to stabilize a patient’s condition.

Newsom warned that the rollback will leave patients vulnerable in states with strict or total abortion bans.

“Today’s decision will endanger lives and lead to emergency room deaths, full stop,” Newsom said in a statement. “Doctors must be empowered to save the lives of their patients, not hem and haw over political red lines when the clock is ticking. In California, we will always protect the right of physicians to do what’s best for their patients and for women to make the reproductive decisions that are best for their families.”

The CMS guidance originally followed the 2022 Dobbs decision, asserting that federal law could preempt state abortion bans in emergency care settings. However, legal challenges from anti-abortion states created uncertainty, and the Trump administration’s dismissal of a key lawsuit against Idaho in March removed federal enforcement in those states.

While the rollback does not change California law, Newsom said it could discourage hospitals and physicians in other states from providing emergency care. States like Idaho, Mississippi, and Oklahoma do not allow abortion as a stabilizing treatment unless a patient’s life is already at risk.

California has taken several steps to expand reproductive protections, including the launch of Abortion.CA.Gov and leadership in the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, a coalition of 23 governors supporting access to abortion care.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media  

Members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) last week condemned ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in California.

The caucus released the statement the same day multiple protests erupted in Los Angeles County, reacting to three ICE raids conducted in that area.

“For months w,e have watched the unsettling images of federal agents rampaging through our communities. We have stood in horror as masked, heavily armed men ransack neighborhoods under the color of law leaving terror and trauma in their wake,” read a June 6 statement released by the CLBC.

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood), a member of the CLBC and chair of the Los Angeles County Legislative Delegation, urged protestors to show restraint and deescalate rising tensions.

“Don’t take the bait. Remain peaceful. Peace is our power,” she posted on Facebook.

McKinnor also blasted the feds for detaining David Huerta, a popular labor leader and president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), who was documenting the raids.

“The actions by this federal government are un-American,” wrote McKinnor in a statement. “We demand is immediate release and an end to the terror being inflicted on communities across L.A. County by this administration.”

According to Yasmeen Pitts, a Homeland Security Investigations division spokesperson, 44 people have been detained in arrests related to the protests.

Pitts said ICE agents targeted three locations in central Los Angeles they accuse of harboring undocumented immigrants.

The Black Caucus statement called the violent arrest of community leaders leading protests against the raids “a tool in the authoritarian playbook.”

“No person or family, regardless of origin, deserves to be the target of the terror being inflicted across the country in this moment,” the statement continued.

On June 7, Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, posted on X, “federal agents arrested over a dozen agitators today who impeded agents in their ability to conduct law enforcement operations.”

“We will continue to arrest anyone who interferes with federal law enforcement,” he added.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass thanked local law enforcement for keeping the peace in the city.

This is a difficult time for our city. As we recover from an unprecedented natural disaster, many in our community are feeling fear following recent federal immigration enforcement actions across Los Angeles County. Reports of unrest outside the city, including in Paramount, are deeply concerning,” posted Bass on X.

“We’ve been in direct contact with officials in Washington, D.C. and are working closely with law enforcement to find the best path forward. Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but let me be clear: violence and destruction are unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable,” she added.

On June 9, the Trump administration said it will send 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to quell the anti-ICE protests.

Newsom called the decision “deranged.”

“As the federal government conducts chaotic immigration sweeps across the country, the state is deploying additional CHP to maintain safety on Los Angeles highways to keep the peace,” wrote Newsom in a statement posted on X. “It’s not their job to assist in federal immigration enforcement. The federal government is sowing chaos so they can have an excuse to escalate. That is not the way any civilized country behaves.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post