Letter Writing to Marius Mason (5/25)

  • May 19, 2020 11:39 am

from Philly ABC

Our letter writing event for this month will be for Marius Mason, who has unfortunately been recently diagnosed with COVID-19 and will be fighting the virus from behind bars. Marius was chosen both because of his diagnosis and also because of the fast-approaching June 11th International Day of Solidarity with Marius and all long-term Anarchist prisoners.

The event will be held on May 25th at 6:30 PM. Due to COVID-19, this event will be held online using the secure open source video conferencing platform, Jitsi. Privacy is encouraged – no one is expected to share their camera. The meeting details will be posted here a day before the event.

Background: Marius Mason is a transgender, environmental and animal rights activist. In 1999, in the name of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) he set fire to a lab at the University of Michigan that was conducting research on genetically modified organisms (GMO).  After Marius’ husband turned states-evidence, Marius was threatened with a life sentence for the arson and other acts of sabotage. With little financial stability and fear of dragging his family into a costly legal battle, Marius pled guilty and was given an extreme sentence of nearly 22 years. No one was ever harmed in any of his actions.

Marius lived and worked in the Detroit area for most of his life. Like the late Earth First! (EF!) organizer, Judi Bari, he was part of a generation of radicals who worked to link the environmental and labor movements, and was jointly active in both EF! and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). It was this alliance which led to the initial success of the anti-globalization movement such as at the 1999 anti-WTO demonstration in Seattle. Mason was an editor of the Industrial Worker, the IWW newspaper, and a musician who recorded a neo-folk album, Not For Profit, with fellow EF!er Darryl Cherney in 1999. He also worked with numerous political as well as traditional charity groups.

If you are unable to join us on Jitsi, please send Marius a letter anyways:

Marie (Marius) Mason -061

FCI Danbury

Route 37

Danbury, CT 06811

United States

Letter-writing to Joy Powell (4/27)

  • April 25, 2020 12:25 am

from Philly ABC

Support for political prisoners doesn’t stop during a pandemic; in fact it only intensifies as prisoners are in extremely dangerous conditions without the ability to socially distance or access to protective supplies. On top of that, staff members have been deliberately defying CDC guidelines endangering prisoners by coughing without covering their mouth, etc. Please join us this Monday April 27th for our monthly letter-writing event at 6:30pm. Due to COVID-19, this event will be held online using the secure open source video conferencing platform, Jitsi. Privacy is encouraged – no one is expected to share their camera. We’ll update this post with the meet link, and announce it on social media the day of the event.

This month we are writing to Joy Powell. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Joy has contracted COVID-19 inside Bedford Hills Prison. She is in quarantine, fighting the virus, but we are concerned because she has the underlying conditions of both asthma and diabetes. Prior to testing positive for the virus, she wrote a letter to Governor Cuomo asking him for clemency due to her age and preexisting conditions making her more vulnerable to complications.

Background:
As a pastor and a consistent activist against police brutality, violence and oppression in her community, Rev. Joy Powell was warned by the Rochester Police department that she was a target because of her speaking out against corruption. On many occasions Rev. Joy had held rallies and spoke out against the police brutality and “police justifications” in Rochester NY through her organization ‘Equality and Justice for All.’ Later, Rev. Joy was accused and convicted of 1st Degree Burglary and Assault and subjected to an unfair trial.

An all white jury tried her; the state provided no evidence and no eyewitnesses. Rev. Joy was not allowed to discuss her activism or say that she was a pastor. The person that testified for her was not allowed to tell the court that he knew Rev. Joy through their activist work and through the church. Furthermore, judge Francis Affronti promised he was going to give her a harsh sentence because he did not like her. She was sentenced to 16 years and seven years concurrent. After this conviction, herself and others were charged with a cold murder case. After her codefendent was acquitted, Joy was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. She maintains her innocence and has appealed the conviction because evidence has been withheld from her defense team to this day.

If you are unable to join us on Jitsi, please send Joy a letter anyways:

Rev. Joy Powell #07-g-0632
Bedford Hills Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 1000
Bedford Hills, NY 10507-2499

Philly ABC Events Postponed

  • March 14, 2020 9:31 pm

from Twitter

We are postponing the Legacy Ball and this month’s letter writing. Please go to prisonersolidarity.com/ and write someone, strike a conversation and make a friend. We will announce a new date for the show when things settle down ????????????
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January Letter Writing: Michael Kimble!

