The 10P Program is a non-profit organization helping people develop the emotional tools to heal and grow - with a deep commitment to supporting sysytem-impacted communities.
Together, we can transform lives from the inside out
Since 2014, 10P has been on a mission to bring emotional literacy to individuals and communities—especially those impacted by the justice system. What began as a response to hopelessness has grown into a proven approach to rehabilitation, helping people regulate their emotions, make better decisions, and build stronger relationships.
While the challenges we face—violence, disconnection, and cycles of harm—are significant, we are optimistic. We’ve seen firsthand that when people are given the tools to understand themselves, everything changes. With the support of dedicated facilitators, community partners, and people like you, we are expanding access to emotional literacy every day.
If we work together, we believe we can break cycles, restore lives, and create healthier, more connected communities within our lifetime.
THE 10P ORIGIN STORY
Our Origin StoryThe 10P Program was born out of necessity—not in a boardroom, but inside a maximum-security Level IV prison at New Folsom in 2014. At the time, the environment was marked by violence, racial tension, drug overdoses, suicides, and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Many individuals felt they had nothing to live for and no clear path forward.
In the midst of that reality, a lifer prisoner voiced a simple but powerful truth to his supervisor: the men had lost hope. Her response was just as direct—“Do something about it.”That moment sparked the creation of what would become the 10P Program. Drawing from his lived experience, personal transformation, and countless hours spent in self-help and rehabilitative work, Sam developed a curriculum—one rooted in emotional literacy, accountability, and preparation for life beyond incarceration.
What began with just 30 participants quickly grew as word spread and the impact became undeniable. As participation increased, something began to shift. There was a noticeable decrease in violence and racial tension on the yard. Relationships improved. Communication changed. People began to see themselves—and their futures—differently.Because of these results, the program expanded across the entire institution, eventually reaching approximately 2,200 individuals, including those in mental health and administrative segregation housing.
By 2015, 10P earned front-page recognition in the Inside CDCR Newsletter—an unprecedented moment that highlighted its effectiveness and potential.10P originally stood for:“A Prisoner’s Parole Portfolio is Positive Programming and Prior Preparation that Prevents a Poor Performance.”As the program evolved and expanded beyond the prison system, so did its meaning. Today, 10P reflects a broader, more inclusive vision:“A Powerful Person’s Portfolio is Positive Programming and Prior Preparation to Provide Phenomenal Possibilities.
”What makes 10P unique is not just the curriculum—it’s the people. Every facilitator is trauma-informed, and many are formerly incarcerated individuals who have completed the program themselves. This shared lived experience creates authenticity, trust, and relatability that cannot be replicated.
Today, 10P continues to lead the way in innovative, emotionally grounded rehabilitation—reaching individuals across prisons, communities, and beyond. What started as a response to hopelessness has become a proven pathway to transformation. Because when people learn to understand themselves, everything changes.
By 2015, 10P earned front-page recognition in the Inside CDCR Newsletter—an unprecedented moment that highlighted its effectiveness and potential.10P originally stood for:“A Prisoner’s Parole Portfolio is Positive Programming and Prior Preparation that Prevents a Poor Performance.”As the program evolved and expanded beyond the prison system, so did its meaning. Today, 10P reflects a broader, more inclusive vision:“A Powerful Person’s Portfolio is Positive Programming and Prior Preparation to Provide Phenomenal Possibilities.”What makes 10P unique is not just the curriculum—it’s the people. Every facilitator is trauma-informed, and many are formerly incarcerated individuals who have completed the program themselves. This shared lived experience creates authenticity, trust, and relatability that cannot be replicated.
"Anytime is a good time to better yourself, and no time is better than the present." - 10P Motto
MEET THE FOUNDER
My name is Samual Nathaniel Brown. I am an artist, an educator, a philosopher, a spoken word poet, and an organizer. I paroled from Lancaster in December of 2021, after serving 24 years in California State Prisons. I did a great deal of maturing spiritually and physically in those 24 years, and through my own healing and transformation, have been able to create pathways for others to realize their potential through social-emotional learning. In addition to my personal experience, I also bring many skills, many of which were honed during my incarceration.
After thousands of hours of engaging in all of the self-help programs I could access inside, I learned to lead and facilitate those programs. I went on to found the 10P Program in New Folsom Prison in 2014. The program was geared toward effectuating emotional literacy and showing people that change is possible within themselves. We prepared men to step back into society better than when they came in. The program has a proven success record and has expanded to two additional prisons. At one point, there was a 10-year waitlist to join the 10P program at Lancaster State Prison. This program is closely linked with the Theory of Emotional Illiteracy-Based Criminality, which I also pioneered while inside.
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