Ramadan Behind Bars

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Ramadan Kareem and Eid Mubarak. The month of Ramadan is very challenging when you are behind bars. Is so difficult that It puts a lot of thing's in to perspective's. I miss going to the Mosque during the prayers dearly. I miss the kind gestures and the peaceful energy our Islamic Communities express to the world during this month of Ramadan. I miss the food and the cooking that take place within our Islamic households. I miss the love, the togetherness, and the overall sense of unity that the month of Ramadan creates within our Islamic communities. It's not that easy creating that kind of sense of community here in prison. Besides, is not like the facility administration would allow that kind of unity and community amongst us if that was ever to be possible. The more divided we the inmate's are, the better their prison system operates.

The Islamic community is very small here in Rush City correctional facility. The administration don't prioritize our Islamic culture and practices as they should. They don't allow us to do something as simple as praying together which is very significant in Islam. We don't exercise our culture and Freedom of Religion like the way Muslim's suppose to during the month of Ramadan. In prison where inmate's usually lean towards GOD and religion for Strength and guidance the DOC Administration do what they can to discourage that and not allow that to happen by placing restrictions and unfriendly policies on every religious services. The programs that they currently have in place for religious purposes are simply window dressing for optics. It looks good to the naked eyes but the individuals like myself who is experiencing it and depending on the administration to provide me with proper religious practices are being failed exponentially here. Hopefully this article captures someone in a prominent position attention who can help create changes with the way the Minnesota DOC operating with their religious services and practices. After all, the purpose of prison is rehabilitation and religion play's a major role in rehabilitation. Prison reform is important.

"My name is, Randy L Allen OID 264412. I'm a White/Middle eastern male incarcerated. My Islamic Name is Abdullah Guardian Hakim. I am 35 years old. my biological father was White and my biological mother was middle eastern in which she has passed when I was quite younger. I can, and will vouch for the facts stated here in. I depend on my religion in helping me in my rehabilitation, and I also depend on the Minnesota DOC Administration to provide but they fail in so many ways it's unconstitutional on it's face. living with and around Mr Ali has put inspiration in me as a short time individual to want to be better man and more importantly a Voice for HIM and Islam as a whole thus going forward.

Free my brother Mahdi Ali!"

Call to Action

I never thought I would say this out loud, but not having a male role model is something that deeply affected me growing up. The older I get the deeper I understand the significance of it. My upbringing was so difficult that I just want the simple things in life like creating a family of my own one day and giving them all the things that I missed out on during my childhood. I never even had a chance to start living because my freedom was taken away too soon.

Going to prison at a young age uprooted my livelihood and left me on the outside looking in on life. Not a day goes by without me hoping, wishing or Praying to get a break on my case so I can really get a taste of all I have missed out on in life. There were times where my life felt meaningless and I really couldn't make sense of life. All these years in prison have stunted my growth as human being. It probably would have been different had I came to prison as an adult who had gotten to experience some of what life has to offer. But getting locked up very young only added to my confusion and made it that much worse when it comes to experiences and lack there of when it comes to my life. I honestly can sit here today and say that I can't think of a moment in my life that's worth mentioning and labeling as the best or greatest moment of my life, but I won't go there.

I think of everyday as a blessing

I'm really appreciative of the little things, in this thing we call life. I look at everyday as a blessing. This experience has taught me to not take anything for granted. Don't get me wrong, I had memorable moments here and there that's worth mentioning like when I earned my paralegal degree from Black Stone Career Institute. It was a moment that helped me feel a sense of accomplishment. I felt proud, relieved and more importantly educated. But nothing like what the average 30 year old individual thinks of when it comes to a moment in their life worth mentioning. As good and wonderful of a day that day was for me, I was still an inmate in a maximum security prison for a crime which I didn't commit. It's hard to even feel free inside and enjoy the accomplishment even in a moment like that under the circumstances.

