Bayarea Advocates visit Chowchilla Valley State Prison for Women on Spirituality Day.

Some of us advocates that will lay our lives to help those behind the wall - took this trip to Chowchilla Valley State Women Prison to honor our incarcerated Sisters and supporters at Chowchilla Valley State Prison for Women on Spirituality Day.

We must say in all honesty that every attempt is being made to make things easy for those of us that get clearance.

This is a blessing from the Great Spirit who sees all things and uses us on the outside as a conduit - to bring solace and an unique understanding of the mind, spirit, and heart when we see, touch, speak, and just be present in front of our incarcerated sisters and the righteous, supporters.

The task before us in not easy.

Imagine 4000 incarcerated women and then add to that the Correctional Officers and other support groups that teem the Chowchilla Valley State Prison for Women. Some of us are photo journalist - I know I am one - but being denied the use of my camera, I try to capture what I can in my words.

Then suddenly, I was honored to be given two paintings by two of the sisters and you cannot imagine the joy that brought to my heart. Jolly Dohm won the First Prize and Niki Brown, Honorable Mention. Writing comes easy when there is something a picture, a photograph, some visual that prompts the spirit to go to a better place.

There is a lot of talent behind the walls and those of us that see it - know it. And then as one may well imagine there is pain and torture. I for one like to listen to the pleas and when I come out - I do what I can to bring solace as best I can - with all the contacts I have in San Francisco and beyond.

Chowchilla is 160 miles away and some of us were waiting for clearance - until the last moment.
This is a process - we are at the mercy of those that an give us the green signal or if they wish make us sweat it out. This time - we had the "sweat lodge" - experience.

At last we saw that those that had prior clearance could move forward and others that we wanted to join us - had to part ways, with a heavy heart.

We cheered up as painful as our departure from San Francisco was - without some of our dear comrades and supporters. We had to stand strong for our Sisters behind the wall - and I congratulate those that joined us and made this Spiritual Event - trip a very successful one.

We left San Francisco at 11 am we had scheduled the departure at 9 am, latest. We arrived in Chowchilla two and half hours later some 160 miles drive. I had to crack some jokes, knowing that as the Elder some one has to cheer the group. On arrival as I have said before, we were treated with dignity and soon we were in the midst of the Spirituality Event - surrounded by many we knew and others that we would be quick to - befriend.

This Spirituality Event is mostly a unification of the First People and the Polynesians. But, as you may well imagine many Black and Asians have an affinity for what is righteous and appealing - and so others join the main group and made this First Spirituality Event - beautiful and a healing experience.

United Playaz and Rudy Corpus takes the lead and Abraham Menor the designated photographer and others do what we have to do - when we venture to Chowchilla Valley State Prison for Women.

This time Rudy Corpus spoke, then Francisco Da Costa followed gave some history. Followed by our younger members Abraham Menor and Loa a Tongan Sister.

The program was long and we were a couple of hours late but caught sufficient of good stuff to make our hearts throb.

There was a Spiritual Leader who blessed the audience and for those that need especial healing he used the tradition Eagle Feathers and did his healing. There was a long line - to receive his blessing and honor Mother Earth.

The traditional circle with a drum and the drummers made sure to keep the "heart beat" alive and throbbing. There were many dances around the drum circle - and most everyone was at peace and participating in the many dances and singing.

Women are the source of all bounty - many of us know that - when we look through the eyes of the First People.

The Strangers - those that came with their GREED do not know that - hence the confusion and present state of affair - the lack of balance and destruction, pain, suffering - fiasco.

The prophets and the shamans - long before the PALEFACES stepped on Turtle Land - spoke clearly of what would happen - but few took the prophets - seriously.

There is the traditional belief of the appearance of the four White Buffalo Calves.

Three have appeared according to the Spiritual Leaders - and there is one more to make it's appearance. Traditional belief - calls for a time of unity when all will speak ONE language and there will be PEACE and UNITY.

Surely, this Spirituality Event behind the Walls - speaks to such a time of healing and going to a better place - with our moral compass fine tuned - and all of us learning to speak with our HEARTS.

There was spoken word at this Spirituality Event, and of course traditional dancing, some rituals performed without the burning of sage - to adhere to the White Man's Rules within the Prison. We know it is wrong to incarcerate with rehabilitation and compassion - treating fellow human beings in servitude to exploit labor and make money behind the wall.

One of the worse sins - is for one fellow human being to exploit another fellow human being - and if one hurts the beings then one must suffer - KARMA.

It is a crying shame that the United Sates incarcerates the most people in the world. One of every six American - spends time in jail - many for a extended period of time - over ten years and many more for life.

The trillion dollar incarceration system needs a complete over haul. And those that want to privatize the jail system - will bear the same consequences a thousand times worse - then the recent down fall of Wall Street.

One must remember all the leading Insurance Companies had their roots in the Slave Trade. Today, Wall Street has encouraged the modern slave plantations inside the prisons and outside the prisons. Those outside fail to get educated and fall prey to bling and mundane vices. Those inside the prison give up and resign their fate - to misery.

Only those that have a strong faith, a strong SPIRIT will prevail and that is why - I venture to the prisons and focus of Spirituality.

Spirituality has nothing to do with Religion and the many fanatics that adhere to religion and exploit religion. Spirituality trains one to embrace all and speak with the heart.

All the main religions mention about speaking with the "HEART" but those that are steeped in sin, mundane stuff, greed, - focus on money and greed and fail.

Those that follow their God given conscience, speak the TRUTH, foster LOVE, give more of themselves, work in unison for the better good of the majority, have standards, listen more, walk the walk and less talk the talk - will be closer to speak with the HEART.

Many of our sisters in jail to not receive too many visitors and what is pathetic family members disown the many sisters as do the brothers in jails like San Quentin.

We, the general public that know better must make some attempts to write our sisters and brothers letters. Do small things that mean a lot to those behind the wall.

This first Spirituality Event - as I said, is the first of many to come. Chowchilla Valley State Prison for Women is on the right track.

Kudos the to the Superintendent, the Support Groups, the Leaders with the Inmates that have taken the lead and organized this event - given limited resources but a lot of good will and fortitude.

The photographs are a collection to create some connection to the event - the only one I had to work with are the two paintings:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/franciscodacosta/sets/72157622961246160/show/

Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy

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