file - California Coalition for Women Prisoners
Transcripción
file - California Coalition for Women Prisoners
The Fire Inside Newsletter of The California Coalition for Women Prisoners 1540 Market St., rm 490, San Francisco, CA 94102 www.womenprisoners.org Issue Number 43, Summer/Fall 2010 Caring Collectively for Women Prisoners Compañeras: Working With Immigrant Women We dedicate this issue of FI to Marilyn Buck, former political prisoner, sister, comrade, and friend. After 25 years in federal prison, Marilyn was released on parole on July 15, 2010. She died on August 3, 2010. Marilyn lived life to the fullest, not defined or confined by the prisons. Marilyn was an elegant person- in how she carried herself physically, and how she carried her spirit. She was a generous person, with a big laugh and a beautiful, wide smile. For all of her years of love and struggle for the human rights of her sisters inside and all oppressed peoples, we say with great love and respect, thank you, Marilyn. You were a gift, and will be dearly missed. Marilyn Buck, presente! Compañeras is a legal advocacy program of California Coalition for Women Prisoners that focuses on issues faced by immigrants in women’s prisons. Members inside are primarily represented by mono-lingual Spanish speakers, who support each other and the immigrant community in a variety of ways. CCWP member and legal representative, Xiomara Campos Cisne, herself a native of Nicaragua, bridges support work and educational efforts from the outside and has been visiting Valley State Prison for Women since 2007. Fire Inside: Who are the Compañeras? Xiomara: They are women of various backgrounds, ranging in age from 20’s to 60’s. Most have been in prison over 10 years. Many are serving life sentences. Every other month our legal workshop meets at Valley State Prison for Women. Many of these women’s worlds would never have crossed and now they’re fighting the same system. We joke with each other a lot. Humor is healing. FI: What about family connections? X: Some people maintain connections and sometimes, family ties become stronger. But there are many barriers: dealing with the system, documentation, shame and money. The kids may be angry or don’t understand the separation. Ties often collapse after a few years. One woman’s son killed her abusive partner and they both went to prison. I wish I had the key to set her free. If they have family back where they came from, they might try to reconnect. One woman was released and deported to San Salvador. Another hopes to see her family in Mexico. When one Compañera went in, she gave custody of her child to her family. Sadly, the family can’t always follow through. How do people incarcerated for 20 years deal with being deported to a country that was their home, but no longer is? How do you survive? They ask me, “Do you think I’m going to be released? I don’t know why my family doesn’t write to me.” They come from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, Cuba. How can they go back? They may speak Spanish, but it’s a different world. FI: Does incarcerating women break the bonds that hold communities together? X: Yes. You lose the bone, the voice. The bone is gone and the house collapses. You incarcerate and screw the entire family. You call that rehabilitation? A lot of people don’t know the dark side of the U.S. We hear it’s the land of opportunity, but it’s also the land of institutional racism and suffering. FI: How is language a barrier to accessing healthcare? X: There are no translators for health care. Sometimes the Latino guards won’t speak Spanish. The women are told, “Mi casa, no es su casa,” or, “We (continued on pg. 9) Legal Corner US Immigrants, Deportation and the PIC By Martha Escobar, Legal Representative for the Compañeras Team In addition to serving their prison sentence, migrants incarcerated in the U.S. for “aggravated felonies” face deportation to their countries of origin. The 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) ordered immigration enforcement authorities to deport noncitizens convicted of an aggravated felony and expanded its definition. Actions that carry a one year sentence, including misdemeanors such as shoplifting, are considered “aggravated felonies” and are applied retroactively. This has resulted in an increase in the number of people classified and deported as “criminal aliens.” The retroactive application of the re-definition of what is considered an “aggravated felony” transformed thousands of migrants into “deportable criminal aliens,” and a “criminal alien identification system” was developed to locate migrants with prior convictions who were now deportable. This applies to legal residents and undocumented migrants. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the government agency responsible for immigration detention and “removal,” places an immigration hold on migrants in state or federal prisons. During migrants’ imprisonment, ICE officials visit individuals and ask them to sign a voluntary depage 2 parture, which means that the individual relinquishes their right to legal help and an immigration hearing. ICE has 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) to pick up the person at the end of their sentence. While it is difficult for imprisoned migrants to fight their deportation, people should consult an immigration attorney to understand their options, especially if they had legal status prior to their imprisonment and if they have children in the care of the state. If a person decides not to sign a voluntary departure and asks for a hearing with an immigration judge, they can be held indefinitely while the judge determines whether they should be allowed to stay in the U.S. If the person signs a voluntary departure, they are usually picked up by ICE, or, if ICE makes an agree- ment with the holding facility, the individual can be held at that facility and ICE assumes the costs of paying for their detention. The length of time a person is held in immigration detention varies greatly. One factor that contributes to a person’s stay in detention is the amount of time it takes for ICE to obtain travel documents from their country of origin. Additionally, most people are transported to their countries of origin through the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS). The length of detention of migrants is informed by the number of detainees held for specific countries. Sometimes people can wait up to several months before a flight is arranged for their particular country of origin. Migrants of Mexican origin, because the US is so near Mexico and there are so many migrants from Mexico, are usually transported within a few days after the end of their sentence. As a general rule, the government must deport detainees within six months of being held in immigration detention. SB1070: “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” On April 