Of myself. Pity me not, but let thy hearing to what i shall invoke. This is a story about two worlds coming together. One is a place of punishment and violence. Ive been taught to be tough, be reckless. Thats what a man is. Where men live with regret and time stands still. Its like waking up in the same horrible dream over and over and over. Im the cause. The other is a place of promise for boys on the brink of manhood, that can open doors to bright futures. I applied to mit, berkeley, usc. Ive heard of those schools. Now, these two worlds are coming together. How are you feeling about it . Im really nervous. And the outcome is something no one ever would have expected. What does it feel like to carry the hopes of all these men . What decisions do you need to make . They definitely take my future serious, so ive got to hold up my end of the bargain. Whos ready to go . Darius. Jeff. Michael. Hudson. This is gathering of High School Students embarking on what looks like a field trip. But theyre not visiting a museum or some cultural landmark. Its somewhere far more unpredictable. Northern californias correctional Training Facility houses the states largest concentration of men sentenced to life in prison. So, you guys are kind of newbies. This is your first time going to the prison, right . Yeah. Im really nervous to go in. Its a prison. Youre really not sure the environment because its all of our first times. How about you . I was thinking, like, oh my gosh, what if a riot happens while were in there. What are we going to do . Pretty scary. Yeah. Okay, guys. Ids. Were good. Where are these boys coming from and why are they making a pilgrimage to a place no one wants to visit . Come on guys, keep coming. This will probably be the weirdest experience of my life so far. But i just wanted to be exposed to a world thats totally different from mine. Hudson wood is an 18yearold senior attending palma school, an elite all boys Catholic Prep School in salinas, california, with a reputation for rigorous Academic Studies and ivy league alumni. How would you describe yourself . And how would your friends describe you . Im, i guess, a nerd. I like math, science, music. I have pretty much a packed schedule every day. Have you gotten in trouble much . Staying up too late playing have you h video games. Can you think of the angriest your parents have ever gotten . I was driving my friend to tennis practice, and i had my permit but i didnt have my license yet and it was raining and they got pretty upset with me. Its probably hard for hudson to get into trouble when his plate is overflowing with homework and afterschool programs. Robotics club, yearbook, playing piano and the flute. But before he graduates, theres one more extracurricular activity that palma has offered for the past six years. And it starts here. Sign in. Sure, thank you. Its the security gates of correctional Training Facility in soledad, california. How you guys feeling . Little nervous. Weird inside. Guiding hudson and the other boys through the security gates is their theology teacher, jim mcletty. Do you talk much about what the boys are going to embark on before they go in. Its tricky. We want it to be a surprise. We want it to be a healthy shock. Geography matters. Getting kids out in the community matters. Im also telling students dont let school get in the way of your education, a lot of good stuff to see out there. You good . Yeah. Good. Its a far cry from the palma school campus. In the past year, violence has engulfed this institution with local news reporting an alarming amount of gangrelated brutality. 200 inmates were involved here. Eight had to go to hospital. Around 60 others injured. Here we go. Were gathering. At first glance, this might look like a scared straight program. But its something totally different. Were working in act one of hamlet. Its a book club. Its widely considered to be one of the greatest things written in the english language. For the next eight weeks in a program called exercises in empathy everyone in this room will take a deep dive into one of shakespeares greatest plays, the story of hamlet. This masterpiece is filled with questions prompting us to think deeply about our lives. Why a Reading Program . Well, im an old english teacher, and i think every book we read is a little engine for empathy, really. It draws people together. Hamlet expresses his trust in his friends. Its what we read and theres how we read it. Theres also why we read it and who we read it with. As a teacher, its the who we read it with piece that is really kind of like, wow, its a different book based on who you discuss it with. Everybodys got a story. Its a storehouse for meaning. With that said, well get to our hamlet questions. The ghost of hamlets father haunts him. Does anyone or anything haunt you . And with that provocative questions, students and inmates break into smaller, more intimate circles that jim and other Program Organizers prefer to call families. Hudson. Nice to meet you. Richard. Hudson. Cy. How many of you did the reading . Everybody show hands. Almost everybody. I got my book yesterday. You got your book yesterday . Okay. No worries. Mike, what do you think . My past haunts me. So, i came to prison at the age of 19, and all the while my son was growing up without me in his life. So, i started thinking about my