  • January 20, 2020 11:23 pm

from Facebook


Join us once again for monthly letter-writing to either strike up correspondence with someone new or keep up your correspondence with an existing penpal in prison.

When: Monday, January 27th, 6:30-8:30pm

Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave.

January’s letter writing is in support of Michael Kimble who is a Black, gay anarchist serving a life sentence for the murder of a white, homophobic, racist bigot. He was recently placed in segregation at Holman Correctional, in Alabama, for coming to the defense of a fellow prisoner who was being beaten by guards. He is urgently asking for support in attaining transfer to a new facility.

Michael has been politically active behind bars for many years, in particular helping agitate for the 2016 national prison strike, which made waves across the country and largely started as the brainchild of prison rebels at Holman. He is also the author of several zines, and his writing can be found at anarchylive.noblogs.org.

We will also send birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in January.
We will have snacks and stamps and all the supplies. Bring yourself, bring a friend!

Winter Solstice Card Party for Political Prisoners

  • December 17, 2019 12:16 am

from Philly ABC

Join Philly Anarchist Black Cross for a Winter Solstice Card Party on Monday, 12/23, 6:30pm-8:30pm, at A-Space! (4722 Baltimore Ave)

We will send cards and warm wishes to our friends and comrades inside. Maintaining and building relationships with them is the crux of what we do, so we will be sending cards to U.S.-held PPs and POWs. Light refreshments will be provided and folks are welcome to come use the time as a regularly scheduled time to correspond with current penpals inside prison as well.

We will also be mailing birthday cards to those who have birthdays in January: Fran Thompson (3rd), Jeremy Hammond (8th), Abdul Azeez (9th), Sundiata Acoli (13th), Joseph “Joe-Joe” Bowen (15th), and Marius Mason (25th),

Benefit Show!

  • December 6, 2019 12:12 am

from Facebook

Trendgender
Kahlil Ali
Cranes are Flying
Gait
Yoshi sun

Doors at 7:30
$5-$10 suggested donation benefitting Occupy PHA and Philly Anarchist Black Cross

[December 13 7:30-11PM at Gilbert’s Shoes 1652 Ridge Ave]

Monday, 11/25: Letter-writing for Black Liberation Prisoner Russell Maroon Shoatz

  • November 18, 2019 11:59 pm

from Philly ABC

Join us once again for monthly letter-writing to either strike up correspondence with someone new or keep up your correspondence with an existing penpal in prison.

When: Monday, November 25th, 6:30-8:30pm

Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave.

Bring only yourself or friends and comrades. All letter-writing supplies and snacks are provided.

This month we will be sending letters to Russell Maroon Shoatz. Maroon is serving life in prison after being charged with four other known Black Panther Party members for an attack on a police station, committed by unknown persons presumably in retaliation for Frank Rizzo’s persecution of the BPP and tensions arising from police brutality and police killings of Black youth.  Maroon has not wavered in his commitment to Black liberation and community involvement despite almost 22 years in solitary confinement before he was transferred into general population in 2014 after a lawsuit filed on his behalf.

Earlier this year, Maroon experienced some health issues resulting in a lengthy stay in the infirmary and an operation that revealed Stage 4 colorectal cancer. He has since been transferred to the medical facility at SCI Fayette for chemotherapy. This facility is further from family and loved ones, so we’ll send him some extra mail and also will be co-hosting the upcoming December 7th Healing and Justice fundraiser to support him as well as Dr. Mutulu Shakur, the inspiration for the annual H&J events held all over North America.

We will also send birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in December: Muhammad Burton (the 15th), Chelsea Manning (the 17th), and Casey Brezik (the 29th).

Monday, October 28th: Open Letter-writing

  • October 27, 2019 3:38 am

from Philly ABC

When: Monday, October 28th; 6:30-8:30 pm

Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Avenue

Join us as we mail our 2019 Running Down the Walls reportback to US held political prisoners. Mailing prisoners news about events a few times a year keeps them in the loop with outside organizing. If you have been wanting to become a penpal of a political prisoner and would like a suggestion of who to write or want to chat about other ideas to free political prisoners we welcome you to do some at this event!

As always, we encourage anyone who already has a correspondence with a prisoner to attend our monthly events as an opportunity to share snacks with other prison abolitionists while you keep up with your regular correspondence. This month, we will be sending birthday cards to the US-held political prisoner with a birthday in November: Josh Williams (the 25th).

