About The Trust
Throughout American life, crime permeates our culture. From TV dramas to “reality shows,” prison life and the criminal justice system occupy a unique place in the American psyche. In spite of all this exposure, we rarely hear the unsensationalized voices of the seven million adults in prison, jail, or probation or learn firsthand about the problems created when specific communities have large numbers of men behind bars. THE TRUST explores the sources and impact of the often-generational cycle of poverty, incarceration, and recidivism.
Through unprecedented access to incarcerated men and prison administrators at San Quentin State Prison, THE TRUST provides mainstream audiences a balanced and un-sensationalized view into prison life. The film follows three men determined to stop the cycle for themselves, their families and their communities.
The level of trust the filmmakers have developed with these men provides for an unusual level of intimacy and emotional honesty and contributes to the compelling nature of the film. The men are candid about the impact the punitive nature of the criminal justice system has had on them, but also take responsibility for what they have done and acknowledge their need to change.
Inspired by a self-help group in San Quentin led by the incarcerated men, THE TRUST is ultimately about those moments that define us – sometimes irreparably in society’s eyes. Some of the men find purpose, others success, and others slip into old patterns and behaviors, each compelling the audience deeper into their world.
The stories of these men’s' journeys in and out of the prison system are told against the backdrop of America's burgeoning prison industrial complex. The film addresses how Darnell, Abraham, and Chris' experiences are not unique and how the impact of incarceration is felt more deeply in low-income communities of color. Darnell's difficult inter-city childhood illustrates how the burgeoning costs of incarceration takes resources away from effective social programs. Abraham’s drug addiction and personal trauma that lead to his incarceration for 2nd Degree murder at age 19 illustrate how our ill-conceived "War on Drugs" has turned prisons into warehouses for those suffering from mental illness. While addressing Chris' life as a "state raised youth", THE TRUST looks at our burgeoning juvenile justice system.
The film will include on-camera interviews of incarcerated men and images of their work in self-transformation and community building. Experts will explore the link between excessive corrections spending and the neglect of vulnerable communities. The final act will follow formerly incarcerated men as they reconnect with their communities.
Scenes with the men and their families will build intimacy with the audience. Documents and images chronicling the men’s lives, as well as important government records and media images, will complete the visual component. An original score will add emotional depth.
This film raises more questions than answers, and compels the audience to refrain from writing off the entire population of incarcerated men. It is a story about redemption and responsibility, and fully relevant today.
The goal of THE TRUST is to start a national dialogue on the systemic effects of incarceration on communities across the country. In achieving this goal, Director and Producer Tamara Perkins has established extraordinary access through her relationships with the incarcerated men, the Warden and staff inside San Quentin State Prison. This project also captures a unique perspective on prison life through the use of an internal film crew, comprised of incarcerated men trained in filmmaking through the San Quentin Media Project - also directed by Tamara Perkins' production company, Apple of Discord Productions.
Subjects
Chris Shurn, was born and raised in Dog Town West Oakland and entered the system at 11 years old, when he was first sent to juvenile hall. Throughout his teens Chris moved up each strata of the prison pipeline, ending up inside San Quentin State Prison on a 3-year drug charge at 21 years old. Once inside San Quentin, Chris' path is utterly changed through his fateful introduction to a positive peer group known as The Trust. After his release, he struggles to live a positive life outside the penitentiary and provide for his 3-year-old daughter while preparing for the arrival of his second baby.
Growing up with a single mother like many young men seeking to embrace a relationship from an absent father, Darnell Hill spent his early teens seeking out attention from his estranged father, who was deeply involved in a cycle of criminality and drug abuse. As a result, Darnell joined his father in multiple robbery incidents. At age 22, Darnell was convicted on two counts of kidnap robbery along with his father and sentenced to 10 years to life. During his time behind bars Darnell has sought to redefine himself outside of his father’s shadow. Through educating himself (AA Degree) and taking courses to be a certified violence prevention and spiritual counselor Darnell has developed the skills to offer at-risk youth a model for breaking the generational cycle of crime.
Noel Valdivia grew up as the son of Mexican American farm laborers in a predominantly African American and Latino community in the South side of Stockton, California. A quick learner and adept fighter, Noel developed a reputation that placed him in the highest ranks of the local gangs by his early teens. At age 18 Noel was arrested for attempted robbery murder and sentenced to a 25 years to life-term sentence inside San Quentin. Over his 30 years served behind bars, Noel has stayed clear of gang activity within prison and has dedicated his time to devotional service by establishing and leading numerous prison ministries. Known for his legal acumen, Noel is an active member and leader of NTDAAM and serves as a positive role model for those inside and outside the prison walls.
Dr. Garry Mendez, Jr. is an author, public scholar and community activist who has been addressing the issues confronting African Americans, families and communities using culture and value-based leadership for over 40 years. He is the Executive Director and Founder of The National Trust for the Development of African-American Men, also known as The Trust, an organization that addresses the problems facing African-American males, primarily focusing on areas of health, crime prevention, leadership training, education and economic development.
Contributing Experts
- John Irwin, PhD, UCLA & SFSU Professor and Author
- Peter Edelman, Professor, Georgetown University Law Center
- The Honorable Nancy Gertner, Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- Alison Hardy, Attorney, Prison Law Office
- Ron Davis, Chief of Police, East Palo Alto
- Angela Y Davis, Internationally Reknowned Activist, Author, Public Speaker and Professor
- Fania Davis, Executive Director, RJOY
- Angela Glover Blackwell, CEO, Policy Link
- Junious Williams, CEO, Urban Strategies Council
- The Honorable Katherine Feinstein, Assistant Presiding Judge San Francisco Superior Court
- The Honorable Gail Bereola, Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court, Superior Court, County of Alameda
- Gus Newport, Nationally Reknowned Community Builder, Former Mayor of Berkeley, CA
Current Project Status
- The Trust began at a debriefing of the San Quentin Annual Health Fair on May 3, 2007.
- Research began immediately and filming for the educational and funding trailer began August 3, 2007 in Oakland, California.
- Pre-production filming of the men of The Trust and their families both inside San Quentin and in their communities began in March 2008.
- Full production began January of 2009 and will continue through November 2010.
