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-by Efren Paredes, Jr.

I didn’t have to work this last day of the Fast for Freedom, Saturday, March 22, 2008. I slept in until 8:30 AM and then I started my day. It was the first day since the fast began that I didn’t have to be at work the following morning by 6:30 AM. I felt good though. I felt energetic, alert and prepared to begin the day.

I spent a lot of time reflecting this morning, thinking about when the fast began last Sunday. I thought about the events that transpired throughout the week and the lessons I learned. I also took the time to pray for everyone who was fasting or joining us in spirit.

I began thinking about resuming my regular daily routine. I would begin working out again and doing other physical activities on Sunday. I avoided rigorous physical activity during the fast. In the beginning I attempted to continue working out, but soon discovered it would likely make me too weak to complete the fast.

After I washed up and organized my room I spoke to a couple prisoners. They stopped by my room and asked me how the fast was going. One of them knew it was the last day of the fast. He jokingly said it seems like I fast every day because there seems to never be a moment that passes when I’m not either typing, reading, writing, working out, talking on the phone, going on visits, going to the law library, or working. He said it seems like I never even have time to eat.

I told him, “It seems like that sometimes! I’m fighting for my life though. I just don’t waste my time foolishly when I could be spending it educating myself and preparing myself for my eventual release. I’m getting out one day. And when I am released I will do so fully prepared for my re-entry to society.”

He further stated that in his 17 years of incarceration he has never known another prisoner more busy than I at all the different prisons where he has been. I didn’t find that part hard to believe. It wasn’t the first time I have been told that.

It is common for me to spend hours each day on my typewriter, between 3:00 PM and 12:00 midnight. I spend every available minute I can at the typewriter, composing letters, writing essays, generating support. I hardly watch television except to listen to the news.

I never watch movies, sitcoms, or other things for entertainment purposes either. I may
occasionally listen to music videos while I’m typing, but I rarely watch them. I can do that when I’m free. Right now my campaign for justice takes precedence over transitory pleasures or comforts in life.

The other prisoner I spoke to, asked me how I was doing physically. He knows I am always strong mentally, physically and spiritually. He just wondered what kind of toll fasting the entire week took on my body.

I told him I felt good. I was grateful I had the fortitude to complete the fast. He said, “Man, I don’t know how you did it! I wouldn’t have been able to fast one whole day. I have to eat. There isn’t anything else to do in here but eat and sleep.”

I responded by telling him he underestimates himself. I told him having a self-defeatist attitude like that will prevent him from ever reaching his full potential because he has no confidence in himself and his abilities. He isn’t in tune with his spiritual center which is connected with the infinite Source of all life.

I also told him that nothing is more difficult than we make it in life. We classify and apply a value to all the experiences in our lives. No matter what the situation is that we encounter, nothing wields the power to defeat us or rob of us of anything mentally or spiritually, unless we empower it to. Each of us is innately impervious to defeat.

It is our perception of each experience that determines the final outcome. If we accept defeat, we will be defeated. If we doubt ourselves, we give confidence to others. If we reject our strength, we accept our weaknesses.

We can’t vacillate between the dichotomies that are created in our minds. We have to make a decision. No two things can occupy the same space at the same time. No one has taught us this in life though. We often have to discover it on our own.

I have seen so many people around me give up by turning to illicit or prescription drugs,
depression, or deciding to end their lives because of the immense pressure of the incarceration experience. I exist in a sea of apathy. Everywhere I turn there is stark despondence. For many of these people I represent hope. I am a source of strength to them. I inspire them to explore other options and discover their potential.

I offered to let the person I was talking to read one of my books, “As a Man Thinketh.” I knew the book would give him some things to think about regarding the power of his thoughts. He agreed to take the book and read it. I told him I wanted a verbal book report when he was done reading though. That’s always a prerequisite when I share my books to ensure people read them. He agreed and said he would see me again in a few days.

A short time later I was approached by another prisoner who wanted to talk to me all week. He told me that he wasn’t able to find a moment to speak with me during the week because he saw how busy I was. He is a cancer patient named Andreas.

We dialogued for a few minutes and I learned that Andreas wanted me to write something for a card he was making for a woman who helped him. He had been battling with cancer and not receiving treatment from the health care department despite his repeated pleas for help. He filed grievances, complained to staff, wrote letters, but no one would help him.

Andreas said that after months of writing and appealing for assistance finally someone did help him — a woman from Ann Arbor. She sent an e-mail to the medical director in charge of all the health care departments in the state prison system. They responded to her e-mail and began providing Andreas cancer treatment.

The problem was that Andreas’ condition was now in its advanced stages due to the negligence of the health care department. It was so bad that the University of Michigan specialists he began seeing told him they were doubtful that their chances to contain the cancer or cure him would be successful.

Thankfully for Andreas, they continued the chemotherapy and radiation treatments despite their uncertainties. After several months of intensive treatments, Andreas’ cancer is now in remission. He likely would be dead without the intervention of the woman who sent that one single e-mail appealing for his treatment.

I thought to myself, “How cruel can this system be to deprive this man of the opportunity to save his life?” I was quickly reminded that the same system sought to end my life.

The card that Andreas made for the woman thanking her for saving his life meant a lot to him. He asked me to give him just a few moments of my time so he could go to his cell and bring me the card to see it for myself. He wanted me to see how nice it looked and all the time and energy he put into creating it with his own hands using cardboard, paper, glue, markers, colored pencils and glitter.

Then came the next thing. Andreas wanted me to write a thank you message for him to put on the card. He said he waited all week to ask me because he didn’t want anyone else to do it. He wanted to use my words in the card. Out of the 1,800 people here he chose me. He gave me an idea what he wanted to say and I agreed to do this for him.

