Kumari Shreya
Seen in ‘Born in Synanon,’ Sandra “Sandy” Rogers-Hare shares several personal details of her time as a member of Synanon. The Paramount+ documentary show is actually a project made by her daughter Cassidy Arkin, who was born when her parents were still a part of the community. Given her frank assessment of her past behavior and her present regrets, the former cult member has earned the respect of many, with people wondering just where she is these days.
Who is Sandra Rogers-Hare?
During the 1960s, when Sandra Rogers-Hare was still studying, she came across Synanon, a group which has started to become famous for a unique game during which the participants could rant and say whatever they wanted while sitting in a circle, with the condition that nothing in the circle would affect the world outside of it. It was through this process that she met her partner, Ed Arkin, the father of Cassidy Arkin.
Initially, Sandra was a member of Synanon who wanted to help those who had joined the group to fight against their addiction. However, she soon became deeply enamored with the idea of dedicating herself fully to the community. She and Ed actually left behind their two-bedroom place to reside within the premises of Synanon. During this process, she also had to give up many of her clothes to Goodwill and others in need.
In the documentary show, Sandra delves deep into not only her time as a member of Synanon but also how she and Ed had decided to get pregnant following a health scare. Prior to that, they had not given parenthood much thought, but their new plans seemed to be going off the rails until Sandra decided to go through with artificial insemination. Though she was married to Ed, the couple’s marriage did cause the groom some problems owing to the fact that his family was deeply unhappy about him marrying a person of color.
Unlike many parents in Synanon, Sandra was indeed able to spend much time with her daughter, Cassidy Arkin, likely owing to the fact that Ed was working closely with Chuck Dedrich, the group’s Founder. However, when the couple decided to separate, and Ed left Synanon, Sandra could not help but notice that she was not treated as well as before. Ultimately, when media outlets like Time started alleging Synanon to be a cult, Sandra could not help but be afraid and hence decided to leave. However, the adjustment was hard, given the significant amount of time that she had spent isolated from the real world.
Sandra Rogers-Hare is Exploring New Horizons Today
Sandra Rogers-Hare seemed highly introspective about her time as a member of Synanon in the documentary. While she asserted that her motivations behind joining the group were founded in the idea of finding a space with no discrimination, she understood the community’s actions, later on, might not have been for the best. She also seemed deeply troubled by the fact that her daughter, Cassidy Arkin, had apparently been punished physically in school, and no one had told her about it, as it did not seem she would have condoned such actions.
Since leaving Synanon, Sandra has had to make certain sacrifices in order to provide for herself and her daughter. She shared how she struggled with fending for herself and adjusting to a completely new decade. Meanwhile, Cassidy was trying to wrap her head around the blatant forms of hatred that she was targeted by due to her race. However, Sandra and Cassidy have since come a long way and seem to be doing well in life.
Though Sandra is not very active on social media, she does seem proud of everything that her daughter has done and seems to be living a happy life. Now based in San Leandro, California, the mother seems to be delving into the world of writing and is exploring her horizons. Apart from facilitating the Leandro Writers Workshop, Sandra is also interested in photography, traveling, and history.
Read More: Where is Cassidy Arkin Now?
