In a story that reads like a Hollywood redemption script, Curtis Lee Ervin walked out of prison after 38 years, his first glimpse of moonlight serving as a powerful metaphor for hope and resilience.

A Journey Through Injustice

Ervin’s path to freedom wasn’t paved with gold, but with decades of legal battles and systemic racism. Convicted in a murder-for-hire case, his death sentence was ultimately overturned due to racial bias in jury selection - a stark reminder of how justice can be anything but just.

Breaking Free from The Row

When Governor Gavin Newsom ended California’s death penalty, Ervin’s world shifted. Transferred from the notorious San Quentin to a facility in Stockton, he described the experience as feeling like a “country club” - a poignant contrast to decades of confinement.

Reflections of a Changed World

Returning to a society radically transformed, Ervin was struck by how young Black men now casually use language that would have been unthinkable during his incarceration. His observation of “Ninja, ninja, ninja” conversations highlights the complex evolution of cultural communication.

At 72, with a herniated disc and a passion for jazz guitar, Ervin represents resilience personified - a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to endure and hope.