Lockdowns and a birthday
After dealing with a tough month or two of extended of unit-wide lockdowns, establishing a reliable program has been difficult, but Casey reports doing very well! Lockdowns still happen sporadically with little explanation so developing a daily rhythm has been a challenge. They have made a lot of friends on the unit though and for Casey’s birthday, all the guys in their car and few others quietly passed around a birthday card to sign. And to cap it off, somebody made a bangin’ spread of nachos for the occasion.
Mail and calls
Snail mail has been extremely slow and sporadic through the mailroom. They only are getting mail at least a month later than it’s postmark, which is extra frustrating because…
Casey recently received a 6 month revocation of their calling privileges and lost 27 days of good time credits as punishment for a 3-way call with their mom and brother that they didn’t even know was against the rules. So for the time being, email via Corrlinks or snail mail is the only way to talk to them.
To revisit some mail basics:
– Leave big margins on your letters. Casey only receives a black and white hardcopy scan of letters and as of yet the feds haven’t mastered using a scanner or just don’t care. Anything near the edges of the page gets cut off.
– Mail is surveilled and often pieces are outright blocked. Casey has heightened restrictions and scrutiny due to their classification and charges. Write accordingly. Know as well that some mail just doesn’t make it through.
Books
You can see Casey’s booklist for purchase via their bookshop registry here:
https://bookshop.org/wishlists/56b98684a2c55d72748aa7fae7dfa536217a1b5f
At the moment we are asking for people to please stick to the books on this list due to Caseys space concerns. Thank you to everyone who has sent Casey books!
Birthday fundraiser
For Casey’s birthday we were able to raise $840 so far for Lil Nicky, their cellie and friend. Let’s double that!
To support Lil Nicky, funds can be sent by Venmo labeled as “Little Nicky” to @juliepetersonG
Lil Nicky has been a great friend, and lifesaver in the yard on numerous occasions. Slated to go home in 15 months to Philly, he will be reuniting with his 13 year old son. Also, Lil Nicky is deaf and needs immediate support to buy his own hearing aids and batteries (Yeah, the prison doesn’t supply those!).
With next to no income from a prison job, it is extremely hard to purchase supplies for your disabilities not to mention save for going home. Without support, re-entry is an extension of the isolation of incarceration, leaving just-released people in an extremely vulnerable position and often in harms way.
Lil Nicky has been there for Casey and Casey is looking to repay the favor.
Together they spend hours on lockdowns discussing sports and the state of the world. Lil Nicky is continually motivating Casey to stay focused on their goals as an abolitionist and their prisoner support work, now from the inside.
Again, to kick down, Venmo @juliepetersonG with the note “Lil Nicky.”
Love and struggle,
CSC
email: [email protected]
insta: @freecaseynow
website: https://freecaseynow.noblogs.org/
general fundraiser: https://chuffed.org/project/supportcasey
book wishlist: https://bookshop.org/wishlists/56b98684a2c55d72748aa7fae7dfa536217a1b5f