The Pursuit of Education in Virginia
Greetings JLI
29-July-2023
My name is DANNY Thomas and I'm currently incarcerated at (redacted). I've been JLI member for approximately 3 years now and I was honored to have my piece titled "The Calamity of Sentencing in (redacted)," published in volume 46 of the harbinger.
As I approach my (Redacted) year of incarceration, one of the most obvious issues for me is the absence of educational opportunities beyond vocational and G.E.D. I firmly believe that more men is this prison system would be interested in advancing their education if the opportunity presented itself.
For instance, I've lobbied for the establishment of a book club to no avail my goal was to establish a club with humanities as our central focus. The objective would be to identity, rood And evaluate several works from an array of authors and genres. I believe that this would not only encourage a love for reading but also sharpen the readers critical thinking, communication skills And writing ability.
I've developed several workshops that I hope to eventually utilize In conjunction with this book club ideas with the hope that I can dismantle some of all of the psychological and educational barriers the prisoners in the state of (redacted) are confronted with, although their is an expectation that rehabilitation is a goal of the penal system, the incarcerated cannot rely on this as our reality. The ultimate cause for rehabilitation is us and the ultimatum ultimate mechanism for rehabilitation is our effort.
Even our libraries are often sub-par at best. This is because so many books are banned with no real justification. As men in prison, their is nothing written in a book that is going to amaze or incite us, that cats been out the bag! It's amazing that we can watch the same theme play out on television but clearly they see a difference when it comes to reading books , but why is that?
My position is as I previously explained which is, "the fundamental power that comes from reading is transformational." The time, focus and recall it takes to read a book often encourages reflection and introspection, these tend to translate as articulation. Their's something about a prisoner being able to articulate themselves that same to rattle prison officials. Maybe it's because intellectual assertiveness is something they cannot train for, our ignorance is predictable but our intelligence is deceptive and alarming to them ( prison officials).
To any event, the development of our mind while incarcerated is essential to our rehabilitation and establishing the recognition of our humanity. At the current pace we are often left to our own devices, in terms of educational aspirations beyond G. E.D. and vocational. Don't get me, the two are essential to successfully participating in the economy, yet, equally important is our ability to be self- determined, to consider our ultimate dreams, goals And aspirations in order to teach the next generation of their self- worth to their economic development but also their worth to the greater humanity.
In struggle , Danny Thomas

Darren Braden
Community Justica Fellow
NYU School of Law
[Redacted]

26- Decembre-2023

Greetings Darren,

I hope you're well . My name is Danny Thomas And I've been A member of JLI since its inception. I have the modules And inspirational messages from yourself And Jody. As A Jailhouse lawyer I Am fully aware of the Academic hurdles we face in terms of learning And litigating, the law. Equally important is the psychological energy And mentality it takes to maintain our passion for causes dear to us.

I was elated to have my work published in Vol. 4C of "The Harbinger " I was estatic to have my work recognized by some of the best And brightest minh in the field . I've read the piece you'd written for the last package several times And As an education and rehabilitation Advocate /Activist I've worked tirelessly to Assist the men I encounter with their transition. In my 22 years of incarceration The freed man obstacles but none of them outweigh the success of men returning home to reclaim their humanity. During my tenure As A program facilitator I decided to do the research And write my own reentry program which Accompanies the missive. I call it The Formand Initiative. You mentioned developing a module so I thought this find help I would love to get your feedback on the program and if it can be useful to the movement by All means do as you must!

Thank you so much for your resilience and effect, I hope to model my destiny after your own I'm preparing for my eventual relaxe something so that you make A greater contribution to the cause of reentry and legal advocacy as a Jailhouse Lawyer.

In Solidarity,
Danny Themas [Redacted]
[Redacted]

The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

The Forward Initiative
"Learning to Use Life's Tools"

The Forward Initiative
All Rights Reserved 2018
The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1
Index

Food for Thought.......5
Express Yourself........6
Who Are You........7
Questions for You..........8
Thoughts, Feelings and Self-Esteem.........9-11
Planning Your Life..........11-12
Preparing for Socialization.........12-13
The Job interview and preparing to Work...........14-15

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

"From someone who shares your dream"

Being incarcerated is one of the most difficult experiences anyone could ever imagine. It is especially taxing when you reflect on your life and realize that you've had chance after chance to make better decisions, but you continued to gamble with your life only to lose dearly. Take this opportunity to improve your life and the lives of those around you. The next bad decision you make may not allow you to look forward to release, whether it is the result of a lengthy sentence or even the loss of your life.

As one who is serving a life sentence I want you to understand and appreciate the opportunity you have. The idea of making an honest living and feeling good about it is a reality to you. To see your children graduate high school and college is real to you. Don't throw this reality away, make it real in your life and do what's necessary to achieve it.

