Muslims & Jews in Texas Prisons need Legal Aid!- Written By Keith ‘Malik’ Washington

Muslims & Jews in Texas Prisons need Legal Aid!

By Keith ‘Malik’ Washington

Peace and blessings sisters and brothers!

I want to take this time to clarify some important issues regarding the recent dismissal of my lawsuit
which relates to the growing of our Beards and the wearing of Kufis and Yarmulke prayer caps inside
facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) (reference: Keith Washington
v. Bryan Collier, et al. Civil Action No: 6:16-cv-1139-RC-JDL)

First, I want to state for the record that the Albritton Law Firm located in Longview, Texas has
exceeded all of my expectations in regards to this lawsuit. We won on many issues and forced policy
change which promotes a more inclusive, diverse, and tolerant environment inside Texas prisons.

Allow me to describe this in more detail in order to provide a clearer picture:

#1 With regard to the beard issue, TDCJ now has a policy which permits all prisoners to grow a fist
length religious beard upon request. This includes Muslims and Jewish prisoners.

#2 TDCJ no longer requires prisoners to shave our beards on an annual basis! (This policy change was
a direct result of this litigation.)

#3 In reference to the Kufi and Yarmulke issue; TDCJ now has a policy which permits all Muslims and
Jews to wear religious headgear throughout all TDCJ facilities. However, the Attorney General of Texas
and TDCJ interjected some deceptive language!! The only Kufi and Yarmulke we can wear must be
purchased from the prison commissary!! I have a serious problem with this new policy and so should
you. Here’s why: 70% of the prisoners housed in facilities operated by TDCJ are indigent – they have
no money and TDCJ refuses to pay or compensate prisoners for the labor they perform.

So the question presents itself: “If we have no money, how can we purchase a Kufi or Yarmulke and
enjoy the Tenets of our faith?”

Sisters and brothers, TDCJ and the state of Texas cannot craft a policy which discriminates against
prisoners who are indigent or have no money!! Moreover, there are hundreds if not thousands of
Muslim and Jewish prisoners in Texas who have received approved Kufis and Yarmulkes for free (no
charge) from non-profit religious organizations. We have these items in our possession but Texas in
trying to monetize our right to practice our faith and extorting our family members!

The new policy on religious headgear is blatantly discriminatory and violates the Equal Protection
Clause of the 14th Amendment. We also may have a 1st Amendment – Free Exercise Clause Violation
here. This specific issue was outside the scope of Albritton’s representation of me in this particular
civil lawsuit. With that said, other prisoners are stepping up to the plate and challenging this policy
as we speak! TDCJ and the Attorney General of Texas Ken Paxton continue to craft policies which
smack of antisemitism, islamophobia, and xenophobic tendencies.

Albritton Law Firm can’t do all the fighting alone. We desperately need help from Muslim and Jewish
lawyers from organizations such as CAIR, the ACLU, the ADL. I am requesting that there be interfaith
cooperation on this subject. We need your help. Dare to struggle, Dare to win, All Power to the People!

Keith 'Malik' Washington is a co-founder and chief spokespersyn for the End Prison Slavery in
Texas Movement, a proud member of the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee and he
is the Deputy Chairman of the New Afrikan Black Panther Party (Prison Chapter). Malik has
been instrumental in calling for the abolition of legalized slavery in Amerika and is very active
in the Fight Toxic Prisons campaign. You can view his work at comrademalik.com or you can
write him directly at:

Keith 'Comrade Malik' Washington

TDC #1487958

Eastham Unit

2665 Prison Rd. #1

Lovelady, Texas 75851