My Visit to the Francisco House

Last night I had the privilege of meeting the men of the Francisco Transition House. I have to admit, it was a bit of a scary feeling knowing that the house to former ex-convicts was only a 5-minute car way from the University of Southern California. However, I knew that I had to go in with a open mind and an open heart. It was a bit of a shock when all the men living at the house welcomed us with open arms and smiles; it was then that I realized how much of a rewarding experience this would actually be.

Upon entering the house, I was immediately amazed by the elaborate décor of both the exterior and interior of the house. The home was so well maintained; as I looked around I could not see one once of dust in any corner and every room was so well kept. We began the meeting by introducing ourselves and listening to a few of the men’s stories. They didn’t seem to want to go into much detail about how they were incarcerated, but they were more than happy to speak about their lives in and before prison. As we waited for the official house meeting to begin, they told us a little bit about their struggles to find work and the negative association that comes with being an ex-convict.

The meeting was lead by one of the housemates and as we went around the room each person involved with Families of the Incarcerated was given an opportunity to say what they most appreciated most about their day. This is a Native American activity and the time was to be used for each member to openly state their feelings with no interruptions or hostility. Being able to listen to all the stories and unique experiences each individual person had been a rewarding experience. I look forward to learning more about each individual specific situation.