23rd, 2010 Arizona passed SB1070, the strictest and most overarching anti-immigrant measure in decades. Tens of thousands protested the bill in Phoenix and over 60,000 in L.A. Acts of civil disobedience, direct actions across the country and a boycott of Arizona continue. The law requires immigrants to carry immigration papers at all times. It includes draconian penalties for people hiring, working with, housing and transporting so-called ‘illegal’ immigrants. It makes crossing the border illegally a felony. This law is racist and further legalizes racial profiling. The federal Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Arizona, and a preliminary injunction against parts of the bill was granted. Summer/Fall 2010 The Fire Inside Rincón Legal Los Inmigrantes a Los EE.UU., La Deportación y El Complejo Industrial de La Prisión (PIC) por Martha Escobar Además de servir su sentencia de prisión, los inmigrantes encarcelados en los EE.UU. por una “felonía agravada” se enfrentan con la deportación a sus países de origen. El Acta de Reforma de Inmigración Ilegal y Responsabilidad del Inmigrante de 1996 (IIRIRA) ordenó a las autoridades de la ejecución de la inmigración que deportaran a los condenados por un felonía agravada que no fueran ciudadanos y ha expandido su definición. Las acciones que llevan una pena de un año, incluyendo delitos menores como hurtos en tiendas, se consideran “felonías agravadas” y se aplican con carácter retroactivo. Esto ha resultado en un aumento en el número de personas clasificadas y deportadas como los “extranjeros criminales.” La aplicación retroactiva de la nueva definición de lo que se considera una “felonía agravada” ha transformado miles de inmigrantes a “delincuentes extranjeros deportables,” y un “sistema de identificación del extranjero criminal” ha sido desarrollado para localizar los inmigrantes con antecedentes penales que ahora califican para la deportación. Esto se aplica a los residentes legales y a los inmigrantes indocumentados. La Agencia de la Ejecución de la Inmigración y de Aduanas (ICE), la agencia gubernamental responsable por la detención y “expulsión” de inmigrantes, les pone una retención de la inmigración a los emigrantes en prisiones estatales o federales. Durante el encarcelamiento de los emigrantes, los funcionarios del ICE visitan a los individuos y les piden firmar una salida voluntaria, lo que significa que el individuo renuncia su derecho a la ayuda legal y a una audiencia de inmigración. El ICE tiene 48 horas (excepto fines de semana y días festivos) para recoger a la persona al final de su condena. California Coalition for Women Prisoners Mientras es difícil para los inmigrantes encarcelados luchar contra su deportación, la gente debe consultar a un abogado de inmigración para entender sus opciones, especialmente si tenían un estatus legal antes de su encarcelamiento y si tienen hijos en el cuidado del estado. Si una persona decide no firmar una salida voluntaria y pide una audiencia con un juez de inmigración, puede ser detenida indefinidamente mientras el juez determina si debe ser autorizada a permanecer en los EE.UU. Si la persona firma una salida voluntaria, por lo general es recogida por ICE, o, si ICE hace un acuerdo con el centro de detención, el individuo puede ser detenido en esa instalación y ICE asume los costos de pagar por su detención. La longitud de tiempo que se mantiene a una persona en la detención de inmigrantes es muy variable. Un factor que contribuye al plazo de tiempo que una persona permanece en la detención es la cantidad de tiempo que toma ICE para obtener los documentos de viaje de su país de origen. Además, la mayoría de la gente es transportada a sus países de origen a través del Sistema de Transporte de la Justicia de Presos y Extranjeros (JPATS). La duración de la detención de los emigrantes es informada por el número de detenidos destinados por países específicos. A veces estas personas pueden esperar hasta varios meses antes de que un vuelo se arregle para su país de origen particular. Los emigrantes de origen mexicano, porque los EE.UU. está tan cerca de México y hay tantos emigrantes de México, generalmente se transportan en unos pocos días después del final de su condena. Como una regla general, el gobierno debe deportar a los detenidos dentro de seis meses de haberse colocado en la detención de inmigración. Summer/Fall 2010 page 3 Compañeras: Trabajando con Mujeres Inmigrantes Compañeras es un programa de apoyo legal de la Coalición para las Mujeres Presas de California (CCWP) que se enfoca en problemas que enfrentan a los inmigrantes en las cárceles de mujeres. Miembros en el interior principalmente son representados por los hablantes españoles monolingües que se apoyan mutuamente y la comunidad inmigrante en una variedad de maneras. Miembro del CCWP y representante legal, Xiomara Campos Cisne, ella misma una nativa de Nicaragua, combina el trabajo de apoyo y los esfuerzos educativos desde el exterior y ha visitado la Prisión Estatal de Mujeres del Valle desde 2007. Fire Inside: ¿Quiénes son las Compañeras? Xiomara: Son mujeres de diferentes orígenes, de edades comprendidas entre 20 a 60. La mayoría han estado en la prisión más de 10 años. Muchas están condenadas a cadena perpetua. Cada dos meses nuestro taller jurídico se reúne en la Prisión Estatal de Mujeres del Valle. Muchos de los mundos de estas mujeres nunca se hubieran cruzado y ahora están luchando contra del mismo sistema. Bromeamos mucho una con la otra. El humor es curativo. FI: ¿Qué pasa con las relaciones familiares? X: Algunas personas sostienen las conexiones y, a veces, los lazos familiares se hacen más fuertes. Pero hay muchos obstáculos: tratar con el sistema, la documentación, la vergüenza y el dinero. Los niños pueden estar enojados o no entienden la separación. Las relaciones se page 4 derrumban después de unos años. El hijo de una mujer mató a su pareja abusiva y ambos fueron a la prisión. Me gustaría tener la clave para liberarla. Si tienen familia allá de donde vinieron, se podrían tratar de volver a conectar. Una mujer fue liberada y deportada a San Salvador. Otra tiene la esperanza de ver a su familia en México. Cuando una Compañera entró, le dió la custodia de su hijo a su familia. Lamentablemente, la familia no siempre puede seguir adelante. ¿Cómo la gente en la prisión por 20 años trata con ser deportados a un país que era su hogar, pero ya no es? ¿Cómo le hacen para sobre- vivir? Me preguntan, “¿Crees que voy a ser liberada? No sé por qué mi familia no me escribe.” Vienen de Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, México, Cuba. ¿Cómo pueden regresar? Ellas pueden hablar español, pero es un mundo diferente. FI: ¿Encarcelar a las mujeres rompe los enlaces que mantienen unidad en las comunidades? X: Sí. Se pierde el hueso, la voz. El hueso se va y la casa se derrumba. Usted encarcela y friega a toda la familia. ¿Usted