Below you can find letters, written statements & audio interviews from prisoners throughout the US exposing the conditions inside prison, why they joined and why people should support the hunger strike.
Index:
–The CA Hunger Strike: one year later
–From Corcoran State Prison
–From Pelican Bay
–From other California prisons
–From prisoners outside California
–Former prisoners support the hunger strike
THE CA HUNGER STRIKE: ONE YEAR LATER
Prisoners held in Security Housing Units (SHUs) reflect on the first anniversary of the hunger.
- “The Five Core Demands One Year Later” By Todd Ashker (July 2012)
- A Statement from the Pelican Bay Human Rights Movement in Commemoration of the 1st Year Anniversary of the CA Hunger Strike by Kijana Tashiri Askari (July 2012)
Below you can find letters, written statements & audio interviews from prisoners throughout the US exposing the conditions inside prison, why they are joining and why people should support the hunger strike.
- Re-asserting the cultural revolution in the National Occupy Movement by Zaharibu Dorrough, J. Heshima Denham, Kambui Robinson and Jabari Scott of the NCTT Corcoran Security Housing Unit (SHU) (4/26/12)
- Corcoran Officials Retaliate Against Hunger Strikers in Administrative Segregation Unit (ASU) 1 by Pyung Hwa Ryoo (3/23/2012)
- A Discussion on Strategy for the Occupy Movement from behind Enemy Lines by J. Heshima Denham, Zaharibu Dorrough and Kambui Robinson of the NCTT Corcoran Security Housing Unit (SHU)
- From NCTT Corcoran SHU to the Occupy Movement by Heshima Denham, Zaharibu Dorrough and Kambui Robinson. A proposal of 10 demands for the Occupy Movement.
- Feeling Death at Our Heels: An Update from the Frontlines of the Struggle by Zaharibu Dorrough, J. Heshima Denham and Kambui Robinson from the Corcoran SHU.
- Retaliation At Corcoran by a hunger striker at Corcoran State Prison
- Corcoran Prisoners Join Pelican Bay Hunger Strike by Prisoners in the NCTT Corcoran SHU. Prisoners explain why they are in solidarity with the Pelican Bay Hunger Strikers and why they are joining the hunger strike
- About Prison by Sister Amazon. Speaking from Corcoran State Prison, Sister Amazon exposes the true interests of prison
From prisoners in Pelican Bay:
- Proposals for Action from members of the Short Corridor Collective (November 12-13, 2013)
- “Testimony of Validation Practice” by Peter Salazar (April 11th, 2012).
- Short Corridor Collective’s Rejection to CDCR proposal and counter-proposal by Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa (aka Dewberry), Arturo Castellanos, Todd Ashker and Antonio Guillen (March 19th, 2012).
- Pelican Bay Human Rights Movement Presents: Litigating the Hunger Strike by Kijana Tashiri Askari
- December 2011Update From Short Corridor Collective ( by T. Ashker, A. Castellanos, Sitawa (s/n Dewberry), A. Guillen)
- A Survivor’s Manual for Solitary Confinement by Kijana Tashiri Askari (Nov. 2011) written for prisoners.
- Memo from Strike Representatives @ Pelican Bay to CDCR UnderSecretary Kernan (10/11/11) This memo deftly frames the retaliation against the 15 strike representatives and their cellies, lays out some of the reasons prisoners are back on strike, and the ways in which the CDCR has not honored its agreements. This memo is more evidence of the prisoners’ interest in resolving these issues.
- Tortured SHU Prisoners Speak Out: The Struggle Continues by Pelican Bay SHU Hunger Strike Representatives. Hunger Strike Representatives in the Pelican Bay Security Housing Unit explain their dissatisfaction with the CDCR’s failure to uphold the prisoners’ demands (set forward by their hunger strike in July) and announce restarting the hunger strike on Sept 26th. 2011.
- Declaring A Victory by Hunger Strike Representatives at Pelican Bay explaining their reasoning behind suspending the hunger strike and accepting CDCR’s concessions on July 20th.
- Pelican Bay State Prison Security Housing Units Peaceful Protest Hunger Strike Starting July 1st, 2011 by James Crowford, Mutop DuGuya (a/k/a Bow Low). Why are prisoners protesting? Read this statement addressing the tortuous conditions of the SHU, inhumane policies of California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR), such as the “debriefing” policy, and the impacts of these conditions and policies on prisoners and their families.
- The Call by Mutope Duguma. A statement explaining more details about the conditions of Pelican Bay SHU and a call for people inside and outside to show active support for the strike
- Formal Complaint by Short Corridor Collective in the Pelican Bay Security Housing Unit. Official document delivered to CDCR before the strike began on July 1st.
AUDIO INTERVIEWS WITH PELICAN BAY HUNGER STRIKE REPRESENTATIVES:
- Click here for interview with Paul Jones, explaining the conditions and policies of the SHU, “gang validation” and debriefing. Click here for the written transcript of Paul’s interview.
- Click here for first interview with Todd Ashker before t
he strike started. Click here for the written transcript of Todd’s statement.
- Click here for second interview with Todd Ashker thanking supporters. Click here for the written transcript of Todd’s statement.
- Click here for interview with RN Dewberry. Click here for the written transcript of Dewberry’s statement.
From prisoners in other California prisons:
- Letter from Chad Landrum— analysis of the hunger strikes and isolation.
- Letter from a Hunger Strike at Calipatria on 11th Day of Hunger Strike, detailing why this prisoner has resumed the strike & some of the conditions at Calipatria State Prison’s Administrative Segregation Unit (ASU).
From prisoners outside California:
- United We Stand! by Imam Saddique Abdullah Hassan. Speaking from Ohio State Penitentiary, supermax prisoners from Ohio announce their support for the Pelican Bay Hunger Strikers and join for the first day of the strike.
- People Are Being Tortured Inside These Places by Bomani Shakur who is on death row in Youngstown, Ohio, sending a message of solidarity to prisoners and family members in CA, and urging supporters to continue organizing for our communities against imprisonment.
- Mumia Abul Jamal speaks out in support of the hunger strike. Listen here.
Former Prisoners Speak Out against Imprisonment, in support of the Hunger Strike!
Formerly Imprisoned people have played a pivotal role in supporting the hunger strike, speaking out on their experiences of imprisonment and amplifying the voices of people still locked up. Below are a few videos of people speaking out against solitary confinement in Sacramento during a day of action for a legislative hearing on SHUs in August, 2011.
Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity 