Otto Booker interviewed by Lemar Bostic
Lemar Bostic (00:02): All right. Uh, uh, here we go. Um, my name is Mr. Bostic and we here at, uh, Greene Correctional Facility. Uh, we're now attending a Wave Farm program brought to us by coordinators Annie and Sondra, and today, everybody, we have a special guest here today. Um, would you like to tell me your name?
Otto Booker (00:23): Uh, yes, sir. My name is Otto Booker.
Lemar Bostic (00:26): Otto Booker. All right. Um, Mr. Booker, welcome to the Wave Farm, um, program. We're, uh, very glad to have you here and attend this, um, important class. Uh, got a couple questions for you, um, Mr. Booker. Uh, can I call you Otto?
Otto Booker (00:45): Yes, sir. It's fine with me.
Lemar Bostic (00:46): Okay. Um, Otto, uh, yeah. Let's start it off at the top. Um, can you first tell me, um, about your time in the... in this class?
Otto Booker (00:54): Um, my time in this class is, uh, has been a wonderful experience. I have, uh, learned new things that, uh, I haven't thought about, um, learning.
Lemar Bostic (01:06): Hm. Um, uh, why did you enroll in this art program? Uh, why did you enroll?
Otto Booker (01:17): Well I'm, I'm an artist myself. I like to write poetry as a way of, uh, expressing, uh, my emotions and how I feel. So, uh, the artistic part has, has definitely been there, and I thought I'd try something, a different type of art this time.
Lemar Bostic (01:33): Hm. Um, how did being in this class make you feel?
Otto Booker (01:40): I mean, I, I've been a lot more relaxed and, uh, serene in mind, uh, as far as dealing with, um, obnoxious people and, uh, just troubled times, you know? I'm able to, you know, steady myself and stay focused longer.
Lemar Bostic (01:57): Yes. I c- I could definitely, uh, uh, feel what you're saying right now. Um, uh, tell us a little something about the instructors. Uh, how do you, uh, how do you feel about the instructors at Wave Farm here?
Otto Booker (02:13): I think the instructors are awesome. Um, I'm very glad that whomever put the, uh, this program together, uh, I would like to thank them personally, but, uh, at this rate, I think they're, they're awesome. Ms. Sondra's awesome and, um-
Lemar Bostic (02:28): >Yes.
Otto Booker (02:28): ... Ms. Annie coming by, awesome. I think, you know, we c- something decent out of this.
Lemar Bostic (02:34): Hm. And so, um, what, if anything, uh, did you learn from the course that you just completed? You know, what did... Anything in particular special?
Otto Booker (02:50): Well, breathing techniques, staying focused on my breathing and meditation. Um, stretching also. Different types of stretches that never even thought about doing.
Lemar Bostic (03:02): Mm-hmm. Hm. And so, um, would you say this class would be, uh, very beneficial to people with, um, handicaps or any medical, physical, uh, inabilities?
Otto Booker (03:17): Oh, I'd definitely say so myself. Yes sir. Uh, I actually have a little, um, uh... Well, I have sustained injury back in 2021. So, you know-
Lemar Bostic (03:26): Hm.
Otto Booker (03:26): ... the stretching and things has definitely been able to help.
Lemar Bostic (03:29): Ah.
Otto Booker (03:29): You know? I, I'm loose. I can walk without my cane for short distance, but-
Lemar Bostic (03:34): Yeah.
Otto Booker (03:37): ... you know?
Lemar Bostic (03:39): (laughs) Uh, hm, yeah. Uh, we're running a little short on time. Uh, but, uh, how'd you like the, uh, the whole concept of, of yoga? You know, we've been in prison and, and many people, you know, uh, the population within prison, we look at yoga as totally a soft thing, you know? Like, it's... I'm, I'm too hard for that, man. You know, yoga, ah, that's soft, man. I mean, how did you deal with that type of, uh, criticism or, or confrontation within the inmate population? How, how did you deal with it, man?
Otto Booker (04:08): You know, technically, Mr. Bostic, um, I, I don't really particularly care about other people's opinions because some of them are sarcastic and some of them, you know, are, are... they're, they're, eager to know what am I getting from it, and I don't mind feeding into it, you know, in a positive way of course. Um, but it's... W- What I'm getting out of it is, is the blessing. So, you know, I don't mind sharing what I'm getting out of it, and some people seem interested.
Lemar Bostic (04:36): Hm. So, um, as we're wrapping it up here, um, what would you like someone on the outside to know about participating in this class of Wave Farm?
Otto Booker (04:45): Wow. I mean, if it was a family member or anyone for that matter, I would suggest, sure, give it a try. I mean, you know, it, it's not gonna hurt. Uh, of course, you know, y- you will, you will gain peace of mind, uh, learn how to stretch and meditate, so this, this is a definite, uh, learning experience that I think everybody should, you know, uh, partake in.
Lemar Bostic (05:10): (laughs) Oh yes. Um, I definitely agree. Uh, uh, I think we're making history right now with this Wave Farm program at, at Greene Correctional, um, uh, Facility. And this is, this is, uh, a real oral history which you're experiencing right now here with, um, Mr. Otto, I mean, Otto. (laughs) I said Mr. Otto.
Otto Booker (05:31): It's all good. Thank you, brother.
Lemar Bostic (05:32): All right. So, um, it's nice having you here, Otto.
Otto Booker (05:35): Yes sir.
Lemar Bostic (05:35): Now, I hope you come back.
Otto Booker (05:36): Oh, and I definitely will. Yes sir.
Lemar Bostic (05:37): All right.
Otto Booker (05:38): Thank you, brother.
Lemar Bostic (05:38): I like that.