CCWF joins Boundless Freedom Project’s 5K

On June 22, 2024 — despite intense, triple-digit summer temperatures—140 individuals at CCWF on Facility C participated in a 5K run held in solidarity with the Boundless Freedom Project.

Boundless Freedom Project is a non-profit that offers Buddhist teachings, meditative movement, ethics and mindfulness training to people incarcerated in California. This year, the group organized a “virtual” 5K run called “Strides for Freedom,” which invited runners both inside and outside prison to participate no matter where they are, to promote unity, mindfulness and healing for those impacted by incarceration.

According to Boundless Freedom Project executive director Ayla Benjamin, the event drew more than 615 participants from inside the California state prisons including CCWF, San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Pelican Bay State Prison, California Men’s Colony and California State Prison Solano. Runners on the outside also participated from locations throughout the United States including California, Minnesota, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Tennessee.

“Seeing the outpouring number of participants, knowing that we all collectively ran together on that particular day, is truly magical,” said Nhut Vo, a Boundless Freedom Project community coordinator and a former LWOP.

“There’s something profoundly moving about the awareness that, under the blue sky across various locations, we were all running together with one spirit to liberate all,” Vo said.

Facility C’s participation was organized by CCWF resident Boualy Mangsanghanh in an effort to help build community and bring greater awareness to the benefits of mindfulness. According to Mangsanghanh, her daily mindfulness practice brings her mental stability and is a part of her healthy lifestyle.

“If you are not mindful, you are not wholly present in the moment,” Mangsanghanh said, and this can always end up costing you in some way. You miss out on life.

The 5K was a resounding success. It was noted that there was not a single alarm on Facility C throughout the entirety of the event.

Facility C Administration Captain Stephen Rodriguez gave his full support to “a virtual event that advances mindfulness, a healthy cause and togetherness.”

Lieutenant Johnathon Cuske attended the event and supported the runners, encouraging their efforts and promoting mindfulness and emotional health. He stated that he was “very happy to see the number of people taking steps to be mindful of how their actions affect themselves, others and their environment around them.”

The sense of connection was important to runners too, like Anna Brown, who said, “knowing I have support and solidarity with my peers allows me a sense of peace.”