I went into my cell, typed the message for him, and returned it to him. He was very thankful and immediately returned to his cell to put the message in the card. Afterwards he brought me the card again with my words neatly typed inside. He felt really proud of his card and was honored to have me share some of my words with him to use.

Later that day an officer approached me. (I will refer to the person as “they” to avoid using their name and avoid disclosing any information about the person to protect their privacy.) The officer told me they heard about the Parole Eligibility/Lifer Review Report (PER) that was submitted on my behalf. They wished me well and told me that they know I am going home one day. They don’t know when, but they are confident it is going to happen.

They were excited and told me, “You have such a good heart. You’re such a good person. I know you are going to get the chance to go home and I know we are going to hear about the good things you do when you get out. I am so happy for you. Take care of yourself and Happy Easter to you, in case I don’t see you tomorrow.”

While I have had my bouts dealing with prison staff with negative attitudes, I have also had some positive experiences and established amicable relations with staff at every prison I have been over the years. Staff know my character and see by my actions frequently that I don’t bother anyone and I am always doing positive things. I am always helping others and continually cultivating myself as a human being.

Staff from my housing unit characterized me in my PER as a leader, confident, one who accepts criticism, and a positive role model for others. After I learned about that, I approached the staff who made the comments and told them I appreciated what they wrote. One responded by saying, “I just told the truth,” and the other stated, “Don’t thank me. You’ve earned it.”

As I am typing this, a prisoner just walked up and asked me to help him prepare for a parole interview and to help him write a letter to his family seeking support letters from them. I told him we will talk later. It is amazing how many people I have helped prepare to see the Parole Board and how many have been released.

I have helped change many lives in here and helped them with their releases, yet I have been denied release repeatedly over the years, from the same Parole Board who frees those others. I learned a long time ago how unfair life is sometimes. I don’t let it deter me from continuing to help others though. After all, helping them has nothing to do with me gaining anything. It’s about me sharing with others less fortunate or incapable of helping themselves. This is what altruism is truly about.

As I reflected over the events of this day, it made me think about how grateful I am for the things in my life. So many people need help in their lives but never receive it. It is a
reminder to me that the Creator has blessed some of us with more strength and knowledge than others for a reason. We have a calling and we have a responsibility to humanity to share the gifts we have received.

Sharing, compassion, solidarity, and the need to help others, were recurring themes throughout this week of fasting. The sacrifices we make for others are for the upliftment of humanity as a whole. When one of us struggles, we all struggle. When one of us enjoys victory, we all enjoy victory.

Our lives are interconnected in wonderful ways. Our fast brought together people, from all over the world, to learn about a campaign to end my wrongful conviction, and to stop human rights atrocities against children. At the core of this was the Creator, whose spirit is an intrinsic part of all our lives.

We all learned more about self-mastery, detachment from feeling dependent, and about the power of cohesion. We discovered that we don’t have to be slaves to food to solve our problems. That a simple hunger pang or stomach’s digesting doesn’t require us to eat to make them go away. We also found out that we don’t have to look outside ourselves for answers to many of life’s questions. The answers are found within, we just have to mine for them.

People in this country are the most obese in the world. We are driven by our overindulgence in food and believe that food consumption will provide us comfort, eating until we are full will make us less stressed. We have become dependent on food rather than relying on it as a source of sustenance.

There are people all over the world who are starving because they have no food, yet many people overfeed themselves. Excess in food or other material things in life is not good for us. It is the reason there are so many people living without, while others have too much. The rich keep getting richer while the poor remain in poverty.

Finding a medium that works for all of us will help us find commonalities we can use to build stronger communities and forge stronger relations. It will help us end many of the conflicts and problems that exist in the world and help increase our awareness about unification.

We often hear the media and individuals say that there is no unity in the world. They will
quickly express every imaginable way to say that divisiveness exists, and when they run out of ways to do it they’ll create more. Too much energy is expended trying to perpetuate this dysfunctional thinking.

The reality is that unity does exist in the world. It exists at every level. It is part of the
very fabric of life. It never ceases to exist. We just lose our awareness of it. Refusal to
acknowledge its existence doesn’t make it vanish.

Establishing and maintaining awareness of unity will help rescue us from ignorance and help us stave off destructive beliefs. The highest plane of consciousness is the field of unity. On a physical level this will help us work together to build global solidarity. The fast proved this could happen.

On a spiritual level unity represents synthesizing our mind, body and spirit. Unity represents oneness, solidarity. It is a culmination of the wisdom we attain through the struggles in life. It means adopting beliefs that liberate us from the bondage that keeps us tethered to the physical world.

This week reminded me of the necessity to continually nourish our spiritual selves. In the book, “The Self Within,” Sue Prescott writes:

“Just as a pearl grows within an oyster, the spiritual self expands within the personal self.
A grain of sand inside its shell irritates the oyster. This prompts the oyster to turn the sand into a pearl.”

“The same is true with your self. As you encounter life’s irritations, you develop
understanding about how to handle them. You learn patience, strength, and wisdom. These are your ‘pearls.’ It is only through living life with its joys as well as its sorrows that you can learn to express the qualities of your spiritual self.”

If we remember this analogy, it will help us continually evolve and become stronger through our struggles. We will realize these are opportunities for growth and not something that will defeat us. After every difficulty, there is ease. After each long night we awaken to the powerful rays of light which emanate from the largest star in our universe we call “the sun.”

