Sept. 12, 2021

Stand Up

From The Sound Mind by Floyd Smith (author's profile)

Transcription

Stand Up

Unlike most prisoners, I normally don't hang pictures up on the inside of cell walls. but, an amazing toddler/child sent me this HEART, STAND UP, Thumbs UP drawing while I was in the middle of a hunger strike to bring Gay affirming programs to the Media Centers at all CDCR Facilities and campuses.
Two days ago, and after a 14 Lbs loss of weight, facility Captain Pateo came to cellfront and He said,
"Stand up, come over here, so, what can I do to get you to eat something, I see you're met with LT. Robinson, A.W. Bravo and Human Resources, but tell me what can I do?"
I said "Nothing, I'm tired of talking to people that dont have authority to simply play Gay affirming DVDs, so, you cant do nothing for me."
He said "What if I bring Skylar Brown here to talk to you, would you eat something?"
I said "You're going to go to the media center right now? Yeah right."
He said "Yeah, today"
And He walked away.
The C.O. Rolled the phone up to the cellfront, and I used my phone time to call my Attorney, who chewed me out, and telling me to end the Hungerstrike or He could not Help me, He also said that Julie told me the same thing.
I explained to my Attorney that this is not about me, Him or Julie, this is about serving my community, stoping the violence, and providing them a place to land, and Captain Pateo is Bringing Skylar Brown to cellfront today.
My Attorney asked if I could call them after I talked with Skylar Brown, and could He speak to Him via email so he could connect Skylar with a copyright Attorney friend of His? (end of call).
Captain Pateo shows up with Skylar Brown, the SQ Media Center Specialist, who was in my head for over 3 years as a 70 year old stubborn Jerk.
Skylar presents as a very handsome white cis-gender with a man bun hairstyle, and about 25 years old?, and in very much need of empathetic uranization, LOL, and Just a very nice well-spoken person.
I simply allowed Skylar to give me a quick crash on the 3 year struggle.
Skylar spent a vocal nervous 30 seconds of
a) Give me sometime to get something up
b) Playing your stuff on the Air side channels is impossible, if I did that for you, I'd have to do it for everybody else.
c) Your content has no captions
d) I dont have the time I need to go Through alot because I was re-assigned to the library during the last COVID outbreak, and my Boss was Running the Media Center, not me.
e) I dont have the licensing or budget to do everything
f) I dont have the inmate personnel to sit and manually transcribe every video in the Media Center, and that takes alot of work and I'm only one person
g) I suppose the Sound Mind Program and what you guys are doing for the community, but Im asking you to give me more time to get something up for you guys, you have my word.

I saw an overworked, and overwhelmed person, who's eyes Lit up when I said
"My attorney has a dose with captions, and a licensing expert for SMS for contact"
Skylar said,
"Oh, great, I'd love to see it because we need as much captain help as I can get.
I am also reached over and used a Black & Pink News Letter article about California Representative Barbara Lee presenting a Resolution to The House for Honoring Black LGBTQ+ contrabutions to American History, as an example of the method our donors used to clipboard and scroll articles to TYPEBeats for our AZANDE Press+ disc, which requires no captions.
Skylar was impressed, and also asked if I wanted Him to put The Resolution article up as well? So I said "Hell Yeah." I then handed Him "Fair Use Act of 1976," Skylar read every word like he was reading it for the first time.
I said, "I wish they would allow condemned inmates to work at the Media Center because I'd love to come Help.

Skylar said "yeah, That would be great."
Captain Pateo said "OK, after talking to Skylar, will you give Him the time He needs, and will you eat something now?
Skylar looked at me and said "Yes, You have to eat something, you have my word."
As soon as I ended My Hungerstrike, I sat down to read a mass-- distributed SQ Newsletter which informs all inmates that there is now a 3 person link of the new delta variant of the COVID Virus at Sarquentin, and that we are all now on Phase A of Last Years program, so, here we go again.

Booooo COVID,
But at least this time, as programs go more into 24 hour lock down modes, we, in "our communitty" will also have a place to land @SQTV, because in 2020, wew was in cells sick and dying with no programs, as they provided programs for all other groups, and that really sucked.

(2 Days Later, 2 Note From Skylar Brown)

Floyd,
It was genuinely nice to meet you, and I meant what I said about getting more black LGBTQ+ content on SQTV. You'll see that I put your article up on 18.6-- and if you give moe more time I can work on it to make a better quality video-- more easily readable, pictures to go with the names, etc.-- Just please be patient as this takes a lot of time and I have other responsibilities to keep up with. I got your note about Pier Kids documentary and I look forward to attending one of your meetings so we can discuss more options for content. Let me know when the next meeting is! Thank you and be well,
S. Brown, TVS

STANDING UP!
(Maintaining the Stand)
THE SOUNDMIND COMPANY;
1. Floyd- african american
2. Raynard- african american
3. Skyler- Latinx
4. Franky- Latinx
5. Randy- White
6. Ricky- White

This company will view all DJ Jules DVD's with command center 40 "screen TV's CC/functions turned ON, to screen and select those videos with embedded captions to be delivered to Skylar Brown @ SQTV to be played on a designated channel with DVD player subtitle function turned on.
This means, now, we must ask D.J. Jules to send Rabbi the remaining SMS DVD's so to expand content selections, and the best part of having the Music/Beats is that they are instrumentals not requiring captions which gives SMS Range- OUR content, our options.

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Replies (3) Replies feed

Julia Posted 2 years, 6 months ago. ✓ Mailed 2 years, 5 months ago   Favorite
Hi Xzyzst,
I did send Eli all content. I've got your letter but will not be able to answer this week.
All the best
Ju

laurenphan48 Posted 2 years, 6 months ago. ✓ Mailed 2 years, 5 months ago   Favorite
Thanks for writing! I finished the transcription for your post.

lilycormier Posted 2 years, 6 months ago. ✓ Mailed 2 years, 5 months ago   Favorite
Thank you for your writing. I think it's quite admirable what you are trying to initiate in prison. Keep doing what you're doing, and it'll all pay off. I wish you the best!

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