Cheat sheet for people in prison.

You can't control much in there. You can control what you show. Pick acts that are safe for you, and put your safety first.

1. Protect the new person.
   The first week is the hardest. Show them where things are.

   Say"Here is how this place works. Ask me anything."
2. Don't join the pile-on.
   When the block turns on someone, you don't have to speak up and you don't have to laugh. Walk away. A quiet refusal counts.
3. Share what you have.
   A stamp, a soup, a phone minute. Give it without making it a debt.

   Say"You don't owe me anything."
4. Teach one thing.
   Reading, math for the GED, a trade, a language.

   Say"Sit with me twenty minutes a day."
5. Write or read for someone who can't.
   Letters, forms, appeals. Do it free, and keep what they tell you private.
6. Keep your word on small things.
   Show up when you said you would. Return what you borrowed. Trust is built in inches.
7. Take responsibility without excuses.
   Say what you did, in plain words, to yourself first. Use the programs that let you do this safely. Never contact a victim on your own.
8. Answer harm without more harm.
   When someone disrespects you, take one breath. Walk if you can. Revenge is the cheapest move there is.

   Say"We're good."
9. Write the letter you'll send out.
   To your family, or to the person you hurt if they have asked for contact through a program. Write it even if you never mail it.

Safety comes first. Choose acts that won't put you at risk, and talk to a counselor or case manager if you can.

This is practical, not religious. I think what you show with your choices is what counts. Share it freely.