Be careful of the friends you choose and if they are a hindrance to the reality I just reminded you of, you don't want them as friends. Take this opportunity to reflect on your misdeeds and your regrets. Go back to society with an unyielding determination to succeed and be patient with the process. In closing, please remember that doing the right thing isn't hard; it's giving ourselves the option to do wrong that complicates things. Don't make doing wrong an option.

Danny Ray Thomas
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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

F UTURE --->
Think of where you want to be in life and the steps necessary to achieve your vision.

O RGANIZE --->
Develop an A-Z plan that will help you organize your steps to success.

R ESILIENCE --->
Understand that each stage of your plan may not develop quickly. Be resilient.

W ORK --->
Apply yourself diligently to your plan and know that work and effort go hand in hand.

A DVERSITY --->
Remain focused on the task; stumbling blocks are a part of success

R EMEMBER --->
Remember where you've been and what you've been through. Let it fuel your drive.

D ESTINY --->
No one has the power to determine your fate but you, believe this and own it.

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Food for Thought

1. Name One thing you wish you could have experienced that incarceration took away from you?

2. Name one thing you'd like to accomplish before leaving prison and why?

3. If you've been incarcerated multiple times, what is the one thing you took for granted?

4. Do you have adequate skills to obtain employment and what are those skills?

5. Name one thing you have accomplished in prison that was extremely difficult or seemed impossible.

6. Why should we learn to forgive?
A. What did you learn from this exercise?
B. Which topic impacted you the most and why?

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

"Express Yourself"

"Self-Expression is the hallmark of individuality. "In the following exercise, answer the questions and be absolutely honest with yourself.

1. What would you consider to be your most difficult experience and why was it difficult for you?

2. How were you able to overcome this experience?

3. What is your greatest success? What is your greatest failure?

4. Name at least two bad habits you have and what you're doing to resolve them?

"You are what you make of yourself, not what others make of you." -African Proverb
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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

"Who Are You"
"Miseducation results when people see themselves as only a consequence of their social and interpersonal experience."
-Dr. Naim Akbar

1. What is a reference group?

-The term "reference group" was coined by Herbert Hyman in "Archives of Psychology (1942)" to apply to the group against which an individual evaluates his or her own situation or conduct.

2. What aspects of our lives are impacted by our reference group?

A. Our value system which includes the people, places, customs and ideas that we hold in high regard
B. Attitudes are the behavioral norms that result from our underlying beliefs about people, places, customs and things.

3. What is Culture?

- According to Webster's Dictionary, Culture is defined as an integrated pattern of knowledge belief and behavior that is dependent upon a man's ability to learn something and teach it to succeeding generations. Often times we embrace criminality based on our reference group, so we learn to value people, places. customs and ideas that support and embrace criminality. Sadly, the false sense of support in these environments includes a level of comfort which helps our criminality escalate.

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

"Questions for You!"

1. Why was it easier to listen to our criminal peers versus those who had our best interest in mind?
2. How has incarceration impacted your view of criminal behavior?
3. Is it possible to live in an environment of criminal peers and not participate in the behavior? Why or Why not?
4. Do you find yourself still gravitating towards people who embrace criminality? Why or Why not?

REMEMBER !!!

"If you can't change the people around you, then change the People around you."

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

"Thoughts, Feelings and Self-Esteem."

> What does my future hold?
> Am I going to live to see old age?
> What is important in my life?
> Who is important in my life?
> Am I really important to myself?

These are many of the questions that we ask ourselves as the incarcerated. These questions tend to haunt us throughout our lives. One issue that is often neglected in our lives are the emotional ones. This tends to be true because of our ability to create "defense mechanisms" that help us cope with hurt, anger or both. These "defense mechanisms" transcend socio-economic status and are often the result of a fractured family structure, drug addiction or a combination of the two as one often times is the result of the other. In addition, it can take the form of:

1. Apathy towards the victim(s) or extended victim(s) of our crime.

2. Projection of our anger onto loved ones and other innocent people.

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

When we think of self-esteem we tend to think in terms of "low or high" when in fact the correct way to judge self-esteem is whether it is "healthy or unhealthy." When we function with these ideas they discourage the necessary growth to move beyond the "old you."

People can display high self-esteem over things and ideas that are worthless such as physical dominance (violence), monetary gain and/or affiliation. Although we believe this makes us happy, it's actually a "coping mechanism." The same thing applies for low "self- esteem" because people see themselves as worthless resulting from physical dominance (violence) imposed on them.

The same applies for lack of monetary gain or lack of affiliation. Therefore, don't acknowledge your self- esteem as high or low but as healthy or unhealthy by recognizing the following:

"Healthy Self-Esteem" is apparent when:
A. We feel good about ourselves although finances are low.
B. We persevere in the face of difficulty with optimism.
C. We understand that mistakes are a part of life.