This evening I broke my fast eating plain nacho chips. I later ate a burrito made by one of the fast supporters who could not participate because of his health. He checked on me often though to make sure I was doing fine and offered his continued support.

I also drank orange juice that another fast supporter shared with me. This individual, Dave, was very helpful to me throughout the fast. He gave me cranberry, apple, and orange juice each day so I could imbibe a good selection of 100% juices.

I broke the fast with members of the Lansing TIME Committee and Saginaw TIME Committee while on the phone. I shared my reasons for breaking the fast with the plain nacho chips and thanked them for their participation. I also briefly explained that the end of the fast signaled the dawn of more successes and opportunities.

I learned that our newly created Saginaw TIME Committee is organizing a presentation for Saturday, March 29, 2008 in Saginaw. The city has a large Chicano/Latino population and there has been a history of abuses by the criminal justice system in that county. Our committee members are hopeful they will be able to produce a large turnout.

Daniel and Fenis Soza passed out 400 flyers and there are two sessions scheduled for presentations on March 29. They stated they have been receiving several phone calls from persons expressing interest in attending. I was encouraged to hear the news and look forward to hearing how things unfold.

Maria Zavala discussed other planned presentations at Michigan State University and around the capital city area. She will be making the actual presentations in Saginaw. During the call she also told me that one of our committee members, Chris Singer, just recently returned from Uganda, Africa.

While in Uganda Chris shared my story with people and one day he was surprised to learn that someone there already knew about my case. Here Chris was, across the world in a remote village, and he met someone who had learned about my case through our effective public relations campaign. I was pleasantly surprised by this news and it reinforced my belief that we are doing a great job of spreading the word about this injustice.

Afterwards, I called and spoke to Helen to see how she was feeling. She, too, broke her fast today after fasting all week on juice and water. I was proud of her for completing the fast and being so strong. There were some days that were extremely difficult for her. Despite the rigors of the fast she remained determined about completing the fast and did not waver.

Helen and I visited on Thursday and Friday. We were scheduled to visit with TIME Committee friends, Inge Longpre and Elena Herrada on Friday. Due to inclement weather Inge was unable to make the visit. Elena was unable to make it either due to a death in her family.

On Friday’s visit, Helen bought me Dole peach slices so I could drink the juice from the peaches. We poured the juice into an empty water bottle and I drank the juice. We disposed of the peaches themselves. Thursday and Friday were the first times in years that I went without eating on visits. Visits are the only time that family and friends can buy me food and beverages I like to consume from the vending machines.

The food in prison is bland. There is little variety and there are very few meals I will eat from the prison kitchen. I may go to the prison kitchen a couple times a week. I don’t eat breakfast and lunch there at all. Most times I buy the things I eat from the prisoner store, but even that selection is limited, and very few items are healthy.

Not eating on the visits this week was all right though. It was a little challenging watching
everyone around us consuming things for five hours but we were fine with that. We didn’t allow it to derail us from the fast or diminish our focus. We understand it was part of the experience. It was part of consciously not allowing food to dictate our lives.

Before breaking the fast today I prayed alone in my cell. I closed the door and sat quietly in a chair and expressed thanks to the Creator for this memorable week. I was grateful, for the strength that all the fasters and I received each day, for helping us remain strong, healthy an committed to the purpose of the fast, for uniting us in spirit, and for infusing our campaign with renewed vitality.

I asked that we continue to forge bonds of unity with our new friends and supporters. We heard from many wonderful new people this week, previously unknown to us, who I want to remain in communication with. While we were united through the fast and my campaign for justice, I want to keep our lines of communication open.

The struggle for social justice will not end with my case. I haven’t reached out to people to assist with only my cause, because it is singular. My cause is part of the larger campaign for social justice. It is a campaign for the wrongly convicted, the children imprisoned for life, and the people, whose lives have been devastated by the criminal justice system.

The struggle will continue long after my release. It continued after Mario’s release.
Fortunately for Mario he prepared for his release during his incarceration. Once he was liberated he took the criminal justice system by its horns and began exposing the systemic problems that cry for real answers and solutions. And, rather than allow himself to be defeated, he has actively been organizing, combating injustice, and awakening the consciousness of the masses.

I know Mario’s heart and spirit. They have been forged in pure fire, like fire separates gold from dross to reveal one of the world’s most precious metals. Mario’s character has been forged the same way. I know this because our lives parallel each others. I know what I have endured and the experiences that have shaped my being and consciousness in isolation behind cold steel bars.

The acumen Mario and I have developed didn’t come easy. We toiled, struggled, and felt the brutal force of recalcitrant opposition every step of the way. It is difficult being conscious and in prison. It is easier to be an ignorant fool than a conscious leader. The latter is met with fierce opposition at every turn and is compelled to defend his ground every step of the way. We literally have to fight each day to remain psychologically and spiritually liberated.

I broke the fast tonight with plain nacho chips because maize (corn) has long been a vital staple food and cultural symbol in Mexican history. It is a symbol of fertility. For the Mayans maize represented the essence of life and had a central role in Maya cosmology. It has long been a source of sustenance and a rich part of our history. Mexican people have been known as “children of the sun” or “children of the corn.” It is a powerful symbol of life.

I chose this symbol to end the fast because while the fast has come to an end our movement has not. It continues. Like the scarab beetle represented perpetual regeneration to the Kemites (ancient Egyptians), or Ollin symbolized to the Nahua people of Mexico, the maize I consumed this evening will eternally reflect the evolving life of our movement.

From this day forward, when each of us partakes any maize I ask that we all be reminded of this special moment as well. You each helped us arrive at a pivotal point in our lives that generated new awareness. We have all been profoundly impacted by the experience of this week. Together we made this week what it is.

