WHAT IS A POLITICAL PRISONER
Here is Black Panther Marshall Eddie Conways definition, ...a prison activist, a person that stands up to injustices, a person who for whatever reason takes the position that this or that is wrong, whether they do it based on ideology or they do it based on what they think is morally right... He goes on to say that ...people become political prisoners, become conscious and become aware and act and behave based on awareness after they have been incarcerated...
Women are less political than men in prison for now. Women are molded by society to need and depend on men. If there were no men working on the plantations that cage women, we would be just as political as men prisoners.
When I say political I dont mean racially. Pigs manipulated mens prisons to control populations by segregating by race. I mean a strictly bipartisan politics with a clear divide between us and them, cons and pigs, with the cons who serve pigs categorized as pigs-pets, kind of half and half. The true us verses them.
Political prisoners are those who either never submitted to the injustices of the cage, or those who, as Mr Conway says, became conscious and aware inside, and stopped submitting to injustices. Political prisoners understand that our sentences entail being caged in these reformed plantations, being removed from greater society, and being a second class citizen for life. They understand that all this extra shit inflicted upon us inside is not what we are sentenced to.
Pigs require us to show them respect. Sometimes we do when they are around to avoid drama. Showing respect and having respect are two very different things. Slavers cannot sincerely be respected, whether they know they are slavers or not.
Political prisoners understand their rights. They understand the slave rapers who wrote the Constitution didn't write it to help us. I am told by one of my Teachers not to fight with the Masters weapons. But when herds of pigs are trying to kill us, I will fight with whatever is within my reach.
Political prisoners know that the pigs in their institutions have crossed all lines. They have exceeded the bounds of the law, but they are not above it. We dont want the pigs to go to jail, but we want them to understand that they are not all powerful, and that we are aware where they have overstepped.
Political prisoners know that we are allowed to study their tactics. We are allowed to read whatever legal books we want. We are allowed to do our time without extra torment, harassment, devastation, and the immense grief they place upon us in here. Political prisoners dont all fight for others, some are simply struggling to survive themselves.
Political prisoners see the subversion tactics used by the pigs and try to counter them. We watch how they try to make us feel inferior, less capable, less intelligent and dependent upon them. We try to encourage others to resist that brainwashing.
We, convicts, we are beautiful. We have a collective potential that is beyond what we can comprehend. I am not referring to anything wild like overtaking the prison. The wouldnt be too difficult, and would be a lot of fun, until they killed us all, which is whatever. But I am talking about something way bigger than that. We are capable of refashioning the way we live in a manner that would benefit generations after this new slavery is over.
Back to Conways definition, ...people become aware... Some of us become political prisoners inside. Some were political prisoners from before arrest. I argue that every one of us who was actually behaving in any antisocial manner before arrest are political prisoners. In 2008 I chased that man with the hatchet because he was a cop. I killed Mr Nealy because he was an ex-con turned informant, I taped upon and robbed Mr VanTress because he was an ex firefighter sex offender. Are these political acts? I am inclined to think anything is political if the intent is to defy systemic abuse. Maybe some think they dont count because they were unconnected to a recognized Movement, wild, furious, unorganized and psychotic?
Either way, becoming politicized in prison is becoming focused, it is becoming awakened to the depth of and deliberate nature of the hate crime of incarceration and tapping into the strategic methods of resisting abuse.
In my early stages of political life in prison my focus is on responding to abuses of power in a way that will result in legal action that will force the prison to change its policies. I am fine with these legal endeavors because they often work, and I win even if they dont. I win because I didnt just lay down and take it. I win because all they care about is money and fighting me back in court costs them tens of thousands of dollars even of I lose. I win because I encourage other women to fight back. I win because I am Muslim and fighting oppression is asked of me in Islam. To fight is to win.
Pigs respond differently to political prisoners. Most hate us and threaten us in interesting ways. They remind us that we are in constant jeopardy of retaliatory acts. What is interesting is that there are a few pigs who encourage resistance and detest the injustices inflicted upon us. I am under the impression, after watching everything that went into the elaborate cover up of the last gang rape of an inmate, that they are all complicit, and there is no such thing as a good cop. I knew that before prison, but I had been lulled by deceit and had been made to forget.
Political prisoners understand that every point of resistance matters. We understand we have a responsibility to spread the knowledge weve been given and to resist coercion. Once awakened we are obligated to do everything we can to fight against this slavery. And it is our privilege to do so.
DRAGONS
THE BEAST
Cells tissues → organs,
Organs → Systems → budies,
Berigs with souls, thight, breath.
Cells → pods → yards,
Yards → Units → Complex,
Profit machine of hate & death.
Terror cell = planners
Cell phones = yorunment scenners
Cell towers = connected data tow
Monastery cells, where spits grow.
In cells, were chewed by ravennsteeth,
In cells, were digested in what lies beneath,
In cells, were that on which it feasts,
In cels, wire socier's sacrifice to the beast.
MAMA JOYCE INTERVIEW
HTMD Interview #3 w/ Joycie (1 of 2) 6/14/24
This is an interview with Mama Joyce from June of 2024. The smoking section had been temporarily closed and all smoking had to be moved to the Main Yard Rec Cage because the cops feared someone would burn down the Army tents they placed on each Yard. Mama Joyce and I sat at a table in the C Yard smoking section on Santa Cruz for this interview since it was empty. Mama Joyce is a wonderful woman who moves slowly and deliberately, and speaks the same way, with a slight southern accent. Mamma Joyce is the most respected of all the elders on Santa Cruz Unit.
SI- Mama Joyce, we'll start with the regular questions that everyone can answer before we get to some things most of us have no knowledge of. What is your political affiliation and your religion?
MJ- I don't know what my political affiliation is right now, with the two options we have (Joe Biden and Donald Trump) I just don't know. If I had to vote I just wouldn't. And I've been Catholic all my life.
SI- What is you sexual preference?
MJ- I'm a straight female. I've never been with a woman in here is out there, I'm strictly dickly.
SI- What is your race and where do your people come from?
MJ- Heinz 57. I wanted to do a family tree but never did. My mom's side is from Ireland but my dad is darker.
SI- Mama Joyce, how many years have you been in prison?
MJ- 36 years, I'm an interstate compact from Delaware, I got here to Perryville in 1991.
SI- Do you have an out date?
MJ- I'm a Lifer.
SI- Natural Life?
MJ- Yes.
SI- Did you appeal?
MJ- Yes, when I was first sentenced. I had a 5 week long trial and the jury took 3 weeks to deliberate.
SI- Did you think you'd be found guilty?
MJ- No. I claimed innocence, I still do. My co-defendant, husband at the time, told me I had to testify or he'd do something to my family, and I knew he had the power to do it. The jury didn't want to give me guilty on an F1 (1st Degree Murder/ Felony 1) they only wanted to give me Accomplice. I knew I was going down when the judge told the jury they could only go for the F1.
SI- Mama Joyce, you've been in prison 36 years, the public thinks prisons treat inmates better than they used to, we know that is not true. In what ways have you seen the prison decline most in the last three decades?
MJ- Back in the day DOC ran everything, the Store, the food, everything belonged to DOC. There weren't outside contracts for everything. Staff were not as disrespectful as they are now, if you had something you needed to take care of, you could just go to them and they treated inmates like people. Cell changes were allowed when people couldn't live together so there was less violence. We had keys to our own cells. There were no blanket punishments.
SI- What initiated the negative downfall?
MJ- We had a DW from Illinois that was really good. After that we got Director Chuck Ryan in 2001, that's when things got really, really bad.
They took all our stuff away.
SI- What stuff did they take away?
MJ- Chuck Ryan made it so everything had to be clear (see through plastic appliances/electronics). Before Chuck families could send TVs, and they could send three 25 pound food boxes. We had Coleman ice chests, crock pots and curling irons. Chuck Ryan took away everything.
SI- What was Medical like back then?
MJ- You could put in an HNR (Health Needs Request form) and be seen by a Doctor, Dental or whatever you needed all in one building on Santa Maria (Unit).
SI- What do you think contributes to the ways staff treat us now that differs from 36 years ago?
MJ- These staff, it's all about power with them. Disrespectful cops train new cops to be the same way. Sometimes when you're used to them being one way, they flip, that's what's sad.
SI- At what point did the cops start becoming so disrespectful?
MJ- Under Chuck Ryan. He was bad, the DWs got worse, and then the cops got worse too.
SI- Do you think our staff treat us bad because of Central Office? Do you think discontent trickles down?
MJ- I was here, then on Lumley, then back here (Cruz) and I know it's gotten worse over here. It feels like we're living in a dictatorship.
SI- Even with Swane?
MJ- Yes, because we don't see her enough. When I got over here I had to fight for everything. We shouldn't have to fight so much for every little thing. Even when they say to go through the chain of command, no one wants to be bothered. I even had to fight to get my wheelchair.
SI- What else is different?
MJ- There wasn't as many fights as there are now, there's always fights now, every time you look around. The disrespect is all the way around.
SI- What jobs did they have here that are different from what we have available now?
MJ- I had a Data Entry job, and back then you could have 2 jobs if you wanted to. Everything with jobs has changed so much.
SI- What's different from the food?
MJ- Back then you could go into the kitchen and order sunny side up eggs, or whatever kind of eggs you wanted, and the girls would cook them. There was real toast and biscuits. There was rotisserie meats and breads.
SI- How did that work with the chow schedules?
MJ- Back then every yard had a kitchen and we could just go in. It wasn't like now with one kitchen for the whole Unit.
SI- Do you think our prison is ran strictly as a money making machine?
MJ- Yes, take a look at this (pointing to the Army tent they set up as a cooling station). The ACs won't be up and working until probably November. And what do you think is going to go on in there (referencing the tent again)?
SI- Do you think that inmates can make changes to how we are treated and how the prison is ran? If yes, what would it take for that to happen?
MJ- Yes, I think we could make a difference. I think...back to staff again... they would have to be not so happy to give tickets. Ticket this, ticket that, all day. The cops are way too ticket happy, they have terir rules and regs, but they don't take into consideration what it's like. Give them a week locked in cell. The inmates could run this place better. Staff have no consistency.
SI- After 36 years in the inmate population, what do you think it would take for inmates to stick together?
MJ- It's never going to happen. Years ago when the cops were going to stop room visiting, back when we were allowed to go into each others cells and watch TV or eat or whatever with other people, they stopped that. The girls all decided to do a walk, like a march for their rights, only 5 showed up out of the hundred that had said, "We'll do it! We'll do it!" The DW came down and accused the 5 of us that stayed with it of "attempting to start a riot" and we went to the Hole.
SI- Why do you think no one showed up?
MJ- They were afraid their make-up would get taken away. They were afraid the cops were going to come in and tear the place up.
SI- Have you ever seen a change made by inmates standing together in 36 years?
MJ- One time. Our electric and water were turned off. We needed water and we wanted bottled water. Everybody refused to lock down. Everybody.
SI- How long did it take the cops to comply with your demand?
MJ- One hour. We stood strong, all of us. I'm the type if I believe in something I'm going to stand strong on it.
SI- What do you think it would take to get the population to care more about change than comfort?
MJ- A lot of women are trying out to go do that same things they did that brought them here, I've heard them. These girls have never gotten love in their lives, they done know what love is. They need to be talked to, to be shown that someone cares. They have such resentment, it's sad. I grew up when people stood up for things, people stood up for what they believe in. These girls need love.
SI- You say that the girls need love? Do you think we, the elders and the Lifers, should implement some type of Adopt A Brat program?
