STK, Member Interviews

This Month Hest Aden

1. When did you get involved in activism in your life?

When did I get involved in activism in my life? I was charged with murder in Dec. of ’07, and was allowed to enter a county jail program dorm for self-development and recovery a month later. About a year later the newly voted sheriff chose to close down the program dorm. I took heed to advice to write the County Commissioners, except I went further an actually got 100 signatures from other inmates that I was around after I was moved from the program…to show that we needed this Therapeutic Community Setting to heal and learn to live more productively. It worked! They ordered the sheriff to reopen the program two months later. Thus was birthed my spirit of activism…in spite of the way that most inmates fear taking on the system.

2. What was the first type of activism you got involved with?

What was the first type of activism I got involved with? Well, in 2010 I was sentenced to a Life sentence. Here in the state of Ga. we are mandated to serve at least 30+ years before becoming eligible for a parole date. Upon being shipped to a state prison facility I took part in the nationally recognized Dec. 2010 “Sit-down” where Georgia prisoners refused to work until administrative agencies was reported nationally.

3. How is racial justice, youth justice and being a school teacher relate in your opinion?

What was the first type of activism I got involved with? Well, in 2010 I was sentenced to a Life sentence. Here in the state of Ga. we are mandated to serve at least 30+ years before becoming eligible for a parole date. Upon being shipped to a state prison facility I took part in the nationally recognized Dec. 2010 “Sit-down” where Georgia prisoners refused to work until administrative agencies was reported nationally.

4. What is the biggest problem in schools that perpetuate the school to prison pipeline?

The biggest problem in schools that perpetuate the school to prison pipeline, in my humble opinion, is the lack of counseling and self-awareness classes. The size of the classes per teacher leaves little one on one opportunity for cultivation of self. There is also a missing link as it pertains to the empathy & altruistic manner of treating others around our children.