le llama a eso la rehabilitación? Mucha gente no conoce el lado oscuro de los EE.UU. Nos han dicho que es la tierra de las oportunidades, pero también es la tierra de racSummer/Fall 2010 ismo institucional y del sufrimiento. FI: ¿Cómo es el idioma una barrera para el acceso al cuidado de la salud? X: No hay traductores para el cuidado de la salud. A veces los guardias latinos no hablan español. Les dicen a las mujeres, “Mi casa no es su casa,” o, “ Tenemos un problema aquí. Usted no habla inglés, yo no hablo español. No le puedo ayudar.” Simplemente dan el Tylenol para todo. Una Compañera tiene problemas con su hígado, pero ella no confía en los médicos, ya que le dieron una pastilla que le paralizó la parte de debajo de su cara. Otra amiga estaba enferma y fue al doctor. Ella nunca regresó. FI: ¿Hay otras formas en que el lenguaje es una barrera? X: Hay muchos obstáculos. A veces el español de la presa es limitado. Una Compañera dijo: “Yo no quiero ir a la escuela porque me siguen dando críticas. Yo no aprendo suficientemente rápido.” Las más jóvenes a menudo han tenido cierto grado de escuela y aprenden con mayor rapidez. Es más difícil para los mayores de edad. “Me siento como un perro porque siempre me gritan y se ríen cuando no sé a dónde ir. Nomás me voy con el rabo entre las piernas, siguiendo el régimen.” El escenario de la corte es muy intimidante. Alguien que sólo fue al segundo grado se pierde pero tiene miedo de decirlo. Les preguntan, “¿Entiende usted?” Nadie se atreve a ser la única en decir, “No, yo no entiendo.” A medida que envejecemos y hablamos unas con las otras nos damos cuenta The Fire Inside Editorial Compañeras Resistiendo/Resisting CCWP Fire Inside Collective nity. In 2010, the Compañeras Project helped Latinas UniFive years ago, we dedicated FI #30 to immigrants in das, a group at VSPW, publish a bilingual booklet, Realidad prison and detention centers, honoring their ability to surde Inmigrantes en Prision. vive, maintain relationships with family, and their native We have also heard about a newly proposed “private” language and culture in the face of racism and discriminawomen’s prison in California to tion of the PIC. In 2005, be run by GEO Group, who has CCWP was just starting been in the business of buildour Compañeras Project to ing and running state prisons support immigrant women and ICE (U.S. Immigration and prisoners and make their Customs Enforcement) Detenvoices heard in the struggle tion Centers since 1988. GEO for human rights. has been accused of gross civil Here we are in 2010, rights violations at its Northwest once again dedicating FI to Detention Center in Tacoma, issues affecting immigrant Washington (including unlawprisoners. There is a new ful interrogations and coercing wave of anti-immigrant SB 1070 Protestors in LA inmates to sign paperwork), and laws, including SB 1070 at prisons in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Texas. in Arizona [see box on p.2] and a legal opinion issued by Perhaps as frightening as the outrageous human rights Virginia’s State Attorney General that allows law enforceviolations in privatized prisons is the role these corporament to check immigration status of anyone they stop for tions play-GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of any reason. Immigrants face constant threats of human America (CCA is the largest US private prison corporarights abuse, incarceration and deportation. Once caught up tion)–in writing and supporting the passage of SB 1070 in the PIC this abuse continues. and other bills affecting immigration and labor. These bills In the face of these new laws and the continued crimiare intended to ensure that GEO & CCA will profit. These nalization of immigrants throughout the US, communities same groups were involved in the passage of 3 strikes are organizing and resisting. Resistance to SB 1070 (as of laws in the ‘90s. The web connecting GEO, CCA and August 2010 the law is only partially in effect and is being others to the PIC, lawmakers, and human rights abuses is fought in the courts) and other attacks on immigrants is complicated and disgusting. growing. Protests against SB 1070 painted a powerful We each can decide to re-commit ourselves to the picture of immigrant communities and the richness of struggle for human rights and say “NO!” to SB 1070 and their resistance. all laws and policies that promote racial profiling and atCCWP’s Compañeras Project has continued to grow tacks on people of color. and provide group support, affirming the humanity of immigrant prisoners. With regular visits from the outside, we Correction: In the “Barbwire Rose” story in the last issue we miscome together, connect with each other and build commuidentified the drummer. Joy Wiseman is the current drummer. Compañeras: Trabajando con Mujeres Inmigrantes continued from p. 4 que podríamos haber luchado estas cosas. Una Compañera es una organizadora - fuerte y firme. Otra aprendió el inglés y se convirtió en una defensora de las demás. Estas mujeres son los nuevos modelos para la latina. No tenemos que vivir con el abuso que hemos aprendido a aceptar. Incluso en la prisión no debe ser uno el objeto de abuso. Esto es difícil para las mujeres inmigrantes. No estamos acostumbradas a defendernos. Incluso si hay algo que quiero decir y sé que está correcto, estoy nerviosa. California Coalition for Women Prisoners Siempre animo a las Compañeras: “¡Hay que hablar!” Hicimos un boletín en el 2010 y tenemos planes de hacer otro. Mis hermanas en el interior me inspiran. Admiro su esperanza. ¡La esperanza siempre vive! Summer/Fall 2010 page 5 Locked up in Israeli-Occupied Palestine By Kelly Bornschlegel It has been over 5 years since I was imprisoned in an Israeli immigration prison, but my memories of the time remain vivid. I was held for a month then deported to New York, leaving my partner and friends behind in Palestine. I was arrested participating in a demonstration against the apartheid wall in Bil’in, a small village in Palestine. Residents of Bil’in have been resisting the building of a wall that would steal their land and turn their village into a virtual prison. At the time of my arrest I was filming two Israeli soldiers brutally beating a Palestinian boy. Six soldiers tackled me and dragged me up a muddy hill to an army jeep. I was taken to an abandoned school where I was stripped searched twice in front of groups of soldiers. The friends I made in prison, migrants from Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and northern Africa are untraceable. Most of them came to Israel looking for work—the Israeli economy relies on this cheap and precarious labor. Israel has a ‘revolving door’ policy that limits migrant’s stays in Israel to 63 months, constantly bringing in new workers to ensure that people don’t settle. Israel also prohibits the marriage of migrant workers to Israelis and deports women if they give