MJ- We used to have a program where the kids came in that Scared Straight Program for us to talk to them, to tell them what it's really like. When it started working, they stopped the program.
SI- What about inside, if we tried once they come inside as convicts?
MJ- Yes, I do it already, I try to take in some new ones, to show them love, but some people tell me to stop. Sometimes the girls just need someone to listen to them.
SI- Why would anyone want you to stop that?
MJ- They don't like that it takes away from them. A lot of people are selfish. I'm going to keep doing what I do and keep on caring for others.
SI- What is the primary objective of your life?
MJ- Well, I've lost my mother, my father, my sister, and my daughter. I've got grand children and great grand children that I've never seen. I want to see them.
SI- Do you have a way to try to make that happen?
MJ- I've talked to my granddaughter...it takes so long to get anything done here. You didn't used to have to have to put in applications, people just came in to see you. You could just call people.
SI- What else do you want to do with your life Mama Joyce?
MJ- I like to learn new things. I've had 2 strokes. They said I'd never walk again. I couldn't use my left side at all, my brain is damaged. If we got interrupted I'd have to ask you what I was talking about.
SI- I've recently seen the smartest people I've ever met in my life do that Joycie, I think you're just fine.
MJ- I'm the type of person that I love everybody, I don't care what you've done or what religion you are. I love people for who they are. That's what I want to do with my life, love people.
Shajiyah interviewing Dillon Vermuele #249024 in Dillon's cell, C31-07, Santa Cruz Unit, Monday 5/26/25 after 4pm Count cleared
SI - Before we start I want you to know that this interview will be public on unnaturallife.org and the pigs from down here
from lowest level up to Central Office could see it some point. Is that OK?
DV - Yes.
SI- And I need you to know unnatuallife.org might develop into a full 'fuck the police' type site designed to get the voices of
specifically lifers and long timers out. Is that OK?
DV - Yes.
SI- How long have you been down and what is your sentence?
DV - I've been down 16.5 and I have Natural Life. Life With Out Parole.
SI - Where else have you done time?
DV - CIW, CRC, VSP, and Chowchilla.
SI - How much time have you done in your life and how old are you now?
DV - I've done...? All the time I've served? 40 years all together. And I'm 68 years old. If I had known about Arizona I
would have taken the plea for 7 years.
SI - Dillon. You refused to sign a plea for 7 years so they gave you Natural Life?
DV - Yes. And no one would help me. No one had funding to help me. They said a first year law student could have won
my case.
SI - Tell me about this prison.
DV - This prison is inconsistent. I've been in other prisons and I have much in my life to compare this shit to. This
place...I've never seen anything like this shit in my life. No other prison even comes close to being as crappy as this
prison.
SI - What is wrong with this prison?
DV - The staff are disrespectful. They make our time harder. The don't have to do that. I had been out 20 years so I wasn't
institutionalized like the people coming in now. In California you do a day and get a day, they are 50%. I was out 20 years
and got a DUI in 2001. Then I got here. In Max... In Max...
SI - Dill, what happened in the Hole? That's what you mean by Max, right? 30 yard?
DV - Yes. In Max I experienced the most suffering. After 36 years without having a nervous breakdown I had one in Max. I
was assaulted by staff. I had a nervous breakdown. The ACLU has been fighting that assault for almost 7 years.
SI - How did staff treat you when they realized you were getting help from the ACLU?
DV - First they turned the water off in my cell and took all my toilet paper. Then when my toilet was off they fixed it so
when the girls around flushed all their piss and shit and toilet paper came up out of my toilet onto my floor. It came up into
my room. It flooded my floor. They left my cell flooded with piss and shit for 48 hours. On graves (graveyard shift) A Seargent came to my cell to see why I wasn't eating and saw my cell. I hadn't eaten for 14 days since the assault. I was
scared. They had roofied me in my meals. That Seargent that checked on me would stay late in the mornings to bring me
food after that so I could eat.
SI - Do you remember Smilez? (Cynthia Apkaw killed in the Hole in 2015. Listed as suicide.)
DV - Smilez had seen the cops assault me. She had seen the officers enter my room. She could see my cell from hers.
When she saws my body afterwards she told me she had seen them. She saw what they did to me. Thomas (female red
hair), Multer, and Angus (female brunette) had tried to help me but Medical refused to help. Admin put me on watch to
investigate the accusations. They took my letter I wrote to the ACLU and my letter to my POA (power of attorney). They
opened both letters, which were legal mail, and then extracted me from my cell. They put me on watch with no I.D. for 21
days. On graves 2 cops would come in and threaten me. They would tell me no one would miss me. They said no one
knew where I was and so I should just kill myself.
SI - Did they kill Smilez?
DV - Yes. They killed Smilez. Smilez, was my only witness and they killed her. And some good officers got fired over
Smilez.
SI - How did you act after the assault?
DV - I would crawl under my bunk and hide there. I was under there hiding. I was so scared he was going to get me. He
usually made sure his keys were loud and his radio was loud, most times. But when he was going to assault me he was
quiet. He was so quiet.
SI - Is he still here? Or the others?
DV - I dont know where the main one is? He was here up until I came to Medium. It was fucked up, Angel, it was so
fucked up. My God. Two of them still work on Lumley.
SI - What year was this?
DV - 2015
SI - How did it stop?
DV - When they brought Jodi Aries in she had some people with her. Reporters or lawyers or something. I started
screaming, "Help! Help! Nobody knows I'm back here! Theyre holding my hostage! Nobody knows what happened to
me!". Maybe they were reporters? Maybe not lawyers, because they asked questions. I got some letters out and nobody
knows how. Then DW Scott let me off watch.
SI - Perryville right now. This Programmification / Humanization shit they are doing. Do you think we should get serious
about educating the kids coming in?
DV - Yes. There's so many young kids coming in. And the young cops are so easy to pursue. They are so quick to do
favors for the kids. They are too easy...
SI - Is that a bad thing? Pliable, weak, persuadable cops?
DV - Yes, it is bad. These kids need to have a safety net. They need education and business training. They have no
where to go when they get out. They are homeless now. They get out to the street and what can you do then? All these
kids can do is prostitute, do home invasions or sell drugs. Yes, its a bad thing. They aren't learning anything. They are just
hustling dumb cops. They need businesses that will hire them. They need training. Day labor won't give them a place to
sleep. This isn't how to do time.
SI - You are describing a cycle Dillon. Do you think it is by design that people have nothing to do except return to crime?
DV - Yes. In this State definitely. If they can't take the ones we call Polly Programmers, and keep them out, no one can
stay out. They can't even stay out. They programs don't work. They aren't supposed to. In here people get a job for 10¢
an hour. In other States people make dollars not cents. Without inmates nothing works in here. Inmates run this place.
Inmates do everything. If we stopped working they'd have to work. The food, the grounds, the trash, everything. Without
us nothing could get done. But they pay us 10¢? Arizona makes it so you have to have Mandatory testing and a GED to
make more that 10¢ an hour. One journalist went to Florence and Lewis... I can't remember which one...?
SI - Was it Jimmy?
DV - I don't think so, I think it was David...I dont remember? He visited old men, Lifers, who were no threat to society. He
said where they were was filthy, a filthy Medical Unit. He said, "When did humans stop having compassion?". It was in the
paper back then. That's what he ended his article with, "When did humans stop having compassion?"
SI - What is another problem?
DV - The officers do a lot of racial profiling. They don't need a reason to do it. They have fucked up lives out there and
they come in here and take it out on us. They see a system that doesn't work and they do whatever they want. If you talk
to any officer thats been here more than ten years they just want to retire. They just want to get out. The higher ups treat
staff bad. Then the low staff treat us worse.
SI - What could make this place run better?
DV - Most prisons have one Warden and one Deputy Warden. Not a Deputy Warden for every Unit.
SI - And we have 6 or 7 Dws ?
DV - Yeah, and that's messed up. Nothing can be consistent like that. Nothing is run the same Unit to Unit.
SI - Do you think moving Unit to Unit dramatically increases our trauma?
DV - Yes.
SI - Do you think they do that to purposely increase our trauma?
DV - They do it to increase our pain. They love to make us as uncomfortable as possible. They want us miserable. We are
here for Life. We get here and they tell us, "Settle in!" We do what we can, we have crafts, and art...then they come in and
they shake and throw all our stuff away. Nothing lethal, no weapons...they say they take our stuff because there are too
many fights, or too many cry babies. We need Yard Reps to take our complaints up there for us. Town Hall was supposed
to be that but it ain't.
SI - Are there any inmates up front who represent the general population?
DV - No. They pick the young ones, and Dre...she's on her own trip, just a very good manipulator. They like selfish
inmates who don't do any serious time.
SI - If you could have anything in here what would it be?
DV - An entertainment center for my TV, bible, folders and cup of pens. So all my stuff is together.
SI - Do you mean the entertainment centers people make out of cardboard on the yard?
DV - Yes. Mine was taken in the last shake. Cuen and Lowe said they are waiting for word from Central if we can have
entertainment systems just the size of our banker boxes.
SI - Dillon, do you think you will ever get out of here alive?
DV - Yes. My hope is in Katie Hobbs. She has an excon, Carrie, who went to work for the ACLU. Now she is telling Katie
what is really going on. Katie knows how the cops block the people from seeing everything. She knows how they only
show the people the inmates up front who would never help us. They'll never let anybody walk this whole motherfucker.
They won't ever see us own here.
SI - Do you think female inmates will ever work together to fight for our rights?
DV - Yes. We just need more consistent civility. Us older inmates need to get back to reading body language, to paying
attention when the kids aint right, not talkative or whatever. Us old timers, we're just waiting for God to call us home, you
know? And the kids got nothing but drama. We have to stop fighting each other and direct all that energy and anger
towards the real problem.
SI - Amen
COVER GIRL INTERVIEW
Shajiyah interviewing Anesha "Covergirl" Bright #200734 on Main Yard of Santa Cruz Unit on 6/2/25 after Ice Call at approximately 8am.
SI - Before we start I want you to know that this interview will be public on unnatural-life.org and the pigs from down here up to Central Office will see it. Is that OK?
CG - Yes.
SI - My questions will seem scattered, is that OK?
CG - I know how you think Sister. Thats fine.
SI - OK, how old were you when you first got locked up?
CG - 13 years old.
SI - Where all has be you been locked up?
CG - Besides Arizona I've been in jail in Florida, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Texas.
SI - When did you first come to prison in Arizona?
CG - September 29th 2006. I had a six year sentence but I cut my girlfriend and got another six years
SI - You shanked your girlfriend?
CG - Yes. I got a new Premeditated Aggravated Assault charge. My bunkie said she saw me making shanks two weeks before.
SI - When you do time, why do you hang out with Lifers?
CG - Because you guys move differently.
SI - How do we move differently?
CG - You guys are calmer. You are more settled. You do your time and don't let time do you.
SI - This is going to be public, Sis. I need you to explain what "do time and don't let time do you" means to people who have never been down who might read this.
CG - OK. When people do time they control the time. They control how they move through that time. They are thoughtful, aware. They control who they interact with for reasons non Lifers don't even think about. People who let time do them are rowdy, into drama, depressed and all that shit. I don't know how to explain it...
SI - You doing great.
CG - Non Lifers are different ...they whine, and complain about their time. They can be sneaky. There are a couple sneaky Lifers but we all know to stay away from Officer-Inmates, pigs-pets. Those ones complain about their time too. Real Lifers...we never hear you guys complaining about your time. We don't see you guys sad and depressed, or walking around stupid.
