Filter Commentaries
11 commentaries found
Page 1 of 1
Acceptance
Lisa Strawn
Lisa Strawn, CMS Vacaville, “Acceptance.” Currently where I am and who I am, I’m not accepted for anything. Being a trans woman in a man’s prison, I’m not entitled to acceptance. The reality of acceptance… Full Transcript
The Magic of Black Music
Mumia Abu-Jamal
“The magic of black music.” As the deaths of two musicians recently demonstrates, black music is an art form that radiates freedom, and that radiation flows around the world. The death of Sharon Jones, lead… Full Transcript
Peace, Love and Joy
Lisa Strawn
Lisa Strawn, CMS Vacaville, “Peace, Love, and Joy.” At Christmas time, when everyone talks about peace and joy and the love of family, I’m reminded daily how the struggles people face over addiction, violence, and… Full Transcript
![Prison Radio is sharing an abbreviated version of a press release covering recent racist incidents at SCI Rockview in PA and the organizing to demand accountability. We are reaching out to people incarcerated at Rockview as well as recently transferred folks, inviting them to call, in hopes of hearing commentaries from them.
Benner Township, PA.-
On November 24th, 2023, imprisoned people at SCI Rockview found two nooses hanging in the CO’s office, displayed visibly for many prisoners to see. When the prisoners asked the staff why the nooses were hung, they were told it was a joke.
By December 4th, prisoners filed a grievance to document what they saw, noting that the hanging of the nooses was “unethical, racially motivated, hateful, [a] deliberate debasement of black inmates" and “unsafe for inmates, staff, [and] the whole prison in general.” In the grievance, they demanded that Sgt. Mosser and CO Richard be fired and investigated for a hate crime, and for CO Kirchner to get therapy. Captain Andrews, the head of security, denied the grievance.
The sergeant and COs are still working in the prison to this day, with no repercussions...
As of March 10th, prisoners have reached out to Pennsylvania officials at the Dept. of Corrections in a letter campaign, sending 100 copies of the grievance. Copies of the letter also were mailed to Governor Shapiro, Senator Fetterman, Senator Street, and various advocacy groups. The demands for relief in the original grievance have now become the platform of demands for this campaign. About 20 of the 100 letters were withheld by the prison.
Activists on the outside are joining forces with prisoners to elevate their demands, flooding the phone lines of DOC offices, assisting with outreach to media, and circulating the stories of prisoners who have found unity in opposition to the facility's virulent institutional racism.
In any other workplace, hanging a noose would be grounds for immediate termination. However, Nicki Paul, the superintendent's assistant and "grievance coordinator" informed the public that they self-investigated their staff and found they did nothing wrong.
Read the full article at i
https://conta.cc/4ayDxlB](https://www.prisonradio.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
“The Plight of Political Prisoners in America” by Delbert Africa. On A Move! This is Delbert Africa from Dallas Prison speaking about the plight of political prisoners here in America – especially in light of… Full Transcript