“Eyes-Passing of a Healer.”
The name Dr. Patricia Bath is perhaps unfamiliar with you as it was to me just a few days ago, but a colleague shared obituaries from several newspapers, and I could only be moved by the extraordinary life and achievements of Dr. Bath.
She earned her medical degree from Howard University Medical School and began her internship in their neighborhood of her birth, Harlem.
For most of her professional career, she worked as an ophthalmologist, or eye doctor, and as a scientist, she developed techniques and equipment designed to treat and relieve glaucoma in cataract patients.
In 1988, Dr. Beth invented the laser phaco probe, a device that removed cataracts and which she patented. Her work returned vision to people who were blind for decades.
Why write about the life of Dr. Patricia Bath? Because she was a medical pioneer, a black doctor who brought relief and sight to people across black America and beyond. But there is another reason.
Several months ago, I was told by an ophthalmologist that I had glaucoma and cataracts. I was stunned by the news. A month ago, my eyesight deteriorated so badly that I couldn’t read a book or a newspaper.
Thus, the news about the life and passing of Dr. Patricia Bath naturally caught my attention. Dr. Beth reached 76 years of life before her transition. Today, I await treatment.
From imprisoned nation, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
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)