SI - How do you feel when you stop through and then go home and leave us here?
CG - It makes me extremely sad for a long time. It hurts.
SI - Do you keep in contact with your friends?
CG - I always keep in touch with you. I will never leave you. Even though I get out.
SI - Why is it important to keep in touch with your people inside?
CG - Because I don't ever intend to come back. I will never see you again. I don't ever plan on coming back so I feel like I am leaving you behind for the rest of my life. I want to keep updating you on what's going on with me. On what's going on in the world you can't see. So many people have left you. I won't do that.
SI - Why do you think the American Injustice System exists? Do you think it deters crime, or protects society?
CG - It exists to make money. If you're rich enough you can commit any crime. They will put a couple rich people in prison, only if forced by the public. But the Criminal Justice System is not about truth, or justice, or crime. It is all about money.
SI - What do you think it would take for people to stop snitching on each other?
CG - Nothing but death will stop them.
SI - This situation yesterday... Do you think theyve been snitching this whole time? (Two accused snitches allegedly got beat up by several people and were removed from the Unit for their safety.)
CG - Yes, they was snitching the whole time. It finally caught up with them.
SI - Is someone a snitch who tells on someone once?
CG - No. Snitches live their lives doing it. Like Dre.
SI - Do you think it is possible to have a community where people don't tell on each other?
CG - No. It's not possible. Snitches would have to experience being told on to understand. A lot of people don't tell on people because they know how it feels.
SI - Do you think they tell because they believe pigs are better than inmates?
CG - Yes. I think a lot of people think that. A lot of people don't understand that cops are just as big of criminals as inmates. They just haven't been caught.
SI - Do you want pigs to be caught and put in prison?
CG - Hell no! We don't want that shit down here with us.
SI - Back to where we shifted gears, in the Criminal Injustice System, what percentage of people could cops put in prison without snitches?
CG - Maybe 25%. They're stupid. They need snitches. Prisons couldn't fill the beds without snitches. They can't figure shit out on their own.
SI - Shifting. Do you think if more women became politicized and sued the prisons pigs would behave differently?
CG - Yes. The pigs and the whole system would run differently. I don't know why we always wait for the men to sue? Yes, if there's enough lawsuits things would be unveiled, revealed. They'd have to change.
SI - Is that snitching?
CG - No. It is not snitching. We aren't taking them to Criminal Courts. Snitching would be talking to Detectives to get the cops or staff arrested. Suing is what *they* call justice. That's their rules. They'd rather us sue than give them what we call justice.
SI - If I sue you, would that be snitching?
CG - No. That's not criminal.
SI - When little five-foot-one 110 pound Anna got raped in the Mail Room by the two cops and told, was that snitching?
CG - She didn't snitch that off, her bunkie did. And yes, that is snitching. Anna should just cut their dicks off. Or bit them off.
SI - Everybody isn't capable of being so practical in traumatic moments. And everyone isn't capable of the violence required to fight back. Not everyone can fight back. And those are both big cops.
CG - Rape is criminal. If she sues the rapists or the prison it is not snitching. They didn't go to jail so maybe it isn't snitching...
SI - There are people who believe anything we do to pigs, in any way, at any time is justified. And since pigs are the epitome, the purest essence, of snitches then telling on them is required. You disagree?
CG - I've never been raped. You were mad when our sister got raped by Officer Brother back in '13 or '14 and he got taken off the yard.
SI - I was mad because the percocet wouldn't be coming into the Hole and people would be sick. And I had to be educated by sisters brothers. I had to be schooled on the fact that whatever we say about them cannot be snitchin because of the foulness of their position.
CG - I don't deal with all that syndicate shit. Its too much.
SI - Neither do I. Do you think if more people were educated on the inherent foulness of the System and its components people would be less willing to snitch on each other?
CG - Yes. They'd realize cops are the biggest criminals. They'd realize what cops actually get away with by having their little badges. They'd see how bad cops really are for the world.
SI - If pigs were sentenced and put in a cell, how long do you think it would take for them to realize what they truly are? What they've truly done to people?
CG - Immediately. They'd see how we are treated from our perspective. They'd see there is no excuse for this shit. They'd see how fucked up they are as humans.
SI - You give them a lot of credit Sis.
CG - I do?
SI - Yes. Do you think Lifers should be treated differently?
CG - Yes. I think they should be allowed to be comfortable. The State makes much money off of you guys they should leave you guys the fuck alone. You guys move different, you should be respected. You could kill them easily with little consequence and you guys don't. You leave them alone, they should leave you alone. And they shouldn't move you guys around to hurt you like they do. You are here for the rest of your lives. They should take care of your medical, spiritual and mental needs. You live differently. All of you guys, except the greedy snitches like Dre stay away from cops. The cops should respect that. They should leave you guys alone unless you approach them for a specific reason. They should recognize you guys are stronger than them, and most of you are smarter than them. They shouldn't fuck with Lifers like they do.
SI - If you could have anything while you are here, what would that be?
CG - For you to be free.
SI - Stop that shit Covergirl. If you could have anything...
CG - Your freedom. I want you to be free.
SI - ...any tangible item in your cell, in prison...
CG - OK, ok! A minifridge.
SI - A clear, see-through minifridge?
CG - Yes.
SI - What do you think it would take for inmates to work together?
CG - To come to one accord which I can't see females ever doing. Women would have to understand that just because most cops have dicks they are not really men. Women would have to stop looking up to what they think are men. We'd have to come together. Everyone would have to agree that we are us, and they are them. And we are better than them.
SI - How do we do that?
CG - I don't know, Sister.
SI - How do we remember that pigs don't ever have our best interest at heart?
CG - We study history, like that guy you talk about tells us. We study it, we learn it, we teach what we learn to others. Especially the kids. History shows us what these systems do. They destroy.
SI - That guy I talk about says that history doesn't repeat itself, people repeat history. You think we can break abusive cycles?
CG - Yes. And one day I will get enough money to free you.
SI - Allah made me to fight from in here. Don't give those freaks your money. I'll stay.
CG - Then prison has to go.
SI - Yes, prison has to go.
INTERVIEW WITH MELISSA
Shajiyah interviewing Melissa Loyd #341484 in A21-10 on Santa Cruz Unit, 6/3/25 between 0900 and 1000.
SI - It has taken us a long time to coordinate our schedules to be able to do this. It's funny how people with jobs in here think they are busier than people who work every second of their day.
ML- I know! I'm glad we were able to finally get together!
SI - Before we start I want you to know that this interview will be public on unnatural-life.org and the pigs from down here up to Central Office will be able to see it. Is that OK?
ML- Yes. That's what I want. They should see it.
SI - Tell me about your time.
ML- I am 45, down almost 10 years since 2016, sentenced to 35 years, 1st time down.
SI - Since this is your first time down, tell me about your first impression of prison.
ML- My first impression of prison...well... I would say very isolated and very territorial. The higher ups are territorial. They deffinately don't like to be challenged.
SI - How are the higher ups territorial? Give me an example.
ML- When they are doing their things...Let's start with the fact that they are unprofessional. They are unprofessional and they don't follow their own policies. They don't respect their own policies. They are very territorial...they say things like, "This is my prison!" If you don't comply with what they say after you've become a target they are extremely territorial. Even if you are breaking no rules.
SI - What do you think we could do to change that?
ML- It would be nice if inmates actually stuck together and demanded adequate treatment. We could actually work towards reentry. This prison is getting paid for reentry and rehabilitation classes. But they prevent that from happening. We are being deprived.
SI - I see many rehabilitation classes and reentry classes happening. Do those classes not do what they claim to do?
ML- Those classes are just another way for the Department to make money. They are just collecting resources. There are no genuine classes for rehabilitation and reentry. I can count on one hand how many programs are real. There should be proof.
SI - How can you tell the real classes from the fake ones?
ML- For one, the real classes make sure they say things that make sense. When they say those things there is follow-up. There will be a support system in place if they are genuine. And they'll do what they say they are going to do. Really do it. Not just say they are going to do it. Every step will be tended to. The Department focuses on knocking you down. And if you get up and take a step up they see you as arrogant. They'll move you to break you down. They want you to stay down. Theyll continue to try to break you. They are paid criminals.
SI - Do you mean Admin are paid criminals? Or cops? Or the officer-inmates/ pigs-pets who work for them?
ML- All of them. It starts all the way at the top. The whole system is broken from the very top. They want to hurt people and get a check. They don't care about anyone. They won't even talk to me. I get their backs. I take that as a compliment.
SI - How do some inmates facilitate staff abuse?
ML- (beautiful laugh and a preacheresque...) Welllllll...So this is one of my favorite topics! If an inmate who is jealous of your intelligence or your will or your integrity or dignity or humility or maturity they will team up with the higher ups and snake-ishly...
SI - snake-ishly is the perfect word...
ML- yes, they snake-ishly, mmm, come on now! They snake-ishly begin to make you a target with Admin. They will do everything they can to prevent you from effectively and productively living your life. They want to take your support and destroy you. They want you to die. They want to rob you of your strength and your will to live. They want to rob you of the traits they cannot have.
SI - As you know, I use your story a lot to warn people against the dangers of officer-inmates/ pigs-pets who harm the population. What is the reason for those inmates having so much power to harm us?
ML- Fraternizing. I have experienced absolute hell due to inmates and their fraternizing. I have even gotten a fake ticket written up on me by an inmate.
SI - How do these administrative/ officer inmates get so much power?
ML- I believe the administrative officers inmates get so much power because they use the rest of us. They are quiet. They are sneaky. They are snake-ish. They keep the staff's secrets about what they do to us. It's an I scratch your back, you scratch mine situation. The inmates seek power to knock everyone else down. They seek to steal peace. To kill solace. That's how we end up with abuse after abuse after abuse. They couldn't hurt us so bad without inmate help.
SI - Didn't they move you?
ML- Yes. They moved me several times. They mocked me. They mocked me, they gaslighted me. They are disgusting. I still have officers who mock me over what she did. They still mock me for what happened with that move from C yard to this yard.
SI - How long ago was that?
ML- Almost a year? Or a year? How long has it been?
SI - I don't keep time well. It could have been a year? Did an officer-inmate have you moved?
ML- Absolutely. She had me fired from jobs with her fraternizing. No investigation, no questions, no nothing. All because I had the audacity to walk with my head high. Because I won't let them break me down. And mostly because I don't break others down. That's the biggest thing that makes me a problem inmate.
SI - You are a problem inmate because you wont break down other inmates?
ML- Absolutely. I carry myself in a way they should. I am professional. Being more professional than them makes me entitled or arrogant in their eyes. They basically want me to not talk, to be silent. I approach them respectfully and I get nothing but disrespect. They say I am problematic because I have concerns. I see problems and I voice issues. I cannot be heard except by a low-level pro-inmate cop.
SI - Do we have any pro inmate staff in Admin on Cruz?
ML- No. But we did.
SI - Swane?
ML- Yes, Swane and Mensa. But they crossed over. If I have an issue i am immediately cut off and dismissed. I can't be heard.
SI - Yes, Mensa switched up on me too. They want us silent, compliant. Those inmates who fraternize with staff to get power over the yard, how do they manipulate situations?
