California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's video: Hip Hop 101 at Pelican Bay

Two years later, message of positivity persists An out-of-the-box program at Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP) blended hip-hop, rehabilitation, healing and positivity for students and participants. Hip-Hop 101 took place on B Yard at PBSP for eight months in 2019. It’s ripple effects continue to impact the people involved, including instructor Collin Smith. Smith, now an Associate Governmental Program Analyst for the Division of Rehabilitative Programs, ran the program when he worked at PBSP. A hip-hop enthusiast and videographer, Smith created a video documenting the program and the impact the positive environment had on students. The course is in line with the California Model, which aims to improve relationships between employees and incarcerated people. “This video highlights the importance of the California Model and a CDCR employee being able to have a positive effect on an incarcerated individual’s journey from participant to parolee,” Smith shared. Two years after the program ended, Smith caught up with two former participants (one paroled, one still incarcerated) to see if the skills and positivity fostered in the class have stayed with them.