And it isn’t over. The sun has only begun to rise. Soon our presence will be felt ecumenically like a sphere with its center everywhere and its circumference nowhere.

_______________________________

To those who do not know, we have a 4Efren Google Group which is the official TIME Committee Google Group. If you would like to join the TIME Committee, receive regular updates about the work we are doing, and writings I compose for circulation, you are invited to subscribe to the group by sending an e-mail requesting to join to 4Efren@googlegroups.com. Please put “Request to be added to 4Efren Google Group” in the subject line of your e-mail to expedite the process.

Web Site: www.4Efren.com
E-mail: eparedes@aol.com
MySpace Page: www.myspace.com/4Efren
Blog: http://4Efren.blogspot.com
Online Petition: www.petitionspot.com/petitions/4Efren

On this day of hope and new life, we go forward in the belief that truth, justice, and freedom will prevail. The fast was a powerful way to connect in a very real way with Efren and others around the world. It also gave me the opportunity to talk with many people this week about Efren and the injustice of mandatory juvenile sentencing. A special grace was our Wednesday prayer service at St. Peter’s where we spoke with Efren and, led by Julie, united our voices in songs of freedom. Keep your eyes on the prize, Efren, . . . the arc of history may be long but it indeed bends toward justice. We will continue to write, advocate, and pray. Although our fast from food ended last night, I pray that we will never stop fasting from apathy, indifference, and despair. Including one of my favorite poems as a gift of strength and hope. Although written in a different place under different circumstances, the hope is the same.

They have threatened us with Resurrection

There is something here within us
which doesn’t let us sleep, which doesn’t let us rest,
which doesn’t stop the pounding deep inside.
It is the silent, warm weeping of women without their husbands
it is the sad gaze of children fixed there beyond memory . . .

What keeps us from sleeping
is that they have threatened us with resurrection!

Because at each nightfall
though exhausted from the endless inventory
of killings for years,
we continue to love life,
and do not accept their death!
In this marathon of hope
there are always others to relieve us
in bearing the courage necessary . . .

Accompany us then on this vigil
and you will know what it is to dream!
You will know then how marvelous it is
to live threatened with resurrection!
To live while dying
and to already know oneself resurrected.

Day three of the fast proved to be filled with a number of positive developments. I remain strong and I have continued to stay focused. The daily prayers, meditations, and communing with family and friends have sustained me during this time.

Last night was difficult at times. My leg repeatedly became numb as did my left arm. This woke me up repeatedly until around 2:00 AM when I was finally able to fall asleep. I slept well though and felt rested in the morning. During the times I struggled to sleep I thought about the events that would occur today, Wednesday, March 19, 2008. I knew it was going to be a busy day.

I awoke excited about the prospects of the new day would bring. As I have each morning this week, I opened my eyes to the sound of the alarm on my wristwatch beeping. And, like the previous two days, the alarm went off twice because I didn’t wake up to turn it off the first time.

While I have had difficulty going to sleep on some days, I have been sleeping pretty hard through the night once I have gone to sleep. But I haven’t complained about any of it. I know it’s part of the struggle I committed to participate in, and a small sacrifice I can make as I am joined in spirit by family, our strong committee, and supporters across the globe.

One thing I have never feared is taking a leadership role. Leading by example, and showing everyone that completing the fast can be achieved, is an example of fulfilling that role. I am a strong proponent of the philosophy that leaders lead by their actions and not through speeches or writings.

As I looked up at the ceiling in my cell, I listened to my radio playing in the background which is situated at the end of my bunk. I have the radio set to the smooth jazz station which helps me relax and sleep.

Listening to the soothing sounds of the music I sat up in my bunk and prayed to the Creator for strength. I asked that all the fasters be blessed with strength as well and that their spirits be invigorated to make it through another day.

I also thought about the significance of this third day of the fast. What it symbolized to me and so many others. For some it symbolized a mid-way point. To some it was simply the third day of the fast. To me, however, it was symbolic of mind, body and spirit and the balance we seek to attain of these three things so that we can be complete human beings.

It was also the first day of Spring which represents new life. Coming out of the long cold Winter in transition as we await the warm of the Summer. We will smell the fresh scent of flowers as they begin to blossom soon. People will begin to work in their gardens to produce a bountiful harvest. The animals that have been hibernating all Winter will begin to emerge. Today represented life!

According to http://www.greatdreams.com/three/three.htm three, represents that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire. All things that are specially complete are stamped with this number three. The Creator’s attributes are three: omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. There are three great divisions completing time, which are past, present, and future.

Three persons, in grammar, express and include all the relationships of mankind. Thought, word, and deed, complete the sum of human capability. Three degrees of comparison complete our knowledge of qualities. Three propositions are necessary to complete the simplest form of argument — the major premise, the minor, and the conclusion. Three kingdoms embrace our ideas of matter — mineral, vegetable, and animals.

How would the day play out, what new, exciting things would emerge? Only the movement of time would reveal that answer.

I went to work and spent my day there from 6:30 AM to 2:45 PM. While I work, I thought about my friend Mario Rocha. He was scheduled to do an interview for a radio show with Dan Mulhern, Michigan’s First Gentleman, at that time. Before the interview was scheduled to begin, I said a prayer for Mario and asked that the Creator guide him through the interview and that the interview be productive.

Mulhern’s office contacted Mario in California and asked him to participate in the interview because of his success story. He admires the work that Mario is doing for himself and others and thought he would be a great person to appear on the show to discuss his activism and accomplishments.