ML- The behave snake-ishky. They slither...they sneak...they get the cops to do their bidding through whispers and gossip and secrets and lying. They find people who don't care enough about truth to check their lies. They find people who believe them without question. People who will just make you a target for the snake. People who will just believe whispers of demons. The difference with me is I refuse to become them. I could have everything too if I would become like them. I refuse. And I will not be intimidated. Either you are going to like me or hate me. But in will never, NEVER be like them. That's what they call rehabilitation here, working for the cops to break others. Once you are disgusting like them, you are rehabilitated. If you refuse, they mess with everything. Your life, your healthcare, your job, school... I will not fraternize. I won't.
SI - You refuse to be like Officer Acles (inmate)?
ML- (laugh) Biggest snake ever. Queen Snake. So miserable with herself. So dark. The moment she sees your light she plots on how to kill it. To kill your light. To kill you sneakily. When the higher ups are near she pretends to be respectable, they give her whatever she wants. She's so miserable. She pretends to help others but the whole time she plots, she watches everybody, she tries to know everything. Gossip helps her whisper and lie. She's never tried to help anyone but herself. She smiles through that ugly mask. Her fake smile! Her "Look at me!" mask. Whatever the higher up around wants is the act she plays. She's evil. Shes lucky we ain't on the streets.
SI - Mm, I do love when people preach to the choir. Do you think the people who serve her evil know what she really is?
ML- Yes. I do.
SI - I can't believe that. I won't.
ML- I know. But I believe they know. All of them. And because she does things for them they'll give her everything she wasnts regardless of how many of us were hurt by her sick games. She is sad. She's a selfish, selfish lady. One truly selfish individual. She might pretend to help you but the whole time she is setting you up. Before you know it you'll be stabbed in the back.
SI - Everyone? You think no one at all is safe?
ML- Just inmates. No inmate is safe. She believes she is above us. She thinks she, and staff, are smarter than all of us. She is one of them in her mind, she is prison staff.
SI - Do you think it is possible to have inmates who care about other inmates come into power like that without becoming one of the Officer Acleses?
ML- Absolutely. Honestly, I think its all about kindness. Not fake kindness though. If someone treats someone kindly, genuinely, that's contagious. But people are afraid to love in here because of retaliation. Because genuine love invites abuse.
SI - If we worked continuously towards self reliance, towards autonomy, and did all we could together as a community, without involving staff, or engaging with staff unless we have to, could we make this place better until prison is a thing of the past?
ML- 100% yes. Because, in a sense, we'd get rid of all the dark clouds. There would be air to breathe without it being sucked up from you by thieves. Most of these people shouldn't be in the positions they are in. They are petty, childish, retaliatory creatures. They are horrible people. They are a danger to society. Especially the inmate officers, they are evil. We'd be better living without them.
SI - Close your interview Melissa, please.
ML- They have tried everything possible to break me. The staff listened to the whispers of Officer Acles and they tried to break me. They tried to kill me, to kill my spirit. They don't like strong women, they hate strong Black women. They want us to shut up, to slither and lie.
I want to thank them. They didn't break me. They didn't kill me. They didn't make me shut up. They helped me to look closer at myself. They made me stronger. They tempted me to sell my soul for power, for control, for comfort. I'd rather have them pick on me, mock me, hurt me and try to kill me for trying to help myself and other people, than to ever become like them. I don't even want to appear to be like them. Their sick games have made me stronger. Now we can work on undoing the damage they have done to so many people. I thank them.
INTERVIEW WITH LIL SISTER
Shajiyah interviewing Crystal "Arij Carimbocas" #298234 in C21-04 of Santa Cruz Unit, on her 41st Birthday 6/7/25 beginning 1:32 because PRISM meeting was postponed.
SI - Before we begin I want you to know that this interview will be public on unnatural-life.org and the pigs could see it.
CC - So. Let them see it.
SI - How life ng have you been in prison?
CC - Ive been in prison since 2015.
SI - When did you first go to jail?
CC - 2012.
SI - Is this your 1st time down?
CC - Yes.
SI - Do you have a Life Sentence?
CC - Yes.
SI - What was your first impression of jail?
CC - It was very depressing. Cold. Dreadful.
SI - What was your first impression of prison?
CC - I felt like it was ridiculous. When we got to the entrance...it was big...and kind of overwhelming. Staff were unorganized. Confused.
SI - Tell me how it was overwhelming?
CC - Because I didn't know what to expect.
SI - So you did 4 years in jail before coming here. You had heard gossip, rumors and tales from people who had been to prison before? Did you think of those things when you got here?
CC - Yes I had heard of prison but I had never even been arrested before, I'd never been to jail, it was all nightmarish, surreal...but the things they told me were unbelievable to me. All they talked about was that they couldn't wait to go back to prison.
SI - You didn't believe them?
CC - I didn't believe them because it didn't make any since to me.
SI - You are in Joe Arpaio's Maricopa County Jail, right?
CC - Yes.
SI - Does it make sense now why they were in a hurry to get here?
CC - Yes.
SI - Do you think County Jail is so dreadful as a tactic to coerce people to sign pleas just to get to prison?
CC - Yes
SI - Describe some major differences between County Jail and prison.
CC - Differences are, they have cigarettes here, TV...
SI - Did you smoke back then?
CC - No...Prison has long sleeve shirts and sweatshirts. Jail made us freeze with very little to cover with. Prison has contact visits jail only has video. Prison has jobs... even if they pay 10¢ - 45¢. We have bags of coffee we can buy here. Prison has lights you can turn off and on in the cells and we are not exposed to fluorescent lighting 24 hours a day light in county as a torture tactic. We can buy razors here to shave. And there are nail clippers here and real combs...county only had little- bitty combs.
SI - So you remember a lot of people signing pleas to escape the cold, bright, miserable conditions of county?
CC - Yes, they were happy to sign pleas to escape that as fast as they could even if they were innocent.
SI - So when you got here, you say the entrance was big and overwhelming. Were you scared?
CC - A little bit, because I had never been to prison before. I think I was more nervous than scared.
SI - And you went straight to the Hole in 2015?
CC - Yes, February 2015. You were there, Smilez was there, so was Happie, Nessa, Caballa (like a female horse in spanish "Cub-eye-ya") Tiger...and Death Row's Miles and Wendy.
SI - Was Lacey Scott the DW? What were your impressions of the Hole?
CC - Yes, Scott was the DW. Let me see, I got there at night...I try to forget about stuff like this...
SI - Is this going to give you bad dreams? I will ask somethings else...
CC - No, no it's OK Ukhti...I had my jumpsuit on because I had no other clothes at all. I took it off to sleep and I got in trouble. I was so hot. They told me to put my jumpsuit back on. I wore it for 3 days until they gave me extra clothes.
SI - Did they give you pants?
CC -Yes, I got a new short sleeve a pnats, socks underwear and a bra, and a used set.
SI - Did any one tell you how long we had been able to have pants?
CC - Yes, Nessa told me that they just barely started letting us wear pants. That before I got there the women were only allowed to wear the jumpsuit.
SI - How were the staff?
CC - Ummm...they were normal to me when I first got there. I think I started noticing the staff more when I started working outside a month later. Some of them were loud, some of them, like Everhart, were just doing their jobs...but when things got crazy they got loud and mean with people. They would talk about inmates. I remember them talking about the watches, why they wanted to die, or why so and so was yelling. I remember them talking about you. I remember them talking abut you getting out of the Hole and one of the officers, Officer Fell said, "There not going to to let her out. They'll never let her out. Ever. She'll die back here." I remember wondering why he would say that? I blocked out a lot from those days. It's all a blur to me. But the staff sucked, and they were fucked up, they would traumatize people. Not Everhart or Fell, but Kramer and the others...they were terrible...they were overbearing and always yelling and treating us like we were animals. I blocked out so much...
SI - It's ok. Do you think prison makes people better?
CC - Hell no it doesn't. It makes us...it puts our minds into constant survival mode. This doesn't make us better. There is no rehabilitation.
SI - What is rehabilitation?
CC - I read that rehabilitate means to restore to normal life but prison destroys us. It destroys everything in us. It destroys our worth, our ability to function. It destroys our relationships with our families and our friends and our children. And they make it hard to have friends in here because so many people turn into rats and they work with the pigs to help them destroy us.
SI - Have you seen a change in how staff treat us in the last 10 years?
CC - No. Because if you think about it it is actually worse now. I think it is. I don't know how to explain it.
SI - Try LilSis...
CC - I don't know, the Hole is a different world from here.
SI - It is a different world. Do you think prison is fashioned to destroy us with the deliberate intention of making it impossible to stay free when released?
CC - Yes, absolutely. Our range of motion is so little, with everything, even down to our rooms. They program us for it to be impossible to adjust. They need us to be institutionalized so we come back.
SI -Tell me how they program us?
CC- With everything, times of feeding, count, all that affect us. We have to be in compliance and the constant stupid nagging about tuck your shirt in and stupid things. And the classes...all those group classes are all a lie. They help people come back with the things they teach that only focus on the negative in ourselves. They don't want us to look at the positive things in ourselves. They make us feel like a stain on society.
SI - Have you ever been in a class that made you feel like you were a valuable person?
CC - Yes, Electrical. And Dr Gomez, Dr Pasha, and Pr Grahams classes. Dr Manninen made me feel normal. So did Dr Suhail and the Yerba Matte lady. And the gorgeous Black Professors.
SI - As a Lifer, do you think ADCRR staff should treat Lifers differently than NonLifers?
CC - Yes. Because some of us are going to die here. Yes they should treat us differently. They should let us work where we want, even jobs like Televerde and MVD. I wouldn't want that, but some other Lifers might. If we don't want to work we should be allowed not to. Lifers should be allowed to do college like everyone else too. They should remove the Priority Ranking policy that makes Lifers ineligible for things.
SI - If they removed the Priority Ranking do you think most Lifers would want those things?
CC - No, I don't think most would want to...but we should all have the choice.
SI - What do you think prevents women from fighting against injustices in prison?
CC - They don't have the knowledge...they don't know what is really going on. They don't know mass incarceration is slavery. They don't know because those who have known for a long time hid that knowledge from us.
SI - Why would people hide that knowledge from the population?
CC - The people, the prisoners who had this knowledge are selfish and only care about themselves.
SI - How could them holding the knowledge benefit them in their selfishness?
CC - They think that it made them smarter to hide it from us. If they were truly smart they would share it with other people. They were scared someone would do something with the knowledge. They talk, but they do nothing. They are jealous of people who actually do things because they are cowards.
SI - Do you have any fear in speaking about what is happening inside this prison or about anyone in particular?
CC - Hell no. If we don't speak, they do stuff to us, if we do speak they do stuff to us. What's the difference?
SI - What is the most traumatic thing you've seen happen in Perryville?
CC - I had to search my mind right now...I bury those things. Sherry Tobyne's death was pretty traumatic. Remember Sis? We stood at the door and you were talking about her body down there, on the cold concrete, hour after hour. It was Sergeant Cooper and Officer Fink and Officer Cook. They had covered Sherry's body. Pigs don't usually cover dead bodies. They usually leave the breasts exposed from CRP. You were talking about...wondering about... whether they will cover your corpse when you are laid out on the concrete when you die. They covered her body and even made a curtain type thing around her body. It was strange that they respected the corpse. It was abnormal. It was moving.
SI - I remember. I wonder often how they'll treat my corpse. The way Tobyne was treated was very different from Markel flirting with that guy over the cold corpse of Hennesy last January. Or her mocking Theresa Brown's death. Why do you think it is so uncommon for pigs to show that type of common courtesy, or basic decency?
CC - Because they treat us like we are not humans. They look at us like we are some kind of filth. Like we are nothing.