birth in Israel. Many gave the authorities fake names and refused to say where they were from in hopes they could delay being sent page 6 back, even if it meant remaining incarcerated. Some wanted to return but remained waiting for their families back home to raise money for their flight. Many had partners and families inside Israel they were leaving behind. Many were mourning the loss of their families in addition to their imprisonment. This differs from Israeli prisons for Palestinian prisoners, which are mainly tents in the desert. Palestinians are systematically tortured and given multiple life sentences, or are held indefinitely under administrative detention. Many Palestinian women are held in regular Israeli jail where they have reported assault, discrimination and rape. The first prison I was taken to was near a big city. Friends were able to smuggle in food, cigarettes, and books. On the second day I was given a deportation order that I refused to sign, and was taken before a judge who spoke to me in Hebrew, a language I could not understand. During the first week I was moved 3 times and interrogated without a lawyer countless more. I repeatedly asked about my Summer/Fall 2010 charges, demanded my rights, access to a lawyer and a phone call. Each time I was met with a blank stare. The final move brought me to a prison far out in the desert, the conditions starkly worse than the previous one. There the guards seemed to work with complete impunity, the geographical isolation giving them a sense of freedom from scrutiny. Every mundane detail of our lives was controlled by the all-male guards. The other incarcerated women were from all over the world including Nigeria, Uganda, Latvia, Russia and Vietnam. Many of the women were extremely vulnerable: they didn’t speak Hebrew, were far from their homes and hadn’t been able to contact families or lawyers. The prison administration turned a blind eye to widespread abuse. The kindness and strength of the women I met in the prison system stunned and strengthened me. In a situation of dehumanization—where we were called ‘Mongolia’, ‘China’ or ‘USA’ instead of our names, where food and cigarettes could be traded for sex, where we were transferred if the guards noticed any friendships forming—each woman went out of her way to help the others cope and survive. The injustices I experienced and observed and the strength and resilience of these women were the catalysts that began my activism against the prison industrial complex. The Fire Inside Maria Suarez Speaks on Trafficking and the Prison Industrial Complex By Kit Rutter and Maria Suarez Art by Andrea Mims, CCWF Many people are shocked to hear that slavery still exists. But in reality, the transaction of human beings as commodities occurs in most countries. It is called human trafficking and is defined by the U.S. government in part as the transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons through the use of coercion, abuse of power or taking advantage of positions of vulnerability. It is difficult to imagine the pain experienced by people who are treated as chattel. For example, Maria Suarez was imprisoned for 28 years, first by her sexually and psychologically abusive captor, and then by the California state prison system. At age 15, shortly after emigrating to the United States from Mexico, Maria was tricked into slavery and sold to a man in his late 60’s, Anselmo Covarrubias. He claimed to be a witch and had a history of enslaving young women and girls from Mexico. Maria’s captor isolated her and manipulated her through fear and violence. He told her regularly that he could read her mind and that he might kill her family if she didn’t do what she was told. value the lives of people of color Covarrubias rented a back and perpetuate violence against house to a young couple. He atwomen. Maria explained some of tempted to pursue the wife and the parallels between was eventually killed her experiences as a by the husband in an trafficked slave and as altercation over her. a prisoner: Maria was asked to “When trafficked, hide the weapon. She you are not in control was frightened and of your body emotionhid the weapon under ally, mentally, physithe house, having grown accustomed to cally, sexually, and Maria Suarez in other ways. When following commands you go to prison you still are after years of manipulation and under someone else’s control. You abuse. Maria was charged with aiding and abetting the murder and come from one type of ‘closed sentenced to 25 years to life. She environment/prison’ to another. was released 22 years later after a In both situations it is woven around you—it is chains around judge ruled that the level of abuse she endured was sufficient eviyour brain that you cannot break dence to lessen her sentence. through. I couldn’t have a mind of Maria’s story sheds light on my own. It was always wanting to the ways that immigrant women but never able to do it.” are used as slaves, as workers, as Maria was able to come out of bodies to be bought and sold. The prison with an amazing spirit of strength. She is now working as a United Nations Office on Drugs counselor for abused women and and Crime estimates that around educating others to fight against 2.5 million people are bought and abuse and slavery, including that sold around the world at any given which occurs in the prison system. time. Approximately 80 percent She is currently organizing a projare women and girls, and about ect that would allow her to return 50 percent are children under 18. to towns in Mexico to educate Nearly all are people of color from people about human trafficking. poor countries. The There is little awareness about the fact that immigrant realities of human trafficking in women of color poor countries, especially in rural make up the largest areas, and traffickers often target group among trafthese areas. People in these areas ficked people illusexperience food shortage, medical trates the continuing problems and other vulnerabiliviolence against ties that make them more willing women in the global to take risks to immigrate. Maria community. hopes to tell them what to expect, Prisons in and spare more people from the the United States horrors she experienced. similarly under- California Coalition for Women Prisoners Summer/Fall 2010 page 7 We Are All Legals in the Lord’s Eyes By Anna Bell Chapa (CCWF) The U.S. has been considered a melting pot of cultures throughout our country’s history. People from everywhere in the world come to America with hopes of a better life, a life with expanded opportunity, of Anna Bell Chapa more possibilities than their own countries could allow. With Mexico right next to the U.S., many men, women and even children who are desperate enough, risk their savings, criminal charges and even their lives for hope of a better life. These men and women are people our society already relies on. They