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Hi John,
This Mother’s Day, Dream.Org wants to shine a spotlight on the experience of incarcerated mothers. Women, who as parents and wives behind bars, face challenges not faced by those on the outside. As if the punishment of serving time wasn’t enough, the sharpest pain for many comes from being separated from their families as they struggle daily to be treated with dignity, not disdain.
Take the story of Adriana Reygnaga. Adriana was pregnant with her son Anthony Manuel when she went to prison in Pennsylvania. As her delivery day grew closer, she began to experience excruciating pain. Yet, her pleas for medical attention fell on deaf ears. Prison staff refused to take her pain seriously and instead of medical care, she was given solitary confinement. Tragically, Anthony Manuel paid the price for their callous actions. By the time Adriana finally gave birth, Anthony was already deceased, and Adriana – now a grieving mother – was forced to return to life behind bars.
Sign to Bring Dignity to Incarcerated Women in Your State
Stories like Adriana’s are all too common among incarcerated women who share experiences of trauma, abuse, and struggle. While some states have protections for incarcerated women, the majority do not. Pennsylvania was one of those states until just a few months ago when HB900 was signed into law after more than five years of dedicated advocacy by Dream.Org Empathy Network Leader Tonie Willis.
HB900 was part of Dream.Org’s Dignity for Incarcerated Women Campaign — led by formerly incarcerated women – that has successfully passed bipartisan legislation in 16 states and positively impacted over 37,000 women in prison.
These measures help ensure that incarcerated women are treated with the respect they deserve:
- Providing adequate access to feminine hygiene products
- Prohibiting invasive and dehumanizing strip searches
- Ending the vulgar practice of shackling a woman during pregnancy & childbirth
Tell Your Legislators: Dignity NOW for Incarcerated Women
Incarcerated women deserve dignity and we need more states to take action. Uplifting their stories can cultivate empathy while transforming the prison system, reducing harm, and improving outcomes for women serving time and their families. This Mother’s Day, let’s cultivate empathy and respect for women wherever they are on their journey – especially those who are impacted by our broken criminal justice system.
In solidarity,
— Dream.Org
Has reading Adriana’s story inspired you to do more? Here’s how you can help:
Give an impactful gift this Mother’s Day, support women across the nation: Your gift will directly fund legislative advocacy and empower mothers in communities just like yours. This Mother’s Day, give your mother figure a gift that won’t just make them proud, but will impact the lives of millions more women around the country.
Give Your Special Someone a Gift That Makes a Difference
Read our Mother's Day Blog: Visit our website to read powerful stories that highlight the realities faced by incarcerated women this Mother's Day.
Read the Blog
