THIS SATURDAY, JAN. 11: VIRGINIA PRISON JUSTICE RALLY!
Phil Wilayto
Updates & Announcementss
A service of THE VIRGINIA DEFENDER newspaper - Jan. 9, 2020
1-2 PM, SATURDAY, JAN. 11:
3rd ANNUAL VIRGINIA PRISON JUSTICE RALLY!
Hundreds of former prisoners, their family members and supporters are expected to attend the 3rd Annual Virginia Prison Justice Rally from 1 to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Bell Tower on Richmond’s Capitol Square. We urge you to show your support by attending this important rally!
This event is a statewide collaboration of the many organizations that have joined together through the Virginia Prison Justice Network (https://vapjn.wordpress.com) to create a greater voice for incarcerated individuals and their family members who remain victimized by unjust laws and policies.
The goals are to call attention to the many injustices that exist within prisons and the criminal justice system in the Commonwealth of Virginia and to garner support for bills to be presented to the 2020 session of the Virginia General Assembly that would correct these long-standing inequities. The Defenders are doing a lot of work on this event and we strongly urge folks to help promote and attend the rally.
NOTE: We need volunteers to sign up people at the rally for the VAPJN mailing list, distribute fliers about bills we’re following, collect donations and provide security. Please let us know if you can help.
RALLY CO-CHAIRS:
Margaret Breslau - Co-Chair, Coalition for Justice (Blacksburg); Co-Founder, Virginia Prison Justice Network
Lynetta Thompson - Co-founder, Community Unity in Action (CUIA); Virginia Prison Justice Network-Richmond
PREPARED REMARKS (1 minute each)
Hassan Shabazz - Co-founder, Prisoner of Conscience; Co-founder, Virginia Prison Justice Network
Askari Danso - Co-founder, Prisoner of Conscience; Co-founder, Virginia Prison Justice Network
Lillie “Ms. K” Branch-Kennedy - Executive Director, R.I.H.D.
Elijah Coles - Youth Civil Rights Activist
Valerie Slater - Executive Director, Rise for Youth
Richard Walker - CEO, Bridging the Gap in Virginia
Representative - ACLU of Virginia
Representative - Virginia Coalition Against Solitary Confinement
Phil Wilayto - Editor, The Virginia Defender; Co-founder, Virginia Prison Justice Network
WRITTEN STATEMENTS BY VIRGINIA PRISONERS (1.5 minutes each)
OPEN MIC FOR EX-PRISONERS & FAMILY MEMBERS (1.5 minutes each)
On Facebook: https://www.fgunacebook.com/events/758766474609013/
The Virginia Prison Justice Network is a prisoner-led network of 20 organizatIons working for justice in the Virginia prison and criminal justice systems. The VAPJN has a website (https://vapjn.wordpress.com) and a printed newsletter that reaches virtually all Virginia prison facilities. It has sponsored local Speak-Outs for Prison Justice in Hampton, Richmond and Roanoke, supported prisoner-activists facing repression for their activism and developed a coordinated plan to address legislation in the Virginia General Assembly.
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VIRGINIA DEFENDERS FOR FREEDOM, JUSTICE & EQUALITY
Phone/Text: 804-644-5834 - Email: Defend...@hotmail.com
https://defendersfje.blogspot.com - http://www.sacredgroundproject.net - The Virginia Defender