I’m a man of action. So it bothers me I’m stuck in prison and thus limited in the impact I can make in this world to help myself, help my family, and to help others. I could do more to make a difference behind these walls, but DOC doesn’t offer me much of an opportunity to do so. In my efforts to save young prisoners here at Great Meadow, I spearheaded the effort to get a shietsu netsu study group approved.
Shietsu netsu is a Kemetic ancient Egyptian religion that teaches self-discovery—or to know thyself—and self-mastery. Shietsu netsu pushes us to walk the earth as giants, being reflections of God, doing great and wonderful deeds. Being that DOCs won’t recognize and approve UFD, I decided to use Shietsu netsu to reach young prisoners. Lo and behold, facility administrators here at Great Meadow are deliberately sabotaging my efforts.
First, they make us designate the religion we want to participate in. This entails having to fill out a form and to submit it to the coordinator chaplain. I had young guys doing this, but their forms are not being processed or turned up missing. Second, others are being told they have to wait 12 months before they can change their religious designation. Third, I was told I couldn’t help guys through this process. Fourth, even though I spearheaded the effort to get the shietsu netsu study group approved, I was spitefully passed over for the appointment as it’s facilitator, so I can’t officially run it.
If DOC’s were to unleash me as an agent of change, I would be more of a benefit than not. To those of you listening, I need your help. I need people to volunteer to help me fight this injustice. Help me promote my free Dontie Mitchell Facebook page. Help me lobby to get my UFD organization approved and recognized.
I’m also preparing to file a federal lawsuit to fight DOC’s decision to disapprove UFD and to stop the sabotage of my efforts. That’s going to cost money. I ask that you get together with my friend, Brittany Baez, and organize a support committee that can help me in all that I’m working to do. Give me a chance.
This is Dontie S. Mitchell, better known Mfalme Sikivu, reporting to you from Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock, New York. Thank you for listening, and God bless.
(Sound of a cell door closing.) These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
![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)