Autobiography notes - 2015
By Jennifer Gann

Dedication
This book dedicated with love
to my mother, Peggy Ann, to Nana,
and to my great-grandmother Dolores.
They are strong and beautiful
women who continue to inspire me
deeply. I will live and fight in their
memory - as a woman!

Introduction
"When I dare to be powerful -
to use my strength in the service
of my vision - then it becomes
less and less important whether
I am afraid."
- Audre Lorde

I have always wanted to write
a book! These "Autoiography
Notes" (2015) are my first serious
attempt at doing so.
When I was just an elementary
schoolkid in Riverside, California,
I participated in a class project
where we developed a simple story
plot and used cut-and-paste picture
illustrations to format our own DIY
children's book. My mother, Peggy,
helped me with this art/publishing
project, and we created a cute
story about my pet cat, Morris. Then
we had a show and tell were I had
the opportunity to share my book
in front of the whole class. I was
quite proud of myself, and so
was my mom.
Since this early experience
with creative writing, my life has
been from one extreme to the other.
Alot of traumatic events have
occured, which have led to
depression and suicide attempts.
I've survived car wrecks, drug
overdoses, and sexual abuse.
Not to mention decades of
incanceration and torture!
In spite of all of that, I have
continued to pursue my edcuation,
obtaining a GED in 1988 at the
Orange County Jail and earning
college credits as an undergrad
student toward an Associate in Arts
(AA) degree at Coastline Community
College.
I've developed a unique writing
stule through many years of personal
penpal correspondence. As a jailhouse
lawyer and self-taught activist,
I learned how to write legal documents,
business letters, and revolutionary
political theory. As a queer/trans
woman and an amazon feminist,
I also started my blog on the
BetweenTheBards website, which I
conceived of as an online journal.
I've also become an aspiring artist
and poet in the process.
I've had this idea of someday
compiling material for a memoir,
or writing an autobiography. So,
this is my story written the way I
want, it's my chance to speak for
myself. However, it's not complete
as the rest of my life is yet to be
lived with utmost vigor!
I've considered various
tentative titles for this book,
such as "BabyGirl" (my prison
nickname), or "Amazon Queen"
(which is how I identify and view
my existential reality in the social
war against patriarchy. A poignant
subtitle would be "Autobiography
of a Revolutionary Queer/Trans
Woman."
As a skinhead gangmember,
I renounced white supremacy
and revolted against the Aryan
Brotherhood prison gang, spent
over a decade in solitary confinement
at Pelican Bay SHU, and then
struggled to come out as a
transgender woman behind the
walls of men's prisons as an
inmate in the California Department
of Corrections & Rehabilitation.
(CDCR).
Today, I am inspired by earlier
prison writers such as Jack Abbott
(In the Belly of the Beast), George
Jackson (Blood in my Eye. I'm
inspired by revolutionary heroes
like Assata Shakur (Women in Prison:
How we Are), and Che Guevara
(The Motorcycle Diaries).
I'm inspired by queer/trans
authors such as Janet Mock
(Redefining Realness: My Path to
Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More),
and the poetry of Maya Angelou
(Phenomenal Woman and Still
I Rise!). I've published some
of my own works online and
in print, and share a selection
of original poetry here.
So, with that I'll end this
quick introduction and hope
you'll enjoy reading whatever
flows from my heart to my mind
to my pen. At the very least,
I hope to educate, entertain,
inspire, and ignite the people
toward revolution and total
liberation.
Viva the Amazons!
Viva Anarchy!
With love and solidarity,

Jennifer Gann POW
30 june 2015
Kern Valley State Prison