“It’s One Struggle At Base”

Across this country, there has been a tremendous outpouring of solidarity and love for imprisoned persons. We are thankful. As an organizer, I often talk about the need for connections across the walls. Our success is relative to the strength of relationships. In this time of crisis, the deepening and forging of relationships between imprisoned …

Demands from Stevie

Currently our demands center on two things: 1. Releasing prisoners, especially those with compromised immune systems and the elderly (over 50). Also, we hold that all pretrial detainees who have been entered into bail should be released. They are being held due to poverty. Lastly, those with clemency and parole petitions should have their decisions …

Solidarity with Striking Prisoners!

Right now, prisoners on Rikers Island and in Essex County, NJ jail are hunger striking for basic protection from and preventive measures against contracting COVID19. They should not have to go on hunger strike for these things to occur, but as usual, jail administrators refuse to prioritize prisoners' health and well being. I fully support …

Reflections on Audre Lorde and Difference

So much is going on with this COVID19, but I wanted to get a comment to you about Sister, Outsider. There are excerpts I want to highlight because they speak to the situation inside. Audre Lorde said: "As women, we have been taught either to ignore our differences, or to view them as causes for …

COVID19 AND THE PA DOC

From: Wilson, Stephen Date Received: 03/12/2020 06:22 PM Subject: COVID19 AND THE PA DOC For the past two days, the PA DOC has finally thinking about the coronavirus and how to protect prisoners from it. Only over the past two days! Announcements have been played over the prison television station reminding prisoners to wash our …

An excerpt from “Are Prisons Obsolete?” By Angela Davis

anti-capitalist, anti-copyright excerpt shared for educational purposes Many people are familiar with the campaign to abolish the death penalty. In fact, it has already been abolished in most countries. Even the staunchest advocates of capital punishment acknowledge the fact that the death penalty faces serious challenges. Few people find life without the death penalty difficult …

Centering the Most Vulnerable Means Challenging the “Movement-for-Prisoners’-Human-Rights” with Queer Analysis and Action

A few years ago, the Lifers' Association at Smithfield sponsored a forum with CADBI (Coalition Against Death By Incarceration). It was to be an info session, an introduction to the group's work and how we could become involved. This was the first time something like this took place at Smithfield. As expected, lots of prisoners …