Greetings friends, comrades, and assorted government voyeurs! This is my second RDTW from ADX. The “Alcatraz of the Rockies” is a weird place, filled with creepy, abusive predators, and a few hundred prisoners!
I’d like to focus on how important things like tangible support and the ABC Warchest are for prisoners. Everything that makes prison somewhat tolerable costs money — stamps and envelopes; paper and pens; emails and phone calls; coffee, non-meat protein like nuts, beans, and peanut butter; supplemental food to deal with abysmal food quality and portions, snacks to add something enjoyable to your day; warm clothes, athletic clothes, shoes; watches, radios, headphones. MP3s are almost $1.50 per song. If you’re sick, all your medicine costs money, as does just talking to a nurse (a $2.00 visiting fee). Tooth paste, shampoo, floss, tooth brushes, decent soap, lotion, etc. If you have hobbies to pass the time, they are all crazy expensive — markers, paints, papers, knitting, any craft-work, typewriter supplies to do legal work; copy cards to use the printer for legal/art/gambl-work. Fifty copies for $5.00. Prison is a for-profit industry. Everything they offer for free is shitty to the point of offensive. Remember also that we are paid peanuts. At Florence Medium, I had two jobs, five days a week and made $20/month, just enough to cover shampoo, soap, and coffee.
This is why the Warchest — and all tangible support — is so vital. Having consistent support allows you to budget, plan your schedule, and remove that very heavy cloud of stress that can linger over your head. Because of the Warchest, because of Bloomington ABC, because of people sacrificing and caring, I’ve never had to go into debt. I haven’t had to do weird hustles and I’ve been able to help others who are struggling. Beyond the sectarianism and trendism that exists within the “movement,” the Warchest sees the brutality of prison and tries to make it a little less shitty for those who need help. I give the biggest solidarity and warmest hugs to all those who in any way do what they can to help those inside. No matter the custody level or length of the bid, prison exposes you to the worst society has to offer, and the people who care expose us to the best. Thank you all for caring. I hope the weather is nice!
I’ll wrap this up by encouraging people to look out for and fight for our elders — harass their prisons or legislators, get ahold of director Collette Peters, demand real health care, compassionate release, more legal representation, more eyes on them, or whatever they personally need. There’s no victory without total liberation. Thank you to everyone who has ever helped me in any way. Big love to my support team, legal team, family, and friends. We’re almost there.
#FreeOsoBlanco
#FreeJenniferRose
#FreeMichaelKimble
#FreeKojoBomaniSababu
#FreeJoe-JoeBowen
#FreeEdPoindexter
Free all of our elders! Anarchy always, antifa everywhere. — EK