Support Cameron in his release transition

Cameron has been incarcerated since December 8th, 2010, when he was 19 years old. He is set to be released in August 2024, at the age of 32.

Cameron grew up in Portland, Oregon. He became involved with drugs at a very young age and at 17 was exposed to heroin. Less than 2 years into his addiction, he committed robbery and was arrested and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Getting involved in the negative aspects of the prison environment, he became involved in gang activity and spent several years in solitary confinement. This led to a fight at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institute in 2014, where a correctional officer shot and killed his best friend, Jayson. Watching his friend be killed was very traumatizing for Cameron and it took time to come to grips with this experience. He also received an additional 2 years for his role in this incident.

However, in 2018, Cameron had a personal transformation. In his words, “I realize everything I had done in my life, perpetuated negativity. This was a terrible feeling. Realizing that I was a bad person was a grueling insight. However, it has been a motivating force for me from that day on.”

For several years, Cameron ran a mentoring program for those living with severe mental illness. He then helped create the nation’s first drug diversion program in a maximum-security prison. In this process, he has earned a series of state certifications: Certified Recovery Mentor II, Certified Gambling Recovery Mentor, Peer Wellness Specialist, Personal Fitness Coach, and a Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor. He has found a purpose in helping others and plans to keep doing this work once he is released.

In addition to mentoring and counseling work, he is also the lead facilitator of the Restorative Justice Program at the Oregon State Penitentiary. In this work, he has helped create several programs, including a domestic violence prevention program, a gang intervention program, and a conflict mediation training program. He is also a college student and will continue his education at the University of Oregon in the fall term.

Though Cameron has worked hard to better himself and those around him to prepare for release, this has left him with little monetary resources. He will need clothes, hygiene, food, a vehicle, and housing upon release and has no savings to secure these necessities. Thanks to anyone that can help in any way possible.

If you are interested in learning more about Cameron he was involved in the making amends podcast and is featured in Episode 3