My name is Dwayne "Bim" Staats, the founder of Believing In Myself LLC, co-founder of Rebellious Hearts, and one of the Vaughn 17 defendants found guilty of charges associated with the February 1, 2017 uprising at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC).

Me representing myself at trial wasn't just about making sure my co-d’s received a favorable outcome. It was an opportunity to publicly expose the deplorable conditions, the physical, mental and emotional abuses, and other immoral practices used by guards, the prison administration, and the department of corrections. That's what compelled me and my comrades (not to be confused with codefendants) to fight for the grandfathers, fathers, uncles, brothers and sons who make up the prisoner population. Our mindset was: we'd be the few who'd sacrifice for the greater good of all.

My incarceration started August 31, 2004, after an all white jury found me guilty of Murder. I was sentenced to life without parole. I was 22 years old. I didn't have a juvenile record so this was my first experience as a prisoner. From the start, it was clear that the method of operation at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center was that of absolute control. To them, being physically confined wasn't enough. They wanted our pride and dignity by any means necessary. I spent the first eight years of my incarceration in solitary confinement—mainly because I resisted their attempts to extinguish my flame. After my first decade in prison, I became consciously aware of my surroundings. I was able to comprehend why most of the older inmates seemed as if all hope was lost, and I discovered why the young’ns were leaving prison worse off than how they came in. I concluded that the prisoner collective was being attacked psychologically and was suffocating from a lack of mental oxygen.

Y'all gotta understand before February 1, 2017, JTVCC was in a state of nothingness. No offense to any prisoner advocacy groups around back then, but the DOC made sure no outside presence was felt within these walls. That's why the uprising had to happen. Why it fell on my shoulders, who knows. One thing about life is, once your number is called, you either perform or become that which you despise. Long ago, God equipped me with the fearlessness and compassion necessary to engage my adversaries on any level the situation necessitates. Basically, me and my comrades had enough heart to match their energy.

I'll forever maintain that the uprising was born from a righteous intent. Unfortunately, prisoners who stand their ground against the imminent dangers of oppression don't get the benefit of claiming self-defense. The system will always refuse to view people like me as SURVIVORS. Therefore, the most feasible route to my liberation has to come from the power of the people.

I’ve been housed in solitary confinement for the past eight years. Five of those years were spent on lockdown at different facilities in Pennsylvania. The reality is I'm indefinitely housed in maximum security because I'm deemed a threat to a corrupt system. For that, they want y'all to believe I'm a danger to our community (who amongst the people going to cosign that?) I'd prefer not to be in solitary confinement, but that's something I can handle on my own. What I'm asking is for any empathy, resources, benevolence and concern for my situation be channeled towards my freedom. For over 21 years, I've navigated the lowest rung of humanity by staying grounded within the belief in myself. I was able to preserve my integrity, stay true to my core values, elevate my mind, and grow into a leader. Now I know I'm ready to be a productive member of society. (I put that on Dev). I'm a student of the struggle so I fully understand that the greatest leaders were servants of the people. When I say servants, I mean those who were committed to the empowerment of the community and provided opportunities and hope to the people. That's what my Believing In Myself brand stands on.

Like I mentioned, my liberation is tied to the power of you all. That said, I humbly ask that you familiarize yourselves with me and my circumstances by reading and sharing my book Rebellious Hearts. You also can write a message to the governor Matt Meyer here or write him a letter at 820 N. French Street, 12th Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801, post on social media, and help me obtain a significant amount of signatures in support of my release.

Much Respect and Continual Blessings,

Bim