work as a large force of immigrant workers in our farming communities. They work in our restaurants on many levels where employee turn over is high. We employ these people in trusted positions, inviting them into our homes as nannies, housekeepers, babysitters and in gardening, home improvement, construction, maintenance – the positions currently held by “illegals” are endless. What about our Governor? Did they forget when he came to our country he was an immigrant with only $20.00?! Let’s look at all the sweatshops where they make the clothing we wear. When we go to buy food, clothes, and appliances we don’t ever ask if it was made by an illegal. We are just going for what makes us comfortable, not thinking where or who made it. President Obama is always saying that family is his priority. Why can’t he do something fast so that immigrant families don’t get separated? It is 2010. Let’s stop the harassment. Let’s all get along, let’s not look for a document, let’s look at our hearts. WE ARE ALL HUMANS!!! Voices from Inside Speaking out on Immigration The Arizona immigration law is unjust and immoral. Deportations break up families. When undocumented parents are deported, how are the children to survive? Do they go into the foster system and suffer? In the foster system siblings get separated, further fracturing the family. Such children grow up feeling unwanted and angry at society, more likely to end up in Juvenile Hall then “graduate” to prison. They are at risk of becoming institutionalized. This increases crime rather than security. Why are people forced to flee their own country and forced to make a living somewhere else, where they are subjected to exploitation, mistreatment, low pay with no health insurance, no retirement benefits? The solution is for all people to thrive where they are. —V. Juarez Some police will take advantage of this law and people will get hurt. There is a lot of prejudice in this society. The system is crooked and I don’t see a way to fix it. It needs to be all torn down and we need to start from scratch. —T. P. My friend is looking at 5 years in federal prison just for crossing the border. She already spent a year in San Diego jail. And she didn’t committ any crime! It used to be at most 90 days for crossing; she doesn’t understand why it is so harsh now. When she was deported over a year ago, she was escorted to Tiujana with no money, no list of resources to help her, nothing. She has no family there. There are no shelters there, no help for the homeless, no services. There was no way for her to either make a living there or move anywhere else. It made her desperate. Since there are many other desperate people there, it is not safe. So she walked back across the border and got picked up again. This is cruel: sending people out with no way to live! —V. Cardinal Compañeras: Working With Immigrant Women continued from p. 1 have a problem here. You don’t speak English, I don’t speak Spanish. I can’t help you.” They just give Tylenol for everything. One Compañera has problems with her liver, but she doesn’t trust the doctors since they gave her a pill that paralyzed her lower face. Another friend was sick and went to the doctor. She never came back. FI: Are there other ways that language is a barrier? X: There are many obstacles. Sometimes their Spanish is limited. One Compañera said, “I don’t want to go to school because I keep getting writeups. I don’t learn fast enough.” The younger ones have often had some schooling and learn more quickly. It’s harder for the older ones. “I feel like a dog because they always scream at me and laugh when I don’t know where to go. I just go around with my tail between my legs, following the regimen.” The court setting is very intimidating. Someone who only went to second grade is lost but afraid to say so. They’re asked, “Do you understand?” No one dares to be the only one to say “No, I don’t understand.” As we get older and talk to one another we realize that we could have fought these things. One Compañera is an organizer; strong and assertive. Another learned English and became an advocate for others. These are new models for the Latina. We don’t have to live with the abuse have learned to accept. Even in prison you should not be abused. This is hard for immigrant women. We’re not used to standing up. Even if I want to say it and know it’s right, I’m nervous. I always encourage the Compañeras: “You have to speak up!” We did a newsletter in 2010 and plan to do another one. My sisters inside inspire me. I admire their hope. La esperanza siempre vive! Voices from Inside Speaking out on Immigration Once a person has entered America and worked here, they should be able to become citizens. America was built by immigrant labor. Some came in chains as slaves, some to escape poverty. All contributed their blood, sweat and tears to build this country. Whether they came on a slave ship, through Ellis Island in NY, through Angel Island in SF, or over the border from Mexico, all came with dreams of freedom. They worked long tiresome hours that benefited the economy and their families. Perhaps once upon a time “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free” meant something. We still have a task of bulding togetherness and creating a unified people that will take care of generations to come. We can’t discard the moral value of this group of people. —Chi Chi Locci We are all immigrants. We all come from elsewhere. The Arizona law serves as a platform for racism. —S. N. The Arizona law is not right. Anyone who is not white is now under suspicion of being illegal. I may parole to Arizona. When I do I will have no I.D., I will have just left prison. If I get stopped without an I.D., that is a violation of parole, and a violation of this law. The law plays into racial stereotypes: anyone who looks Hispanic is assumed to be illegal. This law violates human rights, it belittles people. —C. A. Art by Andrea Mims, CCWF “Without a vision, you can’t go forward” Marilyn Buck, Dec. 13 1947 to August 3, 2010 Marilyn Buck first went to prison in 1973, serving 4 years of a 10 year sentence. When she went back to prison in 1985 she wrote, “For prisoners, writing is a life raft to save one from drowning in a prison swamp. I turned to poetry, an art of speaking sparely but flagrantly.” She was awarded three PEN Prison Writing Program prizes, including first prize for poetry in 2001. Fluent in Spanish, Marilyn helped Spanish–speaking prisoners, supporting them in protecting their human rights. She also taught English as a SecThirteen Springs By Marilyn Buck (1997) had you planted a tree to fill in the deep well of my absence that tree would be thirteen springs high high enough to relieve the relentless sun of incarceration strong enough to bear the weight of children who might have been born had i not been seized acid washed crypt of perpetual loss and high-wired vigilance