This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Calipatria.
February 2021
[redacted],
I just received your letter asking if I wanted to share my story. I appreciate that you guys reached out and show that you’re concerned for our wellbeing.
This HAS been the most difficult year I have spent in prison. I got incarcerated on [redacted] and never faced such a difficult time. At the beginning of this pandemic I believed that we will be “shut-down” for a couple of months. But two months turned to four, then to eight, and now exactly a year.
I found it at the beginning to be necessary being quarantined, but got fatigued 10 months into quarantine.
I began noticing how correction officer and other staff members would not wear their masks or use bandanas. That built anger and resentment because we couldn’t have visits with our loved ones, supposedly so we wouldn’t be exposed to COVID-19, but yet our “caretakers” are being careless.
And Lord be hold, in November of 2020, we had an outbreak on the yard. It spread like wildfire and till this day it still is not under control. Basically “herd immunity” by allowing everyone to catch it.
My cellmate and I stopped going at the shower (showered in my cell, what’s called “bird-bath”), stopped going out of the cell unless it was to use the phone. I believed the administration here were not ready to handle an outbreak. Yes, I do fear catching COVID.
As soon as the vaccines arrived I put in many requests for it and on [redacted] I got my first shot of the Moderna vaccine.
The hardest thing about this has been our visits. I use to get visits every weekend from my family and loved ones. It is bad enough that were limited to six hours of visit on Saturday and Sunday, but now to cut our only ties completely is devastating! Relationships, marriages, and companionships have ended due to no visits.
Some men here have lost their loved ones to COVID and wives that can no longer wait out the “no visit policy”, and turn to addiction to find comfort or cope with the loss. I know that I personally have been stressed and at times feel defeated. Especially that my mother was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer during this pandemic and it puts her at high risk. Enclosed I have placed a photo of her and me to show that this story has real people.
I have been able to cope with this crisis through my faith in God and using the same attitude I have used throughout my life, “this too will pass”. I am going to my youth offender parole hearing on [redacted] and could be possibly released after [redacted] years in prison.
I read and write a lot and talk to my family on the phone daily, which helps with the daily stress. I keep telling myself that we will be okay soon and not to stress. Working out daily is a big stress reliever that helps me stay focused, but bottom line, this has been the most difficult year of my life.
Again, thank you for caring. It makes me feel like we are not alone in here and appreciate all of your work. Stay safe.
Sincerely.