The timing was incredible. The Governor of the State of Michigan’s husband talking to Mario during the week of our fast to be aired for all of Michigan to hear. My commutation is before the Governor’s office pending her review and her husband is interviewing one of our committee members from across the country.

To my surprise I was notified today that I was scheduled to see the doctor this afternoon at 12:30 PM. I didn’t send a request to visit the health care department though. I rarely make that request because of the horrible services they render. Most times unless I am terribly ill I never go. I will not allow them to dehumanize me or go through avoidable hassles just to receive substandard care, nor will I reward them for mistreating me.

As I walked over to the health care department I wondered to myself, “What is this about? Why does the doctor want to see me?” A thought came to mind. Was the Parole Board requesting that I release my medical file to them? This is a practice of theirs when they have interest in a case that is coming before them for review. Could have just been wishful thinking on my part.

In past reviews with the Parole Board they never requested access to my medical records. They had also not requested to see me a year before my scheduled time to see them for my five year review. I had already received notice of my Parole Eligibility/Lifer Review Report (PER) on Monday, only two days earlier. This just seemed to be too soon for the Parole Board to make a request to access my medical records as well. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility though. I would just wait to see what happens.

After a half-hour wait I finally met with the doctor. He was a real pleasant guy. He said he remembered me from when I previously gave him a tour of the braille production center I work for. I gave him a tour a few months earlier when he first started working at the prison.

We shook hands and he began to talk to me about why I was scheduled to see him. He explained to me that I was there by request from the Parole Board. As we dialogued I saw forms on his desk which were situated atop my medical folder that had my name on them.

I was right.

The voice of knowledge that spoke to me, and brought to mind the possibility of this being related to the Parole Board, was correct. The doctor asked me to sign a waiver form granting the Parole Board authorization to access my medical records. I, of course, agreed to sign the waiver form.

The doctor was amazed at how small my medical record was. Little did he know my thoughts about the health services department’s competency! He said I was in perfect health and it appeared the only services I really ever requested were for dental work (e.g., getting fillings, annual cleaning, etc.). All that was good. He wished me luck and told me he would submit his report to the Parole Board soon.

Due to the nature of this information I elected not to tell anyone about this other than Helen that day. I didn’t want it to disrupt any of the activities going on, and I especially didn’t want to create false hope in anyone about what this may mean. I wanted to make sure I would have the opportunity to explain more at length rather than just discuss it briefly during a phone call.

As I told Helen, this is only part of the process of Parole Board review for people they have deemed are of interest to them. It is certainly a step in the right direction, but it is not the final decision and there is still much to be done. I figured I would keep the information quiet until I could share it with everyone at the same time in my writing, which I am doing.

Is it good news? Yes. Was I happy to learn about this development on Day 3 of the fast.
Certainly. It was the second significant sign of serious interest in my case by the Parole Board during the week of the fast, and the first time it has ever happened in my 19 years of incarceration.

Later that afternoon I participated in an interview with Detroit Public Radio WDET 101.9 FM. The reporter I spoke with, Craig Farley, was awaiting my call right after I left work. The interview lasted 15 minutes and it went well. I was able to respond to Farley’s questions and speak about my pending commutation request.

During the interview Farley told me that I have become a symbol for the campaign to end the imposition of life without parole sentences. He asked me how I felt about that.

I explained to Farley that I was all right with that. One of the reasons is that I have been
through that experience since the age of 15. I have never spent a single hour of my adult life in society. I have not experienced the freedom that so many take for granted each day. The freedom to walk down a street, to sit on a porch and just relax, to drive a car, or to participate in other events that adults do in their lives. I know the experience that juveniles endure in adult prisons and I have known this for 19 years.

I expressed to Farley that I believe I am a positive example of a young person who was placed in a milieu that is designed to strip people of their identity and extinguish their spirits. Despite these deplorable conditions I have thrived. I have remained strong, and I have continued to help myself and others in their continued growth and development. I have resisted institutionalization and never acquiesced to the concept of despair.

I also told Farley that I support the passage of House Bills 4402-4405 which are currently pending in the Michigan House Judiciary Committee. These bills would abolish the imposition of life without parole sentences against children in the State of Michigan. These draconian sentences are unforgiving against children and abandon the idea of redemption.

I contend that there are no incorrigible children in this world and that we can rescue any youth if given the opportunity. Banishing our children to die in prison is unacceptable penalty in the eyes of people of conscience, and it offends the will of the Creator. In any spiritual text we have been reminded of the sacredness of children and human life. Not so that we would offend the Will of the Creator, but so that we would carry out His Will.

We receive so few opportunities to share my voice with the world and respond with my own answers to questions. It is wonderful to have others speak on my behalf and share our campaign with them, but no one can convey my experience and years of separation from my family and society like I can.

The previous radio interview I did on February 28, 2008 with Artistic Expressions went very well. It was broadcast on the Internet and we were able to reach a large audience. That show was an hour long. That was really a rare opportunity, but it was a good one. I knew the Detroit Public Radio show would prove fruitful as well.

I locked in for institutional count time from 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM. During that time I read my newspapers for the day, did some writing, and thought about the phone calls I would be making later that evening. Time was moving really fast today. Before I knew it the time was 7:30 PM.

Before I called members of the Detroit TIME Committee at St.Peter’s Episcopal Church I spoke to Helen and learned that Mario’s interview with Mulhern had been changed to a time he couldn’t participate because of other commitments. I was initially disappointed by the news but Helen and I both agreed that Mario would likely be able to re-schedule.

I never see the cup half-empty, only half-full. I wasn’t going to dwell on it. Instead, I was
going to remain focused on the rest of the day and on the possibility that the interview would be re-scheduled.

