Carlos Rocha

Who Am I

When this question was first posed in group a lot of things came to mind. Was I that young person that walked through this gate all those years ago? Or the convict that everyone expects the prison stereotype with the tattoos and ignorant attitude? I believed I knew the answer. However, in this Group we were asked to perform a task. We were to write down the name of five people that we trust or share personal thoughts with someone vital or influential in your life. It’s easy when we’re talking family, father, brother, and sister have been all those things for me for the past 25 yrs. The second part of that exercise involved writing the name of 5 of our peers; people here with us that part was difficult. I couldn’t think of one name. I found that I had done such a good job a shutting people out that I struggle with meeting and talking with new people. This group opened my eyes to the reality that [page 2] one day I will be returning back to society, or what we call the world. And every tactic I used to survive in this place have made me socially awkward and mistrusting of other people unwilling to share in everyday simple conversation.

So I am grateful to be a part of this group that Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Vega provide for us. It has helped me interact and share with others. As I sit and listen to stories similar to mine what I take from this group is that I’m not unique in what I go through. That we could all sit in a group and share what little advice we might have to help another person going through the same fears has been something very helpful to me and others as well.

Thank you for everything

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