but there is no tree that stands in my place to harbor birds and changing winds perhaps someone will plant a willow a eucalyptus or even a redwood any tree that will from your life and plunged into this in thirteen years more bear fruit and provide shelter page 10 ond Language to help people advocate for themselves. Marilyn was incarcerated for 15 years in California at FCI Dublin. Below we share words from dear friends who did time with her: Hamdiya Cooks (Admin. Dir. LSPC, former Dir. Of CCWP): Marilyn is already missed. She supported all freedom struggles. I was in prison many years with Marilyn starting from 1994. I will always hold her dear as a friend in my mind and heart. I remember all the times we spent working, playing and even crying together. I remember once I went to Marilyn crying, saying I could not do 1 more day. By the time we ended our talk, I could do another day. We played racket ball, did yoga, did poClockwise from top left: Marilyn, Hameetry together, we collaborated helping dah, Linda, Hamdiya, Laura people get their GEDs. We worked well together to be there for each other Linda Evans (Former political and for others. I will always love her. prisoner, All of Us or None organizer) Laura Whitehorn (Former political If Marilyn were with us now, prisoner) she’d be telling us not to make a I missed Marilyn every day of fuss over her, to support the other the 11 years after I left her in prison political prisoners and get on with in Dublin, despite our phone calls and the struggle! I admire and love and letters. Marilyn’s courage was not miss so much about her. She always only her willingness to put her body found ways to help and support othon the line in solidarity with national er women inside. Under unimaginliberation movements. It was also in ably difficult conditions, Marilyn her willingness to face head on the contributed to liberation through endless, deep and almost invisible her writing, solidarity statements, ways racism affects every second of visits, and correspondence. Her our lives, and the privilege we white creativity and open-mindedness people inherit for being white. Nothabout ways she could be an activist ing about Marilyn’s politics was auinside are an example for all of us. tomatic. Every position was thought Moving forward in the struggle, esout, fought for, studied, held up to calating our resistance, and caring inspection. She leaves us bereft of for each other in the process, are her presence, but enriched by her exways we can keep Marilyn’s spirit ample: the fearlessness of a woman alive. Dare to struggle, dare to win! unafraid to admit that she felt fear. Marilyn Buck, presente! Summer/Fall 2010 The Fire Inside CCWP UPDATES: Saying Goodbye Zoe was moved to write about her Three wonderful women worked struggles of our members inside, they with CCWP for the past 6-9 months. embraced the work of CCWP with a experience working with CCWP: “I am Program Assistant for Christine Coggins, Nia Skyes and sense of deep purpose and commitZoe Wigfall have been an indispens- ment. Their caring and compassion CCWP. I have been with CCWP for able addition to the CCWP family for those behind walls was an inspi- only a short time, since Feb.2010. I have had my share of injustices as full-time staff. Many of you have ration to all our members and staff. with the legal system and only probably received a letter or a by God’s grace have I been devisit from them! livered from them. Once I got Their salaries were paid myself together, my passion was through the JOBS NOW! SF to help the next person, someone program, which provides Federal who couldn’t fend for themselves stimulus funds for local busipresently, preferably women nesses to hire–benefiting all hurt or women with children. I was by the recession. To date, more blessed to be given the best job than 1,000 employers are particiI’ve ever had, and I’ve had many pating in the program, and more jobs. My visit is as important to than 3,600 people are now emFrom left: Christine, Zoe and Nia at the CCWP me as it is to you. When I leave I ployed through JOBS NOW! Working as Program Assistants, feel warm inside because I share my Unfortunately, this funding will discontinue after September and they Nia, Zoe and Christine answer al- heart and am the voice for you on will need to transition to other oppor- most all of our correspondence with the outside. It warms my heart and tunities. It would be a wonderful thing members and others inside both the makes me joyous inside when I can for the funding to continue and we men’s and women’ prisons around meet your needs or requests. I make the country, visit people in the SF it my priority to fulfill them because support its continuation. Zoe, Christine and Nia each County Jail, participate on visiting of the love I have for you and I know bring their own unique style and pas- teams to the prisons, bring wisdom how it feels not to be able to do for sion to work. Being single mothers to community presentations and yourself. God has given me the gift themselves and having life experi- learned many valuable skills both of service and I do it with pleasure. God Bless you and much love.” ences that give them insight to the administrative and interpersonal. Debbie Peagler-Always In Our Hearts by Mary Campbell Debbie Peagler passed away June 8, 2010, after an 18-month bout with lung cancer and after enjoying approximately 10 months of hard-earned freedom. She was 50 years old, and was at home with family and had many friends nearby. I met Debbie Peagler while I was at CCWF. She was a member of the choir at the Main Yard chapel where I worked as a clerk. I observed Debbie interacting with the ladies at the church and singing with the choir. She had a quiet, powerful, supportive presence. I knew she had experienced years of pain, but she was not hardened by it. It just strengthened her faith in God and the Holy Spirit. Her death is that much more California Coalition for Women Prisoners painful because of the travesty of her case. We grieve deeply, and our sympathies are with her loved ones. For me, Debbie’s life serves as a model of how to never lose faith in the future, to never lose hope and to always remember and trust that you are loved and never forgotten. Debbie, I say to you, thank you for being that shining example of love and an open heart. Rest in Peace Debbie. Summer/Fall 2010 page 11 Fast 4 Freedom Day of Action ers, ending the death penalty and and moving poetry which includOn August 6, 2010, prisoneducation not incarceration. ed many beautiful poems from ers and their loved ones initiated prisoners. Participants also visited a statewide day of fasting and In San Francisco, the day’s the offices of Mark Leno, Sensolidarity actions–a FAST4FREE- events were sponsored by the ate Public Safety ComDOM. The goal of the day mittee, Tom Ammiano, of action was to spread Assembly Public Safety awareness