VIDEO & AUDIO of Speakers From ATX Millions for Prisoners Rally

Millions for Prisoners on ATX Aug 12th 2017
In solidarity with Millions for Prisoners March on Washington DC

Jason Hammond, formerly incarcerated as part of the Tinley Park 5, "Bella Ciao"

Greg Curry, Amend The 13th: Abolish Legal Slavery in Amerika Movement, currently wrongfully incarcerated for a murder he did not commit during the Lucasville Uprising Listen Write
Greg Curry #A213159 Ohio State Penitentiary 878 Cotsville-Hubbard Rd Youngstown OH 44505

Annette Price, African American woman who served 20 years of her life in prison. Today, she is the Intake Specialist for Texas Fair Defense Project, Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable Fellow and an Advocate for criminal justice working toward making systemic changes.

 Jasmin Patel of Counterbalance ATX about the School Supply Drive and speaking on behalf of
Keith "Malik" Washington
Write Malik: Keith Washington #1487958 Eastham Unit 2665 Prison Road 1 Lovelady TX 75851

 Martina Grifaldo Alianza - Latina Internacional
speaking on Immigrant Detention Centers from the perspective of trafficked women

Fredrick Womack, co-founder AMP 360, father, business student at Austin Community College, formerly incarcerated

Brad Crowder, Fight for 15, 
on his experiences while incarcerated in the Bureau of Prisons 

BlAcKjAcK aka James Dzelajlija musical stylings and full interview
Write:  James Dzelajlija #A530144 Lebanon Correctional Institution PO Box 56 Lebanon OH 45036

Rodrick Reed, of the Reed Justice Initiative and Justice 4 Rodney Reed,  
 brother of wrongfully incarcerated death row inmate Rodney Reed
Write Rodney Reed #00999271 Polansky Unit 3872 FM 350, Livingston, TX 77351

Rose Collins, mother of currently incarcerated hacktivist Jeremy Hammond
Write Jeremy Hammond #18729-424 FCI Manchester PO Box 4000 Manchester KY 40962

Akwasi Evans, Federation of Former Felons and Editor of Nokoa The Observer on his felony conviction for possession of marijuana


  Brother Zulu, Free Alabama Movement, speaking from solitary confinement. Listen

 
Ronnie Goodwin, Prison Abolition Prisoner Support, on not wanting to send his brother's killer to prison

Thanks to JLK of ShotsFiredTX for video and photos

Additional photos by @GarrickJannene

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Speeches from across the razor wire heard at other nationwide rallies

Hereby Heshima's speech for today's Millions for Prisoners Human Rights March. His speech will be heard at the San Jose Rally on Aug 19th 2017 

97,000 INMATES ON LOCKDOWN IN FLORIDA!

 

Prison Abolition Prisoner Support (PAPS)

Media Contact: Azzurra Crispino

iheartpaps@gmail.com

(512) 300-5559

 The Ordinary People Society (TOPS)

Media Contact: Psr Kenneth Glasgow

topssociety@yahoo.com

(334) 791-2433

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS PLACES 97,000 INMATES ON LOCKDOWN TO STOP THEM FROM JOINING MILLIONS FOR PRISONERS

FLORIDA – Florida Department of Corrections has placed all of its 97,000 inmates on lockdown, just days before the August 19^th Millions for Prisoners and Human Rights March on Washington, DC calling for an end to the legalized slavery of the 13^th Amendment of the US Constitution.  Cracking down on the mobility of inmates by correctional officials has become a common tactic to prevent prisoners from joining outside supporters in calling for an end to mass incarceration.  Kevin “Rashid” Johnson, who was recently moved to a Florida prison from a Texas unit on interstate compact following a massive call-in and write-in campaign to return his legal materials, witnessed these same tactics in Texas prior to the 2016 national prison strikes: “The actual aim of this lockdown was/is to pre-empt the prisoners at this Unit from participating in the September 9th protest by confining everyone to their cells in advance of it, and well into the period during which it might last.” Mr. Johnson, who organizes with the New Afrikan Black Panther Party Prison Chapter, has been disappeared in the Florida Department of Corrections System. The inmate locator website and officials will not reveal where he is being held, once again making vague claims of security threats - as they are doing to attempt to justify this unreasonable lockdown. 

