Tag Archives: Prison

Dying for Human Rights: Prisoners Begin Hunger Strike Tomorrow

What exactly is a hunger strike?  It is when someone, or a group of people, will choose death over their current living conditions.  But not an unknown pointless death; instead, they will commit a long, grueling, public death designed to … Continue reading

Posted in Actions, Commentary, Prison Conditions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What’s Going On In Detroit?

If for no other reason than the passionate remarks by Congressman Hansen Clarke (D-MI) at a House hearing on June 15th, an outsider can see that there is a strong will in Detroit that is rebuilding a city.  Clarke was infuriated … Continue reading

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

Registration Now Open for FICPM National Conference- Nov. 2nd

The Formerly Incarcerated & Convicted People’s Movement (FICPM) will host its inaugural national conference on November 2nd, 2011 in Los Angeles, with the primary task of ratifying a national agenda that illustrates the Full Restoration of Civil and Human Rights … Continue reading

Posted in Actions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How I Expect California to NOT Release Prisoners… If We Let Them

By now, every activist is aware that the US Supreme Court “ordered California to reduce its prison population to 137.5%of design capacity within two years. Finding that the prison population would have to be reduced if capacity could not be … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Prison Conditions, prison economics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Million Dollar Neighborhoods report – How Much Do You Invest in Police & Prisons?

With Providence on the brink of bankruptcy (and everyone being asked to “tighten their belt”) it stands to reason that every budgeter re-examine their priorities. Mayor Taveras’ School Department will close the Messer School while taxpayers invest nearly $20 million in police … Continue reading

Posted in prison economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Unshackled Pregnancies: Idaho, Nevada, Rhode Island…

UPDATE: By a vote of 48-16, the Rhode Island House of Representatives passed H 5257, echoing passage of the same bill by the Senate several weeks ago. The bill should end up on Governor Lincoln Chaffee’s desk within a few … Continue reading

Posted in Courts, Prison Conditions, Prisoner Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

National Prison Industry Divestment Campaign

From Causa Justa :: Just Cause, in California-   “Today we stand in solidarity with community and labor groups that are taking to the streets to protest the private prison industry’s business model of pushing for harsher immigrant incarceration policies. … Continue reading

Posted in prison economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dear Momma

Dear Mom, Thank you for serving your time as the mother of an incarcerated child. Nearly 2 million moms today wondered if they would get a phone call from their baby locked away in a penitentiary, whether the phones would … Continue reading

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

Petition Oprah: Make “The New Jim Crow” your Book of the Month!

“The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in an Age of Color-Blindness” is the most important book affecting Black America since Alex Haley wrote “Roots.”  The American Prison Industrial Complex, which would make the Ku Klux Klan blush, is not just … Continue reading

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

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