Store
An open call to support formerly incarcerated people on Monday, April 27, 2015
To formerly incarcerated people, their families, friends, allies and comrades:
We seek your participation in an unusual event – a day of grassroots legislative visits at the California State Capitol led by formerly incarcerated people on Monday, April 27, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Capitol, 1315 10th St., Sacramento.
As formerly incarcerated people, we have been told on more than one occasion: “You have the right to remain silent!” However, when the suffering becomes too unbearable and negatively impacts all aspects of our personal, professional, family and community life, we have an obligation to speak up.
The need to speak up is especially acute when it appears that this suffering has been designed to outlast our jail or prison sentences.
We invite our brothers and sisters, supporters, allies, friends and comrades to join us and support the formerly incarcerated members of our community who have been rendered silent.
This is an opportune time. There are currently a number of bills being considered that directly relate to our capacity to thrive as human beings. The stakes are high: our right to housing, our right to serve on juries, bringing our elders home and juvenile justice issues, including ending juvenile solitary confinement – all these issues are being considered.
Currently a number of bills are being considered that directly relate to our capacity to thrive as human beings: our right to housing, our right to serve on juries, bringing our elders home and juvenile justice issues, including ending juvenile solitary confinement.
We are witnessing the greatest change in the criminal injustice system in over 50 years. If not now, then when?
We are securing support for the buses that will be rolling out of both Northern and Southern California. We are lining up legislators to support this effort. We are contacting various caucuses in the California Assembly and Senate for support.
If you are formerly incarcerated, please join us! And to all other people of good will, please come out and support formerly incarcerated people in our fight for inclusion.
Come out and support us speaking in our own voice. Help us speak truth to power, regain our dignity and make California a better, safer place for all Californians.
You can RSVP at tinyurl.com/q4d2015. For more information or to RSVP by phone, contact these coordinators:
- SF Bay Area: Manuel La Fontaine, manuel@prisonerswithchildren.org, 415-625-7051
- Stockton and the Central Valley: Andrew Lucero, alucero@ffsj.org, 209-922-8366
- LA and Southern California: Tiffany Johnson, tiffany@anewwayoflife.org, 323-563-3575
Buses will roll from Los Angeles, Stockton, Oakland and East Palo Alto, and a carpool will depart from Riverside. Bus departures will vary depending on location. Check with manuel@prisonerswithchildren.org for schedule and bus departure times.