At 7:30 PM I reached the Detroit TIME Committee at the church. We spoke for about 45 minutes and things went very well. The spirit of the people present was very moving. They held a prayer vigil and lit a candle for me during one of our phone calls. Before I called, the fasters present shared their reflections about the fast and invited me to do so as well.

I shared the events of the week with them and told them I was doing well. That I was strong and focused, and that I was enjoying the fast. I was happy to join them as they gathered to support me. I reminded them that it was the Creator, my family, and supporters that help me wake up each morning ready to face another day. Each helps me persevere through all of the challenges I confront regularly.

One of the committee members present, Elena, told me that they printed out the painting that Mario had circulated which was created by his friend Anthony Throop. They had the picture present during the vigil and she reminded me that Mario was also there in spirit, as was Anthony Throop.

Those present sang a song for me by Bob Marley and one of the women present, Julie, played the guitar. I was pleasantly surprised by this. Afterwards I read my poem to the group titled “Resilience.” They sang me another Bob Marley song “Keep Your Eyes On the Prize.” It was the final song of the night. We spoke discussed our campaign more, talked about social justice work, and shared moments of laughter and smiles.

Later that night I called Mario in California. He had been feverishly sending out a-mails and making phone calls to his contacts in preparation for a vigil he was hosting for me at La Plaza de Mexico.

When we connected around 10:10 PM EST he set the scene for me. There were over 25 people in attendance which included men, women and children. Everyone had candles lit and they had my large banner hanging in the middle of the plaza. Mario sounded enthused by the event and was happy that people came out to express their support.

After we talked briefly Mario told me he wanted me to speak to the fasters, so I did. I spoke to various people present and they shared with me why they were at the vigil. They each shared powerful stories which Mario captured on video and his camera which he will be sharing with everyone on YouTube.

One of Mario’s friends in attendance did the videotaping. Each time I spoke to one of the fasters on the phone each person was being videotaped. It was all being carefully recorded as part of the history we are making and a legacy we will leave behind of triumph and the determination to never be defeated by injustice.

As I spoke to the various fasters I was touched by their stories. Each was compelling and very moving. They were all so genuine and sincere, and I felt honored to be sharing this special event with them. At times the images they conveyed to me made me feel as if I was right there with them.

I spoke to one of the fasters who carefully described the plaza they were at. Throughout the plaza there are statues of Mexican heroes and leaders. He told me about the statue of Benito Juarez, General Zaragoza, and others. He said that this event was being held in the center of a plaza of victory for our people. With my banner hanging in the center, I was surrounded by the greatness of our heroes of yesterday, and now I was surrounded by our beloved heroes of today in the plaza — each of the fasters and people who came out to express their support this evening.

I was told that the irony of all this was that just a stone’s throw away was the largest juvenile hall West of the Mississippi River which houses 800 children. Here we were together, united in the struggle to combat social injustice, educating others of the need to end juvenile life without parole sentences, discussing the need to generate support for my case and campaign for freedom. The setting couldn’t have been any better.

I spoke to a professor who told me that Mario shares my letters and writings with him, which he in turn shares with his students and others. I spoke with a student who told me he was inspierd by my words to succeed in life. He said that it made him think about his young daughter and wanting to establish a bright future for her.

Every person I spoke with was honored to be a part of our gathering and a part of the fast. They each told me how Mario introduced them to my case, shares my letters and other writings with them, and recognized the importance of our gathering that evening.

One of the stories I heard that evening was from a mother named Ofilia. She spoke to me in Spanish and told me about her son who is also wrongly incarcerated. I could hear the tears and pain in her voice as we spoke. She expressed her support and told me if I ever needed anything to please tell her. My heart went out to her. I told her to stay strong. To take care of herself and never give up hope.

The mother tugged at my heart. Of all the people I spoke to today, my conversation with her was the most difficult for me because she embodied the pain and suffering that my own mother has endured for 19 years as a consequence of my own wrongful incarceration. Speaking to her forced me to reach inside myself and connect with the mother’s experience.

I reminded everyone that evening that our gathering was about so much more than just me. It is about the injustices perpetrated against children all over the nation. I may be a symbol of that injustice, but behind the symbol is a host of other stories. As Mario expressed to his network before the gathering in an e-mail writing, I represent one of the 230 other Efrens in California. To that I add that I represent the other 307 Efrens in Michigan, and the more than 1,238 other juveniles sentenced to life without parole across the nation.

While there are 1,231 juveniles who received that sentence there are a combined total of over 10,000 juveniles who were sentenced to some form of life in prison before their 18th birthday throughout the nation. They are not forgotten. In fact, tonight they were remembered. And, every day they are remembered as long as we continue to speak their names.

We talked for 45 minutes. At the end of the night the fasters gathered and held up their lit candles in solidarity. They held their candles to my banner which was hanging above them. They held their candles up in unity under the young picture of me in the banner at age 15, and they then held their candles in solidarity under the more recent picture of me in the banner when I was 33 (next month I will turn 35-years-old).

This was another memorable day in our campaign. Everyone I spoke to today, and those who joined us in spirit from every corner of the globe nourished my mind, body and spirit. The each sustained for another day as I held my head high with dignity and honor for their selfless work and sacrifices.

I look forward to the day that we will all be able to gather together when I can be on the front lines joining others to help combat the injustices that are perpetrated against others. Our shared struggle is something I carry in my heart each day. I live it, breathe it, feel it, smell it, taste it. And until I am released and permitted to fulfill my role in the struggle in society I will be sustained by everyone united in my cause.

If the purpose of my struggle has been to bring the world’s attention to the issue of wrongful convictions, to bring an end to the imposition of life without parole sentences against children in the USA, and I am able to prevent other youth from having to endure this painful experience, my struggle has not been in vain.

Today each of us demonstrated an enormously powerful spirit. Together we became an immeasurable reservoir of hope, strength, and the determination to advance in the struggle despite the challenges we face along the way. Everyone gathered to give a voice to the voiceless. We gave strength to those steeped in despair, and we infused the struggle for social justice with new energy on this first day of Spring.

The Bible speaks of the Apostle Paul who created churches. But it also speaks of Jesus who created a movement. This week many in the world are preparing to honor the crucifixion of Jesus. To many they believe that in Jesus’ death the world received life. It is not by coincidence that our fasters and supporters gathered this week and worked to build a movement of our own. Everything happens by design. Man plans, but the Creator is the Best of Planners.

In the Center of the Stone of the Sun, which depicts the Aztec calendar, are circles which
represent the four epochs of time according to the Aztec people. In the third circle there are twenty Aztec symbols for the days of the month and the hieroglyph for four (ocelot), the day when the sun stood at the zenith over Mexico City.

On this third day of our fast the sun stood above La Plaza de Mexico. It stood over the gathering in Detroit and throughout the world where my message was being spoken. Years from now the world will remember us. They will be inspired by our courage and vision.

Perhaps we may not have heroic statues erected in La Plaza de Mexico in our honor, but rest assured that the presence of our spirit is indelible and will endure for eternity.

www.4Efren.com
www.myspace.com/4Efren
www.petitionspot.com/petitions/4Efren

Mike and Carmen Kelly
Detroit, Michigan

We are with you in the sacred flame that we shall light together on Wednesday. Even though we are on the other side of the Turtle Shell, we are moving right along with you. In a slow but determined pace. In solidarity and strength.

For those who commenced our Fast for Efren and Friends yesterday, we say to Efren’s loved ones that we are with you in conscious and deliberate struggle. For
there are people in this world who spend their lives taking freedom for granted, and then there are those who spend a lifetime fighting for freedom. We hold ourselves in the latter category, behind Efren, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Leonard Peltier, Ramsey Muniz, Anthony
Throop, and so many others whose freedom lies in our ability to bring down the walls of oppression by standing united in our resistance.

Thank you all who have answered the call to action. On day two of our fast, let us heed the words that Efren has to share, which can be heard at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYVBrpamWYc

Efren called me again last night–thank you Helen for arranging that–and he sounded very excited about the future, of what the coming days will bring.

It reminded me of when I began to see my imprisonment coming to an end. Even though it took ten years to finally see that day (8/24/06) manifest, I felt a sense of gratitude for being alive that I know is what is sustaining Efren at this moment. For as he wrote
in a piece last week, Victory in the struggle is all we know.

Let me remind you that, though I am free, I continue to defend myself from the false charges that the state cannot find the courage to drop. In fact, because I will refuse to accept a plea bargain the DA’s office will try to sway me with in order to end this in their
favor, there is a chance that I will have to stand trial for these same crimes and face the threat of death in prison again. I say this to you not in fear, as I am grounded in my confidence and clear-conscience, I say this as a reality check.

In other words, Efren understands well that in spite of the momentum that we are building for his cause, it may still take us a while to force this government to release him.

Nonetheless, as Efen and I talked about where our parents grew up in Mexico, and Velia in Austin, Texas, we laughed at all the strange connections that have led us to wage this National Fast. We talked about our plans for when he is free and we are able to
continue this important work for the causes of social justice and community liberation. We talked about how we are up against the impossible, and yet, it is what our People have been doing for more than 500 years under Western colonialism–regenerating through the sacrifices of our ancestors. We are proud and prepared to continue this struggle, and History is our witness.

“Can’t stop, Won’t stop.”

See You Wednesday!

FREE EFREN!

-m

www.youtube.com/yabasta824

I opened the door (we have keys to our cells) and to my dismay I discovered a manila envelope on my desk. It was the kind that comes from prison staff. I wasn’t expecting any mail though, and I wasn’t expecting a sealed envelope either.

I opened the envelope to discover inside a Parole Eligibility/Lifer Review Report along with a note affixed to it that reads, “I am completing your Lifer Review. The [Parole] Board plans to see you in the next couple of months. Write on this form. Add info I may have left out. Write home placement and proposed job.” It was signed by my unit case manager.

Parole Eligibility/Life Review Reports are prepared prior to Parole Board reviews prisoners have been scheduled for. I wasn’t scheduled to see the Parole Board until March 2009. Prisoners serving life in prison only receive review by the Parole Board every five years. Next year would be my 20th year of incarceration.
For Complete story read whole post

It was clearly evident this early review is prompted by Parole Board interest. And, it is clear that interest was generated by the commutation request that was submitted on February 28, 2008, to the Parole Board, a culmination of our hard work, and the strong support we have garnered. This is confirmed by a message we received two days ago from a National Public Radio (NPR) reporter.

The reporter indicated that she had contacted the Parole Board to inquire about the status of my commutation request and was informed that the Commutation Board was “gathering documents.” Part of that process would include initiating a Parole Eligibility Report.

While this is a great thing it is only the initial steps in the process. What will occur next is the Parole Board will review my commutation request and my prison file together and then conduct a personal interview with me. After that the Parole Board member who conducts the interview will make a recommendation to the rest of the Parole Board. The rest of the Parole Board as a whole will review everything and then make a recommendation to the Governor’s office.

Good News on Day One of the Fast

“But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it’s better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you’re fighting for.” — Paulo Coelho

by Efren Paredes, Jr.

