To begin my journey with Davis Vanguard, I would like you to know who I am, how I got here, and what motivates me to keep making progress. I’m Logan Swank, inmate AZ3143, convicted at twenty years old of 187(a) and sentenced to serve life without the possibility of parole in the California prison system. Prior to this conviction I was immature, impulsive, hateful, and a closed minded child. I let my greed, addiction, emotional instability, and desire to be accepted influence on my decisions, which led me down the path to prison.
During my incarceration, I have earned my GED, achieved sobriety (still an ongoing battle), graduated Merced College with two Associates degrees, and continued my education through the California State University, Fresno (CSUF) Bachelor’s program for a degree in social sciences, which has never been a priority in the past. Incarceration has changed me, it has made me a better person, and it has changed the way I see the world. However, with the exception of my GED, it was not accomplished with the help of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) custody, counselors, youth offender programs, or available “self-help” groups.
The most positive influence of my incarceration was and still is the college program(s). I joined Merced College for its in-person instruction as an attempt to pass time and get away from the negative influences that I was surrounded by. The college program(s) turned into something more than I could have ever expected. One notable program is the California State University, Fresno Incarcerated Debate Program (CSUF-IDP). The value of debate is severely underestimated and undervalued, yet it is one of the few things I have been exposed to that has actually taught me how to formulate and articulate a discussion without resorting to an argument or violence.
Here at Valley State Prison (VSP), the CSUF-IDP is one of the few programs that provide a chance to learn and practice critical reasoning skills, communication skills—it promotes team work, and, most importantly, it provides a humanizing atmosphere. The humanizing aspect of programs is a crucial contributing factor in regard to gaining and keeping an incarcerated individual’s attention, which gives me enough of a reason to look past the program’s imperfections.
Looking beyond the undeserved arrogance, self-proclaimed superiority, and self entitlement, the CSUF-IDP has become the highlight of my education journey. I have the privilege of being one of the eleven inaugural members and we are continually growing, learning, adapting, and improving. We have debated with and against CSUF students, we have debated against other prisons via Microsoft Teams, and we have many more opportunities for growth around the corner. This program has and continues to give a voice to many incarcerated students, including those serving life without the possibility of parole.
Our voice is one of the main things that CDCR tries to take away from every incarcerated individual and, let’s face it, the CDCR custody has the job the ensure the “safety” and “security” of the institution which essentially translates to opening and closing doors or gates, counting the incarcerated population, and monitoring movement. “Counselors” check on each incarcerated individual once a year to put us on wait lists and determines housing. The youth offender programs and “self-help” groups are typically reserved for inmates that are due to be released, or, at the very least, have an opportunity to get released. None of this is designed or expected to assist someone like myself. As a California inmate serving life without parole, there is no priority to receive help or rehabilitative opportunities. Fortunately, the incarcerated student program(s) is more than willing to teach those that want to learn.
Dr. Douglas Fraleigh and Dr. Monica Summers at CSUF, are not on!y dedicated Professors, Coaches, and Mentors, they are also the reason this program was established and the motivation behind its success. Collectively and with assistance of CSUF student volunteer Coach Rhiannon Genilla, they have been teaching effective group communication, active listening, critical reasoning, strategic planning, and the art of debating without arguing. All of these skills are necessary for an incarcerated individual to be reintegrated into society and greatly contributes to rehabilitation. This opportunity would not have been available to the incarcerated population if it weren’t for their dedication, guidance, patience, expertise, and ability to work cohesively with the VSP staff. Additionally, VSP Vice Principal Gregory Gadams has gone above and beyond to ensure that this program has ample support, resources, and training, while recruiting new members for the longevity of the program.
The CSUF-IDP has been one of the most transformative programs that I have been involved with. This program started out as an eleven-person project and has evolved into a program with more than twenty-four incarcerated members, and a wait list of potential members. During the year 2025, this program is looking to expand even further by debating against other California State Prisons, virtually attending out-of-state conferences, meetings, and accepting any challenges that come our way. While the program is not perfect (no program is), it functions to the best of its ability and our Coaches do their best to address any issues before they arrive.
I am proud to have helped start this program and reached the point of being recognized as an incarcerated Coach and mentor among my peers. This opportunity is not something that I have taken lightly, and it is not something that I take any credit for. I give full credit and respect to the teams, the professors, and volunteers that take time out of their schedules in order to maintain the program, schedule events, teach the new and returning students, and maintain a level of professionalism—while promoting a humanizing environment that motivates us to continue our improvement.
Every incarcerated individual faces a prison sentence of dehumanization where we are herded around like cattle, identified by our number, forced to work for little or no incentive, and collectively punished for the misbehavior of one individual. After more than ten years in this environment, finding motivation to move forward is a constant challenge that this program, and programs like it, help us overcome. Through coaching new members, assisting my peers, assisting my professors with grant writing and writing policies, I can pass my time while doing constructive and meaningful work that contributes to teaching other incarcerated individuals how to communicate effectively and think critically.