about the extreme Committee, and Fiona injustices faced by prisoners, their families and their comMa, Assemblywoman, bringing their attention munities. Rallies were held to pending legislation in front of legislative offices such as SB399, which, in Fresno, Indio, Los Anif it had passed, would geles, Sacramento and San have reformed Juvenile Francisco. Prisoners fasted Life Without Parole senaround the state, including at tences. The day’s events CCWF and VSPW and dozSupporters at the federal building in San Francisco made more visible some ens fasted outside in solidarof the fundamental problems with CURB Alliance. A spirited rally ity. Demands included reducing California’s prison system and was held with over 50 particithe prison population, ending allowed prisoners, loved ones and three strikes, releasing prisoners pants including former prisoners, advocates to forge stronger bonds eligible for parole, releasing sick, family members of prisoners and across the walls. advocates from a variety of orgaaged and terminally ill prisonnizations. There was drumming ers, family visits for all prison- Lori Berenson Released on Parole in Peru By Diana Block On May 26, 2010, political prisoner Lori Berenson, an American citizen, was released on parole, or conditional liberty as it is called in Peru, after serving 15 years of a 20 year sentence. Sadly, the prosecutor appealed the judge’s decision to release Lori and her parole was rescinded on a procedural issue, sending her back to prison on August 18th. Currently, her parole is being negotiated and there is even a possibility that the president of Peru will commute her sentence. Lori was arrested in November 1995 and found guilty of assisting a militant leftist group, the MRTA. She didn’t have a trial but was convicted by a secret, hooded military tribunal. In reality, she was supporting the struggles of Peruvians for economic justice and human rights against a government that is extremely repressive and unjust. While in prison, Lori married and a year ago page 12 she had a son who has been able to live with her inside prison according to Peruvian policies for women prisoners. Over the years, CCWP has supported Lori and when she had her baby and we sent her a card congratulating her on Salvador’s birth. We are hopeful that justice will finally be achieved and Lori and Salvador will be released from prison very soon. Summer/Fall 2010 The Fire Inside PAROLE BEAT Precious Releases . . . . Frankie Williams, was released March 4th, 2010, has a loving extended family who are thrilled to have her home after 31 years of incarceration. Ivy Martin, on August 9th, 2010 Ivy was released from prison. She leaves with an Associates Degree, deep understanding of childhood trauma and addiction and many other accomplishments. She will no doubt be of great help to others on the outside as she has been while incarcerated. Linda Lee Smith, incarcerated over 30 years, was released August 10th, 2010 after 20 years of being found suitable and reversed by multiple governors. Linda will be a great asset to any community. Beatrice Smith-Dyer is free! The courts upheld a writ appealing the reversal of her 2009 parole decision. The prison was ordered to release her even though the governor has challenged this decision. Meanwhile, her 2010 suitability finding is on the governor’s desk as of this writing. Bea has been embraced by family and friends and has already been schedule to do presentations with CCWP! wrote letters to the Board expressing their firm belief Ms. Johnson was not a danger and should receive a parole date. Nevertheless, Governor Schwarzenegger blocked her release. Marisol Garcia is a survivor of horrifying abuse, is the chairperson of Convicted Women Against Abuse, and does volunteer work for the community through Mexican American Resource Association and Sharing our Stitches both of which provide assistance to disadvantaged families, homeless children, hospitals and churches. Her parole suitability finding was reversed on July 9th, 2010. Norma Cumpian who has worked as a peer counselor in the mental health department and served as Chairperson of Convicted Women Against Abuse from 2000-2004, was found suitable for a second time and reversed a second time on July 11, 2010. We are hopeful about a positive outcome in the appeal of her first reversal. Check our website for sample letters of support www.womenprisoners.org Email the governor directly: http://gov.ca.gov/interact Fax the governor’s office with your own letter: 916558-3160 Outrageous Denials . . . Molly Kilgore having served 31 years on a seven-to-life sentence was found suitable for parole on December 30. The governor reversed her parole on May 29, 2010. Molly has not stopped fighting. CCWP and other community members are behind her in challenging this reversal and advocating for her again at the next board hearing. Cynthia Feagin has spent over 17 years at the Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW) for a 15years-to-life sentence. Despite the fact that the mother of the victim publicly supports Cynthia’s release, the governor reversed the decision. Patricia Joellen Johnson now 66, has been imprisoned since 1991 on an 18-to-life sentence. Many of the jurors in a new trial she was granted, California Coalition for Women Prisoners Deportation Follows Parole Rosie Sanchez was released from CIW on March 18, 2010 after serving 23 years in prison. Despite the efforts of her USC law team, she was immediately deported. Before she was arrested in 1987, she had been approved for a green card but never received it. Now, because of her felony conviction she was not allowed to remain in the U.S. even though prison officials had told her that she would be released to her daughter who lives in Anaheim. The USC law students who helped Sanchez to win her parole are working on a request for a pardon from Governor Schwarzenegger. Only with a pardon can she come to the United States to visit her family members whom she has been separated from for so many years. Summer/Fall 2010 page 13 It’s Your Health Receiver Update By Pam Fadem On Aug 26, 2010 the Calif. State Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued a report evaluating the status of the court mandated improvements in state prison health care. The report was NOT a cheery one. Out of 17 prisons that were included in the evaluation, only 2 had a minimum passing score. CCWF and CIW were part of this survey, and CCWF was one of the 2 prisons that had an overall passing score-but just barely (78%, just 3 points over the minimum 75% ). The report noted 2 main problems: 1. 16 of the 17 prisons are not merely failing to document that inmates received their medications, they are also failing to provide the medications to the inmates. Both types of failure denote noncompliance and poor performance. This includes “alarmingly low scores in tuberculosis treatment, which affects the health of inmates and staff alike.” [p. 3]. 