Dear John,

Tomorrow, I am embarking on a Freedom Ride where I am taking my Harley Davidson motorcycle and riding to all 33 California state prisons. This will be an informative and inspirational journey, and one I have been envisioning for years.  

The Anti-Recidivism Coalition, where I have the honor to serve as the CEO, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Also, this year, I am celebrating my eleventh year being home from prison. In ten years, we have made great strides – we have seen two California prisons closed, dozens of justice reform policies passed, and a movement towards building a less punitive and more equitable criminal legal system. I am proud to serve at the helm of this organization and lead the vast programs at ARC alongside so many other formerly incarcerated people.

With this ride, I hope to remind people how far we have come and how much work we have left to do. There are still over 90,000 people incarcerated in California alone and with this journey, I hope to spotlight the breadth and depth of our carceral system. ARC is on a mission to end mass incarceration. We are galvanized to reduce the number of prisons and help to transform a punitive harmful system into a system of accountability built on a foundation of compassion, empathy, and healing. With the ultimate goal of rehabilitation, redemption and freedom. 

As a formerly incarcerated person, I can speak from personal experience about the sheer scale of the California prison system, including the difficulties that prisoners face in getting there. For those who have never been incarcerated, it can be hard to imagine what it is like to be transported from one prison to another. The journey is long, uncomfortable, and stressful. In California, prisoners are transported between facilities on large, dimly lit buses that have narrow seating and are cramped. We are shackled and have access to minimal food and water during this time. 

The trips themselves can last for hours or even days, depending on how far the destination is. From R.J. Donovan State Prison in San Diego to Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City (where I will be riding through), an incarcerated person can travel over 875 miles, which is over 15 hours of driving. For many, these journeys are some of the most difficult parts of their incarceration.  

It is a stark reminder of the vast size and scope of California's prison system, and the toll that it takes on those who are incarcerated within it. 

This week, I am setting out once again to travel the state of California, but this time it will not be on a prison bus. I am personally going to be riding my Harley Davidson motorcycle to each state prison because of what it represents: true freedom. I spent over twenty years inside and today, like so many other days, I am going back on my own accord and as a precursor of good news, before I start this trip, I would like to announce that I was just selected by Governor Gavin Newsom to the Advisory Council of San Quentin Transformation Advisory Council which gives me hope that the work of ARC is powerful enough that now I will be recommending transformational programmatic, cultural, and physical change to San Quentin State Prison that can serve as a practical model that can be replicated and scaled to other institutions.

Please join me on this Freedom Ride by following along this journey online on ARC’s social media pages, where I will be sharing stories, accounts, and pictures of my days. Our schedule can be found here.

Thank you as always for your support of our work and your steadfast commitment to freedom.
 
Sincerely,
Sam Lewis
Executive Director
Anti-Recidivism Coalition