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Calling Attention to Mental Illness In Prisons

Calling Attention to Mental Illness In Prisons

04/12/23 Harold Cunningham

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In This Section…

Commentaries

Other Commentaries by Harold Cunningham

A Protest is Coming: No Justice, No Peace
03/27/23
Mental Illness Has No Color
03/20/23
Illegal Use of Restraints
03/13/23
An Introduction
03/08/23

View All Commentaries by Harold Cunningham

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It is Time for a Pilgrimage

It is Time for a Pilgrimage

On a recent call, Bambi described a deeply troubli

On a recent call, Bambi described a deeply troubling situation she has been enduring for several months. Bambi revealed that since April 2023, the Indiana Department of Corrections implemented a statewide policy aimed at safeguarding the rights and well-being of transgender incarcerated individuals. However, the administration at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, where Bambi is incarcerated, has shown a blatant disregard for this policy, leaving her and other transgender inmates vulnerable to harassment and discrimination.

Bambi's harrowing account includes instances of sexual harassment by correctional officers, which have led to significant psychological and emotional trauma. She detailed how she is subjected to daily strip searches by male officers, who demean and humiliate her. When she courageously approached the new major about this ongoing abuse, his response was nothing short of dismissive, further exacerbating her plight.

Moreover, Bambi shared that she has been targeted by her fellow inmates and even her supervisor in the prison's kitchen, where she works. She was subjected to religious discrimination and offensive comments about her identity, adding to her emotional distress.

It is deeply concerning that Bambi and other LGBTQ+ inmates are enduring such deplorable treatment within the prison system. This is not only a violation of their basic human rights but also a reflection of systemic issues within the Indiana Department of Corrections.

Bambi has expressed her urgent need for support from advocates outside the prison walls. If you are willing to assist in her fight for justice and challenge the systemic issues within the Indiana Department of Corrections, please reach out to her at the following address:

Bambi Nicole King (Miss Roger King #50624)
Wabash Valley Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 1111
Carlisle, Indiana 47838

Bambi's voice alone may not be enough to bring about the necessary change, but with your support, we can work towards ensuring that transgender and LGBTQ+ inmates are treated with dignity and respect, as they deserve.

Mumia speaks on 9/11

Mumia speaks on 9/11

In the interest of providing those folks on the Mu

In the interest of providing those folks on the Mumia list serve with more information from the ground in Philadelphia. I will give you a quick glimpse into the context of living right in the war zone, between freedom and slavery.

This Thursday, Krystal Clark tried to reach us.

This Thursday, Krystal Clark tried to reach us. The prison blocked her call. GTL the prison phone service dropped her number.

We are spending staff time, desperately trying to reestablish contact.

Our studio gets calls from folks locked up and isolated from around the country.

One of the bravest and most courageous people we speak to is Krystal Clark and brave companions. Prison Radio is the only avenue that offers Krystal and other women at Women’s Huron Valley (WHV), access to the public.

We are their only mic. And you are their lifeline

Krystal and her fellow inmates who call us from “the valley of death” – Women’s Huron Valley in Michigan – are beautiful examples of the very human act of resistance in the face of tortuous conditions and medical neglect. You can see with a quick look to the sidebar on the left how many folks call in to stand with the women at WHV - the solidarity is stunning.

Krystal, like so many people inside, suffers from myriad health issues, including a systemic allergy to the mold in her unit. Her treatment is haphazard at best, inadequate and dangerous at worst. As Krystal would say, it is “insufferable.” But she continues to suffer, and she continues to call, and more than that, her friends continue to call - all risking retaliation. Their insistence on humanity through the Prison Radio platform ensures that they will not be silenced.

We know Krystal is very ill. We know the prison is doing little to help, and a lot to harm. We know this because Krystal and her friends call us. Without those calls, none of us would know what’s going on behind those fortress walls.

We urge you to write to Krystal, to show your solidarity and compassion, give her light and love as the machine that holds her offers only cruelty and neglect. She needs help.

A report of Noelle's latest visitation with Mumia.

A report of Noelle's latest visitation with Mumia. Please considering donating to our work to keep these visits and updates possible. Donation Link in our bio.

Join the Call to Free Leonard Peltier

Join the Call to Free Leonard Peltier

The last days of August are always the hardest to

The last days of August are always the hardest to make it through. It’s true for us here at Prison Radio too!

It is the end of summer, folks are rushing back to school from vacation, our next appeal is being constructed and not in the mail, and the cash flow realities of non profit work are far from folks’ minds.

The mail box was empty yesterday and clicks and checks are slow to come in. Yet, we keep the phones on. We recorded 20 commentaries from prison in August, and the calls keep coming.

This is my opportunity to tell you how it is. And ask you to give. We would appreciate your consideration of a substantial gift today.

Prison Radio's August Freedom Dreams – Help Make them a Reality:

Join us today as I and Safear Ness of Prison Radio partner with Law For Black Lives and HEARD for Write On!

Celebrate the production and broadcast 20 new commentaries from inside prison in August! $240 of staff time

Help us finish the manuscript for Beneath the Mountain: An Anti-Prison Anthology on City Lights (2024). $15K of staff time

Acknowledge the WEB Dubois Movement School (Philadelphia), on their launch weekend this month. 24 hrs of time over three days to support this amazing investment in our future.

Recognize movement history as we (Noelle Hanrahan, Lolo Serrano, and Martha Conley) traveled to Niles, Ohio and Braddock PA to record Alice Lynd, Ed Wells and Chief Justice Fatburger (Ronald Williams). Equipment $845; milage $350; $150 hard drives;

Champion the building of our new database in Donor Perfect $4K

Seed the campaign for Heart Healthy Diets for PA Prisoners $5K

Fuel trips to the prisons $1.5K a month

This is us, going all in. Dreaming of our future, pushing ourselves to create and broadcast. We love, we struggle, and we win.

WRITE ON 8-29 Tuesday 5pm EST: a Black August lett

WRITE ON 8-29 Tuesday 5pm EST: a Black August letter writing campaign

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