Monthly Archives: April 2011

Uppity Advocates vs. Those Who Have Taken a Physical Beating?

This weekend I was in a public discussion about Movement Building, held at the Launchpad gallery in Brooklyn.  A man asked a classic question within the world of activism, experts, and nonprofit organizations: “What do you say to the organizations … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

New Report Shows Current Slave Labor in GA County Keeps 170 People Out of Work

When Gwinnett County, Georgia ran the numbers on shutting down their prison facility (incarcerating 450 people), they factored in the 356,322 hours of slave labor provided by the prisoners in 2008.  Offsetting this, the county could be putting 170 people … Continue reading

Posted in prison economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Report on Torture and Racism in Pennsylvania Prison

The Human Rights Coalition of Pennsylvania is poised to release a scathing report regarding the use of torture in a state penitentiary.  They are calling upon activists and citizens to speak out against likely retaliation directed upon the prisoners who … Continue reading

Posted in Actions, Prison Conditions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

From Brooklyn to Oakland: April 23rd Events Stoke the Movement

Across the nation, activists and organizations are coordinating The Formerly Incarcerated & Convicted People’s Movement.  This Saturday, April 23rd, there will be evenings of testimony, artistry, solidarity and movement building. Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH) is collaborating with … Continue reading

Posted in Actions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sir Isaac Newton: A Revolutionary Mind

When engaging in dialogue around violence caused by police, soldiers, and private security firms, the supporters of unchecked violence always come across as entirely ignorant.  Perhaps they are not ignorant of the bloodied skulls, cracked orbital sockets, and broken rib … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A National Campaign to End Price Gouging on Prison Phone Rates

Nationwide Research Finds Excessive Prison Phone Rates Exploit Prisoners’ Families Brattleboro, VT – Prison Legal News (PLN), a monthly publication that covers criminal justice-related issues, released a report this past weekend at the National Conference for Media Reform in Boston … Continue reading

Posted in Actions, prison economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NAACP Returns to Relevance: Prisons Represent “Misplaced Priorities”

On April 7th, the NAACP released a new report, Misplaced Priorities, that examines America’s escalating levels of prison spending and its impact on state budgets and our nation’s children.  NAACP President Ben Jealous speaks eloquently on the topic of a misguided … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Former Prisoner Wins George Polk Award for Journalism

Wilbert Rideau was imprisoned for 44 years at the Angola Louisiana State Penitentiary before he won his release in 2005. While he was in prison he was editor of The Angolite, a newspaper produced by inmates, and became an award-winning … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment