Jarvis Jay Masters is an African American Buddhist writer currently on Death Row at San Quentin State Prison. He was incarcerated for armed robbery as a teenager and sentenced to death for alleged involvement in the death of a prison guard. He became a Buddhist while in prison, taking vows from Tibetan teacher Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, and has since published many essays and stories about life in prison, most notably his highly acclaimed collection Finding Freedom: Writings from Death Row.
Jarvis has inspired people around the world for living a life of hope and peace in one of the most depressing and violent places, and many prominent teachers and community leaders have added their voices to the growing effort to reverse his wrongful conviction. Among them are Angela Farmer and Victor van Kooten, two of todays most respected yoga teachers. In this talk, Angela and Victor share their personal stories about Jarvis, their friendship, and their impressions of him as a person. For more information about Jarvis, the details of his case, and efforts to free him, please visit www.freejarvis.org. There you can also find excerpts of his writing and learn more about how you can help support his cause.