Here is an opportunity to build community between a Girl Scout troop, their incarcerated moms, the incarcerated at San Quentin, and community members like you and me.

The Girl Scout troop, comprised of girls across California whose moms are incarcerated, has an opportunity to normalize their lives. Instead of being the girl whose mom is in prison, she gets to be known as a Girl Scout. Relationships between mother and daughter are normalized as the moms learn how to be Girl Scout leaders. In their second year, this is the first year that they will be out in their communities selling Girl Scout cookies with Girl Scout staff. Selling cookies to help the men celebrate Juneteenth helps them participate in many activities.

One of the troop members said, "I really love the cool things we have been able to do. We went to the farm with all the other Girl Scouts to learn about animals. I got to make my very first Build-a-Bear, which has skates on, and we ate Raising Canes for dinner. Santa came to our house with the ladies from Girl Scouts, and they brought us presents and food. One thing I am looking forward to is camping with all the girls again. This summer is going to be the best summer ever!"

One of the incarcerated moms/Girl Scout leaders said,

“It is good that we all reach out to help one another. This donation is important because it will give Girl Scout cookies to the men at San Quentin to celebrate freedom on Juneteenth and support the Girl Scout troop where we, as their moms, are incarcerated at CCWF. The moms, the girls, the men at San Quentin, and the community all benefit.”

You may wonder why a gift of a box of Girl Scout cookies matters. Marcus Henderson, who coordinated the Juneteenth event last year at San Quentin and is now a contributing member of society, said, “In the spirit of this historic day, the community supporting the CCWF Girl Scout troop deliver cookies to the men at San Quentin will give the men at San Quentin hope that their communities might support them in their second chance as contributing members of society.”

I have observed that giving hope to the incarcerated supports their rehabilitation journey, which prepares them to return to society and contribute meaningfully. A box of cookies provided by community members may not seem like a lot, but knowing that people outside the prison walls thought of them can be life-changing for a group of people who have been separated from society.