By Crystal M. Hayes
Article Reprint
My father, Robert Seth Hayes, is one of the longest held political prisoners in the United States. He has been an inmate of the New York State Correctional system since 1973. He was a member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army. I was only two years old at the time of his incarceration. From the moment he entered prison, he has never forgotten his family, friends, or community. From behind prison walls, he continues to work hard to selflessly give of himself in ways that restores and heals. At 66 years-old, he works as an advocate for prisoners with disabilities, and over the years he has mentored hundreds of incoming gang members preparing them for a life beyond incarceration. His accomplishments and service are too many to mention here, but he has never forgotten or abandoned his social justice principles or commitment to community and family. Prison did not steal or break his spirit. It renewed it.