If we strike for no other reason, then we strike in response to prisoner retaliation especially. Because we will not be silent until all of our prisoners feel safe and, dare I say, comfortable. Maybe not luxuriously comfortable but I also do not live in luxuriously comfortable conditions. However, the men and women who are […]
While plenty of coverage has been given to democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, there’s another democratic candidate that Michigan prisoners have endorsed as the one to vote for, “Have all of your Michigan contacts vote for Shri Thanedar for governor on August 7th. His campaign centers around prison reform. He’s the only one I’ve heard say […]
Chairman Klint Kesto is responsible for the progress of Michigan’s Criminal Justice Reform bills. Last month we arranged a group of HB 5666 supporters to attend an Espresso with Kesto meeting at Biggby Coffee. Sadly Kesto did not attend, nor did another member of his committee instead a office staff person with no legislative power […]
I contemplate writing this article because as a member of staff for a an institution that stands on the cloud between political divisiveness in an attempt to avoid offending anyone its always the same group that absorbs the offense. Someone ALWAYS absorbs the offense in situations where one claims they’re trying not to and it’s […]
Recently outrage over the treatment of immigrant children in detention centers are heading the conversation about the inhumane practices that we enforce in facilities across the country. It is clear there is an undeniable connection between detention facilities, prisons (state and federal), as well as county and city jails. All of these institutions were created to […]
When I was asked to share poetry written by students in detention at a Juneteenth celebration outside of the Juvenile Detention Center, I hadn’t made the connection between that invitation and a flyer that I’ve received a few weeks before. In both instances I knew that I would participate. Also at both moments, I’d been […]
Knowing that America depended on centuries of the chattel slave system to become a world power, many people do recognize June 19th of each year as a day to celebrate the freedom of the first slaves in Texas 1865. The day is wildly undervalued as a time of recognition especially in comparison to other political […]
Every third Friday of the month Representative Klint Kesto holds public office hours at Biggby Coffee. Rep. Kesto is chairman over the Law and Justice Committee and oversees the progress of HB 5666 which would allow thousands of incarcerated individuals to reduce their sentences by up to 30% and even 40%. The bill can only […]
Tomorrow is the 28th and with the day off of work for the national holiday of memorial day it is a perfect opportunity for many of us to make a final push collecting signatures while we are attending events and spending time with family. For some of us who have the time off of work […]
After collecting thousands of signatures on the Initiative Petition to initiate good time, talking to office staff and reaching out to each member of Michigan’s Law and Justice committee it’s my clear understanding that the bill is currently being held up in the Law & Justice committee by Chairman Klint Kesto. He seems to lack […]