2. Poor access to medical providers and services. No prisons met the 75 % minimum score that the court set for moderate adherence on access to providers and services, while seven prisons scored 60 % or less. inside, from record keeping, to access to care, to quality of health care providers. The State has fought against compliance at every step, mostly decrying the cost of providing care to prisoners while the rest of the State was in a huge budget crunch. NONE OF US denies that Calif. is strapped for money, that health care, education, public transportation, housing and all necessary social services are being cut. But the answer is not in denying basic, humane, constitutionally mandated care and services to people who are locked up and have no ability to get care anywhere else. So what do you think? How do you evaluate the care that you now receive at CCWF, VSPW or CIW? What changes, for the better or for the worse, do you experience? Artwork by Tania Vargas called “Breath” 2006 Here are some of the other measures: • From 2006-2008 the overall prisoner death rate decreased from 249 per 100,000 to 216. • The number of deaths medical reviewers deemed “likely preventable” deaths dropped from 18 in 2006 to 5 in 2008. • The rate of “possibly preventable” deaths increased from 48 to 61. The receiver says that part of the reason for this may be that the receiver’s office raised the threshold for a death to be deemed “non–preventable.” The OIG report and the receiver, Clark Kelso, say that the quality of health care providers now working in the prisons has also improved greatly. But numbers are just numbers. And even if a prison has a score that meets the minimum score- like CCWF- it does not mean that the prison has met the “constitutional standards”—this can only be decided by the courts. The Receiver was mandated to make a comprehensive plan to improve every aspect of health care page 14 Summer/Fall 2010 The Fire Inside Another World is Possible, Another US is Necessary By Diana Block and Mary Heinen From June 22nd-26th, around Living on the Outside: Reflections 15,000 people from all over the US on the US Social Forum June 2010 came together to attend the secondBy Mary Heinen (aka Glover) ever US Social Forum, held in Detroit, The only time in my life I Michigan. The economic and social marched was out to the yard single crisis hit the city severely, impacting file for an emergency count, fire the majority African-American popula- drill or unit raid, sometimes freeztion. Industry is gutted, hundreds of ing in my pajamas in the middle of thousands of jobs are lost, thousands the night ankle deep in snow under of homes are vacant or demolished, the moonlight. I witnessed a sea of schools have a 70-80% drop-out rate humanity marching in the streets and the city’s population has decreased for social justice, moving like a drastically. At the same time, many grassroots organizations are mobilizing to create change and challenge police brutality and mass incarceration. CCWP co-sponsored a workshop, “Community, Art and Transformative Justice: Healing and Resistance with Women and TransWorkshop participants at the US Social Forum gender Prisoners,” and helped plan an Anti-Prison Movemulti-colored ribbon in the sky, ment Assembly which brought toweaving and bobbing to the beat of gether former prisoners and activists Freedom! Peace! Solidarity! Sisterwho work on prison issues around hood! Brotherhood! JOBS! LIFE! the country. Below is an article by It was one of the greatest things! former prisoner Mary Heinen of the There were over 1,000 workMichigan-based Prison Creative Arts shops and nearly 50 People’s Project about her impressions of the Movement Assemblies. A workSocial Forum. shop given by Natalie Holbrook and Pete Martel from the American Friends Service Committee in Ann Arbor, described their work in Michigan. Another workshop was held collaboratively by Prison Creative Arts Project, CCWP, The National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women, and Transgendered Activists. 150 people assembled and we began to dialogue and share stories and experiences. This was one of the most amazing workshops of my life. People came from all over the US and internationally to participate and learn. We offered information, skill-building, hope and love for each other and those we serve. The picnic for former prisoners turned out to be the best ever. Homeless men who live on the river helped us set up grills and haul supplies and we were able to feed them. Some appeared to be starving. People came from every direction. We had speeches, laughed, ate together, enjoyed the view and the sun, and welcomed each other home from coast to coast. Coming together free is a miraculous experience. California Coalition for Women Prisoners invites and encourages all women and transgender people who have been or are on the inside to send us your writing, letters, art work, or poetry. The next issue will be devoted to parole. Send us your thoughts, experiences, lessons you’d like to share. We will not use your name unless you check the box below I want my name to appear in the newsletter Name: Mail to: California Coalition for Women Prisoners Summer/Fall 2010 page 15 C C W P California Coalition for Women Prisoners A Project of Network on Women in Prison 1540 Market St., rm 490 San Francisco, CA 94102 Come work with us! California Coalition for Women Prisoners meetings on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday of every month at 6pm 1540 Market St., rm 490, San Francisco Write to us or call us (415) 255-7036 x4 www.womenprisoners.org fax: (415) 552-3150 email: [email protected] Address Service Requested Non profit U.S. Postage PAID San Francisco, Ca. Permit #404 CCWP Mission: CCWP is a grassroots social justice organization, with members inside and outside prison, that challenges the institutional violence imposed on women, transgender people, and communities of color by the prison industrial complex (PIC). We see the struggle for racial and gender justice as central to dismantling the PIC and we prioritize the leadership of the people, families, and communities most impacted in building this movement. Funded in part by Women’s Foundation, Abelard West, Lef Foundation, Omnia Foundation, Dolphin Foundation, Van Lobe nsels/RembeRock, Funding Exchange, Solidago Foundation, Lorraine Honig Foundation, and Doris Foster Foundation. Yes, I want to subscribe to The Fire Inside! Enclosed is $25 for a subscription. This supports prisoner subscriptions. The newsletter is free for all people in prisons, jails, and detention centers. I would like to be contacted about getting involved Name: If donating with a credit card: Address: Exp. Date: Phone/email: Please make checks payable to: CCWP/LSPC Card # 3 # security code Name as it appears on card Billing address (if different than mailing)