In rural Kings County, barbed wire lines the Avenal State Prison.
Inside, time passes slowly. Hours feel like weeks and days feel like years.
“When I first got incarcerated, I lost everything. My daughter was on the way to be born. I lost the opportunity to be a father to her out in the streets,” said Freddy Avalon, an inmate.
In 2011, Avalos hit rock bottom.
He was arrested for a shooting in Tracy. In 2013, he was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for firearms and assault charges.
“I understood I committed a crime and now I am paying the consequences for it, but it doesn’t mean I should just throw in the towel,” said Avalos.
Instead of sulking in his cell, Avalos and about 80 other inmates are using movement as medicine.
The group is a part of “CrossFit 1 Kings Way”, the state’s first CrossFit prison program.
CrossFit waived affiliate fees, provides seminar training and certificates, with the goal of pushing inmates towards employment once released.
“We have 13 trainers that have a Level One training certificate that allows them, upon release, to walk into an affiliate and apply for employment,” said Director of Operations at CrossFit 1 Kings Way, Bryan Eskew.
Sayings written on the wall include “leave your ego at the door”, and the murals created by the inmates remind those a part of the program that their hard work will pay off.
“Whether they are fighting to get out… or they are about to get out because it is their time… this course is offering the court a huge opportunity for these individuals to get out and make a big impact on the community,” said CrossFit Senior Trainer Nick Thompson.
41-year-old Edward Razo is one of the founding members and is the Head Coach of CrossFit 1 Kings Way. He has been in and out of prison since 2003 for his involvement with gangs.
“You come in here and there is no hope.”
Even though he is serving a life sentence for 2nd degree murder, he hopes to impact his peers and reduce the stigma around inmates.
“These people may have committed horrible crimes for those things. Right, we can’t change those things, but moving forward, we can make things better and the way we live our lives is going to demonstrate that ugly person doesn’t live in us anymore,” said Razo
Avalos plans to use his certification if he is granted parole to start programs similar to the one in Avenal at juvenile detention facilities in the future.
“To show that there is something out there other than gangs. Other than drugs. Other than violence. That there is hope for them,” said Avalos.
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