Running Down The Walls 2019 Reportback

  • October 5, 2019 7:02 am

from Philly ABC

Philly ABC is happy to report the success of our second annual Running Down The Walls in support of political prisoners, held on September 7th, roughly 2 years from the date that our group formed. We again chose a late summer date for the event, but we hope to align our 2020 RDTW with other ABC chapters. We also joined the ABCF earlier this year to more closely work with our long-term comrades in the LA and former Philly ABC chapters.

We gathered at 10 am in FDR park for a yoga warm-up led by Sheena Sood. It was a beautiful morning, warm and sunny with a nice breeze coming off the lake. Two laps around the park loop is conveniently almost exactly 5K. Like last year, we split into 3 groups: walkers, joggers and runners. Walkers left the starting line around 11 am, followed by the joggers at 11:10 and the runners at 11:20. Afterward, we gathered for a group photo, speeches by Mike Africa Jr. (son of Debbie and Mike Africa who were also participating in the event), Janet and Janine Africa, and refreshments provided by Food Not Bombs Solidarity.

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Together we raised a total of $1940 to split between the ABCF Warchest, and the Never Give Up! project started by Mike Africa Jr. to provide long-term support for released members of the MOVE 9. We chose royal blue as the color for this year’s shirt to support and raise awareness for Chuck Africa’s fight against colon cancer from within prison. Chuck Africa is up for parole later this year, and along with Delbert Africa is one of the remaining members of the MOVE 9 not yet paroled. Another long-term comrade behind bars in PA, Russell Maroon Shoatz, is also battling colo-rectal cancer so we ran in royal blue in solidarity with him as well. Maroon’s support team is collecting funds to help secure him holistic health options.

At the time of last year’s RDTW, in commemoration of 40 years since the arrest of the MOVE 9, only Debbie had been paroled. This year we were grateful for not only the release of Mike and his reunification with Debbie and family, but the release of Janet, Janine and Eddie as well, all of whom participated for the first time outside of prison walls! We look forward to more successes in the next year!

Until all are free!
Philly ABC

Monday, Sept 23rd: Letter-writing for anarchist hacker Jeremy Hammond

  • September 16, 2019 12:24 am

from Philly ABC

We are at it once again sending some love to punitively locked up for their political beliefs and facing additional repression while inside for the same reason.

When: Monday, September 23rd, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave.

Bring only yourself or friends and comrades. All letter-writing supplies and snacks are provided.

Jeremy Hammond is an anarchist computer hacker serving 10 years for leaking the personal information of 860,000 customers of private intelligence firm Strategic Forecasting (Stratfor) through the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks. This information revealed that Stratfor spies on activists, among others, at the behest of corporations and the U.S. government.

Almost to the end of his sentence at a federal prison, in August 2019, Jeremy was summoned to appear before a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia and transferred to a Virginia jail where he now faces up to an additional 18 months for contempt by refusing to testify. It is believed to be the same grand jury that is currently imprisoning Chelsea Manning for bravely refusing to testify. Like grand jury resisters before him, Jeremy firmly believes that grand juries are repressive tools of the government, used to investigate and intimidate activist communities and are abused by prosecutors to gain access to intelligence to which they are not entitled. The U.S. government’s blatant abuse of the grand jury process in this case continues to be a clear pattern of targeting, isolating and punishing outspoken truth-tellers and activists.

Jeremy has no intention of cooperating with this, or any other, grand jury he may be called in front of. Simply by calling him in front of this grand jury, the government has already added a minimum of nine months to his sentence by removing him from a program he was participating in at the federal prison he was serving his sentence at. His prison release date was projected to come around mid-December 2019, but because of his removal from the program and the summons to the grand jury his time incarcerated could be extended by over two years.

See bit.ly/5easyactions for all the information you need about writing to Jeremy including rules of what is acceptable to send through the mail.

We will also send birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in October: Skelly Stafford (the 2nd), Jamil Al-Amin (the 3rd), David Gilbert (the 5th), Malik Bey (the 8th), Jalil Muntaqim (the 17th), and Ed Poindexter (the 31st).

Running Down The Walls

  • September 1, 2019 2:22 am

from Philly ABC

Download posters and flyers

September 7th, 2019
11 am sharp (Yoga warm-up at 10am)
FDR Park

Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross presents our second annual Running Down The Walls (RDTW)! Join us for another revolutionary 5K run/walk/bike/skate and day of solidarity. If you would like to participate in light yoga and warm-up stretches before, please arrive by 10am and bring a mat if you can.

