POP / Decarcerate the Garden State Letter Calling for NJ Sept 9 Solidarity Action in Support of Striking Enslaved Incarcerated Men and Women

To All NJ Area Organizations and Individuals in the Struggle for Justice,

Peoples’ Organization for Progress and Decarcerate the Garden State are joining together to call upon freedom and justice loving organizations and individuals throughout New Jersey and throughout the U.S.A. to develop events and activities in solidarity and support of a multi-state coordinated strike at prisons aimed at ending enslavement inside U.S. prison and detention systems.  Prisoners across multiple states have issued a call for a strike on September 9, 2016, which is the 45^th anniversary of the Attica State Prison uprising.

According to an article from the news site The Intercept, "On April 1, a group of prisoners from Ohio, Alabama, Virginia, and Mississippi called for a ‘nationally coordinated prisoner work stoppage against prison slavery’ to take place on September 9, the 45th anniversary of the Attica prison riot. ‘We will not only demand the end to prison slavery, we will end it ourselves by ceasing to be slaves,’

 that announcement reads. ‘They cannot run these facilities without us.’”

See: http://theintercept.com/2016/04/04/prisoners-in-multiple-states-call-for-strikes-to-protest-forced-labor

We would like to demonstrate solidarity with the coordinated action in NJ by having a solidarity action or actions on the outside in support of demands for decarcerating legislation in NJ (we call for 50% reduction in NJ’s incarcerated population), freedom for political prisoners and improved conditions for the incarcerated inside NJ facilities. We are not suggesting any specific actions inside NJ’s facilities but should there be participation on the inside in NJ we will offer solidarity to the demands of NJ’s incarcerated men and women.

We would like to invite all of the justice seeking groups in NJ to:

1. Formerly co-sponsor or endorse in principal the idea of NJ solidarity action or actions on or around September 9.

2. Begin the process of deciding what kinds of activity (or activities) will be organized and where – the sentiment of some of the inside organizations like Free Alabama Movement is for there to be actions directly outside the facilities. The challenge of that is the remote locations of many of the facilities making transportation an issue. It is ultimately up to us in NJ exactly what kind of activities at what locations best suits our goals to effectively advance our demands for decarceration and for better conditions inside NJ facilities. There has been a suggestion that there be 3 regional events across the state though the locations. The number of events, timing etc. will all be determined by the locations where people are prepared to act.

According to Kinetic, of the Free Alabama Movement, “IF ANYONE IS ASKING ‘WHAT CAN I DO?’ Start doing like Decarcerate the Garden State / POP - Start Organizing Events in your City to SHOW SOLIDARITY not just say I STAND IN SOLIDARITY. Educational Rallies , Marches, Protest, Walk-Outs, Boycott Complicit Corporations. It's Time to let our ACTIONS show our dissatisfaction. FREE ALABAMA FREE MISSISSIPPI FREE OHIO FREE VIRGINIA FREE GEORGIA FREE CALIFORNIA. ..FREE YOUR STATE. .. BECAUSE IT'S A FREEDOM STRUGGLE!"

For decarceration, reform, abolitionist and justice loving groups outside of NJ, we are interested in hearing about any similar efforts going on in your states to organize solidarity with the planned coordinated strike by incarcerated men and women.  We are also eager to assist you any way that we can in getting similar solidarity efforts going in your state if there has not been any such effort yet.

We look forward to your response to this proposal.  We cannot wait to work with you to successfully launch a wave of solidarity with NJ’s incarcerated. If you would like a representative of Decarcerate the Garden State or POP (or others that join this effort) to attend a meeting of your organization to present the proposal just let us know. If you have any questions, ideas, concerns, etc. – do not hesitate to call 908-881-5275. You can also write to us at Decarc@DecarcerateNJ,org. We can set up conference calls with your organization to plan the events.

Stay tuned for information about meetings and phone conferences to move this effort forward.

While September 9 might seem far away, as organizers know the time flies quickly when motivating activities so it is best we get started now.  We look forward to working with you and your organization toward the success of this effort.

In Solidarity,

Larry Adams
Vice Chairperson of People Organization for Progress


Bob Witanek
Co-founder of Decarcerate the Garden State

Co-sponsoring organizations:

Decarcerate the Garden State
Peoples Organization for Progress

Endorsing organizations:


Endorsing Individuals:

Reverend Charles Boyer, Pastor Bethel AME Church, Woodbury, NJ
Cindy Sheehan, See: http://bit.ly/1XCelT9 

Next call in meeting:

Tuesday 5/31 6:30 pm meeting - call in

Conference Call 712-770-1040 Access 100577

https://www.facebook.com/events/465916723604206/

Resources:

Minutes from meetings:

May 16 http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/05/sept-9-solidarity-w-incarcerated.html 
May 31 http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/september-9-organizing-531-meeting.html

Tool box:

Working to determine the issues in NJ facilities:  
http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/05/demanding-improved-conditions-for-njs.html