Prison activists and family members of prisoners are concerned that this lockdown and repression may lead to more violence. At Kinross Unit in Michigan last September, inmates peacefully marched in the unit and then were met with brutal retaliation from correctional officers. Speaking from the Millions for Prisoners rally at the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), Alejo Stark of Michigan Abolition and Prisoner Support (MAPS) stated, “protest at Kinross Correctional Facility had been peacefully resolved for hours before MDOC sent in ERT squads, causing panic and terror by deploying chemical weapons at imprisoned people.”

            Pastor Kenneth Glasgow of the The Ordinary People Society was held in three different Florida prisons for a span of two years before becoming a prisoner advocate for the last two decades.  “These lockdowns are some of the most egregious, inhumane places that these prisoners can find themselves. But it also burdens the families because they do not know the where-abouts or the care-abouts of their family members. They cannot visit them or call them to know whether they are alive or dead.”

MEDIA AVAILABILITY: CURRENT & FORMER PRISONERS, FAMILY IN FL
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Press Release

Media Contact                      

Azzurra Crispino

512-300-5559

iheartpaps@gmail.com

       Prison Abolition Prisoner Support

MILLIONS FOR PRISONERS ON ATX SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE & RALLY

Austin, TX: In solidarity with the Millions for Prisoners March on Washington and associated actions nationwide, a rally and school supply drive will take place in Austin, Texas on Sat, August 12^th from noon to 2pm at Travis County Jail Central Booking, 500 W. 10th St. Austin Texas 78701. As made popular by Ava DuVernay’s documentary 13^th, the 13^th Amendment – which was meant to abolish slavery – includes an exception for those convicted of a crime. Prisoners are legally considered slaves in the US!  These actions call to #AmendThe13th in order to #EndSlavery once and for all.

Attendees will bring school supplies, which will then be distributed to children at risk of falling into the schools-to-prison pipeline. Sponsored by a large coalition of community groups, including: Justice 4 Rodney Reed, Counter Balance ATX, Free Alabama Movement, Texas Jail Project, Grassroots Leadership, ICE Fuera de Austin/ICE Out of Austin, Jailhouse Lawyers Speak, Alianza Latina Internacional, Inmate Lives Matter - Texas Chapter, Fight for 15 Texas, Prison Justice League, and Prison Abolition Prisoner Support.

The event will include music composed and performed by a current prisoner, currently and formerly incarcerated speakers representing city and county jails, state and federal prison, and immigrant detention centers, and family members of those incarcerated and victims of crimes.  “This is our chance to finally abolish slavery. Don’t you want to be able to tell your grandchildren you helped do that, even if it took to 2017 to do it?” says organizer Azzurra Crispino, co-founder of Prison Abolition Prisoner Support, as to why this event is being put together.

Those unable to attend the rally in person can still donate school supplies at various community locations.

SPEAKER LIST: https://papstexas.blogspot.com/2017/08/speaker-list.html

ALL SPONSORS: https://papstexas.blogspot.com/2017/08/sponsororgs.html

MEDIA AVAILABILITY: CURRENTLY AND FORMERLY INCARCERATED, FAMILY MEMBERS, ORGANIZERS, SPANISH AND ENGLISH.

VIDEO, PICTURE AND AUDIO AVAILABILITY (after the rally):  

 http://tinyurl.com/AmendThe13th

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SponsorOrgs

FINAL LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS SPONSORING THE MARCH

Justice 4 Rodney Reed,  
Counter Balance ATX,  
Free Alabama Movement,  
Texas Jail Project,  
Grassroots Leadership,  
ICE Fuera de Austin/ICE Out of Austin,  
Jailhouse Lawyers Speak,  
Alianza Latina Internacional,  
Inmate Lives Matter - Texas Chapter, 
Fight for 15 Texas,  
Prison Justice League, 
Democratic Socialists of American Austin Chapter  
Left Up To Us 
Campaign to End Torture (Chicago, IL)
ACC American Federation of Teachers Local 6249 
Inside Books Project
Prison Abolition Prisoner Support

