Filter Commentaries
33 commentaries found
Page 1 of 2
An Attempt at a Direct Appeal
Willie Godbolt
My name is Willy C. Godbolt. I’ve been incarcerated since 2020, here in Mississippi, death row, at the infamous Parchman, Count 29. I was convicted of eight murders, four which being capital murders. I was… Full Transcript
Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Bilal Muhammad
Greetings, listeners. My name is Bilal Hassan Mohammed, inmate number 9602939. I’m currently a pretrial detainee, illegally restrained of my liberty in the El Paso County Jail Annex, 12501 Montana Avenue, El Paso, Texas 79938.… Full Transcript
A Protest is Coming: No Justice, No Peace
Harold Cunningham
A protest is coming, screaming Black Lives Matter, and it goes like this. A protest is coming, like a New York subway train, all races, ages on board united as one, from all around the… Full Transcript
Women of the Party
Mumia Abu-Jamal
Women of the party. Today, after over a half century, we can speak out in open praise of female members of the Black Panther Party, members who served with heart honor and distinction. Whom did… Full Transcript
Helping the Unit
Krystal Clark
Krystal Denise Clark, my inmate number is 435064 in WHV, the valley of death. This is a shame here. It’s terrible. I’m get a lot of harassing, retaliating today. I’ve been- every day I’ve been… Full Transcript
Back from Segregation
Sheik Bilal Abdul Salaam-Bey
This is Charley Hughes, also known as Bilal Abdul Salaam-Bey. I am at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility, and this piece is just an introduction of me no longer being in segregation. It was pretty much-… Full Transcript
Wake Up Before Its Too Late
Izell Robinson
This is Izell Robinson, Minnesota inmate number 210006, a Minnesota inmate confined within the quadrilaterals of systemic injustice, fighting for justice and to be heard. But in order to be heard, I need to the… Full Transcript
Love Not Phear at Luxemburg Conference 2022
Private: Mike Africa Jr.
And every year, prisoners and civilians run and exercise together to talk about how we’re going to abolish the prison system here in America. There is much resistance. There is much resistance from prisoners. Prisoners… Full Transcript
Violent Offenders
Christopher “Naeem” Trotter
Dear outside world, my name is Christopher Trotter. I’m calling from inside the belly of the beast at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, Carlisle, Indiana. I would like to speak to you in regards of prisoners… Full Transcript
Political Prisoner
Christopher “Naeem” Trotter
My name is Christopher Trotter, and I’m a political prisoner held inside the belly of the beast at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. I came into the prison system with a four-year sentence for theft. And… Full Transcript
Without Pain, Risk or Sacrifice, Change is impossible
Dontie Mitchell
Economics is a very powerful motive towards driving mass incarceration. A lot of people are eating off of the arrest, prosecution, and the imprisonment of people in this country. If mass incarceration wasn’t practical do… Full Transcript
A Message to Black, Brown, and Poor People in Age of COVID-19
Dontie Mitchell
A message to Black, Hispanic, and poor people in this age of COVID-19 from Mfalme Sikivu, Executive Minister of UFD. Here we are, in 2020, still faced with the reality of racism and classism. The… Full Transcript
Open Letter to My Brother Mysonne
Dontie Mitchell
“Open Letter to My Brother Mysonne.” Mysonne, peace king. This is your brother, Mfalme Don S. Sikivu. I don’t know if you remember me, but you and I were in [inaudible] in 2000, 2001. I… Full Transcript
Decarcerate Us Pt. 3
James Ward
This is James Ward from Toledo Correctional Institution in Ohio. I’m making this speech concerning my project I’m tryna develop called Decarcerate Us, but that I’m really needing help. It’s been a while since I… Full Transcript
Decarcerate Us Pt. 4
James Ward
This is James Ward from Toledo Correctional Institution in Ohio. I’m making this speech concerning my project I’m tryna develop called Decarcerate Us, but that I’m really needing help. It’s been a while since I… Full Transcript
The Socialization of Anti-Social Behavior in Prison
Dontie Mitchell
“The Socialization of Anti-Social Behavior in Prison.” Yesterday, I was in the yard with two of my young [inaudible], Racks and Smokey. Both are 21 years old. We were having a conversation about them engaging… Full Transcript
New York State Prisons Reap What They Sow
Dontie Mitchell
Today, I had a conversation with the first deputy superintendent of this facility. I asked her what her thoughts were about my proposal to start a program here, that was similar to TRUE. She said… Full Transcript
Women of the Revolution: Janine & Janet Africa
Mumia Abu-Jamal
“Women of MOVE.” Several days ago, after discussion with sister Suzanne, I began thinking about a piece on the women of MOVE. This seemed especially timely after the recent release of several MOVE sisters: Debbie,… Full Transcript
The Truth Hurts but TRUE Works
Dontie Mitchell
In my last commentary, I talked about the TRUE program in the Cheshire Correctional Institution in Connecticut. It’s a program where young prisoners, 18 to 25 years old, are housed together along with a small… Full Transcript
Across the nation, as students raise their hands and voices in protest against what U. S. President Joseph Biden has called “indiscriminate bombing of Gazan civilians,” they’re also facing punishments and repression by colleges and… Full Transcript