One of the symbols that is familiar to many of us is the Egyptian symbol of the Sphinx. The world has marveled over this massive figure for hundreds of years. And, throughout history people have often missed the significance of its meaning.

I have been an avid researcher of ancient Egyptian history for many years. It has been a fascinating subject to me and taught me the significance of esotericism and metaphysics. It has also helped me appreciate the value of symbolism.

The Sphinx is a monument that depicts the head of a pharaoh on a lion’s body. The lion’s body is shown laying down. The Sphinx is an image that displays the synthesized processes of the self. The head symbolizes the intellectual or rational and the capacity for self-mastery. The animal body represents humankind’s powerful physical capabilities tamed and transformed by the “balanced” head.

Before the Fast for Freedom officially began I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the fast. It would be the first time I ever embarked on an all juice and water fast. Despite the rigors I knew would be involved, especially in the prison setting, I knew I had to do it. I knew that I could not allow my attachment to my lower earthly desires diminish my will to complete the fast.

The more I reflected on my research and understanding of various spiritual texts, the more determined I became that I would complete the fast. And, through constant prayer and meditation, nothing would stand in the way of my goal. I was confident I would succeed and I was confident that my spiritual, mental, and emotional maturity has been preparing me for this for some time.

As I thought about the fast it reminded me of the Sphinx and its symbolism. It also made me reflect about the powerful symbolism of Moses who freed the people; of Noah who gathered the people; and Lot who led the people. There is powerful symbolism present throughout our lives, yet so often it goes unnoticed.

As I prepared myself to begin the fast on Sunday a thought came to mind. Don Miguel Ruiz refers to these thoughts as the “voice of knowledge.” According to don Miguel Ruiz that voice is the sound of the Creator speaking to us and through us. I believe this. And the internal “voice” I heard was, “If you complete this fast you will be rewarded for not wavering in your faith.”

This afternoon, Monday March, 17, 2008, when I returned to my housing unit I went to the officer’s desk to pick up my store order. We can place an order for food and beverages once a week from the prisoner store. Mondays are the days my unit receives their store orders. This week I basically only ordered assorted flavored juice drinks because I knew I would be fasting. After I checked my order to verify I received everything I proceeded to my cell.

I opened the door (we have keys to our cells) and to my dismay I discovered a manila envelope on my desk. It was the kind that comes from prison staff. I wasn’t expecting any mail though, and I wasn’t expecting a sealed envelope either.

I opened the envelope to discover inside a Parole Eligibility/Lifer Review Report along with a note affixed to it that reads, “I am completing your Lifer Review. The [Parole] Board plans to see you in the next couple of months. Write on this form. Add info I may have left out. Write home placement and proposed job.” It was signed by my unit case manager.

Parole Eligibility/Life Review Reports are prepared prior to Parole Board reviews prisoners have been scheduled for. I wasn’t scheduled to see the Parole Board until March 2009. Prisoners serving life in prison only receive review by the Parole Board every five years. Next year would be my 20th year of incarceration.

It was clearly evident this early review is prompted by Parole Board interest. And, it is clear that interest was generated by the commutation request that was submitted on February 28, 2008, to the Parole Board, a culmination of our hard work, and the strong support we have garnered. This is confirmed by a message we received two days ago from a National Public Radio (NPR) reporter.

The reporter indicated that she had contacted the Parole Board to inquire about the status of my commutation request and was informed that the Commutation Board was “gathering documents.” Part of that process would include initiating a Parole Eligibility Report.

While this is a great thing it is only the initial steps in the process. What will occur next is the Parole Board will review my commutation request and my prison file together and then conduct a personal interview with me. After that the Parole Board member who conducts the interview will make a recommendation to the rest of the Parole Board. The rest of the Parole Board as a whole will review everything and then make a recommendation to the Governor’s office.

Helen sent everyone the e-mail, fax, and phone campaign information yesterday urging people to participate. I can’t impress upon you the absolute urgency for people to answer that call to action. Please circulate the e-mail, fax, and phone campaign information widely to each of your contacts and ask them to do the same. This is a major contribution they can make to our campaign with minimal effort.

The Parole Board has taken the initial steps to express their interest. Now the onus lies on us to demonstrate a strong show of support and prove we have not worked hard on this campaign only to let our energy wane in the final phase.

I am encouraged by this news. It was a symbol presented on the first full day of the fast that an opportunity is being made available. A sign to show us that we are doing the right things and moving in the right direction. We have reached a significant milestone in our campaign and a wonderful opportunity is before us. More than ever it’s time for us to prove we are worthy of receiving it.

That voice told me something good was going to come of this fast if I completed it, and it came at the beginning. You can rest assured I will complete this fast and prove I am deserving of the opportunity, and prove to you that once again that my word is very important to me and that I do not allow myself to abandon the struggle when the going gets tough.

In Solidarity,

Efren

“But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it’s better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you’re fighting for.” —Paulo Coelho

Day one was a challenge for my first ever juice/water fast. It was different than other fasts I have participated in during my life. I understand the struggle though and I know it means that I am developing strength and enlightenment along the way.

Our cause is noble and a reminder to us of the many things we take for granted, namely our liberties. This is a time to reflect and be grateful for all we have in our lives, and a time to think about the things others have been denied or unlawfully robbed of.

We are united in solidarity across the globe. The strength of our spirit and voice is going to transcend every imaginable boundary and make our plea for justice heard loud and clear.

Nothing can stop the voice of truth. Remember, truth crushed to the earth is truth still, and like a seed, will rise again.

Stay strong and encouraged during the fast. We will succeed!