Noelle Hanrahan: How did you meet Rashid?
Ekong Esheit: After I set myself on fire at Red Onion last year and I came back from the hospital, he was in Medical and he seen my leg, and we got to chopping it up about me and others setting ourselves on fire and ever since then, I got a lot of help, a lot of attention put on the fire situation.
Noelle Hanrahan: And what did you learn from him? And how do you see him?
Ekong Esheit: I look at him like an uncle and a revolutionary. But, I learned from him that, not to give up. It was many times I wanted to give up. I learned from him to keep fighting, as long as you got nothing you– long as you still living, you can overcome any struggle if you got the will and the fight in you to do that.
Noelle Hanrahan: What’s the difference between Virginia and Indiana?
Ekong Esheit: In the hole, in Virginia, you can’t have your tablet. In the hole in Indiana, you can have your tablet. You have the phone on the tablet, so you don’t have to worry about the phone, not being able to use the phone calling your people. You can order commissary. You can order food up to $75 twice a month. You got the TV in the hole. I can’t say much about population, because I haven’t been to population yet, but as far as in the hole, the hole is way different, way better. You gotta outside Rec [unclear] with a basketball goal. You got an inside Rec [unclear] with a exercise bicycle. So it’s better options for Rec. It’s just better overall. Less Stressful.
Noelle Hanrahan: Like, why is it so stressful at Red Onion?
Ekong Esheit: Because they repress you from everything that you wanted to use the phone twice a month. You can’t have your tablet back there. If you’re on a certain status you can only get $15 of food a month. You can only get $15 of food a month. You’re not getting outside Rec like that. You’re coming out for Rec chained to a table, chained then shackled to a table. I mean, it’s just bad. Everything about that place is messed up.
Noelle Hanrahan: Just tell us what got you, you know, on your hunger strikes and on your self immolation from Red Onion [State Prison] like, remind the listeners what happened.
Ekong Esheit: On a daily I was dealing with discrimination. I was having my last name disrespected, getting called “eat-s**t” or “E-s**t;” my religion disrespected — I’m Muslim — disrespecting my religion, disrespecting my race, calling me “ni**as,” calling me “boys.” I wasn’t getting the proper mental health treatment that I was looking for, that I wanted and needed; wasn’t allowed to participate in any programs. It was just like I was just there and facing discrimination, facing inhumane conditions every day, on a daily so, with all that stress that was put on me, that led me to set myself on fire; that led me to go in on the hunger strike.
Noelle Hanrahan: Why are they holding you in solitary confinement?
Ekong Esheit: Cuz, I came out here, they told me I was a safe keeper, which means they’re either trying to keep people safe for me, or me safe from other people or myself. I think due to me setting myself on fire, they look at me as a danger to myself. They have told me — that’s all they have told me, is that I’m safe keeping. They’re not really went into details. They told me that I got at least a year before I’m recommended for a transfer. And I haven’t done nothing. I haven’t caught no charges or nothing. They’re just throwing me in the hole. And Virginia said [unclear] hey don’t have nothing to do with that. They said it’s an Indiana thing. My name is Ekong Esheit. I’m coming from — I’m from Virginia, but I’m coming from Indiana at Westfield Correctional Facility, my state number is 304103.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
