POSITIVE ACTIONS was added to the GOGI Toolbox during the two year period when the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department permitted the first ever GOGI Campus. In this 24 bed jail housing module, which was also as the former housing unit for movie actor Robert Downey Jr. and Paris Hilton (not housed there at the same time, obviously), the GOGI Campus was home to a total of 350 women who came into and left out…
“What is GOGI?” I get that question a lot from friends, family and people I meet as I work to grow our GOGI community ‘outside the wall’. I found that an explanation of the benefits of GOGI for the ‘free’ community was needed since GOGI was created ‘inside the wall’ by prisoners for prisoners. The ‘rehabilitative’ benefits of the 12 Tools of GOGI are well explained and documented. What the ‘free’ community needs to hear…
Image Credit: Art is a gift to GOGI from GOGI student KEITH ERICKSON On a recent site visit to Salinas Valley State Prison in California a GOGI student stated that his favorite tool was POSITIVE WORDS. He told us a story about his youth. He was subjected to a lot of negative comments. He was told he was stupid, no good, a problem, unwanted. He was told he was destined for prison and that he…
How the heck are you GOGI Nation?? Streetwise GOGI Tamara here to share some ‘Insight from the Inside’ with you! Check out this rad GOGI poem written by one of our GOGI Leaders from Ironwood State Prison. GOGI is Longevity By Vincent ‘BOBO’ Crama GOGl is a program, To help you self-exam, So please give a damn! There are twelve steps, To help you get prepped, So that your understanding becomes more in depth There…
GOGI Peeps! Streewise GOGI Tamara here to take you back in time ……. Almost every child dreams of being a superhero. The desire to help others and be of service comes naturally to children; almost as if it’s inborn in them. I remember wanting to be Wonder Woman from a very young age. Not only did she have a cool invisible plane but she helped people. I remember begging my parents to buy me…
Part of THE THREE P’s, POSITIVE THOUGHTS belongs to the Section of Tools called TOOLS OF CHOICE. In this Section of Tools, POSITIVE THOUGHTS, POSITIVE WORDS and POSITIVE ACTIONS enables the GOGI student to create possibilities where some people say there are none. While the three tools in this section are linked, it is through POSITIVE THOUGHTS that the creation of your life becomes very interesting. POSITIVE THOUGHTS creates space in your mind for possibilities…
Your key is to FLIP THE SWITCH and claim your right to be in command of your mind’s and your body’s activities. It can be YOUR choice to make a weak or a strong decision when you put to use your FIVE SECOND LIGHTSWITCH.
My GOGI Peeps, how are you today? Streetwise GOGI Tamara here to drop a little reality on you. This past Saturday, I attended a women’s empowerment event, as a GOGI/TG4L! Rep, and was asked to speak about GOGI. The subject matter at this event focused on abuse of all kinds within our prisons, communities and families. I met some amazingly strong and resilient women. The subject matter hit very close to home for me, as…
BELLY BREATHING is one of those tools that frequently creates the illusion of GOGI being too simple to actually work at changing anything in a persons life. But it is often the most simple adjustments we make in our lives which generates the most profound momentum in our desired direction. When we truly master BELLY BREATHING there is no decision beyond our awareness, each of our decisions become consciously created and the inherent ownership we…
It was sitting on the tile floor of the chapel at FCI Terminal Island in San Pedro, California where the first GOGI student uttered the words BOSS OF MY BRAIN. Actually, what he said was something like, “You mean you are telling me that I am the boss of my brain?” This concept struck a cord with him, as if it was a new concept that he was able to maintain control of the activities…
