May 20th-23rd: Together to End Solitary Events/Actions

Bronx, NY — Ithaca, NY  — Manhasset, NY— Oakland, CA Richmond, CA — San Diego, CA  — San Jose, CA —San Francisco, CA —  Santa Cruz, CA —  Staten Island, NY

Statewide Coordinated Actions To End Solitary Confinement began in March 2014 on the 23rd of every month -in recognition of the 23 hours or more per day that people in solitary spend in their cells. Monthly action coordination soon began nationwide, Together to End Solitary.  Please participate in these public actions and events planned in your area, or get one going yourself- however big or small. Here is a great brochure you can print and distribute!
Together to End Solitary Brochure – Download, print two-sided, and fold

Click HERE for more literature to hand out at California actions.

Click on the action/event titles for details.  The below listing includes events on May 20, 21, 22, and 23rd.  Please email togethertoendsolitary@gmail.com or phssreachingout@gmail.com for more info and to share your action details!

Oakland, CA: CARE NOT CAGES, with film “Breaking Down the Box”

Friday, May 20th    7:00pm – 9:00pm

685 14th St, Oakland, CA 94612, USA

 

Richmond, CA: SOLITARY MAN – My Visit to Pelican Bay State Prison

Saturday, May 21st    4:00pm – 6:30pm
551 23rd St, Richmond, CA 94804, USA

 

Staten Island Performance: Mariposa & the Saint

Saturday, May 21st     7:00pm – 9:30pm
1 Campus Rd, Staten Island, NY 10301, USA

 

Darkness in the Golden State

Unmasking the Reality of California Prisons through Art

When: Friday, August 22 from 6pm – 9pm<.

Where: The Luggage Store Gallery, 1007 Market Street San Francisco, CA 94103 (The Luggage Store is a 5 minute walk from the Civic Center or Powell BART station.)

Legal Services for Prisoners with Children is proud to present its second annual art show, Darkness in the Golden State: Unmasking the Reality of California Prisons through Art.

The exhibit features both visual and written creative work by currently and formerly incarcerated people on California prison-related issues, including the resistance against injustice and the contrast between the California’s perceived liberalism and the reality of its prison conditions.

Original art pieces will be sold in a silent auction, and duplicate prints of art pieces will be available for purchase as well. All proceeds go to the William James Association, Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity coalition and LSPC. There will be complimentary light refreshments and drinks. This event is free. We hope you can come!

Feel free to print and distribute our 2014 LSPC Art Exhibit flyer.
Visit our Facebook Event page.
(Optional) register on our EventBrite page.

Please email bailey@prisonerswithchildren.org if you have any questions regarding the event. LSPC is accepting submissions until August 15th. Please submit them at this email address or the LSPC mailing address: 1540 Market St, suite 490 San Francisco, CA 94102.

Anniversary of Suspension of Historic 2013 Hunger Strike

Save the date: Saturday, September 6, 2014
Mosswood Park, Oakland

RSVP at the Facebook event page, check often for updates; further details to come.

Celebrating the suspension of the largest hunger strike in U.S. history.  Dozens of incarcerated people carried on the fast for 60 days, ending on September 5, 2013.  The 2013 hunger strike – begun on July 8, 2013 by over 30,000 people – was the third since 2011 intended to bring an end to California’s arbitrary policy of isolating individuals on the basis of mere association, without regard to actual conduct.

Join us as we honor these courageous people and push forward to bring an end to the torture of long-term solitary confinement. If your organization is interested in co-sponsoring this event please contact us by Monday August 18, 2014, at phssreachingout@gmail.com

Sponsored by Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity
510-863-0477
@CAHungerStrike

 

8/3/14 Update from Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition

We hope to post updates every week or few weeks about the struggle to END long term solitary confinement. If you have any feedback for how we can improve these updates, or information you’d like to see, please let us know.

IN THIS UPDATE:

Weekly Meetings

Recent News Articles

Upcoming Events

 

1. Weekly Meetings: The Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition meets every Monday night in Oakland (and on the phone).

• The sole purpose of the Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition is to amplify the voices of California prisoners as they strive to achieve their Five Core Demands. The Coalition consists of family members, formerly incarcerated people, lawyers, organizations, and individuals who stand in solidarity with the hunger strikers. This weekly meeting focuses primarily on planning, promoting and reporting on actions and events directly related to the struggle for the Five Demands (primarily, to end long term solitary confinement), including prisoner updates and legal and media strategies and reports.

• If you are interested in participating in a Monday night meeting, please contact the Welcoming & Outreach Committee at  510-863-0477  or  PHSSReachingOut@gmail.com

 

2. Recent Newsletters, News Articles & Videos

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pz3syET3DY “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” 7/20/14 – This 20 minute segment covers solitary confinement and mass incarceration in general in the United States. Great video to share with your friends & family who aren’t paying attention to the prison crisis.

 

• JULY 8TH EVENTS took place nationwide to honor the start of last summer’s prisoner hunger strike, the largest in U.S. history:

  • To celebrate the movement: The California prisoner hunger strike one year later 7/14/14

  • Largest hunger strike in history: California prisoners speak out on first anniversary 7/8/14

 

• PRISON CENSORSHIP:
  Thanks to everyone who submitted a public comment about CDCr’s proposed censorship rules. Here is some news coverage:

• Prison censorship: cruel, but not unusual (Freedom Socialist Party)

• State Prisons to Institute New Censorship Rules 6/17/14 (East Bay Express)

• The California Prison System Is Cracking Down On “OBSCENE” Political Publications   6/18/14 (Vice Magazine)

• Are We Approaching the End of Solitary Confinement? 6/23/14 (Pacific Standard)

 

• August 2014 Issue of ROCK!

• BBC News: “Bedlam Behind Bars US” 7/7/14

 

3. Go to our CALENDAR to post or find upcoming prisoner solidarity and movement building events throughout California or any location.

 

• “SAVE THE DATE” September 6, 2014 for an event in Oakland to commemorate the end of last summer’s prisoner hunger strike, the largest in U.S. history. We will have more information soon.

In solidarity,
Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition (PHSS)