Fostering a sense of community through music was the goal at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF) and State Prison at Corcoran.
The SATF Music Festival brought bands together to the California Model yard at the institutions.
“What I bring is a part of the culture of the Mexican regional music,” said singer songwriter Alejandra Rojas. “It’s a very big part, very important to the Mexican culture.”
One of the organizers behind the festival, an incarcerated person at the facility, said he’s long wanted to bring music to the institution.
“This all comes from a dream I had to bring in a concert,” Jose explained.
SATF acting Warden Raul Morales said these events foster normality and community inside the institution. Overall, the events benefit staff as well as the population.
“The staff and incarcerated people coming together and having this event here is leaps and bounds (beyond what I) thought SATF could put together,” he said.
Watch the video (story continues below):
SATF is building community through music
The reason behind the event’s success? According to Jose, it’s the shared love of music.
“I think the glue that pretty much put us together is the fact a lot of staff love Mexican music,” he said.
Warden Morales said staff participating in the event were enjoying themselves.
“Everyone is just happy and very involved,” he said. “Feels like they’re at home in their communities. Work-life stress and incarceration stress can subside a little bit. Facility F is the California Model yard and as long as we continue to program every day and work hand-in-hand with the staff, these events can (happen) more.”
Learn more about the California Model on the CDCR website.
Music festival in photos
Video by Richard Tan, TV Specialist
Story by Don Chaddock, Inside CDCR editor
Office of Public and Employee Communications
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