Lam Vo Archives - Oakland Voices

An Asian American man sits in a chair inside a room with a sign that says "no more" and a photo of a ramen packet.

Back home in Oakland, I’m embracing a healthier life after prison

August 14, 2024 Lam Vo

Lam Vo describes his reentry experience after 15 years incarcerated, and the support he’s received from programs and family.

On the way to new prison “home,” Lam Vo sees outside world for the first time in seven years

October 17, 2016 Debora Gordon

“I’m told Tehachapi does snow, so I can’t wait to see the hills powdered with pure white snow. It will be a wonderful sight that I have not seen in a long time since going

BECOME AN EAST OAKLAND STORYTELLER

August 11, 2016 Oakland Voices

By Brenda Payton OAKLAND VOICES COORDINATOR EAST OAKLAND – Oakland Voices correspondents have written about volunteers who are feeding poor people in their neighborhoods, resilient family members, organizations devoted to improving their communities as well

A Day in the Life of Lam Vo

March 5, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Lam ended a recent letter with “Write me when you find the time. I certainly have all the time in the world to wait.” This prompted me to ask him what it

Looking at Lam and what needs to Be done

February 23, 2013 Debora Gordon

Lam was, and perhaps still is, a young man with a lot of potential. He could have gone on to lead a life of commonplace trials and triumphs; having a family, a job or a career,

A Call to Lam’s Mother

February 20, 2013 Debora Gordon

Many, perhaps most, parts of this story have been hard to tell. I often imagine someone who might be personally affected by a particular part of the story looking over my shoulder. As I write

School-to-Prison Pipeline

February 13, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Every time a student does poorly in school, or drops out, there is likely a great increase in the chances he will wind up in prison. I recall in my discussion with

Going to Prison, Part III: Lam Tells His Story

February 11, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon On Sunday, December 9th, I headed back to prison. When I arrived, I learned the previous day’s lock down had been lifted. Many of the same visitors were there again. The woman

Going to Prison, Part II: Getting In, the Visiting Room, and Lockdown

February 4, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon After my visit with Lt. Smith, I had some time to kill that Friday evening in Delano, California. While there may be more than meets the tourist eye, what the casual passer-through

Going to Prison, Part I

January 28, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon I drove down to visit Lam in the Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) the weekend of December 7ththrough December 10th. I checked in by phone and email with the Public Information Officer,