305: Shaka Senghor | Writing My Wrongs

Violence

Shaka Senghor recounts the harsh realities of prison life, where survival often meant engaging in a black market economy. He describes how inmates had to innovate and iterate on ideas to make do with limited resources, such as creating tattoo guns from tape players and guitar strings 1. This environment fostered a toxic culture where violence was a constant threat, and Senghor himself adopted a "shoot first" mentality after being shot 2.

You can't survive in prison without being able to iterate. You can't get tattoos if you can't break down the tape player and guitar string and the ink pen and turn them into a tattoo gun.

--- Shaka Senghor

These survival strategies were not just about physical safety but also about financial survival, as inmates depended on family and black market stores to make ends meet.

   

Education

In solitary confinement, Shaka Senghor turned his cell into a university, using the time to educate himself and prepare for life after prison. He read voraciously and learned about the world through magazines, which helped him adapt to the technological advancements he encountered upon release 3. Senghor's self-education also highlighted the challenges of re-entering society, from navigating relationships to finding employment 4.

I came home with an advantage that a lot of people coming home don't have. I'm highly literate. I'm super curious about life in the world. I'm well-read.

--- Shaka Senghor

Despite these advantages, the transition was overwhelming, requiring him to relearn how to interact with people and technology.

   

Forgiveness

Forgiveness played a crucial role in Shaka Senghor's healing process. He received a letter from a woman who forgave him for his actions, which profoundly impacted his ability to forgive himself and develop empathy 5. This act of forgiveness was a turning point, helping him understand the importance of empathy in healing.

Despite all this, I forgive you.

--- Shaka Senghor

Senghor also reflected on the trauma he experienced and the lack of support in prison for unpacking such trauma, which initially led to him being labeled as a sociopath 6.