This past year, Critical Resistance (CR) members have strengthened our connections and organizing with thousands of imprisoned people by sharing resources, strategies, and political dialogue across walls. We have maintained our standing lines of communication with people inside prisons, jails, and detention centers:
Distribution of The Abolitionist newspaper, a bilingual (English/Spanish) publication released twice per year
Remotely-powered phone lines that answer collect calls from imprisoned people
Prisoner mail correspondence programs through our Oakland, Portland, and New York City chapters, with a revamped program in our Los Angeles chapter as well!
A Bilingual Cross-Wall Organizing Resource for nearly 20 years: The Abolitionist Newspaper
We have produced two issues of theThe Abolitionist newspaper this year and distributed to an increased inside readership of nearly 5,000 imprisoned people for free, supported by hundreds of paid subscriptions of community members and movement partners on the outside. This was a big year for CR’s longest running political education tool. This past Summer, we released Issue #39 on reproductive justice and prison industrial complex (PIC) abolition (now available for free download on our website here). CR also hosted an accompanying webinar tying together struggles for PIC abolition, reproductive justice, queer liberation, the abolition of the family policing system, and more.
With your support, we have also strengthened our prisoner correspondence processes and infrastructure, including the creation of a new online tool and database that has helped streamline and centralize our mail programs and phone lines across the organization. Our improved infrastructure has allowed us to build deeper political relationships with folks inside, strengthen the inside-outside organizing of our campaigns and projects, and uplift calls for solidarity coming from inside. These correspondence programs allow us to uplift testimonies like these, shared by one of our imprisoned comrades in the Close California Prisons campaign.
Along with these infrastructural additions, intentional volunteer recruitment and onboarding have increased the capacity of these programs. We now have dozens of volunteers skilled up in all aspects of our mail and phone line programs. CR chapters continue to host regular mail nights, virtually and in-person. Our prisoner correspondence programs are impactful ways to get plugged into CR’s abolitionist organizing – sign up for your nearest mail program or our phone line solidarity program today!
Your contributions of time and funds are crucial to supporting these vital programs and resources, and uplifting the voices, demands, and possibilities of our comrades inside.
Lastly, if you’re looking for other ways to support prisoner solidarity organizing this month, look no further! CR is ready to send out our annual holiday postcard with a heartfelt message of solidarity to all our contacts inside prisons, jails, and detention centers. You can support this mailing by signing and mailing some of these postcards yourself.
Thank you for continuing to support inside-outside organizing!
Toward liberation,
– Critical Resistance
MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS
THANK YOU: "Giving Tuesday" success!
Last week, we raised $2,500 for The Zachary Project and other programs on Giving Tuesday. Let’s keep this up! Become a monthly sustainer for The Zachary Project today.
SPACE FOR REFLECTION AND CELEBRATION: Join our 2023 Community Reportback!
Want to learn more about CR's campaigns and projects directly from CR's members? Join us Tuesday, December 19th, 3-4:30 PM PST / 6-7:30 PM EST for CR’s 2023 Community Reportback! A warm, fun interactive space to learn from CR organizers about the campaigns, projects, and more we've done in 2023 - and how to support us in 2024!
This time of year can be especially hard for our loved ones and comrades locked up in cages. This year, each of our chapters are hosting postcard mailing events either online or in-person.
Phone Line Volunteers needed: Support CR’s daily prisoner correspondence!
CR is recruiting new volunteers to join our Prisoner Solidarity Phone Line program! CR strives to foster strong political relationships with people across the PIC’s cages as a way to break cycles of isolation, stay informed on conditions inside, connect people inside with CR's work and campaigns, and to ensure that our work is grounded in the vision and needs of those most impacted by the prison industrial complex.
Email [email protected] if you are interested and/or have questions.
We have plenty of hoodies, crewnecks, shirts, and totes for purchase. You can treat yourself to this vibrant gear or gift it to a loved one.Buying CR merch is a great way to sustain our PIC abolitionist organizing and wear your abolitionist heart on your sleeve! If you want your CR merch to arrive before the holiday, please make your orders no later than 12/14!
Critical Resistance is majority grassroots-funded. Donate today!