victims son and realizing hes growing up without a father as well. Its something i deeply regret and something. What about you . Theres a lot of things that haunts me right now. One thing that haunts me the most is i cant be with my family. Its obvious to me that this is no ordinary book club. The inmates are using hamlets journey to reflect on their own. And pretty soon, the palma students start to contribute. I guess one thing in my life that haunts me is trying to be perfect. My parents are perfect. They work hard. They set just like a great example for me. And its hard. Its a lot of stress trying to be perfect all the time, which is something thats kind of haunted me recently. Im kind of on the other side of the same coin as you. I grew up in a loving twoparent household. My parents poured love and knowledge and values into me, but i i went the other way. 40yearold jason bryant has been part of the program for over five years. Hes been locked up for two decades, sentenced to 26 years to life for several crimes, including first degree robbery and first degree murder. So, how long have you lived in here . Ten years. Ten years. Pretty tiny. Yes. But like all the men in here, jasons story starts long before his crime. This is a picture of my mom and dad. They definitely love me. More pictures of me with my mom and my grandma, aunt and uncle. So, how did a boy who seemed to have it all end up a man serving a life sentence for murder . Hey yeah . I switched to geico and got more more savings on Car Insurance . They helped with homeowners, too ok plus motorcycle, boat and rv insurance geicos got you covered like a blanket houston . You seeing this . Geico. Expect great savings and a whole lot more. Makes a statement about who we are. With masterfully crafted details, and inspiring performance, the lexus es doesnt just play the part, it steals the show. The lexus es, crafted for those who own the spotlight; now available with allwheel drive. Experience amazing, at your lexus dealer. November 24th through december 1st with our black friday savings. Catch your favorite pieces and save 35 at pandora jewelry. And save 35 we like clockwork. Ht. Do it run your dishwasher with cascade platinum. And save water. Did you know certified dishwashers. Use less than four gallons per cycle, while a running sink uses that, every two minutes. So, do it with cascade. The surprising way to save water. In a whole new way. Now roomba vacuums exactly where you need it, and offers personalized cleaning suggestions for a clean unique to you and your home. Roomba and the irobot home app. Only from irobot. Try garnier micellar water rose. With rose water and micelles that work like a magnet to gently cleanse and remove oils and makeup. And now, even hydrates skin. Its cleansing, reinvented. Micellar waters by garnier, naturally. Instwith vicks sinex saline congnasal mist. Micellar waters for drug free relief that works fast. Vicks sinex. Instantly clear everyday congestion. Jason bryant has been incarcerated for 20 years. Its a tedious, regimented existence. But his life wasnt always caged in by razor wire and metal bars. How would you describe your upbringing . I was raised in a loving twoparent household. My father was black. My mother is italian. Because of where we lived, i knew that i was different than a lot of the kids i was around. I was predominantly surrounded by white kids. My First Experience with racism was actually in second grade. There was a kid in my class that would call me at the end of the day, we would meet in the parking lot, and we would scuffle. At that point in my life, i started making decisions about how it is in the world and what it meant to be tough. Jason started to hang out with those he perceived as the tough kids in a bid to appear tough himself. I gravitated towards a senior who would one day become my crime partner named ted. Jason followed ted into a cycle of petty crime and partying, without thought of consequences. It was perfect. We got to have parties and drink and cause trouble. And the idea was hatched to rob drug dealers. At first, i knew it was wrong. But there was this other voice inside of my head that was saying, you know, be tough, be reckless, be dangerous, be that guy. Thats what a man is. And no criminal background up until this point . No criminal background. I was not invited. They didnt think that i had the criminal grit to do Something Like that. So i literally argued my way to be involved in these crimes. Jason, ted and their accomplice, a man named jeff, set out on a weeklong crime spree. By december 3rd, 1999, the trio had robbed two drug dealers and were about to rob a third. We went to the back of the house. I used my flashlight to break the window and unlock the door. My job was supposed to be to go to the left of the residence and just make sure that no one came out because we knew that our victim would be in his bedroom on the right. And by the time i went left, it wasnt more than a couple of seconds that i heard several shots fired. [ sound of gunfire ] so, you werent even in the room no. When the shots were fired . No, i was not. I was at the other end of the house. Jason and his coconspirators fled the scene. By nightfall, the area was swarming with police officers, search dogs and helicopters. The only thing i could think was to get back to my home. My dad