Learn, Live and Move On
D. We make decisions based on what's right not popular.

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

Unhealthy Self-Esteem is apparent when:

A. Financial gain makes us feel superior to others.
B. We play the "blame game" when adversity crosses our path.
C. We make poor decisions because we want acceptance from our peers.

Planning Your Life

Short term goals are immediately attainable objectives while long term goals usually take much more planning and discipline to achieve.

1. Identify two of your short term goals and the steps necessary to attain them.
2. Identify two of your long term goals and the steps necessary to attain them.
3. How many of your short term goals have you achieved? Name them.
4. How many short term goals have you wanted to accomplish but haven't disciplined yourself to do so? Why?
5. How many long term goals have you achieved? Name them.

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

6. How many long term goals have you wanted to accomplish but haven't disciplined yourself to do so? Name Them.

"Preparing for Socialization"

"Socialization "is the process by which we learn to become members of society by internalizing the norms and values of society and also by learning to perform our" social roles."

(Parents, Workers, Citizens Etc.)

Learning Your Family

During the course of our incarceration we often find ourselves suspended in time because our daily life is so routine. As a result, we tend to lose a sense of relevancy in our family's life because we're not there to experience the events of their everyday lives.

Imagine how out of touch we tend to feel after a visit and realize that our loved ones have aged. During this time their perception of life may change and also their perception of us, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. In any event there are basic steps we can take in order to build a bridge of understanding and reconciliation.

1. Be open about your feelings and experiences, this should help them understand who you are and vice versa. "Understanding is key."
2. Don't force yourself on them, let them grow in their own way.

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

3. Be diligent in seeking employment and show them the newfound discipline you've learned during your incarceration. Remnants of the "old you" will certainly conjure up bad memories and misconceptions that may hinder the relationship building process.

Dealing with "old friends."

Their's an old saying:

"If you can't change the people around you, then change the people around you."

Simply because people have similar interest as you, doesn't mean they have your best interest in mind. Emotional attachments are often the determining factor when it comes to establishing relationships and this is natural, however, when the emotional factor is not balanced with logic, then these types of relationships can be detrimental. As we mature into responsible adults theirs's a realization that our objectives must change and regardless of nostalgic attachment, if your goal is to secure a productive future in society then you should only align yourself with "old friends" who aspire to the same expectations for their own lives.

"Questions to Consider"
1. How many of your "old friends" still live their "old life?"
2. If they're truly your friend, would they encourage you to jeopardize your freedom?

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

Parenting

A parent is one who nurtures, protects and educates his child so that they will one day grow into a responsible adult. Every parent wants the best for their child; sadly many of us had children but never understood what it meant to be a parent.

"Questions to Consider"
1. Have you spoken with your children concerning your incarceration?
2. What steps have you taken to be a better Parent?
3. What are your fears concerning your children?
4. How do these fears impact your beliefs and attitudes?
5. Do you believe your parents contributed to your current beliefs, why or why not?

The Job Interview and Preparing to work
1. What skills have you acquired during your incarceration?
2. What are you doing to further your acquired skills?
3. Have you learned to save money?
4. Have you ever experienced the job interview process?
5. What did you learn from this experience?

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The Forward Initiative Cognitive Program Part 1

"Helpful Hints"
1. Be mindful of your appearance, employers may have preconceived biases towards felons therefore appearance is everything. Be neat and well groomed.
2.Be on time, "Back Planning" is your ability to understand what you're trying to achieve (end game). envision each step it takes to get there, then execute each step with discipline.
Example: the interview is at 9A.M. and you live 30 minutes away. You should plan to arrive at least 20 minutes early. Therefore you want to be up by 7:30 dressed and out the door by 8:00 or earlier depending on your mode of transportation.
3. Have all necessary documentation, identification that you need for the interview process.
4. Once you're hired, take an interest in your job and the other positions in your work environment. Not only will you prove yourself to be a valuable asset but you'll also expand your opportunities for advancement.

Remember

1. Plan your work, Work your plan.
2. A goal without a plan is a wish.
3. Never make doing the right thing an option, "make it mandatory."
4. Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift that's why it's called "the present."
Thank You for participating in The Forward Initiative, I hope these tools are as helpful to you as they've been for me.

