Books to Prisoners Seattle started this petition to Washington DOC Secretary Stephen Sinclair and 3 others

“The Washington Department of Corrections (DOC) has just prohibited all nonprofit organizations from mailing free, used books to every prisoner in this state.

Across the country, dozens of volunteer nonprofits respond directly to prisoners’ book requests; together, these groups send about 200,000 free books every year to people behind bars, from westerns and science fiction novels to books about starting businesses after release. Access to information in prisons is a lifeline for literacy and skill-building; the humble dictionary, a book which most of us no longer possess as a physical book, is the number one request by prisoners because good sources of information are so scarce.

For the many prisoners and their families who can’t afford to buy new books, free, used books are a lifeline; for prisoners in solitary confinement (around 80,000 at any given time), these book donations may be the only reading material they have. We love prison libraries and their hard-working staff, but they are chronically underfunded, understaffed, and not accessible for all prisoners or open when needed. In Pennsylvania, for example, prisoners are allowed a maximum of 90 minutes per week at the prison library. Additionally, books checked out from prison libraries must be returned and may not be available at any given time due to circulation; by contrast, books mailed from prison book programs belong to prisoners forever as personal property. Four facilities in Washington don’t even have on-site libraries, an indication of the ongoing need for services like prison book programs to fill the gaps.

This ban will deny incarcerated people in Washington access to literally thousands of books.

Groups like the Prison Book Program in Massachusetts, Books to Prisoners in Washington, and LGBT Books to Prisoners in Wisconsin have successfully sent books without incident to Washington prisoners since 1973. Sadly, this isn’t the first time that a DOC has attempted to ban our programs. In 2018 alone, both Pennsylvania and New York attempted similar bans. Most attempted bans cite security reasons — though few (if any) can cite a single instance where a prison book program ever sent contraband material. 

Together, we stopped these attempted bans in Pennsylvania and New York in 2018; let’s stop it now in Washington.

Please join other prison book program supporters to contact the Washington DOC and Governor Jay Inslee’s office and demand that this new policy — a memo amended to policy 450.100 — be rescinded at once. #PrisonersNeedBooks”

There are no words when a friend dies.

             Lillie on the left in both pictures at the National Council of
             Higher Education in Prison Conference in Indianapolis, Nov. 2018.

But Lillie A. Estes was much more than my friend, she was Richmond, Virginia’s friend; she was a friend to people who have been trampled by injustice; and she was a friend to hundreds of people she mentored through her many years as a commuity justice strategist. 

                       Lillie. Image credit: Scott Elmquist, Style Weekly

I have written about Lillie’s work in these pages here. And about her work on the community justice film series, here.

Richmond is paying tribute to her life. Read a piiece by Catherine Komp, “Community Mourns Passing of Civic Leader and Strategist Lillie A. Estes,” here, and by Richmond’s Style Weekly: “Community Strategist and Mentor, Lillie A. Estes, has Died.” The Charles Hamilton Houston Institute of Race & Justice (CHHIR&J) which introduced Lillie and her work to Massachusetts has a moving video that they created with Lillie which is posted here.

David Harris, Managing Director of the CHHR&J said in an article by the Richmond Times-Dispatch that Lillie was “the exemplar of an organizer. She always wanted to
make sure everyone’s voice was part of the decision-making.”

Below Lillie is teaching in Boston this past November at the Mothers for Justice and Equality gathering. 

There are no sufficient words when we lose a friend. But there are memories and comforts. From my many texts and emails, here is a picture Lillie sent of herself, at the Virginia Poverty Law Center gala this past December, 2018. She is standing in front of a photograph of herself which she never mentioned. Instead, she wanted to show me that she was wearing a scarf I gave her. “Cute picture I guess,” is all she said. That was Lillie. Humble, in spite of the accomplishments of a hero. David Harris of the CHHIR&J called her “the real deal.”

Lillie was, in my opinion, one of the most brilliant social justice strategists I have ever known. I talked to her several times a week and she taught me so much and she made me laugh. She was so honest! And loving. Devoted to her community of Richmond. And amazingingly able to make connections in a heartbeat. She died too young, a mere 59 years old, but she lived a life that was filled with meaning and import. I mourn the loss of someone whom I love and whose work will be sorely missed.

Dear Activists,

Your presence is needed on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 9 am, Room 360 – in the Governor’s Suite at the Statehouse to advocate that the governors’ councillors oppose the nomination to the Parole Board by Gov. Baker of the current Parole Board Executive Director, Gloriann Moroney.

The Parole Board has myriad problems that keep our prisons full and create more harm, including:

• The Board does not have a healthy paroling rate;
• Prisoners with life sentences are still waiting 8-10 months for parole decisions;
• The Board has not recommended one person for commutation or pardon in the past few years;
• The Board has not even reviewed four-fifths of the petitions it has received from those who have requested termination of parole; and
• Too many people are returning to prison on technical violations rather than receiving intermediate sanctions.

We have power to influence the Parole Board by taking an interest in nominees to fill positions to review the almost 5,000 annual parole applications.

Gov. Baker nominated on Jan. 2, 2018, Gloriann Moroney – yet another person from Corrections – who prior to working for the Parole Board as General Counsel in 2016, worked as an assistant district attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for 14 years.

CEPS [Coalition for Public Safety] in Massachusetts has advocated for a parole board member to be a social worker, sociologist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Such a nominee, particularly with a background in treating mental health problems and addiction, would also be committed to the objectives of parole. We currently only have one Board member with such a background and it is not enough to deal with enough of those 5000 hearings.

The Governors’ Council will hear testimony on Moroney’s nomination on Wednesday, Jan. 9, and then vote next week on it.

PLEASE join me in attending the Governor’s Council on Jan. 9, at 9am and oppose the nomination of current Parole Board Executive Director, Gloriann Moroney. She first served as counsel and has been now nominated to take the place of Lucy Soto Abbe as a Board member.

PACK ROOM 360 OF THE STATE HOUSE on Wednesday.