was by the front door. Hes just paralyzed and shocked. What are we going to do . What am i going to do . He said, son, you gotta turn yourself in. For the first time in my 20 years, as im being ushered into this cruiser, my dad sobbing. Hes sobbing uncontrollably. We were offered plea deals. I was given 26 years to life. It didnt matter that i didnt unholster my weapon. The law at the time said that if you were involved in a felony and someone dies, then youre guilty of murder. Jason accepted the plea and began his sentence. Hes since spent the last two decades coming to terms with his decisions and the relationship that brought him here. So, to me, question number four really stood out. How do you express your trust and love to your friends . My friend, his name was ted. He was like a big brother to me. What i came to find out is that we were never really friends in the sense of being committed to each other, but we were just loyal. Wherever you go, i go, right or wrong. Sometimes your friends, they dont love you. Theyre just loyal. Thats i never really thought about that. I think to piggyback off what youre saying, a friend is somebody you can really rely on. Theyre not just going to be yes men. If you are doing something you arent supposed to do, they will tell you, dont do that or go the other way and not just go along with you. All right. Thats time. Please return to the big group or the big family, family reunion. After the small sessions, individuals are encouraged to come up and share with the entire group. Okay. Im going to set this off with respond to number two. Yes, something haunts me. In august of 1999, i killed someone in the street in bell flower, california. And i can only begin to understand what jonathans family has went through. I didnt break his family. I shattered his family. When you shatter something, it cant be put back together. One of the things that i have a practice of doing is i keep journals, and i write jonathan at least three times a week. I just write to him, even if im just talking about the day because he had a legacy that i ended. So, the legacy is now up to me, his legacy, to carry forward. 23 years ago, i opened fire and killed a human being. Before all this happened, there was a moment where i sat in my car and my conscience spoke. Are you sure you want to do this . And then a voice of my darkness, i heard, put away your feelings. You hold a gun, you better shoot it. So today, i hear, the ghost of his kid, his son, his wife and his family. Bet you every man in blue here has been told the same thing. Be a man. Be a man. Be a man. Were taught this through so many multigenerational dysfunction. My dad beat it into me. Grown man hitting a kid. Violence was the answer to everything. I look at the youth. You guys should not learn that kind of lesson. You guys dont need that. It took coming to prison for me to understand a man who is loving, a man is understanding, a man treasures his family and friends, a man is selfless. These are things you should be taught. We werent. So now i teach them to you today. [ applause ] the palma students seem captivated by the honesty of their brothers in blue. And one of them shares a story even his friends have never heard. Im aiden. When i was younger, my dad got diagnosed with als. In my 11yearold mind, i was like he probably has a year or two, Something Like that. I just didnt realize it was that short. Then i remember my mom wanted me to stay at a friends house. So i went and i stayed at the friends house. And that night he ended up he ended up passing away. I knew his time was short. I guess what haunts me is that i never really got to say goodbye to him or got any closure. I want to thank you for listening. [ applause ] by way of conclusion, we will have more questions on act one of hamlet. As you can tell, its a story about pain with the potential to become possibility. If theres an arc of transformation thats occurring here, really i think pain to possibility says a lot. As the session winds down, i catch up with hudson. So, hudson, what did you think of tonight . That was an experience ill never forget. I was really, really impressed with both my brothers in blue and palma brothers, that they would share such intimate stories and got a little tearyeyed at moments. Ive known aiden since 7th grade, and i had no clue that he had gone through Something Like that. The fact that he was willing to share it in front of all of us was kind of, like, whoa. What i just witnessed was so powerful. I was astounded by how open the inmates were about their crimes. I mean, they spoke with such specificity and emotion. I think that gave the young men from palma this permission to divulge things from their own lives that they had been holding inside of them. Its clear that the program left a strong first impression. But im about to discover that the relationship between palma school and ctf goes deeper than the pages of hamlet. For one student, it has literally been life changing. Since pioneering the suv in 1935, the chevy suburban has carried many things. Nothing more important than family. Introducing the most versatile and advanced chevy suburban and tahoe ever. But not every tomato ends in the same kind of heinz ketchup. Because you cant be everyones favorite ketchup without making a ketchup for everyone. 