Simply put, being Innocent is the only thing that helped me keep my head above water all these years. Not a day goes bye without me thinking about a way to help exonerate myself. All I do is work on my case or find ways to network and connect with people who can help me bring awareness to my case, my story and my Wrongful Conviction. I have written countless letters to people across the country: to celebrities, athletes, organizations and even individuals in prominent positions with the hopes of one day catching someone's attention who can help me bring attention to my case. I can honestly say I have written thousands of letters all across the country. LeBron James, Kim Kardashion, The Marshall Project, The Innocent Project and Jay-Z ROC Nation are among the people and places I have written letters to, just to name a few. I haven't gotten any of their attention yet to help me with my case thus far. Who knows, maybe soon, l hope....

In here it is easy to feel no one cares, a feeling reinforced often by staff. But you have shown people do care. I underestimated the heart of the people out there all these years. The teachers, students, and all others concerned about injustice. The state underestimates the power of our community here in the state of Minnesota. You have now heard my story. You know how I was wrongfully convicted and left to languish in prison while just a youth at the time when I should have been being mentored on how to become an adult. Some of you have heard of the ordeals I have faced in here. Each of you have a voice. I call on you to use it. Make your voice known.

Each of you have a voice. I call on you to use it. Make your voice known.

To Our Youth

I know difficult times and hardship can make life seem very meaningless at times. I also understand the trouble concerning our youth today because I was once under the same circumstances. You're probably going through the same challenges I was once struggling with. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I made during my time. I was not mature enough to understand what I was lacking at times, which was some sort of positive guidance, parental support, and mentorship for that matter. It seems like all I had around me during those days in my company were no good people.

I don't want you to make the same mistakes I made during my time.

Eventually that crowd of people led me to the position I'm in today, which is currently sitting in a prison cell as an innocent man for a crime which I didn't commit. I vividly remember struggling with my whole perspective on life during those days, and I didn't have the courage to seek for HELP. I was concerned about how seeking help would expose my vulnerability when in all reality I should have been way more focused on rescuing my life. But when you are a kid which I was in those days, that seemed to be the normal way of thinking. Please don't make the same mistakes I made. Take it from me, a young teenager who watched his life changed for the worst, before the public's eyes due to the high profile nature of my case during that time in the State of Minnesota. If there is any individual who can relate to the trouble concerning today's youth, specifically in the urban area communities, that individual is me, my young Brothers and Sisters.

Don't be afraid of seeking help

Use my mistakes as your learning experiences, and utilize my current situation in life to your advantage as a learning lesson. Go look for help! Don't be afraid of seeking help. A person's worst nightmares at times can be making the same mistakes twice. I believe that had I been outspoken about my teenage struggles during my days, and requested the necessary help, and found the mentorship support I needed, I wouldn't been in this current predicament that I'm in today. Looking back now I know that the STREETS aren't what they all seem to be, and everything that glitters is not gold. I have learned the hard way. My advice to you is if you are a young struggling male or female, look for Help. Reconsider your values in life and where you decide to place them while you have the options or else the path you are headed now will most likely lead you to a situation where you will lose the privilege to make your own decisions freely. I want you to step out of your elements or comfort zone for once and seek out as much help as possible from all your loved ones that you feel comfortable in communicating with. Please allow yourself a moment of vulnerability, letting your guard down, and letting in the family members who care about you the most. We all have flaws that might seem very uncomfortable to share with family, and those closest to us. You are not alone in that regard. If you feel like you have people who are willing to help you, please use their support. The majority of the youth who struggle to make the transition to adulthood through their mid teens usually lack family, and support system. This is a very major excuse used by an enormous portion of the struggling youth population to justify their mistakes. To be quite honest, unfortunately that's the truth. That was the case in my story, and lacking that support system left me to make mistakes during my youth that I believe I would have avoided otherwise. Once again , I'm speaking from my own experiences so take my advice for what it's worth. At the end of the day you're the one who deals with the consequences of your actions whether good or bad...

At the end of the day you're the one who deals with the consequences of your actions whether good or bad...