SI - Do you think the inmate-officers who seek power from pigs see us as less than human too?
CC - Yes, they're minds are linked with the pigs. They see us as less than them. As if they are above us. They want that power. They seek power and control. In reality, they feel like they are worthless. And they are. That's why they kept the knowledge from us they were given so long ago. Because they know we aren't worthless. They knew we would use it to help others.
SI - What do you think we can we do to help other prisoners, and other abolitionists, besides this?
CC - We can try to get to know everyone we live around, so we can help each other and be more aware of what they are going through. And maybe we can guide them in knowledge and in education. And we can encourage them to educate themselves.
SI - Educate themselves in what exactly?
CC - In how the prison system really works. That will help them to keep going on the right path, to not support the prison system. To be aware of traps and harmful programs and not come back.
SI - If you could have one item in your cell, or for your use in prison, what would it be?
CC - I would want an iPhone.
SI - Could we look at out site on it?
CC - Yes.
SI - When you get out, which you will inshaaAllah, what do you plan to do to help end slavery?
CC - You already know what I am going to do. I am going to help you. I am going to get connected to others doing the same work with Anisa. And help people say free. I am going to help youngsters never go to prison. Theres so much I want to do. This is the best way I can imagine to serve Allah.
SI - Allahu Akbar.
CC -Allahu Akbar.
JUST WOMEN
By Shajiyah X Iman
Dedicated to Cynthia "Smilez" Apkaw
5-1-2025
Just Women Part I
Women do time differently than men. We do time differently because the Injustice System has
designed how we do time to maximize the profit from our enslavement. This machine that we know as
the Prison Industrial Complex did not just magically come into existence. Each detail was drawn out
by architects who build intricate cages designed to destroy populations, to break people in ways that
bring people back to prison. Women do time differently than men because the architects seek to
capitalize on every division they can exploit.
The American Correctional Association has improved a specific genre of Injustice. They have drawn
up a plan that serves to 1.) Pacify those who support Prison Reform and 2.) Assure a high percentage
of recidivism. There are several tactics in their strategy, but for the purpose of this paper only one
tactic is relevant, Humanization.
Humanization is a tactic designed by Corrections specialists to increase recidivism. Their plan is to
make convicts, and the public, feel like prison staff see us as people, not things. Humanization entails
speaking to us humanely, but maintaining awareness that we are beneath them with animalistic
traits.
Training classes are mandatory for staff to be taught how to interact with us as part of this new
subversion strategy. Being kind to prisoners is a tactic they will have to adjust to. They have to study,
role-play different scenarios, and practice often. Some of them are aware of the detriment to society
this strategy produces, but most are clueless. Most are just doing what they are required to do to keep
their jobs.
Humanization entails staff on all levels pretending to be kind, and at times to pretend to have respect
for us. It is a form of manipulation that is supposed to eliminate the rage of the convict, to make us
more comfortable, and incentivize us to just go with the flow and stop making waves. It will bring less
resistance from families, it will reduce lawsuits for Constitutional violations, it will silence calls for
prison reform. And most importantly, it wil increase recidivism.
Humanization, if they do it right, will cause convicts to start to see slaveholders as decent people, to
believe they care about us, and to forget about what is really going on. Humanization is a brilliant
I Ainched, thinking she was mocking me because of a paper I had written to display the differences
between convicts and residents on the yard. That paper delineated the unique class system, and the
peculiar hierarchies, inside this particular wire. I had used a Marxist model, in an amateur way, to make
my point. I asked her if she was mocking me? She said she did not know who Marx was.
I understood that if she did not see the connection between my paper and Marx then she did not know
why I had so adamantly refused to help her with her proposal. I felt like a complete asshole. I had dealt
with her as if she had consciously chosen to strive to join the ranks of the enemy. She had not yet
defined the enemy for herself.
Lynn began to read to us in a tone of discovery and excitement, I could tell by her pauses that she was
bothered. That was what I needed. Thank you, Karl.
We should all be bothered as we begin to understand the depth of the biblical truth King Sulayman
(Solomon) taught us, "There is nothing new under the sun." We should al be distressed by how much
we live by rote. By how unquestioningly we fall in line. By how we have been taught to see grave
injustices as justice. We should be disturbed to our core. We should begin to question everything, even
things as simple as the terms we use to define things, even teachers.
Teachers come in all forms in all walks of life. I was awakened to the devastating specifics of our plight
in these cages by one not long ago. I was shown the links between al of us who live and die in cages al
over the world and all throughout time. I have grown distressed about the women around me being
here. I am increasingly furious about how things are defined in this country, and by those who get to
define things. Whatever justice is, mass incarceration is not it. For anyone. Even for murderers like me.
I am not certain if there should be a comparative analysis of the worth of human lives in court rooms,
even for murder cases. But they do use comparative analysis to elevate victims. Even absolute pieces of
shit who are murdered somehow become saints to increase sentences. If they elevate victims, they
should debase them when called for, too. If my main victim was such a colossal piece of shit that no
one on earth cared if he lived or died, and my second victim was a convicted pedophile who would
inevitably re-offend, then how could the sentence of Unnatural Life be just? Where is my trophy?
What does this society really use to measure what they call justice? And consequentially, what do we,
the women in these cages, use to measure justice?
How can justice ever be accomplished in an Injustice System that is really an elaborate, artfully
deceptive sporting event? A show where this piece of evidence is allowed, but that piece is not? A
5-1-2025
Trokers d Sisters in orange.
Defore you read this I want to tell you my iglentions.
I plend, through circulating this & other papers, to share
knowledge l've been given. I interd to motivate a new way of
thinking. We are both smarter a more capable than mer
copters. We are stronger a wiser than we give oursels, 4 lack fiker.
cndit )or. We are squardering a vast anount of potential.
At this moment most of us are on good tums. Some of us are
not 1 selfishly el eman't care lass. But collectinchy il do.
We hare obligations to our community beynd our persmal
Julings. Aliano, friendsties tolerances come in wars,
people drift in s mt with the tide.
Regurdles, the worst of us in orange io beer ikes the
best of thise in tron. And no human, no mater what their cine
or mistake or bad day or even evil inclinations descrres to be
caged like an animal. You do not deservs 18 be here. Period.
2 I Payn.
en struggle,
إﯾﻤﺎنﺷﺠﯿﻌﯿﺔ
tactic. The advocates for Prison Reform shout for joy when they see Humanization at work. It is
terrifying.
This paper is not about non-cons. It is not about either Prison Reform supporters or Prison
Administrators. This paper is about us, about convicts. It is about a very specific "us" among the
convict population who will not be easily swayed by the plastic surgery to the face of the beast. We have
to take care of each other while we watch everyone else we know cater to the enemy.
Humans have a tendency to re-wrap systemic abuses and re-infict them on ourselves and others. We
should strive to stay mindful of our captors Humanization tactics, and not repeat them on each other.
Let us remain sincere, let us not perform fraudulent acts of kindness to manipulate or deceive others.
We do nor want to choke the life out of truth in the guise of maintaining peace that destroys many to
uplift a few. We know peace cannot be built on foundations of deceit. We must stay honest and real.
Even if the whole world calls us to water down, sugar coat, kill and bury truth.
We will look at the American Injustice System and how it destroys so much. We will try to find a way
to do things differently. We will look at real situations on the yard and find ways to not repeat the evils
the Injustice System has inflicted upon us, our families, and the whole of society. We can remain
honest, we can remain sincere, even when everyone around us submits to fraudulence in word and
deed.
Words matter at least as much as deeds. The ways the American Injustice System subverts entire
communities begins with how they define things. We do not have to agree with their definitions, but
we should learn their language. As we learn it we should be careful not to be deluded by their
distortions. Let us see how they define the topic of this paper.
Justice - judgement involved in determining the rights and the assignment of rewards and
punishments.
Just - fair, ethical.
Ethical - conforming to accepted standards of social and professional conduct.
We have to engage with those in that world in order to learn their language. Tactics of resistance begin
with learning. On Tuesday, January 27th, 2025, I did some writing for Professor Graham. I call him
Professor because of the lofty position he holds here in the convict world. He is an Instructor not a
theater where you can say this, but you can not say that? An arena where the lawyers and judges al
know each other. They al have history together. They educate together, work together, party
together. They eat rogether, sleep together, cheat together. We do not have a wing or a prayer in there.
Pasts do not matter on their stage, all that matters to them is money.
Insight into the American way. On January 19th 1976 when I was 49 days old. I was still Carla
LouAnne Brummett when the sun rose that morning. Was it just or ethical that I be sold on the side
of that dark road in Indiana between the cornfields, given a new name, a new birth-date and official
paperwork to erase who I had been and where I had come from. Every victim in my life is a victim of
that moment. On January 19th 1976 I became Angela Maria Elizabeth Simpson when the sun set.
My trajectory was set with the setting of the sun. Recently I needed my birth certificate for court, and
it made me sick. Courtrooms are display rooms of deception. There was never a certificate made wich
the name of my birth mother, my true birth name, or the true day of my birth. The lies have become
official, rooted fabrications, history erased. Most people dismiss the truth as a lie. "Look right here,
you were never Carla, your official birth certificate says Angela, see? November 29, look right here." It
is that easy to erase someone. To rewrite history.
Still there are liars who say I was never Carla. Liars who say I am not an author of my own books,
essays, articles, artwork. They'll say I did not write this. Liars who say I was never violent. Even though
they are easily proven liars, some can rewrite history to match their lies.
We are property. We belong to the state. They own us. We all know there are lies in our files. Our
police reports are filled with untruths, our medical records are packed with lies they can line their
pockets with, our disciplinary reports are inaccurate. There are so many falsified records in the
American Injustice system that it has become impossible to separate fact from fiction. And no one
cares. We are slaves, our truths do not matter. To anyone. We'l never be "worthy" of our truths. What
can a slave own? Or accomplish? Nothing. They even seek to rob us of the violence of our pasts.
People should never be commodities. Some may argue that I hold in my subconscious a memory of the
face of my white mother when she realized she had birthed a nigger baby. That my cells remember she
had refused to hold me or feed me. And a memory of a relative who had to breastfeed me until they
could sell me. I was named Carla, from my Christian Pastor grandfather Carl who orchestrated my
sale. And LouAnne from the Aunt who breastfed me to keep me alive for seven weeks. If I died, they
could not get paid for me, so she kept me alive.
SPEAK - Shajiyah X. Iman
My oldest daughter, Anisa, came through prison and saw what had transpired since she was here last. She saw that we were in struggle, formally. We had always been in struggle, but now we understood what that meant. And we understood that our struggle was global, our struggle is a human struggle, and we are not alone.
Anisa attended some get-togethers and read some articles and cried. Like we all do when our eyes are truly opened. And she vowed to go into the world and join the cause, to do everything she could to help. And she has done that, which sets her apart from so many.
We are stumbling in this thing, we are running head-on into the Abolition Movement because it is right, and because we convicts/ exconvicts have a right and an obligation to join. And we will be criticized for not being all kinds of "enough" to be a part of something so beautiful, but here we are.
I hold on to something a hater among the inmate population who worked very hard to prevent me from gaining knowledge towards joining this end said to me. She said that I was not intellectual enough to even be there. I didn't have a problem being not intellectual enough because I like me as I am, but I had a problem not gaining the knowledge. So I got it, with so many trying to get me thrown out and coerce me to leave by delivering the most pathetic of underhanded slights. Slights they thought I was too stupid to even see. Some still think that. But I got it what was intended for me. And you need to get it too.
