June 16, 2018: Community Celebration For Human Rights And Dignity

Join California Prison Focus to celebrate the beautiful work of grassroots
organizations building self-determination and empowerment in our communities. We will gather to highlight our efforts to counter the destructive and harmful practices being perpetrated against our communities. Come together because everyday that we are being attacked from every angle is a day to be grateful that we, the people, in our power, in our revolutionary love are standing up together!

Tabling is welcome.

12pm to 4:30pm  —  Frank Ogawa/Oscar Grant Plaza in Downtown Oakland, CA 94612

Bring a picnic lunch, enjoy music and activities, listen to inspiring speakers, and participate in the reading of letters from our community members on the other side of the wall.

Activities will include:

• Interactive displays
• Liberate the Caged Voices Audio Project
• Children’s letter writing and picture drawing to those on the inside
• Book raffle by local, formerly incarcerated authors Jose Villarreal and Malik Wade
• Exciting campaigns to support, ranging from Amend the 13th to Food Sovereignty

Unite in solidarity for the self-determination, health, and empowerment of our communities.

RSVP for tabling is encouraged, but not necessary.  Tabling RSVP number is 707-601-2901.

For questions: contact@prisons.org
http://www.prisons.org

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Sponsored by California Prison Focus (CPF), a non-profit human rights organization dedicated to exposing the abuse, violation, and neglect of basic human rights concerning our community members behind bars. CPF publishes a quarterly newsletter, providing a platform for otherwise silenced voices of those on the inside and continues to fight for ending solitary confinement torture. Founded in 1991, the all-volunteer group operates entirely on individual donations and small grants.

CPF is a founding member of the Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition.

LETTER WRITING LAUNCH to end harmful “security / welfare checks”

STOP SLEEP DEPRIVATION in CA Solitary Units in Pelican Bay SHU and Women’s Death Row

Please write letters to Lindsay Hayes, the suicide expert who’s endorsed this harmful practice by CA Dept. of Corrections.  Hayes can stop the “security/welfare checks.” We want Hayes to hear the voices of the women and men affected by these torturous checks, and we ask you to be the messengers.

Use these templates and prisoner quotes, and send to the listed addresses:

• Short TEMPLATE LETTER to Hayes http://wp.me/P1BB1k-2IM

• Longer TEMPLATE LETTER to Hayes http://wp.me/P1BB1k-2Je

• QUOTES from Pelican Bay SHU & Central CA Women’s Facility death row about checks http://wp.me/P1BB1k-2K5

 Write to:
Lindsay M. Hayes
40 Lantern Lane
Mansfield, MA 02048

Copy to:
Matthew A. Lopes, Jr.
Pannone Lopes Devereaux & West LLC
317 Iron Horse Way, Suite 301
Providence, RI 02908

If possible, send us a copy of your letter, either by U.S. mail or email:
PHSS Committee to End Sleep Deprivation
P.O. Box 5692
Eureka, CA 95502
phssreachingout@gmail.com

“The negative health consequences of inadequate sleep ha[ve] been extensively documented and nowhere in the literature is there a report on as severe a disruption in sleep as is occurring in the Pelican Bay SHU.”
– Dr. Jamie Zeitzer, internationally recognized sleep expert, Oct. 2015

Guards are jarring prisoners awake every 30 minutes, all day and night, in Central California Women’s Facility death row and in Pelican Bay SHU with noisy so-called  “security/ welfare checks,” causing severe sleep deprivation. These checks are purported to be ‘suicide prevention,’ yet are being used as a blanket practice, whether prisoners are suicidal or not, and despite the fact that denial of sleep is devastating for the human mind and body.

“This is torture. We are being emotionally, mentally and physically battered by the security checks throughout the nights.” – 20 death row prisoners in Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF)

People need sleep for survival, mental and physical health and well-being, and to organize for their human rights.

Become a Human Rights Pen Pal

WEBSITE: https://humanrightspenpals.org/

We are reposting because there have been many requests for Human Rights Pen Pals! 

Click to read  Pen Pal Flyer. 

See also  Vision, Mission, Goals and Work of the Human Rights Pen Pal project.

Updated Contact info for Human Rights Pen Pals:
Email: humanrightspenpals@gmail.com
Postal Address: Human Rights Pen Pals,1301 Clay Street, P O Box 71378,  Oakland, CA 94612
Online application
Facebook page

The Power of Pen and Paper Can
Transcend Prison Walls.