Andre Jackson interviewed by Timothy Willis
Timothy Willis (00:04): My name is Timothy Willis. Today's date is 11/16/23, and I'm gonna be interviewing Mr. Andre.
Andre Jackson (00:12): Hello, my name is Andre. Um, I'm the interviewee. Today date is 11/16/23rd.
Timothy Willis (00:19): Okay, Mr. Andre, why did you enroll in this art program? Did your reas- at... Ah, why did you enroll, enroll in this art program?
Andre Jackson (00:29): Um, b- because I wanted to find something new, experience new things in life. Um, this is something new for me and something that, you know, I can expand on for later on maybe even for my family.
Timothy Willis (00:42): Did your reasons change?
Andre Jackson (00:45): Um... Not too much. You know, 'cause like I said, I just want to be able to learn new things and this is something that's helpful and it's brand new to me. And it's just something I can take on and my friends and family.
Timothy Willis (01:00): How would you describe yourself as an artist?
Andre Jackson (01:04): I'm open-minded to a lot of things, meaning when it comes to art, poetry, exercise, meditation, so forth and so on I'm just a person that likes to, um, experience new, new experiences in life.
Timothy Willis (01:21): Tell me about your time in this class.
Andre Jackson (01:24): This time in this class was very helpful for me. It was relaxing. It helped me get away from, um, the madness of being in prison. Um, it felt like I wasn't at prison at, at the moment even though it's a couple of minutes, ah, maybe an hour or two. It takes me away from, ah, my present and true situation, which is we being here in jail.
Timothy Willis (01:48): How did being in this class make you feel?
Andre Jackson (01:51): It made me feel comfortable. It made me feel like I was being paid attention to. It made me feel that open-mindedness as in being in jail sometimes doing certain things is very close-minded, and you can't do certain things. But here, I was able to open up and be myself.
Timothy Willis (02:14): Tell me about your favorite memory from this class.
Andre Jackson (02:17): My favorite memory is with Ms. S. always being so nice after being in this madness of a jail all the time and just being around somebody that's actually nice and, and, and helping us out to, um, figure, figure the things that we got going on.
Timothy Willis (02:38): What, if anything, did you learn from this course that you just completed?
Andre Jackson (02:44): Well, I learned new stretches. I learned how to breathe better. I learned, um, um, how to, how to... How to incorporate myself with other individuals as in myself. Um, I learned how to think. And s- a couple of other things, but for right now that don't come to mind.
Timothy Willis (03:04): What was something you hoped to learn?
Andre Jackson (03:08): Um, I don't know if I got it down pat, but I was able to, um, learn how to start meditating. Uh, I don't have it down pat, but I was able to start meditating. I learned some stretches. And I learned just how to be around other individuals.
Timothy Willis (03:25): >What surprised you?
Andre Jackson (03:28): Surprised me that individuals in this kind of setting would even want to come here.
Timothy Willis (03:33): How did you experience in this class compare to what you expected?
Andre Jackson (03:39): Well, I expected it to be a little bit more aggressive 'cause of the type of individuals that I'm in here with. But, the reality is it, it wasn't even like that. Everybody was cool and nice, and willing to participate. Nobody was acting a fool.
(03:57):
And everybody was acting as an adult here. You know? Nobody judged nobody here.
Timothy Willis (04:02): All right. What does this space offer you that differs from other spaces you've been a part of?
Andre Jackson (04:09): That it's more peace and quiet here, and that the space that I'm in every day is constant chaos. And we happen to deal with, with a jail system in here is very, very, very hard.
Timothy Willis (04:22): What is something you like to carry forward with you from this class?
Andre Jackson (04:27): The peace and the tranquility that I received here, the exercises, the, um, the meditation, and just the time of being able to deal with other people.
Timothy Willis (04:40): Is there anything you haven't shared in this class, yet, that you would like to, like the opportunity to share?
Andre Jackson (04:47): That basically, ah, I really like this class, and if I had the opportunity and if it was... If it, if it was a daily thing I would definitely come. I would love for it to be a more frequent thing, but because of our situation we have to, um, go with whatever it is we got to go with.
Timothy Willis (05:06): What would you like someone on the outside to know about participating in this class?
Andre Jackson (05:12): That it's very tranquil, it's peace in mind, it's something that you feel welcomed to. And it's something that you can enjoy. And I think it helps you physically by stretching, doing the yoga. Mentally, it gets you out of a, a, a bad space if you are in one, as in myself.
Timothy Willis (05:31): Is there anything you wrote in the written survey that you would like to say more about here?
Andre Jackson (05:38): Um, not really 'cause all these questions, basically, um, sum up everything that I woulda, I would have...would have like to have said other than, you know, this is a really very good program. And I appreciate it.
Timothy Willis (05:54): I have a question outside of the paperwork.
Andre Jackson (05:56): Copy.
Timothy Willis (05:57): Are you gonna share this with the brothers back at the dorm?
Andre Jackson (06:01): I already tried, but they not receptive because, um, where I'm, where I'm at, I'm in the back so it's more of a lotta younger brothers and they more into what they into. You know?
Timothy Willis (06:12): Right.
Andre Jackson (06:12): So, you know, I gave out... I gave out, um, suggestions and advice.
Timothy Willis (06:17): Mm-hmm.
Andre Jackson (06:17): If they wanted to come. And the... Or, if the question's would I share it? I already have.
Timothy Willis (06:24): Okay. Well, how about your Muslim population? Have you shared it with the brothers in the, in, in class?
Andre Jackson (06:32): That's, um... That's a weird question for me, per se, 'cause, um, my situation here. And, um, because this jail is so erratic.
Timothy Willis (06:45): Okay.
Andre Jackson (06:46): I'm not actually part of the, um, community right now.
Timothy Willis (06:49): Okay, but, I ge-
Andre Jackson (06:50): But I am Muslim.
Timothy Willis (06:51): I... Keep the faith because-
Andre Jackson (06:53): Got you.
Timothy Willis (06:54): ... God is the, the best, basic judge.
Andre Jackson (06:56): Got you.
Timothy Willis (06:57): Thank you for this interview.
Andre Jackson (06:58): You're welcome.