We cannot wait until we are smart enough to speak or write correctly. We cannot wait until we qualify as an intellectual. We cannot wait until we are formally invited. We have to show up and do what we can now.
If we wait until we are as smart as, and as popular as ex-convict Professor Angela Davis to write or speak, we will never write or speak. If we wait until we are as kind, generous, patient and wise as Alan Gomez to show up, we will never show up. We can't be what and who we are not, and we are better than good enough just as we are.
Anisa didn't leave here and take classes on organizing, distributing prison art or writings, solidarity, or web page design. She just did it. All by herself, she forged a small branch off a much larger branch in the tree of this massive effort. She did it out of love, necessity, honor, respect and a basic sense of obligation to the betterment of the world.
Our voices from inside are not the voices of the elite, or the upstanding, or the educated. Anisa is not an editor, and I am not a professional interviewer and obviously I don't intend to edit. You will get what we have raw and uncut. And you will love it. Because how could you not? Real in a world of frauds and climbers must be refreshing, and must be welcomed. And since we are not intellectuals you don't have to worry about struggling to understand what we have to say.
I think we all need to do what Anisa has done. We all need to be about it, not just talk about it. If you leave prison, as a visitor or as an ex-convict and you promised this or that, do it. I cannot tell you how many people say, with the best of intentions (maybe), that they will never leave us. And are never to be heard from again.
Our voices are trapped in here. Professor Lance Graham from ASU is getting some convict voices out. But when you take the knowledge you've been given and go smooth off the rails, as I have and will continue to do inshaaAllah, another avenue must be forged. Forge new ways for your people. There cannot be too many voices reaching the world from inside these cages.
When we get together the ideas presented are stunning and often from the most surprising places. If you are not in the service of the enemy, please contribute in whatever way you can. You don't have to be whatever anyone else says you have to be. Anisa and I are wild, we are unrestrained, we are loud and beyond bold. We are determined and dedicated. We don't take crap and we don't pacify traitors. As a result, a few people hate us. And we are better people for it.
Don't be discouraged by the people who don't like your passion or those who refuse to be active. That could change. Give them a way to speak even if they refuse to leave their houses, cells, cages, rooms. Go to them. Our pinta Teacher tells us, "No one was born with their fist raised." Don't wait for others.
Regardless of how people feel about you, don't wait. Marry the Movement, multiple spouses are permitted. Marry it whether you are unfree or free. Don't let the haters who tell you that you are not enough stop you. Let their foulness push you to be everything they are not. Don't let those who are jealous of you or fear you steal your voice. And don't wait. Don't procrastinate. Speak now.
PROFESSORS TRANSFORMING PRISONERS
Shajiyah Iman
12/9|2024-
This essay breaks some rules, As a kilter in prison for Natural Life I reserve the right to futil the
expectation in some way, of breaking at leust some cales, some times. I believe breaking rules is occasionaly
necessary for everyone, given this culture of constraints and hates. I want to tel you about something
that has happened in my prison sine Ryan F. Thornel, PAD, Diedor of Arizona Destment of
Correction, Rehabilitation a Reentry decided to flood my Chit with higher education. But wait,
p o s i n i c h i n g e n t p r i a ? r e m S n g i a I n e ? h o u t h e m s t i p t r i e n d y e n v i e y a i e h e a r d o ?
With muthpie suits agains ADCRR, oreof which Thomel himself is listed as a Defendunt? Yes, but none
of those things are personal. What I want to do in this essay that breaks essen rules, is introduce you
to the PhDs that have had such a profund impact on me + many wher prisoners directly, my whale
Unit indirectly, o then tel you how higher education is changing how we do time on the yard.
xirst, Iwant you, it you are a tree person, to know that each of the people I um about to mention
talks to us like we are Valuable human beings with our own unique Knowledge base. They treat us like
They treat university students out there, they aren't scared or sketchy, judgy or snobby, and
They meer us where we are in every way. In her book "Academia, Activism and Intellectuals" Dr Jou
James who does nor come into this prison) presents a dilemma when dealing wah prisoners, coth
prisoners before they were uncarcerated, and those who became polincized insue the walls, she says
"The polinical prisoners currently eontained in the U.S. Penal sites present us with diffient guestions
and challenges as critical thunkess and actors: What is our relationship to the imprisoned intellectual?
I f you decial to come in and share what you know with us, we wil use your gifts to the best of our
abilirg, bur you must his develop a relatinship with us, and it seems very tew are wiling to admit
prisoners ure still really even pesple. If you intend to treat us like specimens in a curions concrete jar.
stay home. If you intend to christianize us or otherwise save our savage souls, you can kiss
our asses from outside the wire. We are not pets, or projects to be managed, we are people, in "e
place you are lucky not to be. At the very least you should realize must prisoners are getting ont,
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and consider your dealings win us an investment in the tuture of your commsnity, becusse most
prisoners will reenter it.
Do Alan Gomez asks the tree activist what do we as on the notside to se there is no sutside
from the outside?" Why are the Phos who come into prison so few? Can people be scared to come into
a place they mily believe is the right face tor people to be who did something maybe they worldn't
have? Or something they have done and haven't goten caught? How do you appreciate freedom if
You cant comprehend its alternative? How do you comprehend treedom without an in person gumpse
of un-freedom? You should look inside, one day there may not be anything except outside.
Now, let me tormaly introduce the transformative forces Director Thornel has sent into my
prison. Pleuse remember that I had aksolutely no respect for people of academia, and bellered
higher eclucation was a compete waste of time, before meeting these peiple. I beliered I could gain
nothing from Stuck up Professors, und believed al Professors must, us a muter of course, be stuck up.
These beliefs were the first, and the easiest ones, to be shredded.
Di Alan Gomez is a Historian, and is the best teacher on earth in a classroom setting, Ive
never seen anything like what he does except in movies. He's a transforming torce that has to be
corpietely wided to not be learned from, because he teaches simply by being. Mu triends and
I that attended his classes in "the beginning" in reference to the Ist lecture I personally aten-
ded oza 2/24/2024) muld have conversations before class just to see if he would bring up what-
ever topic wed discussed, miraculously he always did and we would whisper Veeslahah ("as it is
Witten in Chakubsa to affirm the Fremen teachings that one wold come from the outside to show
the way. We began to cal him the Voice of the uter World, our own personal Lisan albhaib. Truly,
tictim aside, Dr lamez leads the way to higher Education for convicts. He possesses the profand
Wisdom of Sincerity which resonates through everyone he comes in contact with, he is not one who
teaches, he Is a teacher. He teaches things that sund simple, but are not, like Caminamos
preguntado" (Walking together asking gustins), and "Mandar obeciendo" (lead by obeying), which
are pistal teachings that open the way to understunding there can be, even in prison "Un
mundo dunde quepan muchos mundus" (A wold where many worlds tit). Dr Gomez is mindtul,
Cantias with his words, teaching us that words create worlds, and while engaging in the development
of communities of care, we should be corchul not to harm with our words. This last teaching, from
where I stand now, seems impossible for me to acclimatize to, I have sharpened my words into
double edged ruzors and I cut thoughtlessly, compulsively a habimally. Like my spiritual
Teacher, Bayyman Khadijah Muhammad, Dr homez is putient, but it harms him when I harm others,
which harms me deeply, and makes me want to stop. He teaches so much beyond history, beyond
humanities, he is a walking philosophy and teaches just by being himself.
Dr Kila Pisha was someone I had heard about, at had ben quite uper with, years before
meeting her. I had heard some things about her that freaked me out to the point I decided
the rumors were too our rageous to be true, but Id never heurd her name. When she cume to our
Ward wears aber Id traotten the rumors. I didnt kon who she was until abot 30 minutes into
her lecture. She returned, shamelessly Haunting a pertee balance of buchiness a bearty with
the most peculiar mix uf shyness and danger. I cringed from some of the things she said, possibly
visibly, but I loved her spirit and that love enabled me to withstund terribly uncomfortable teachings.
She susnawed across just about every line we believed couldnt be crussed and smiled at us from ever
forbidden zone. I was told I wasnt Muslim if I attended Dr Pushis class, but I was addicted to
this new way of unlearning. Dr Pasha is a poet, she is a Historian, a Journalist, a Playwright and
a Religines Scholar. She taught us to write poetry and she taught is the flaws in focusing on
rhyming. Irhyme every prem I write solely because she said not to, as offerings, acts of
rebellious solidarity. She taught us, like Dr humez, by being who she is, in addition to the knowledge
we gleaned from her lectures.
Dr Sarah Suhail come in to trach us some important historical facs reyarding the
month in which she came to give her lecture. Dr Suhail answered many guestios I had been
trying to find answers to that were crucial to my personal path. She twight in a hitorical
secular context, and by doing so she revealed what all the Drs had revealed, that thare is
always more than one side of history. The wrins thing about what Do Suhail taught, was that
some of the history she presented wasnt taught differently by the other side, it wasnt taught at
all by the other side, which had disturbed me. Do Suhail exposed those hidden histories I had
been seeking in obvious, a some not so obvious, places and she gracefully shifted the trajectory
of my entire life.
I need to tel you reader, that I was not easy on these Professors. Before I realized they
were turning our worlds upside down to give us different perspectives, I reacted unkindly in a
"Who the fe's do you think you are?' type way. New things we often disconcerting, and the way
these particular Professors Share Knowledge und wisdom feels kinetic, and it can be confusing and
disorienting. Their lectures are time-releusing, by that I mean sometimes what they teach
creeps up and reveals Hself days, even weeks, later. They challenge us to think deeper, to analyze
ourselves, to inspect our ideas, to look for where we got those ideas a vet those sources, all of
which can feel threatening, maybe not to a 20 year old colege student, but to a 50 year old
Lifer, it feels like a shanking of the frontal lobe. With that being said, let me introduce a
Professor that is so intense I have to take Tylenol before going to her lectures, becouse she is so
spectacularly brilliant it hurts.
Dr Quan is a ray of light for al minorities und marginalized people, a leader of women
ot girls. Dr Duan is captivating and draws attention by the power of hur intellect even when sitting
Silently. She is the definition of a force to be reckoned with. Dr Dwan first came into our prison
and tasght us about ting pretry, its grammatical structure, or lack thereaf, at how it flows
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She questioned our definitions of freedom or caused me to realize, when I responded without
thinking (which is not as uncommon as it should be) that I don't believe freedom is real. Dr Quan
had us analyze what we thought freedom wild feel like, sound like, look like, and since freedom to
me is abstract, she led me to guestion if my ideas about freedom being read is a belief in self.
defense? Do I believe freedom is not real only because I wil die in here? Or di I truly bellere
treedom i relatire and everyone is in some type of cage? And which lages constitute unfredom?
The 2nd lecture Dr Qwar gave on Media I'd need something for beyond Talenol to white woost
right nww.
Di Espinosa is an Ethnu musiclogist who brought us misic from the Levant. She came in
early in my exposure to higher edication or although her entire presentation mived me, I was
nervous wont her playing an instrument that was ustomarily played by men. It is very inter-
esting to me how much these professors helped me escape my fears that limited my range of
"allwable thought in such a short time. I remenber being uncomfortable, physically, emotionally
ot mentally, when Dr Espinosa presented Several things that I felt were to sacred to be presen-
ta academically. It was awkward for me then, and Still is, to be fuce to face with the
realization that what is presented us freeing in a religious context hus been deliberately refushined
by men to be enslaving in ways unintended by the Source. Di Espinosa, like Dis Pasha, Sunail, a
Quan had stepped out of her "place" us taught in the mayoring of places in the would t it was jarring
to me. Dr Espinosa introduced us to how tones can be accepted in some cultures but not in others,
how chords a Keys can be comkined to express things otherwise inexpressible, a how important
music is to every culture.