Running is not required! You can also walk, bike, skate or roll. 5K is two loops around the park and at a walking pace will take about 45-60 minutes. Light refreshments and socializing will take place in the park afterward.

This year’s event is co-sponsored by Never Give Up! – a project to free the remaining incarcerated members of the MOVE 9, and sustain their long-term post-release support. Following the release of his parents, Mike Africa Jr. founded Never Give Up! to alleviate the financial strain of rebuilding life after decades of imprisonment. When his uncle Chuck Africa beat colon cancer, the project aligned with the broader, ongoing fight against cancer.

The Move organization has never given up. Not after their house was flooded, gassed, and riddled with bullets. Not after the police deployed explosives and let them burn alive. Not after the PADOC murdered Phil and Merle Africa.

After 40 years in prison and never giving up on their beliefs or each other, Debbie was released on parole on June 16th 2018, soon after followed by Mike Africa Sr. on October 23rd. Janet and Janine were released on May 25th, 2019 and then Eddie on June 21st.  Next up for parole are Delbert this September and Chuck in November.

As their supporters, we too never give up! Philadelphia RDTW 2019 is dedicated to amplifying their voices, lifting them up in their struggles, and maintaining material post-release support.

If you cannot make it to the event or would like to make an additional contribution, please sponsor a participant either outside prison or inside or one of each. Contact us for more information on sponsoring!

Proceeds will be split between the Warchest Program and the Never Give Up project. The ABCF Warchest program sends monthly stipends to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War who have insufficient, little, or no financial support.

Monday, 8/26: Letter-writing for anarchist Eric King

  • August 19, 2019 12:17 pm

from Philly ABC

When: Monday, August 26th, 6:30pm

Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Avenue

Snacks Provided; No Letter-writing Experience Necessary

Eric King, vegan anarchist political prisoner, was arrested and charged with an attempted firebombing of a government official’s office in Kansas City, MO in September 2014. Eric was charged with throwing a hammer through a window of the building, followed by two lit Molotov cocktails. The criminal complaint states that both incendiary devices failed to ignite. Eric was identified as a suspect by local police because he had previously come under suspicion for anti-government and anti-police graffiti.

On March 3, 2016, he accepted a non-cooperating plea agreement to one count of using “explosive materials to commit arson of property used in or affecting interstate commerce.” Eric King was sentenced to ten years, the statutory minimum and maximum for the charge he plead guilty to. His release date is June 2nd, 2023. Since his arrest and subsequent incarceration, he has been extremely isolated from his loved ones and has repeatedly been targeted by the guards, who regularly put his safety in jeopardy.

On or around 8/3, when in custody at USP Lee, Eric woke up unable to use his left hand/arm whole side of his body with paralysis of the whole left side of his face. When looking in the mirror he experienced mirrored-self misidentification, which means that he did not recognize himself in the mirror. Within 24 hours all symptoms were gone, meeting a lot of the qualifications of a transient ischemic attack or a mini stroke. Obviously without testing we can not know, but if this is the case it puts him in danger. One in three folks with this go on to have a full blown stroke. If he doesn’t get a neurological assessment asap, there is the possibility of  irreversible damage. The standard of care is to perform an immediate CT scan and ultrasound of the neck, be evaluated by a neurologist, and have blood tests.

However, instead of any medical care, he was picked up for transfer at 3am on August 13th and told he was being called into court on a “writ.” It seems likely that they are bringing him back to Colorado to try to charge him federally for being dragged into a broom closet, attacked and then kicked in the head repeatedly by 6 officers, tied to a 4-point bed covered in blood for 8 hours, having to urinate on himself, before being placed in a cell with a toilet clogged with feces and a strobe light overhead for 4 days.

Transfers are always difficult for prisoners, but this one is especially so because in addition to him losing access to his commissary money, contact with his family will be limited/more expensive, he will likely lose access to vegan meals and is STILL in need of urgent medical attention in addition to whatever bogus reason he is being called into court for. We will be writing letters to Eric with words of support in this difficult set of circumstances and have them ready to drop in the mail as soon as we get word which facility he ends up at after transfer. If you are writing from home, check supportericking.org for news on where to send mail. We understand he tends to like news about his favorite football team Manchester United, science, IRA articles, space, anything interesting, funny, weird or entertaining. We also encourage folks to donate to his support crew or buy merch from them as funds will be needed for commissary and legal expenses.

We will also send birthday cards to prisoners with birthdays in September: Brian Vaillancourt (the 4th), Leonard Peltier (the 11th), and Abdul Maumin Khabir (the 14th).

