Important: Please do not mention anyone's name on the inside when asked how you know about the attack. You do not have to give your name either. Yesterday, two guards at SCI-Fayette in PA had a calm, compliant man in handcuffs. They punched him in the pack of the head, body slammed him, and threw … Continue reading Phone Zap for Akil January 17
Solidarity with all Mississippi Prisoners
Sending strength and love to all Mississippi prisoners. I stand with you. The metalanguage of prison is violence so the only way to eliminate the violence is to eliminate the prison. In every prison and jail in the country, correctional officers are the major instigators and perpetrators of violence. Every order is punctuated with the … Continue reading Solidarity with all Mississippi Prisoners
On Building Community
When I entered SCI-Smithfield, I wasn't an abolitionist. I was what we would call a liberal reformer. I believed all the system needed was a little tweaking and some extra oversight. I, along with many other prisoners at Smithfield, railed against a system, an unidentifiable "they" who had it in for poor, Black and Brown … Continue reading On Building Community
Building Together, Inside/Outside
I have a simple analogy I use to describe our movement: a bird. Abolitionist principles and ethics are the head of the bird. They guide us. They direct the work. Without them, we are dead. We will get nothing done. It is important that we keep are head clear. It is important that we remember … Continue reading Building Together, Inside/Outside
Dis-Organizing Prisons, by Stevie Wilson
When I was asked to define prison organizing, I was stuck for a moment. I realized that I had never defined what I do as prison organizing. First, my concerns have always been about more than the prison itself. Second, my work extends beyond prisons and jails. Third, and most important, my goal has always … Continue reading Dis-Organizing Prisons, by Stevie Wilson
Incapacitated
abolishing solitary confinement. Remember when it was a cause célèbre? And not just within the American prison movement. The mainstream media, including the New York Times and The New Yorker, was on the bandwagon. Articles, essays, and books exposing the widespread and deleterious practice were everywhere. Even the United Nations had something to say, condemning … Continue reading Incapacitated
Update from Stevie, post-repression
"The trouble is that once you see it, you can't unsee it. And once you've seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing, becomes as political an act as speaking out. There's no innocence. Either way, you're accountable.". -Arundhati Roy Solidarity behind the walls often requires that one be more than an ally. One must be willing … Continue reading Update from Stevie, post-repression