Dr Shareef taught us akrit "sumud" (stead fistness, and what that boks like
mong the mist neglected and devastated country on earth right nw. She taught us what it looks
like to never give up in the face of harrendus torment, torture at destruction. She helped us
understand more of the history of land fom a perspective of the land itself, the trees, the farms,
the water, and the many things cultirated in places before catastrophes. She expressed to us the
importance of sumud, at encuraged us to pursue our dreams even against great odds.
Dr Wicks-Alen shwed us the similarities between upprenticeships that were forced on
Chidren aer the abolition of slavery and today's faster ure system. She shoved how difical it is
or femilies to reunite utter we are torn apart t encouraged us to not yive up ighting to reunite with
our children after incarceration.
Dr Alen gave a lecture that made us consider the many ways a family can be comprised,
different types of vnits that make up families, and then explained some obstacles some of those
Families might have to overcome. He disussed with us why certain types of people desire specific
lamily make-ups a why others might not, and the repurcussions of wempting to force people into
smal minded molds would be an injustice to everyone. like Dr Wicks-Allen, the message was on
the importance of family, especially when the family wait is under duress from exernal irritants.
Do Hart, a biologist, gave us un appreciation for has the world hes been organized by
variors scientists over time, before at after microscopic instruments were wrilable, hus what perple
Mink they know is constantly changing, ot how smal we humans are relative to al the life on earth.
The way Dr Hurt explained the catagorization of things in our every day lives is helpful wray
beyond the context in which he taught it.
Dr Manninen brought in something that I have fallen in love with, Dr Manninen
brought Philosphy int my cage. Strangely, discussing fire wil a har plaing dad within the costrans
of Their own rules of omniscence negates the possibility of God being free, didht bother me half as
much as the continvous onslaught from al the Professors on putriarchy. I now self-assail every time
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a thought that sustains pumarchy enters my mind, which is ten. What bithers me about Do
Manninen's exciting way of arguing about every litle thing, is the knoledye that I have been
judged for simply padring the idea of Divine Unfredom a not rejecting it out right, t for liking
philosophy so much, which some consider inherently antireligious. I will probably not stop
thinking wbout the fact that it appears that not only I, but God limself, is contained inside
of His Divine wil, at since I think we ure al in prisms anyway, even those with relatively unlimited
range of motion miside the wire, whether we realize it or not, is a deligur ful pass time. Maybe
one day Or Munninen wil come back t argue with is abut freedom? It is prssible, in this prison,
with this Director, who wants the cuptives in his care to be educated.
Dr Kim taught us what intersectional feminism is a why it is impostant. She showed
Us how Kimberle Crenshaw theorizes intersectionality. When I write stories I have always
written women and girls us protagonists in my fiction beccuse it feels right, Dr Kim explained
why it feels right, + encoraged us to embrace feminism, t do more to promote it at help others
embrace H. Dr Kim encurraged us to break out of cultural norms that supress women + to
alow ourselves the right to dream nutside of the cultural limits placed on is around the
world.
Di Fojas came in to explain to us what surveillance is used for, how it is developed,
a how it has evolved over the years. She taught us about border security + ways the media
is often used as a means of observing peoples every day lives, t what that data might be
used for. I think these things, being ammg my very first experiences with allege level lectures,
scared me more than anything else for multiple reasons. I think it should be even more
frightening for those of you who think you are free.
Traly, Lance Graham comes in to teach us, he teaches an Arizona State
$/10
University writing class a has taught us many ways to express ourselves a the differences
between formal a informal writing. He uses music lyrics to teach us that it is alceptable to use
whatever means our hearts move us to convey, whaterer we ned to, at also how to express ourselves
in professional contes. As for witing prey, Professor braham reuterated the tabors of
rhyming, which for reasons already stated, I wil not give up, but I wil rhyme ridiculorsly,
insanely even. because Pasha.
Director Dr Thomel sends memos to the populatio so we can be aware of what is
happening in or world, he speaks to us with winds like "o" "We", he walks the yards contidently
with no vest, novicious pigs guerding him, he aloss us to approach him and he speaks tous as if we
mater. He says things like "the role each of us plays in this future, including each of you" when
communicating with prisoners.
Should prisons exist? Probubly not. Are prisms necessary? Absolutely not. Are
pasons the new slavery that spholds a disgusting capitalist society? Clearly. Thornell is not
one ifus, but he damn sure wint one of what we had here for decades, at what almost every
other prison has as a Director in the United States. If every Director were Thornell, there would
be no recidivism, because he reduces the wals that divide us, he does, to an extent, what our
other Professors are doing, teaching unity by exumple. If every prison had a Director Thornel,
There would be no need for prisons in a very few years.
These Phds are moving mountains. These people have given us their time, ot their
wisdom, to not just remove obstacles, but to teach us hor to remove them arselves. I have only
studied with them for a few months, Lifers are not alowed to participate in accredited curses, but
DiThornell ot the other PhDs don't mind alowing anyone who wants to attend their lectures
a classes to do so. I um grateful, and I um hmored, to have been permitted to learn
From these kind, wise, patient peiple who take eumminity care to a level prevuusly unimagined.
Our Unit is being transformed, so are our ways of life, how we interact with each
other on the yard a how we think abut things before we act. Also, seeing how things are
connected in so many more ways than wed previously considered halps us make more meaningful
decisions, and krinuing that we have so many more choics than we beliered we did, Mitivates
us to explore our opfians even in mondanesituations. Perple who don't even realize they had
any intellectual pitential are finding part of themselves they never imagined could exist, and
doing wonderful things for their futures, and for others.
Grops are torming on the yards to disuss polinics a science, examining untapped potentiad
in themselves ot the envionment. We are sharing baks, a teaching clusses of our won at rec,
gwing or receiving knowledge, helping each ather in new ways. We are learning to live in ways
that dont diminish us, that connect us to new ideas a people we otherwise might have never
suken the tome to knus. Now we can get along, we can talk, we can share, We can laugh, we
can walk together asking questions.
References
Allen, Aaron. Lecture "Ciril Rights + American Families" given at Arizona Stute Prison Complex Perryville
7/27/24
Espinosa, Shaheen. Lecture " Music la ls Social → Cultural Contexts" given at Arizona State Prisa Complex
Perrgville 5/14/2024
Fajas, Camilla. Lecture "Borders, Immigration, Media a she Creeping Surveillance Regime" given at Arizna State
Prison Complex Perryville 4/11/2024
Gomez, Alan Eladio. Varins teachingo from varioss Lectures a Classes on History a Humanities
Granam, Lance. Lecture "Why Write?" + Variors Classes given ar Arizona State Prison Complex Perryille
10/26/2024 mtil present
Hur, Steren. Lecture "The Tree of Life: Hu biologists choose to organize living things in she natural world " given
at Drizana Stute Prison Umplex Perryville 11/9/ 2024
James, Joy. "Academia, Activism, + Intellectuals! Social Justice Vol.30 .N. 2003)
<im, Linda, Lecture "Aint I A Woman: who Arizona State Mison Complex Perraville 9/28/2024
The Sociological Imagination Most Be Feminestil given et
10l 1i2en, Bertha. Lecture "Does bud Exit?" given at Arizon, Stre Prim Cmpler Reguile
Muhammad, Baysinah Khadijuh. Varuns teachings through personal correspondence, leters, emails ,
phone calls, in-person usus.
Peng, Ayla. 15/22 maris Sndies: Puse Present Tarur" given at Aroma Stare Prism mples
Quan, H.L.T. Lecture "Freedom a Democracy" given at Arizona Star Prison Complex Percyville 5/23/2024
* 2 1 6 1 2 0 2 4
Sherees, Layla Lecture Patestinian Fortitude given at Arnama State Prison Complex Perville
Peryville
Suhail, Sarah. Lecture " The Month of Munarram" given at Arrona State Prism Complex 1/19/2024
Thornell, Ryan F. Drectors Memos "Ice + Extreme Heat" 1/22/2023 + "Reimagining Corrections"
9/29/20
WHEN PRISONS END, WHERE WILL KILLERS AND RAPISTS GO?
To the White House, obviously.
When I was harmed by perverts as a child they were all upstanding citizens. A pastor, several cops, and normal family men working normal jobs. They were not convicts, not ex-convicts, just regular American men living standard American lives. Rapists don't normally go to prison in a patriarchal society. The percentage of sex offenders in prison is less than 5% of the active sex offenders in America. Sometimes they come to prison, sometimes they are presidents.
You pretend that letting armed robbers and kidnappers out onto the streets is unimaginable. But ICE, DEA, ATF, FBI and all versions of standard pigs kidnap, rob, kill and disappear thousands of people daily. You can't possibly believe the majority of rapists and killers are in prison or ever could be? The Criminal Injustice system was not designed to house true criminals, only black, brown or poor people without license to do things others get rewarded for.
Some of you support the United States manufacturing weapons to murder tens of thousands of innocent civilians. But are scared of people who killed one, or two...or allegedly a few people? You say to kill means to take a life, and society is better without killers? Then society would be safer without cops and every killer behind bars let loose.
I don't know anyone who hasn't committed a crime. Not one single person. Since laws are constantly changing it is impossible to even know when you are guilty of something. And then there are made up crimes, and I don't only mean people lying to harm people. There is a woman doing time for the crime of Internal Possession of Narcotics because her urine was dirty. This is not a thing. Yet she is here.
This will end. The Prison Industrial Complex will fall. And these houses of Corrections will be looked upon as the horrific torture institutions they really are. Then society will be immensely safer.
Kyla Susalla tells us of SROs, School Resource Officers. These are city pigs in uniforms posted up at kids schools. Her research shows these pigs increase crime at schools and criminalize children to get them on the school-to-prison pipeline. These SROs are allowed to give children Felonies for being loud or disruptive, causing the kids to be ostracized from their friends. In "The New Jim Crow" we learn of several ways the government acts against the American people by infusing neighborhoods with narcotics targeting communities to incarcerate more people. So they can build more prisons and make more money. Crime will decrease dramatically when this prison slavery system is over.
Dylan Rodriguez tells us of a professor who came into a prison and realized the prisoners were "...smiling and shockingly normal-looking people...except everyone is wearing the same thing." This Professor walked passed bone fide rapists in uniform, perverts of all calibers with badges, sadists who carry keys, murderers through neglect and indifference, and prison administrators who dismiss the most atrocious abuses. And she was scared of the prisoners?
I was at a bus stop outside the Maricopa County Jail one day long ago with a man who was ranting about the treatment he had received in there. He was a Doctor and he was going to let everyone know what really goes on and just how cruel and stupid cops are. I laughed and told him it is way worse than that. He was shocked and asked, "You were in there? You don't look like you would ever be in jail!"
I have learned that some inmates before prison didn't understand the wickedness of the Criminal Injustice system. They were horrified that they had supported this sickness once they fell victim to it. But how can people believe what they can't see? They can see if the observe the effects of the system.
Recidivism increases. The politicians claim they will reduce it, but they don't. There are countries with much less recidivism. Recidivism is their business here. They want inmates to be released with nothing, with the world against them, with every imaginable disadvantage, so they return, because they need these beds filled. If ex-convicts don't come back they will target the poor communities, or certain races, creating or exaggerating whatever they decide to call crime until they fill the beds with bodies to make their revenue from.