Speaker List

FINAL LIST TO BE RELEASED ON DAY OF THE EVENT

TENTATIVE LIST

BlAcKjAcK, musical stylings from behind the razor wire

Rose Collins, mother of Jason and Jeremy Hammond, on having both of her twins incarcerated
 
Brad Crowder, Fight for 15, on his experiences while incarcerated in the Bureau of Prisons 

Greg Curry, Amend The 13th: Abolish Legal Slavery in Amerika Movement, speaking from prison in Ohio

Sonia Escobedo,  Prison Abolition Prisoner Support, on being on both sides of the wire

Akwasi Evans, Federation of Former Felons and Editor of Nokoa The Observer on his felony conviction for possession of marijuana
 
Ronnie Goodwin, Prison Abolition Prisoner Support, on not wanting to send his brother's killer to prison

Martina Grifaldo with Alianza Latina Internacional, speaking on Immigrant Detention Centers from the perspective of trafficked women 

Rodrick Reed, of the Reed Justice Initiative and Justice 4 Rodney Reed,  brother of wrongfully incarcerated death row inmate Rodney Reed

Jasmin Patel, Counter Balance ATX

Annette Price, African American woman who served 20 years of her life in prison. Today, she the Intake Specialist for Texas Fair Defense Project, Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable Fellow and an Advocate for criminal justice working toward making systemic changes.

Fredrick Womack, co-founder AMP 360, father, business student at Austin Community College, formerly incarcerated

Millions for Prisoners March on ATX

An action in solidarity with the Millions for Prisoners March on Washington (August 19th #A19 in Washington DC) to #EndSlavery #AbolishThe13th #AmendThe13th .




Co-sponsored by Counter Balance: ATX, Campaign to End Torture (Chicago, IL), Free Alabama Movement, Texas Jail Project, Grassroots Leadership, ICE Fuera de Austin/ICE Out of Austin, Jailhouse Lawyers Speak, Aliana Latina Internacional, Inmate Lives Matter - Texas Chapter, Fight for 15 Texas, Prison Justice League, Prison Abolition Prisoner Support - it is not too late to come on as a co-sponsor!





Most people believed the 13th Amendment abolished slavery, but its actual text is: 

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

In other words, prisoners are legally considered slaves!!! This is a travesty that must be stopped. Join us! 

Who: ANYONE! 
What: Rally
Where: Travis County Jail 500 W 10th St, Austin, TX 78701 
When: Saturday August 12th noon-2pm
How: Please bring school supplies and backpacks for children whose parents are incarcerated.
Why: To Abolish Slavery once and for all! 
 
Activities will include: coloring for the kiddos, speakers, music, and postcard writing 

Can't make the rally? Sign the petition or drop off school supplies 

Confirmed Speakers: 

Rose Collins, mother of Jason and Jeremy Hammond, on having both of her twins incarcerated
Brad Crowder, Fight for 15, on his experiences while incarcerated in the Bureau of Prisons 
Sonia Escobedo and Alysia Duemler of PAPS on their experience in local jail 
Ronnie Goodwin, Prison Abolition Prisoner Support, on not wanting to send his brother's killer to prison
Martina Grifaldo with Alianza Latina Internacional, speaking on Immigrant Detention Centers from the perspective of trafficked women 
Annette Price 
Fredrick Womack, co-founder AMP 360, father, business student at Austin Community College, formerly incarcerated

There will also be some incarcerated speakers across the razor wire, come in person to find out! 

Help Malik

Keith "Malik" Washington has been in administrative segregation since he was charged with inciting a riot for his peaceful part in organizing the April and September 2016 prisoner strikes.

YOU can help Malik by providing him with reading materials:

Here is his wish list:

Wired Magazine

Atlantic Monthly

Ebony Magazine

SLAM Magazine

The Economist

Austin Chronicle

Esquire

ESPN Magazine

Rolling Stone

Austin American Statesman

Houston Chronicle

“any anarchist newspapers/magazines with a special focus on green anarchism and black block* - socialist/communist newspapers"

Keith "Malik" Washington

1487958

Eastham Unit

2665 Prison Rd #1

Lovelady TX 75851

please email us (i heart paps at gmail dot com) if you have any questions, or if you have donated a subscription for Malik from this list and we will cross it off so he doesn't get two.