Resistance Behind Bars: The Struggles of Incarcerated Women

from

Dear Friends,

I'm thrilled to let you know that another incarcerated domestic violence survivor has been released from state prison!

Many of you know Vonda White, a 69-year-old woman who has been a leader at the California Institution for Women during her nearly 30 years of incarceration.

One of the femal​es,​ Renat​a Hill is havin​g her re-​trial​ this THURS​DAY,​ NOVEM​BER 20th,​ 2008.​ and FIERC​E!​ is mobil​izing​ our peopl​e down there​.​

If you are inter​ested​ in showi​ng up, here is the info:​

Thurs​day Novem​ber 20, 2008 100 Centr​e Stree​t (​Part 91 - 15th Floor​)​ Judge​ Name:​ McLau​ghlin​ 10 AM.

FIERC​E!​ will be meeti​ng outsi​de 100 Centr​e Stree​t at 10 AM. Look for us!

It is very impor​tant that you all show up; this case is one of many examp​les of how the LGBTQ​ Commu​nity is affec​ted and not defen​ded by our syste​m.​

For more info conta​ct:​
Glo at 646-​336-​6789 Ext. 203 / Glo@​fierc​enyc.​org
John at 646-​336-​6789 Ext. 205 / John@​fierc​enyc.​org

Background info:

from freebatteredwomen.org

NO ON PRISON OVERCROWDING! RELEASE ELIGIBLE PRISONERS NOW!RALLY AND PRESS CONFERENCE
*Tuesday, November 18th, 8:30 a.m.
***United States District Court for the Northern District of California**
*450 Golden Gate Avenue, between Larkin and Polk in San Francisco*

On Tuesday, November 18th the Federal three-judge panel will meet in San Francisco to deal with the continuing issue of prison overcrowding. California's prisons are over 150% capacity. *We need to let them know that the only solution to prison overcrowding is prisoner release!*

The overwhelming defeat of Proposition 6 sent a strong message that the public does not want to spend millions of more dollars on a failed prison system. Proposition 9 passed, but only due to a well-funded media campaign filled with misleading information. Unless we challenge it now, prisoners will be incarcerated well beyond their mandated sentences. Join family members, friends and advocates for people in California's prisons to demand:

PAROLE ELIGIBLE PRISONERS NOW!

RELEASE LOW-RISK AGING PRISONERS, INCARCERATED SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND MEDICALLY INCAPACITATED PRISONERS!

STOP THE CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT OF PEOPLE IN PRISON!

*INVEST IN COMMUNITIES NOT IN PRISONS!*

For more information call 415-255-7036 ext. 314 or email info@womenprisoners.org

If you haven't already, please don't forget to *send a free fax to Governor Schwarzenegger *at http://www.freebatteredwomen.org/Alert_Daisy.html urging him to release incarcerated domestic violence survivor Daisy Jane Benson.

from Free Battered Women

Dear friends:

It is with great joy that we announce that another domestic violence survivor has been released from state prison through the efforts of the California Habeas Project!

Brenda Clubine was released Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008, after serving 26 years on a 16-to-life sentence. She originally had been convicted of 2nd degree murder for the death of her abusive husband.

Due to a successful *habeas* petition under the law that the CA Habeas Project works to implement (PC Sec.

On November 4, 2008, Californian voters also voted to pass Proposition 9. For those of you who don't know, here's a little background on the ramifications of Proposition 9:

The ACLU welcomes the Bureau of Prisons’ recent policy change barring the shackling of pregnant inmates in federal prisons in all but the most extreme circumstances.

This new policy represents a sea change in the United States, where the shackling of pregnant women during transport, labor, and even delivery has long been routine in jails and prisons. Currently, only California, Illinois, and Vermont have enacted state laws restricting the practice of shackling pregnant women.

from Associated Press - October 24, 2008

I'll be facilitating a workshop and discussion on women, incarceration and resistance at the SUNY Social Justice Conference at SUNY Binghamton.

The conference takes place all weekend. My workshop will be on Saturday, November 8th at 2pm in Fine Arts 212.

I'll also be joining the discussion on the Prison-Industrial Complex from 5 to 6:15 pm at Fine Arts 258.

No upcoming events at the moment. In the meantime, here are some photos from the panel discussion on Incarceration, Resistance, Costs and Consequences in Oakland!

I don't usually forward around petitions, but in this case, I feel that not challenging the use of SAMs (especially when there is a tiny chance of their being lifted at the end of the month) basically condones and beings the process of normalizing their use.

More information is below and at: http://www.educatorsforcivilliberties.org/index.html

URGENT ACTION NEEDED

It would indeed be ironic if, in the name of national defense, we would sanction the subversion of…those liberties…which makes the defense of this nation worthwhile.