The Men’s Workshop
Changing lives.
Sometime after James Enoch Banks (Enoch to me) had his epiphany that he was not a gangsta, Enoch began to consider what it meant to be a man—not just a man, but a good man who was also a good husband, father, provider, friend, citizen. He commenced to read about and to discuss the subject with like-minded men in white*. Enoch also began to write and circulate powerful pieces setting forth what he had learned and what he believed and knew to be true. See Enoch Says.
The conversations between Enoch and his fellow men in white took place in the common rooms of the dormitories at Torres.** Conversations attracted other men and, in time, led to the creation of the course named The Men’s Workshop, a course taught by men in white to men in white.
Enoch forwarded the cobbled-together materials constituting The Men’s Workshop to me asking help in getting it printed and bound. Recognizing the words of God when I read them and believing the course would transform lives, I resolved to not only get the workbook published but to make sure it was beautiful. I wanted the physical workbook to pay homage to its content and I wanted the men in white to receive something beautiful.
I am married to the most talented publisher of beautiful books in the country. We solicited Andréa Caillouet to do the book design and typography for the workbook. There are no better than Andréa. She did the layout work for Cappy Lawton’s book Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mex. Andréa contributed her work as a gift to me and because she wanted to support Enoch’s noble cause.
Genie and Ron Calgaard, champions of education with huge hearts, made a generous contribution to Enoch Says, which enabled the publication of 1,000 workbooks.
The Men’s Workshop is presently being taught in four Texas prisons—Briscoe Unit, Torres Unit, Vance Unit and McConnell Unit**. Enoch and his wife, Kenae, have been going into the Briscoe Unit every Tuesday to teach the course to more than sixty men. Reviews written by men in white prove that the course is changing lives. When I can manage the technology, I’ll post some of the recorded and some of the written reviews.
We have learned a great deal since The Men’s Workshop was first offered. Enoch Says is in the process of preparing a revised edition of the workbook. We are also in the process of raising funds to have those workbooks printed. Contributions can be sent to Enoch Says, c/o Drew Cauthorn, 427 Evans Ave., San Antonio, TX 78209. Enoch Says is a Texas 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.
*In Texas prisons, all inmates wear white.
**The Torres Unit is a Texas state prison located near Hondo, Texas. The Briscoe Unit is located near Diley, the Vance Unit near Houston and the McConnell Unit near Beeville.