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Tyler Walton, Esq.
25. Dec. 2023
Dear Tyler
Please consider the Accompanying piece for publication on the Flashlight platform or Anywhere else you see fit. Thanks for All the work JLI has on our behalf.
Regards
Danny Thomas (redacted)
25. Dec.2023
Be Epic
Advocacy in the face of opposition.
by Danny Thomas
Throughout history we can find A myriad of Instances In which that was A cause And A desire to change the conditions that confront the parole. For me this is the birth of Advocacy. The Advocate has Always been the underdog, we're Always been doubted, yet we persist. Regardless at that core there is a universal strength that binds the Advocate of today to those of yester year.
One of the most inspirational figures in Advocacy was Clarks Hamilton Houston (1895-1950) A civil rights lawyer And A law professor At Howard Law School. As Genna Ray McNeil wrote in the Yale biographical dictionary of American law "Houston prepared lawyers to challenge rather than maintain the status quo concerning constitutional rights And the use of law As A force for social change."
In fact Houston was often quoted As saying 'a lawyer' either A social engineer or A parasite on society." The recognition of this obligation to fight the cause of the destitute reminds us that there is much work to be done And As we reach for our goals we survive every obstacle, every setback, every doubting mind that Attempts to thwart the very success we strive for. In the Advocate's world we Know the costs we Accrue with every Attempt to refine the system that we so badly dare to question. This system would dare us to be Audacious enough to demand better from those whose power And influence Appear to consume every person that finds themselves longing for change in A static place, All the while the rest of the world Appears to be progressing And evolving.
As Clarence Gilson of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright write to his Attorney Abe Forts after their victory." I believe that each era finds an improvement in law ... maybe this will be one of those small steps forward. " Maybe this will be one of those moments that we will grow exponentially in the face of opposition and with every effort we learn that we two can "Be Epic."
In Struggle

Tyler Walton (redacted)
23-Dec-2023
Dear Tyler And JLI
Thanks so much for making me A parts of this outstanding Advocacy platform. Please consider the Accompanying piece "Redemption in Retaliation" for publication with Flashlights or however you see fit.
In Solidarity,
Danny Thomas (redacted)
Redemption in Retaliation by Danny Thomas
23.Dec.2023
In late November of 2020. I began coughing And wheezing excessively. After several weeks of emergency grievances to the medical Administrator, I was eventually seen; only to be told it was merely a routine cold And it would go Away, I was prescribed cough syrup and sent on my way.
Days later I found myself struggling to breathe to the point that I could no longer talk And barely walk. Determined to reclaim my health I pursued justice though the grievance procedure And Along with Advocacy from the outside I was finally diagnosed with diffuse interstitial lung disease And proper treatment ensued, subsequently I was diagnosed with moderate Asthma.
I was certainly upset that my health concerns were not taken seriously but what Angered me even more was the fact that I had to fight for basic healthcare. Then it dawned on me, what if I wasn't a jailhouse lawyer? What if I lacked the passion to challenge the conditions that confine me ? The very thought of these questions motivate me to continue the work that I do As A jailhouse lawyer, to not only practice the law but troch the law As A tool of empowerment And self-determination in A carceral environment that seeks to Institutionalize And demoralize those who inhabit these confines.
As my health began to improve there was an epic covid breakout in the prison And everyone that worked in the kitchen had to be quarantined, Although I work As law clock, my participation in the offender work program ([redacted] Dept. of Corrections Operating Procedure 841.2) Allows supervisors to draft workers, despite their job title to work whenever And wherever they clean necessary. Refusal to do so is Automatic termination And subsequent disciplinary infraction for refusal to work.
The chief of security prohibits medications in the kitchen And because I utilize two inhalers (rescue And preventive) the medical staff excused me from working in the kitchen And provided A written notice to All parties involved. Due to my success as a jail house lawyer I'd become an "... combatant" in the eyes of the chief of security. When he found out that I'd been excused from the kitchen duty, he was so enraged that he terminated me And wrote A disciplinary infraction Against me for refusing to work.
Obviously, neither the termination or infraction were substantiated by fact so the hearing's officer dismissed the case, yet the chief of security still refused to reinstate me to my position As law clerk. His ire for me was so great he couldn't handle the idea of me defeating him. I immediately began research for potential literation And because I have Asthma I Am covered by The Americans with Disabilities Act And The Rehabilitation Act which prohibits the denial of Access to programs or services due to A disability.
Attempting to work 16 hr shifts in A prison kitchen without my inhalers Is in no way equivalent to working As a law clerk for 8 hrs with A 21/2 hour break At the 4 hr point for purposes of retaliation And retribution the chief of security still refused to concede. I then filed A complaint with The United States Dept. of Justice, Civil Rights Division for violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In August of 2022 I received a request for information from the civil rights division, I was elated. When complaints Are filed only a few meet the standard for further review And inquiry. My Ability to Articulate the Issue factually with supporting documentation And law can be Attributed to years of brief writing And litigation on behalf of the man I've encountered over the past 2 decades.
I eventually forwarded A copy of this notice to the Warden And Chief of Security. Within A week I was reinstated to my position And given back pay, how miraculous! To the jailhouse lawyers And those who Aspire to bring justice to the oppressed, we must possess And Act on the requisite knowledge, be self-determined And consequences enough to overcome the oppressive nature of retaliation
In Solidarity
Danny Thomas