Tuesday, April 24, 1934
Daily Ncbraskan
Pago 9
Inmate elected club ys
governor
By Judi Nycren
He has been labeled a murderer. Prison officials
know him as No. 27521. Fellow inmates call him the
"Great Askia" after the African warrior chief. But as
of last Wednesday, he answers to "governor."
Keith Askia Russ was elected Toastmasters' Area "
governor at an area-division speech contest in Lin
coln. Toastmasters is an international organization
designed to develop communication and leadership
skills.
Because it was not his turn to attend aToastmas
ters' event, Russ did not accept the governorship in
person. Instead, he said, he waited at the dorm's
front door for the inmates who competed in the
contest to return with the election results.
"Yusif (an inmate) gave me the thumbs up sign
and I clapped my hands.J was elated," he said.
As Area 7C's governor, Russ will oversee foilr
clubs. The clubs include three Lincoln organizations
and the prison's Innovators. The governorship re
quires that Russ attend at least two meetings at
each club and write reports.
During his term, Russ said he hopes to reach
many goals. He said that although he does not know
the conditions of the clubs yet, he plans to deliver a
state of the area address for his first club visit. Russ
said he also wrants to express the power he expe-.
riences through the club to other members.
During his term, Russ said, There will be mistakes
made, but nothing malicious...theyH be building
mistakes."
Barbara Houghton, a club member and friend of
Russ, said Russ will need civilian help to serve the
club properly.
"Askia is hoping the administrators will give him
passes for all his visits, she said. "But because of his
status (life sentence), I don't see that happening."
Although Houghton said she thinks Russ needs
outside help to do his job, she thinks he will be a
good governor.
Russ enters his term with many Toastmaster
accomplishments behind him. Among them is the
Able Toastmasters' award, which is the club's se
cond highest award. Russ also served as the Innova
tors' president in 1983. Under Russ' leadership, the
club received the President's Distinguished award.
Russ became involved in Toastmasters through a
friend in 1973, he said.
Once he joined the club, he said he skipped meet
ings to avoid responsibilities. But all that changed in
1980 when the club received its charter, he said. At
that point, he said he became an active member.
Today, Russ said he realized the Innovators "are
men of action. We have proven there is more behind
our words than bad breath and crooked teeth."
Russ said Toastmasters has helped him overcome
the speech problems he had when he entered
prison. , -
Russ came to the prison with a ninth-grade edu
cation. He did not think he needed an education
when he was young, he said.
"When I was young I was attracted to the false
gutter and glamour of the streets," he said. "My only
interest was feeling good, and feeling good meant
being high."
Russ said he spent his youth in Omaha hustling
and sometimes holding a job for a month or two.
At 17, Russ went to the reformatory on burglary
charges and probation violations. He said the expe
rience did not move him to change his life.
"I was young," he said, "and my blood was hot."
In 1973, he went to prison for first-degree murder.
When he originally entered prison, he said he had
given up hope.
"I didn't see any light at the end of the tunnel, and
if I had any thoughts of seeing the end, it was of
meeting the train head on," Russ said. "I would look
in the mirror and ask, 'Do you like yourself?' and the
answer usually came back, Well, no.' " .
He decided he needed to change his life, he said,
and in 1975, he met the woman who motivated him
to make those changes.
The woman was a teacher at the prison's school,
he said, and she encouraged him to do something
with the Graduation Equivilency Diploma he al
ready had attained.
With the" teacher's assistance, Russ earned two
associate degrees in general studies and business
administration through Southeast Community Col
lege's prison program.
lie started his college education by reviewing
reading and comprehensive skills, Russ said. Russ'
Problems Have You
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first college course was philosophy,
"I was so intimidated by the words and concepts
the professor used, but I loved it," he said. "I
squeezed out a C and that encouraged me to go on."
His efforts paid off. Russ was valedictorian ofboth
his graduating classes. He said the first time he was
valedictorian, his entire family showed up.
"I was so delighted, it inspired me," he said. "It
kept me going because I know how much pain I have
caused. I'll have a difficult time making it up to
everyone, especially to Momma; but this may be a
beginning."
Because he is serving a life sentence, Russ said he
cannot make definite plans for the future. But he
said he wants to continue his education at UNL.
Currently, he is working with a counselor to
determine which fields would be best if he is given
educational relief someday. The relief would allow
Russ to live at a community center and attend
school. Russ can get the relief if administrators vote
for his commutation in 1985.
Russ said he thinks his chances for commutation
are good, but his record has not gone unscathed. In
December 1982, Russ and five other immates were
accused of initiating a strike among workers. They
were sent to the adjustment center. After they went
on a hunger strike, the men were returned to the
dorms. All charges against him were dropped with
the exception of a disorderly conduct violation.
Since the incident, Russ has returned to the trus
tees' dorm and is working in the prison school as a
clerk. He makes $3.05 a week for filing, typing and
assisting in the office.
Russ may not be getting rich in prison, but he said
his experiences in prison have helped him realize
that he can do something productive with his life.
"When people think of prison, they think of rapists
and murderers. I want to evolve above that," he said.
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