18yearold cy green is a senior at palma school and is on track to graduate in june. But unlike many of his classmates who have been coming to this elite private school since the 7th grade, cy started as a freshman. What was your first year here like . Coming into it, it was rough. Make sure you write your numbers in order and using exponents. Just adjusting to the system. Its different. Its my first time in a private school, so the work load is a lot more. And youre expected to go above and beyond. Why did you and your family want to transition from the Public School system to the private . Activity inside the high school, you know, gangs, drugs, fights and all that. My parents, they didnt want me to go through that. They want the best future for me and the best education possible. Tuition at private schools like palma can cost as much as a college education. But cys parents were determined to come up with the money, 1,200 a month. Would you say that first year at palma was a pretty big investment for you all . It was. Absolutely it was. We started off the first six, seven months okay. Then money started depleting fast. Palma did work with us with some Financial Aid and some grants. Honestly, it still was a struggle even with that. She tells me the family was already having financial problems after a softball accident left her blind in one eye and unable to return to work. Medical bills and all that, that took a lot. We just had the mindset, he will go to palma, no matter what we have to do. But a year later, the family suffered another blow. Frank had to have heart surgery. And eventually his name was put on a heart transplant list. So now im out of work. How are we going to make this happen . The green family was at a loss. They had no idea their fate would soon become linked to the inmates at the prison in soledad. Tell me about what happened when a number of inmates approached you about a scholarship. I didnt believe it at first. They said, we value guys coming in. We would like to do something for your school. What about a scholarship . You find us a student on campus who needs some money to attend palma. One of the administrative members called and was like, we got a surprise for you. Would you like to come in . I get in and went over to the office. He was like, well, these inmates, they want to grant you all a scholarship to pay for the rest of cys tuition. I was like, did you say inmates . I can imagine the shock frank must have felt. And it leads me to wonder, what would motivate a bunch of incarcerated men to want to help put a kid on the outside through school . What i realized when i saw the pain i brought my family, i wasnt going to replicate that. I made a very conscious choice not to look up with gangs, not to get involved with things that were going to get me in more trouble. Its amazing that you have been able to stay out of that fray. Theres always choices, even in a controlled environment. What are you going to do with your day . To keep busy and out of trouble, jason started to attend college through the mail. But just as his path towards change began, he was blindsided. My dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. And he died. Before he died, he had a conversation with me. He was doing his best to encourage me. He was saying, you know, son, im going to hang around, im going to hang around for you until you get home. And then were going to open that bar together, because i had this vision of opening a bar. I said, dad, i got 25 more years to do before they think about letting me out. And then he looked at me just so serious. He said, son, you look at me. He said, i dont care if its 25 years, if its 25 months, 25 days, all you have is this moment. All you have is this moment. Make the most of it. Every day, you wake up, find something good to do for you. So that stayed with me. It stayed with me. Since his incarceration, jason has stayed busy. Earning a bachelors degree and two masters degrees. But these arent his only accomplishments. In an almost shakespearean twist of fate, jason and his coconspirator ted reconnected behind bars. Ted had also turned his life around. Before getting transferred to another prison, he, jason and some fellow brothers in blue did something unheard of. How you doing bro . Oh, im doing good. I wanted to have a conversation with you about something weve been doing. Its a scholarship that would help a young man attend an amazing school, the palma school. Ne, but im not a new customer. Well, actually now, new and existing customers can get our best smartphone deal. Its historic. That is historic. Which means. Im making history, right . Yea, i dont know if id exactly sa wow. Me, dave brown. Existing customer who got the greatest deal in history. Just like every other customer gets. Oh thats cool too. Its not complicated. At t is making history. Everyone gets our best smartphone deals. Smooth driving pays off with allstate, the safer you drive the more you save you never been in better hands allstate click or call for a quote today try garnier micellar water rose. With rose water and micelles that work like a magnet to gently cleanse and remove oils and makeup. And now, even hydrates skin. Its cleansing, reinvented. Micellar waters by garnier, naturally. To be or not to be. To be or not to be. That is the question. That is the question. Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing and by opposing end them. That is the question. I was wondering if you would be willing to donate . Absolutely. You would . Yes, i would. Okay. Thats great. How much are you willing to donate . 5 to 10. Give me a number. I say 10. I say 10. With minimum wage at 8 cents an hour, it could take a full day of hard labor to make a buck on the inside. So, every dollar donated is worth a lot more in here than in the free world. How much are you going to be donating . 100. Appreciate that. My paycheck. What work do you do . I clean the medical facility. Thats my monthly pay. So, you make 100 a month, and youre donating your whole check to this . Yes. I get paid to do what i do. Why not pay it forward and give it to someone else for a change. Jason tells me in three years, the inmates at ctf have raised over 30,000 for cy and funded almost his entire education at palma. Its amazing to me that people are donating. They dont want recognition. They dont want publicity. Theyre just doing it to help somebody. Yeah. I believe that they want to be part of something good. Cy is the first of what we are committed to being many young men having the opportunity to receive an amazing education. To show their appreciation for the scholarship, the green family has been making special trips to ctf to take part in a very different kind of mentorship. Good evening. I want to welcome all of you to the Phoenix Alliance program. The Phoenix Alliance has a lofty goal. To coach inmates on how to make positive personal changes while incarcerated and to try to bring value to the lives of others. Why did you choose to go in and make them part of your life . Thats only the right thing to do. Beyond the scholarship, the knowledge that they pour into you, thats thats the best thing. They definitely take my future serious, and they genuinely do care about me as a person. So, cy, whats next for you in way of your vision . Definitely go to college. Still planning on playing basketball and majoring in Sports Broadcasting and communication and see where that takes me. Awesome. Who do you need to be now to get there . The question theyre asking you is what decisions do you need to make each step of the way that pull you closer to this vision of your closer . Imagine if you were here in the nba looking back at the choices you made along the way when you had this opportunity in college, did you study . Yeah, i studied. Did you show up to practice . Yeah, i dealt with all that because my vision was to make it to the nba, and those were opportunities for me to step into my fullness and my potential. Does that make sense . Yeah, it does. Yeah, it does. Im reminded that many of these men in this room have lost the chance to raise sons of their own. Cy has given them something they might never have had, a chance to be a role model. A lot of people get through life. Were good. What we are suggesting is, why not be great . Thats just some things we want you to think about moving forward. How do you think of those guys . Theyve been through so much that the average person hasnt been through. Something that my parents cant give me, something that teachers cant give me, something that someone off the street cant give me. Every word they say, i really take it to heart. And i really do look at them like extended family, truthfully i do. Its clear to me that the bond forged between not just cy but all the students and the inmates is a strong one, with both sides benefitting. Yet for the longest time, programming like this didnt exist. The warden has clocked 24 years with the california prison system. In that time, he has witnessed a shift in policy. From a mentality of simply warehousing inmates to rehabilitating them. How do you feel about this change thats happening in corrections . Absolutely without a doubt what needs to happen. Our job is to help these men reintegrate back into society. You know, as these men are leaving, a far larger percentage of them are becoming productive members of society than what we had before. So why wouldnt we do it . Were trying to transform mens lives. Because of the success of the Reading Program, the prison is allowing some unprecedented to happen. For first time in ctf history, theyre permitting two inmates to leave the afacility to address students at the palma school. As the warden in this facility, its a pretty big risk that you are taking in letting two inmates leave the building and go to a high school. Is it a risk it was a risk. That youre comfortable taking . It was some serious discussion with my leadership team. But if you look at palma, theres no doubt these kids are the future leaders in our community. It hit me. How important it is to share the things they have learned through 15, 20 years of introspection and then to give it to the young men who are at palma, that was something we couldnt pass up on. Ourselves with, makes a statement about who we are. With masterfully crafted details, and inspiring performance, the lexus es doesnt just play the part, it steals the show. The lexus es, crafted for those who own the spotlight; now available with allwheel drive. Experience amazing, at your lexus dealer. November 24th through december 1st with our black friday savings. Catch your favorite pieces and save 35 at pandora jewelry. 