Kevin “Rashid” Johnson Art and Poetry

“I have nothing and therefore nothing to lose. I have conditioned myself for every conceivable shock and strain – physically, mentally, and emotionally. I fear nothing. No threat or prospect of danger deters me; I’ve faced them all, continuously and by choice. I am willing to suffer with those who suffer, to die with those who die, and to struggle in the most extreme manner for their liberation.”

-Kevin “Rashid” Johnson

Eleven new poems by Rashid!

Writer, iconic artist and poet Kevin “Rashid” Johnson has recently shared with the world eleven new original poems.

THE EMPEROR HAS NO HAIR



We’re in prison for things

That don’t compare

To the crimes of the emperor

Who has no hair

He’s been convicted

Of multiple crimes involving

Inciting riots to overthrow

Decisions resolved in

Favor of his opponents

In elections conducted

Through the usual voting process

Although it’s all corrupted… Read the rest

Rashid’s work is vital.

An incarcerated intellectual he carries forward a tradition of resistance that refuses silence. Born in Richmond, Virginia in 1971 he was in and out of disciplinary institutions since his teen years, and has been uninterruptedly incarcerated since he was 20.

He has written numerous articles both on prison abuse and on political questions. He is the author of two books: Defying the Tomb (2010) and Panther Vision (2015). Since October 2021, Rashid has been suffering from a cancer for which the authorities have been blocking treatment. He currently writes essays and poetry while working on a 3-volume autobiography.

Through his searing artwork and uncompromising poetry, he exposes the daily realities of captivity, state violence, isolation, and the systematic dehumanization embedded in prison regimes. He does this while also affirming the political consciousness and humanity of those inside.

His work offers a visual and literary language that connects imprisoned people to broader movements for liberation. In this way, Rashid walks a path blazed by George Jackson, who reminded us that “the ultimate expression of law is not order – it’s prison.” Like Jackson, Rashid’s expression transforms captivity into a site of revolutionary clarity.

Rashid’s cultural production matters because it breaks imposed isolation, builds political solidarity across walls, and insists that those behind bars are recognized as thinkers, creators, and agents of change.

Writing and creating under conditions of extreme surveillance, repression and hostility, Rashid reminds us that even in the most restrictive conditions, imagination and resistance can survive and speak.

The least we can do is read his poetry, read his essays, and share his iconic art.

Thank you for helping us walk this path with all the correspondents at Prison Radio who refuse to give up and who continue to expose their truths to the world.

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For the world we deserve,

Jennifer Black, Prison Radio, Director of Political Education

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