Ronnie Goodman (1960-2020) was a self-taught homeless artist and former distance runner living in San Francisco inspired by the beauty of the city and its diversity, balanced with the struggles of human despair. With his brush he tried to capture these raw emotions in painted images. His artwork has been featured in numerous venues, including previous issues of the Journal of Prisoners on Prisons in 2013 (Volume 22, Number 2) and 2014 (Volume 23, Number 1). At that time, he wrote: I am sad to say I spent most of my life in and out of prisons battling drug addiction and struggling to find my own voice and way to a meaningful life. A twisted act of fate brought me to San Quentin State Prison on a ten year term for burglary in 2003. There I signed up for the San Quentin Art Programs and the running club – that was the start of my new existence in life. I became a prolific artist and a long-distance runner, touched by the master artists and coaches who were my teachers and mentors. I was transformed into an artist and athlete, and not a prisoner. In 2010, I was released into society and into the despair of homelessness. However, a new life came to emerge through my running and creativity. My redemption: to contribute to raising the awareness of our social ills and to give back through my art and my running. I contribute by telling my story and donating my art – I recently donated a piece to the San Francisco Marathon as a fundraiser for Hospitality House, a homeless advocacy non-profit. Ronnie’s artwork and media stories about his many contributions can be viewed online at: http://www.ronniegoodman.com