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Today hell find himself traveling those very roads. Can we turn this way. Even though he will be shackled and flanked by officers, this will be the first time hes felt a measure of freedom. Interesting fact. When you walk the track, you can see this from a distance. The freeway. The things we take for granted. Just driving down the road. What does the world look like to you today . It seems more colorful than i remember it. I was really amazed just to see how normal everything is for everyone else as we are driving. People are going about their day. Theres someone right there in his car. I have to admit, when you just walked in, it was really emotional to see you shackled and everything. You havent worn them in a its been ten years since i wore leg irons. How do you feel right now . Nervous. Theres guys back in prison right now who i know im representing. For their sake, i gotta get it right. I gotta get it right. Ill let you have your time to meditate on that. Good luck. Thank you. Today we have two guests from inside ctf soledad prison. Jason bryant achieved two masters degrees which is rare if not unprecedented work for a man incarcerated. Please put your hands together for jason bryant. As i look around this chapel, i can see familiar faces. I see the faces of young men who are beginning their journey into adulthood. My face was once as young and full of possibility as your own. It takes courage to take a stand for what is right in this world and i can see now on december 3rd, 1999, i epitomized cowardice. I wouldnt stand for my own future and i didnt stand for our victim. I brought unimaginable pain to his family and fear to my entire community. And devastating my victims family, i had brought a parallel trauma to my own. When i came to prison i made a new decision to never forget the damage that i caused and to keep the people in mind by not continuing to bring heart ache to their doorstep. My brother every time you take that trip to read books with us, to hear our stories, and to share stories of your own, you are helping to transform our lives. You young men pour value into us that cannot be expressed in words. I never expected the freedom and inspiration that i discovered in your compassion. Thank you. [ applause ] the student body is invited to shake hands with jason and his fellow inmate. And in an extraordinary moment, even the warden and his colleagues joined the line. Something that might never have happened years ago. In less than an hour, jason will be back in prison but the course of his life is about to change. . Try garnier micellar water rose. With rose water and micelles that work like a magnet to gently cleanse and remove oils and makeup. And now, even hydrates skin. Its cleansing, reinvented. Micellar waters by garnier, naturally. Lets see what youve got, oculus. Dont look down, dont look down ooh. Shouldnt have looked downnn whoo its ok. Im ok. Lets go. Hey. How do i. . Relax. Get into it yeah ive got it whoa. Rated e for everyone. The most admirable was called agape. R love. Love as an action. For 175 years, new york life has been helping people act on their love. So they can look back, or look ahead, and say, we got it right. We did good. Lexus has been celebrating driveway moments. Heres to one more, the lexus december to remember sales event. Get 0 financing on all new 2020 and 2021 lexus models. Experience amazing at your lexus dealer. If you can to your handout, please. Another night at the correctional Training Facility which means the journey of happenlet, inmate and palma students continues. So the question is this. What would you do if you were hamlet . What is the benefit of men being able to share their deepest hearts and soul moments with each other . Listening is the most serious act of compassion there probably is. Weve grown deaf to each other in this nation. And the incarcerated really bring that reality to life. Because you think you have this person pegged. I had the label for this guy, thug, felon, murderer. Now i hear his story. Wait a second. He was abused, neglected. Hes not making excuses for that. He understands there has to be consequences for that. And what that does to our guys, they walk away with a deep sense of human beings having the courage to own some pretty horrible things. And then moving on with their lives and inviting us to do the same. It is really about courage. Lord, we know what we are. But know not what we may be. Looking back at my appearances at palma, one of the largest sources of fortitude i witness waud in soledad Training Facility. The weekly trips merged two groups that would have most likely not have otherwise met to discuss topics of morality and how to better each other. Seeing our brothers in blue, their hardships and accomplishments, goes to show what we as humans can accomplish. They are an inspiration to me every day. 1, 2, 3. Lord, we know what we are. But know not what we may be. Experts are increasingly concerned that boys are falling behind. A recent wave of reporting is telling us something alarming. Across the board, boys are doing less well in school. More likely to live with their parents than with a romantic partner. Boys are in trouble. A 16yearold male opened fire at a school. Boys suicide rate is up 25 . Were taking a closer look at how the digital age is affecting an entire generation of young boys