Running Down The Walls

  • July 2, 2019 12:30 am

from Philly ABC

Download posters and flyers

September 7th, 2019
11 am sharp (Yoga warm-up at 10:30)
FDR Park

Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross presents our second annual Running Down The Walls (RDTW)! This year’s event is dedicated to Never Give Up! – a project to free the remaining incarcerated members of the MOVE 9, and sustain their long-term post-release support. Following the release of his parents, Mike Africa Jr. founded Never Give Up to alleviate the financial strain of rebuilding life after decades of imprisonment. When his uncle Chuck Africa beat colon cancer, the project actively aligned with the broader, ongoing fight against cancer.

The Move organization has never given up. Not after their house was flooded, gassed, and riddled with bullets. Not after the police deployed explosives and let them burn alive. Not after the PADOC murdered Phil and Merle Africa.

After 40 years in prison and never giving up on their beliefs or each other, Debbie was released on parole on June 16th 2018, soon after followed by Mike Africa Sr. on October 23rd. Janet and Janine were released on May 25th, 2019 and then Eddie on June 21st. Chuck comes up for parole this November, and Delbert currently awaits the outcome of an appeal to secure his next hearing date.

As we are among their supporters, we too never give up! Philadelphia RDTW 2019 is dedicated to amplifying their voices, lifting them up in their struggles, and maintaining material post-release support. Join us for another revolutionary 5K run/walk/bike/skate and day of solidarity. If you would like to participate in light yoga and warm-up stretches before, please arrive around 10:15am. Bring a mat if you can! If you cannot make it to the event or would like to make an additional contribution, please sponsor a participant either outside prison or inside or one of each. Contact us for more information on sponsoring!

Proceeds will be split between the Warchest Program and the Never Give Up project. The ABCF Warchest program sends monthly stipends to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War who have insufficient, little, or no financial support during their imprisonment.

Register for the 5K

Thanks for your support by running/walking/biking/skating the 5K! Everyone must fill out the following form to register NO LATER THAN AUGUST 24TH  so that you receive your official shirt the day of the event. The registration fee of $40 confirms your place at the event and it is preferred that this be paid before the day of the event by using the Seeds of Wisdom Patreon link below. Cash can also be accepted at the event. Additional funds over the $40 base fee raised through sponsorships are more than welcome (see our fundraising tips below).

Monday, May 27th: Intro to Prisoner Letter-writing Event

  • May 20, 2019 11:06 am

from Philly ABC

Curious to write to prisoners, but not sure how to start or who to write to?

Join us for our monthly letter-writing event this month for an intro on how to get started and open discussion on political prisoners who might be seeking more mail or penpals. We will also be distributing our newly-printed Philly ABC guide to supporting political prisoners as a take-home reference, and sending birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in June: Matt DeHart (the 10th), Jay Chase (the 11th), and Tom Manning (the 27th).

We encourage folks who know of prisoners seeking more correspondence to come and spread the word to folks looking to write to people for the first time.

When: Monday, May 27th; 6:30-8:30pm
Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Avenue

Snacks and letter-writing supplies provided!

April 22nd Letter-writing for BLM Prisoner Josh Williams

  • April 15, 2019 11:10 pm

from Philly ABC

Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Avenue
When: Monday, April 22nd, 6:30-8:30 PM
Snacks and letter-writing supplies provided!
Join us on Monday for the next letter-writing for political prisoners, this time for long-term BLM prisoner Josh Williams. On December 24, 2014, in the heat of a protest, Josh who was 19 at the time followed a group who had broken into a QuikTrip convenience store. He decided to use lighter fluid to set a fire to a garbage can outside the store. It was put out before causing damage, but police investigated the incident, and two days later, as he was walking to a Christmas party, cops surrounded and arrested him. He spent nearly a year in jail before his trial. The following December, a judge sentenced him to eight years for arson– a sentence that grossly outweighs his crime.
Josh apparently gets unfairly treated by guards in the prison because they see his actions in Ferguson as anti-police. He also recently expressed interest in getting more mail. He likes reading Thrillers and the Bible. When he gets out of prison, he’s hoping to open a youth center in Ferguson, to give kids who grew up poor like him a chance to build community. His plans are still vague, but he feels committed to doing something positive with children.
We will also be sending birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in May: Alvaro Luna Hernandez (the 12th), Kojo Bomani Sababu (the 27th), and Doug Wright (the 31st).