Join us for BRABC’s monthly prisoner letter writing this coming Sunday, January 7th from 3-5pm at Firestorm books for good conversation and getting plugged into local social justice activism. We meet every first Sunday of the month
We’ll also have zines for the upcoming Abolitionist Reading Club on the last Sunday of the month.
We are uplifting a call from our community to gather for an annual anarchist tradition- a New Years Eve Noise Demo!
7pm, Sunday December 31st
meet at 630 Pack Square (the ampitheater). Dress warm & bring noise makers!
For years and across different cities and towns, anarchists and abolitionists have gathered outside of jails, prisons, detention centers, and other sites of human cages. We gather to make noise and show solidarity with those trapped behind bars. As the new year arrives yet again- we yet again find ourselves restating the same firm belief that all prisoners are political prisoners. The prison industrial system is deadly mechanism of control and domination. What would the future of our communities look like if our family and community members weren’t stuck behind bars because they can’t make bail? You can participate in two crucial ways-
Join us from 3-5pm on Sunday, December 3rd for our prisoner letter writing. Like the 1st Sunday of every month, we meet at Firestorm Books (1022 Haywood Rd, West Asheville across from Odds Bar) to write letters of support or well wishing to prisoners with upcoming birthdays, who’ve recently been transferred, or who’re facing repression.
It’s a great chance to meet other folks involved in anti-carceral activism in person, and make connections and share some care with folks behind bars. We’ll provide letter writing supplies, names and addresses (often gleaned from the In Contempt column on ItsGoingDown)
We’re happy to announce our November 5th political prisoner letter writing get together from 3-5pm at the new Firestorm location, 1022 Haywood Rd in west Asheville, across from The Odd. Per usual, we’ll bring envelopes, paper, pens and info about political prisoners with upcoming birthdays, who’ve just been moved to a new facility or who are facing repression. It’s also a great opportunity to meet other folks concerned about incarceration, repression and political movements in the region.
Join Blue Ridge ABC for our monthly political prisoner letter writing event at Firestorm’s new spot at 1022 Haywood Road in West Asheville from 3-5pm!
We’ll be writing prisoners with birthdays this month or who could use a kind word from outside. We appreciate folks bringing their own mask as this event is indoors, but Firestorm also has masks available.
If you plan to attend the 2023 ACAB in Asheville and would like one of these posters, check out the BRABC spot on the shared table with Prison Books & other local projects.
They were designed by the International Anarchist Defense Fund, which helps coordinate the yearly International Week of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners. We’re charging $10+/poster to cover the printing cost (short notice means high cost, sadly). If you’d like to reserve one of these 18 x 24 inch, full color posters, you can donate $10 or more / poster via our venmo. Just comment how many posters you want and a name you want us to save it for at our table. Pre-order ends August 10th, 2023, as supplies last. You must pick up from our table, we aren’t mailing these out.
Join BRABC at Firestorm Books this Sunday, July 2nd from 3-5pm for a political prisoner letter writing event. Per usual, we’ll bring paper and pens, addresses & info on specific prisoners who could do with some words of kindness or with birthdays around now. Feel free to show up and chat about prison issues or bring your own letters you’ve been meaning to write!
610 Haywood Rd, West Asheville
Join BRABC at Firestorm Books for our monthly letter writing event. We’ll bring addresses, names, and information on prisoners with upcoming birthdays or facing repression who could use some kind words. We’ll provide paper and pens, envelopes and stampage. A great way to meet folks on both sides of the bars.
Masking required, will be provided by Firestorm if you don’t have one
Join us the first Sunday of April, 2023 (4/2/23) from 3-5pm at Firestorm books for our monthly political prisoner letter writing event. Per usual, we’ll bring stationary and provide names and addresses of prisoners with upcoming birthdays, who’ve been recently moved or who otherwise could use some friendly words, even bring the stationary. You just need to show up with a mask and willingness to share your thoughts with someone behind bars.
Below is a message and call for support from anti-racist prison organizer Joseph “Shinewhite” Stewart, who is incarcerated at Granville C.I. As discussed below, Shinewhite recently found out he has Hepatitis-C, which if left untreated can result in severe liver disease, including cirrhosis and cancer.
Since being diagnosed over two weeks ago, Shinewhite has been prevented from getting the blood testing his doctor ordered. This delay in his care is highly concerning, not just because every week counts when it comes to treatment, but because it may indicate prison staff intend to use medical neglect–a favorite tactic of prison guards and administrators–as a weapon to silence Shinewhite, or simply to punish him for his activism behind bars.
Shinewhite needs our help to make sure he receives his blood testing and gets assessed by an independent hepatologist to develop a treatment plan as soon as possible. This is critical to avoid serious liver damage, including possible cirrhosis or liver cancer! Please contact the people below all day March 6-8 to insist that Shinewhite’s medical care move forward without delay!! Sample script/email text below.
Gary Junker, NC DAC Director of Health and Wellness
Michael Roach, Warden at Granville Correctional Institution
Loris Sutton, Central Region Director
Natalie Murdock, NC State Senator ** this is an elected official, not DAC staff **
Hello, I’m calling in reference to Joseph Stewart (#0802041). He was diagnosed with Hepatitis-C by Dr. Gloria Harvey on Feb. 15, but critical follow-up care has been delayed for over two weeks. Dr. Harvey ordered blood testing to assess Joseph’s level of fibrosis, which is a critical next step in developing a treatment plan for this extremely serious illness. However, this blood testing has not been done because custodial staff lied repeatedly to medical staff, claiming that Joseph refused his last two medical appointments – THIS IS 100% FALSE.
There is a pattern and practice of custodial staff claiming patients are refusing appointments. This practice must end, and Joseph must be taken immediately for blood testing to assess his APRI and FIB-4 scores. Additionally, Joseph must be seen by an independent hepatologist as soon as possible, to develop a treatment plan. I and many others are keeping track of Joseph’s health and paying close attention to the quality of DAC’s medical care for this serious condition.
If possible, report your call! Let us know you called and what you learned, and if there’s anything significant about how you were treated when you called (was the person courteous? did they sound irritated or mention that other folks had also called? etc)
THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO KEEP OUR COMRADES ALIVE AND SUPPORTED BEYOND THE WALLS!
