Wanna do direct action but you can’t run, can’t fight, can’t deal with stress, can’t risk getting arrested? Not near a community to support? You can still do something.
Like write to prisoners.
Prisons try to disappear people, isolate them, crush them. Don’t let that happen.
Write to activists in prison, write to trans people in prison, write to isolated prisoners, write to prisoners who no one else thinks are worth writing to.
Write to prisoners.
Are there any programs or websites that help facilitate this which are based on the UK that you know of? Most of the info I’ve found tends to be US-based or just gov.uk general info about writing to someone you know in prison.
But given that I’m chronically ill or seems like a great way to actually do something and be an active part of change.
Great to hear that you’re interested!
The Anarchist Black Cross is a prisoner support network that has chapters in a lot of countries and cities. In the UK there are:
- London: https://network23.org/londonabc/
- Brighton: https://www.brightonabc.org.uk/
- Bristol: https://bristolabc.wordpress.com/
Other UK based groups include:
- SOAS Detainee Support: https://soasdetaineesupport.wordpress.com (focused on supporting people in migrant detention)
- The Bent Bars project: http://www.bentbarsproject.org/ (focused on LGBTIAQ+ prisoners)
- The Empty Cages Collective: http://www.prisonabolition.org/
- Prison Action London: http://www.prisonabolition.org/prison-action-london/
You can also find a prisoner to write to on your own via:
http://prisonersolidarity.net/data-explorer
Do check out some of the ‘do’s and don’t’ on one of these websites before you start, there are some basics like ‘don’t talk about illegal activities’ and ‘don’t stop writing without being honest to the person about the fact that you’re going to stop writing’ that are essential to know, and a lot of less important tips that just make it easier to start writing to someone you don’t know yet. Goodluck!
Shoutout to @freackthejester for pointing out Black and Pink (http://www.blackandpink.org), that can help you find LGBTIAQ+ prisoners in prison in the US, with chapters in:
- Dorchester:
members@blackandpink.org - Boise: boise@blackandpink.org – Chapter page
- Chicago- blackandpinkchicago@gmail.com – Chapter page
- Milwaukee – Milwaukee@blackandpink.org
- New Orleans- neworleans@blackandpink.org – Chapter page
- NYC- nyc@blackandpink.org – Chapter page
- Providence – providence@blackandpink.org
- San Francisco- flyingoverwalls@gmail.com
http://flyingoverwalls.wordpress.com/ – Chapter page
QueerAnarchism 