An Evening of Short Films with Rahsaan “New York” Thomas

An Evening of Short Films with Rahsaan “New York” Thomas

Friendly Signs (USA, 2022, 22 minutes) - The needs of incarcerated deaf people are often not served. Tommy Wickerd grew up signing with his deaf brother. When Tommy found out that 12 deaf people were being transferred to San Quentin where he is incarcerated, he started a sign language class to teach everyone willing to learn to make San Quentin a welcoming space for deaf people.

I Do: Finding Love Behind Bars (USA, 2024, 30 minutes) - Follows a Black couple (the exuberant Whitney and the optimistic Larry) who met through an online dating platform and found happiness while Larry was still incarcerated. This charming film about Black love pushes back against the narrative that Black men in Pr*son are out to use women by showcasing what love behind bars actually looks like.

Painting Ourselves Into Society (USA, 2025, 27 minutes) Incarcerated artists paint what it it means to be in Pr*son and still be part of society. Their responses accumulate into an exhibit at the Berkeley Arts Center.

While imprisoned, Rahsaan “New York” Thomas used his voice to have a positive impact. He published over 50 stories with organizations like the Boston Globe, Business Insider, Slate, and Apogee Journal with the help of Empowerment Avenue, an organization he co-founded. Rahsaan is known as a participant in the Pulitzer Prize finalist podcast, Ear Hustle and is Co-Founder of the San Quentin Film Festival. He was paroled in February 2023 and is currently collaborating with incarcerated directors and the Returning Filmmaker Fund.

Host or Publisher Scribe Video Center