Society suffers so much for these cages. Millions of people ripped away from their families and friends. Our families all suffer intensely. Our childrens' lives are destroyed. There are over 2 million people cages in America. It is impossible to calculate how many people are negatively affected. Millions upon millions of tortured Americans by the Criminal Injustice System.
Dylan Rodriguez gives us the UN definition of torture, "...any act by which pain and suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspects of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or st the instigation of or with consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity."
American prisons are all crimes against humanity. They are designed to torture. And for us to be here is criminal, whether we are guilty of whatever we are accused of or not.
So, where will the killers go if released? Not to your house. We'd live our lives. If we wanted to kill again we could do it any day of the week and twice on the Sabbath. It is foolish to imagine we are somehow less controlled, less than human, less than reasonable, or in any way less than you. We are all just people, whether we did what they say we did, or not.
WHAT IS ABOLITION?
This land w a s stolen from a n innocent people b y s o m e of t h e m o s t horrific tactics imaginable.
Americans are now living comfortably on a land raped and destroyed after its inhabitants
were r a p e d a n d slaughtered. T h e people w h o remained alive after t h e atrocities t h a t this
country is founded o n were relegated t o parcels of land t o keep them away from the thieves.
Hardcore killers, sadists, psychopaths, and rapists run for office. And you vote them in. You,
t h e people, have always voted t h e m in.
Those leaders voted in by you, the people, purchased slaves and raped those slaves to breed
more slaves to build this country on this stolen land. This country still sustains itself on captive
souls. There were always abolitionists, people who wanted the evil system of slavery to end.
Abolition isnt comprised of just one thing. There were abolitionist arguments against slavery
f r o m t h e t i m e i t b e g a n . Slavery i s obviously w r o n g , b u t t h o s e w h o w a n t t o profit o f
f of
humans use t h e Bible t o justify their systemic hate crimes. They cage people in t h e name of
God. They strive t o make their captives docile, cheek-turning creatures who refuse to resist
slavery a n d c a n n o t rebel against their c a p t o r s . Destruction of t h e will a n d spirit o f slaves is
policy, done in t h e n a m e of Jesus.
Today t h e r e a r e thousands o f Christian organizations allowed i n t o prisons, bibles are
everywhere. There a r e countless Christian services a n d p r o g r a m s . All t h e chaplains i n m o s t
prisons are Christian. Christianity is the fentynol of the prisons. Abundant, cheap, mind
dulling a n d addictive. I t h a s always served a valuable purpose for slavers. Other faiths are
highly marginalized in prison, especially Islam. Islam teaches it is right to resist oppression in
t h e ways w e can, even if w e will lose.
Dylan Rodriguez tells us a little about the tactics of the Christianizing prison regimes, "Funded
by the politically powerful right-wing fundamentalist Prison Fellowship Ministries, similar
initiatives have spread throughout the country." In my prison, Christian Fellowship has leased
a w h o l e p o d i n w h i c h l a r g e g r o u p s o f i n m a t e s l i v e t o g e t h e r reducing distraction from
brainwashing techniques. Abolition doesnt mean t h e destruction of Christianity, but we need
t o recognize t h e w e a p o n s u s e d against u s in t h e s e cages.
Orisanmi Burton tells u s t h e words o f Masia Mugmuk, who explains that t h e prisons u s e is
substances, (which I use t o refer to the intoxicating effects of Christianizing), a s having a
specific purpose. Magmuk says, "its primary objective is to engender "marked change" of
political prisoners patterns o f behavior a n d attitude t o systematically undermine the
fundamental fibers of their third world outlook into which their behavior and attitude patterns
were reflected..." to transform us convicts into "docile creatures, robot slaves, or neoslaves."
Howard Zinn shows us Americas first system of slavery "was psychological and physical at the
same time. The slaves were taught discipline, were impressed again and again with the idea
of their own inferiority..." I will show you in my writings and interviews over time how this
aspect of slavery has not changed a t all.
Today, Hariet Washington, i n teaching u s a b o u t treacherous medical practices in prisons, says
regulations are built o n t h e premise that prisoners a r e vulnerable, stigmatized, expendable,
poor, uneducated, powerless minority groups without important civil rights, feared and hated,
barred from any useful role in society, few with supportive families..."who wont b e missed
should anything happen to them."'
Howard Zinn tells us the slavers goal is to merge the slaves interests with the masters. That
the masters destroyed t h e slaves individual needs, broke u p the slaves families, used
Christianity to lull them, created disunity by privileging house slaves over field slaves, and the
power of law and the ever present ability t o punish. Like now.
The first abolition is thought by some to have ended slavery. It didnt. It reformed i t . We
should b e very careful i n deciphering abolition from reform, o r t h e s o u t h will always rise
again.
I dont say these things to discredit the lives spent, and lost, in the struggle against slavery. I
say them to express the importance of not pretending like the war is over.
Angela Davis assures u s t h a t The abolitionist movement h a s learned t h a t without t h e actual
participation of prisoners, there can be no campaign." Our opinions, as prisoners, are often
h u s h e d a s t o o harsh, o u r reactions quelled a s t o o p a s s i o n a t e . W h e n t h a t h a p p e n s w e will
leave the a r e a of those free people, or t h e area of arrogant cop-serving prisoners who deem
their voice superior t o o u r s . Angela Davis says, "It m a y n o t always b e easy t o g u a r a n t e e t h e
participation of prisoners, but without their participation and without acknowledging them as
equals, we are bound to fail." Let this be the scope through which we convicts recognize the
s c h e m e s of t h e outsider w h o c o m e s in like a spectator a t a zoo.
Abolition i s t h e accumulation o f a c t s t h a t e n d a s y s t e m . Abolition i s continuous action
gathering momentum which will crush all the ways people are enslaved. Prison Abolition will
end this particular system of slavery currently called incarceration. Abolition is erosion against
profiting off of caged humans. It is resistance against a grotesque evil that is propagandized as a necessity for societys safety. One day everyone who supports this system of slavery will
be looked upon as being as disgusting as America's original slavers, and as evil as the Nazis
and the Zionist Jews.
Bill Ayers tells us, "The " prison nation" is an intolerable abomination. Once you see it, you
cant unsee it, and joining the insurgency becomes an urgent necessity." If you are an
anticapitalist thinking person, then you are an abolitionist, whether you know it yet or not.
Hidden Transparency
Of Monarch Dandelions
"Promoting unity and understanding across barriers through our unified struggle to
become better members of our unique society." I n t r o
PRISS
PRISM
Prisoners Refined In Strategio Motion
What is PRISM?
PRISM motivates prisoners to develop a productive sense of
community by sharing views, beliefs, experiences, struggles, successes, and
failures in an effort to assist in our daily struggles of life in prison and those
who come after us.
What does being a member of PRISM require?
- Meeting on a weekly basis
- Founding members contribute to our "lopfund" which helps prisoners on specific types of Loss
of Privilege status with hygiene items.
What are the benefits of PRISM?
- Sharing experiences and expertise
- Learning new things about each other
- Gaining beneficial knowledge to enhance lives, ours and others
- Combining talents
- Practicing public speaking if you want
- Get or give legal advice
- Help with Grievances and Disciplinary issues
- Unlear selfishness
- Monthly Newsletter
- Assistance with hygiene for non personal, unselfish L.O.P.
What are some goals of PRISM?
- Develop unity among our General Population
- Consistently promote positive changes
- Create space for wild, unrestrained brainstorming
How do you become a member of PRISM?
Show up wherever you see us meeting whether there are 2 of us or 20, you are welcomed
regardless of your history, crime, race, gender, religion, or arything else. You're better than good
enough, don't hesitate to corne and grow with us.
Arizona State Women's PRISM hopes for others
to start on their varas, too!
Hello! This is HTMD, your favorite underground pinta-newsletter!!! Due to technical difficulties the
last few segments of the year will have this same opening! Don't judge us, we are doing the best we can!
Here is a list of al 12 segments, if you want one come to a meeting and ask one of us for one. Most of us
in PRISM don't have much money so we aren't able to keep copies on hand, but we will be happy to
make them for you if you ask.
Issue 1 - PRISMs mission and the Tree-Tree interview
Issue 2 - HTMDs mission and Gender/Sex Terminology update
Issue 3 - Coverage of Perryville's Pro Palestine event
Issue 4 - GPs Responses to Surveys and eFiling issues
Issue S - MAT Program and JJ interview
Issue 6 - Are We Settling For UnFreedom? and Basic Grievance info
Issue 7 - 100 Definitions of "Terrorist" from the GenPop
Issue 8 - 100 Definitions of "Love" from the GenPop
Issue 9 - 100 Definitions of "Hate" from the GenPop
Issue 10 - Fighting For Our Rights and the Joycee interview
Issue 1 - Convict2Convict PRISM talks Zionism to Nakba and Nakba to 10/7
Issue 12 - Social Structure on the Yard
We appreciate your participation in all the surveys we did this year for HTMD and for improvements and
proposals on the Unit. We learned a lot about each other and we have accomplished some wonderful
things this year!
The Library is no longer allowing us to copy artwork, which sucks for those of us who send art out, and it
sucks for HTMD too because we wanted to add your art to next year's Issues. That's OK though, fuck em,
we'll work it out! If you have a poem, an essay, a problem, advice or anything else you want to share,
please get with one of us on the yard and we'd be happy to include your work.
This is a community newsletter, and we don't kiss ass to get it to you. We are a pig-free organization and
want to help each other learn how to work together, doing what we can, while we can, to practice as much
autonomy (self-reliance) as possible.
The design of prison is to make it completely dependent upon staff, even as they claim to be readying us
(some of us) for freedom. It is a lie. They know very wel without practicing autonomy, without the
ability to make substantial choices, without the slightest semblance of freedom, you wil fail. They act
like we are too stupid to make choices to condition us for failure. Recidivism is their business, literally,
don't be manipulated by their federally funded bullshit that claims to be aimed towards keeping you free.
Don't be made to believe they have al the answers, they either don't know the answers or lie the majority
of the time. You will stay free by staying away from them, not by staying up under them.
As mentioned, PRISM is autonomous, and we don't have leaders or authorities in our group. We meet as
equals and share what we know with each other.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2024
Gaining Knowledge
Starting PRISM and HTMD
Sharing knowledge about things we can't print
Completion of Jacquie's Trauma Counseling
Restarted Meetings after the Brutal Summer
Started Writing the play "We, Not Me"
Poetry Readings
Kryas' Art Class
GOALS FOR 2025
Get other autonomous groups started around the Yard
Fight to get a GED teacher
Fight to be allowed to purchase our Medical Records
Fight to paint our cells
Fight to get copays stopped again
More contributions for HTMD (arrices, poems etc)
Support each other and gain knowledge so we rarely need to ask staff for anything.
We move our meetings around depending on ICSs and other lockdowns, but we meet weekly, we'd love
for you to come! You can meet with us if you want, but you don't have to meet with PRISM to contribute
to HTMD. It takes us time to get everything together but we do our best and we appreciate your patience
as we try to make our environment better in a clean, healthy, autonomous (pig-free) way that improves
our lives, increases your odds of not coming back in a real, true and honest way and, incidentally, makes
their jobs easier.
Your Lifer friends are sick and tired of seeing you come back! We need you to get out and STAY OUT!
In Struggle,
Arizona State Women's PRISON