WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing
WHEN: 7pm, Tuesday, September 21st, 2021
WHERE: YOUR HOME
COST: Free

This week, as part of our every-other-week political prisoner letter-writing dinner, NYC ABC and Page One Collective will be writing to Kamau Sadiki, former Black Panther Party member and Black Liberation Army (BLA) soldier who is currently serving a life plus ten years sentence for the murder of an Atlanta cop in 1971. He was arrested and convicted over 30 years after the cop was killed based solely on the testimonies of former BLA comrades-turned-snitch that were not even present at the time of the action.

This should not come as a surprise as the State has never ended their war against Black people and continue to divisively target Black communities. An increased interest in what the State labels terrorism is what led to the increased interest of Kamau in 2002 when he was brought in for questioning on an unrelated matter. They were aware of his former relationship with the perennially Most Wanted Assata Shakur, with whom Kamau has a daughter. They attempted to extract information from him about Assata and tried to recruit him to lure her away from Cuba or else he “would die in prison.” When he refused to turn his back on his principles and his community, the state of Georgia vindictively moved forward with charges of the decades old crime.

Before Kamau’s time in the BLA, he was a New York City teenager who was deeply moved by the principles and organizing efforts of the Black Panther Party. At age 17 he joined up in Jamaica, Queens and volunteered in the Free Breakfast for Children program in the morning, hit the streets with BPP newsletters in the afternoon in an effort to organize his neighbors, and took part in political education classes at night. Once the FBI’s CoIntelPro was in full swing, decimating the Party and their ability to progress, Kamau and many others went underground to the more clandestine BLA for fear of being entrapped, framed, or murdered.

For more info on Kamau Sadiki, check out freekamau.com which gives an account of Kamau’s life from two former political prisoners, Safiya Bukhari and Claude Marks (freedomarchives.org).

Here is an excerpt of Kamau’s 2003 sentencing statement:
“My joining the Black Panther Party and consequently the Black Liberation Army was a response to the oppressive climate that existed in America at the time. The struggle of people of color evolved out of the legacy of slavery and the subsequent Jim Crow laws of the reconstruction period. Following decades of oppression, people of color in this country recognized they had to negotiate their liberation through armed resistance and it was during this period of history that the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army were major players.“

Please take the time to write a letter to Kamau (and share a photo of your completed envelopes with us online):
Kamau Sadiki* #0001150688
Augusta State Medical Prison
3001 Gordon Highway
Grovetown, GA 30813
*Address envelope to Freddie Hilton

You will need proof of vaccination and ID to enter the People’s Forum for this event.

Political Prisoner Letter Writing Event with NYC Jericho & Certain Days
Saturday September 18th
2-4pm
The People’s Forum, 320 West 37th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues) New York, NY. (Any train to Penn Station)
Free

https://www.facebook.com/events/345049243870565/
https://www.certaindays.org/events/september-18-2021-certain-days-nyc-jericho-political-prisoner-letter-writing-event/

Join NYC Jericho and the Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar collective in writing political prisoners at this free event.

We will be giving short presentations and writing political prisoners: Leonard Peltier, Sundiata Acoli, Jessica Reznicek and Xinachtli. Materials will be provided including hand sanitizer
Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

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Download flyer

We have a page of printable political prisoner brochures you can download and print at
https://www.abcf.net/abcf-downloads/
Download them and print to build support for political prisoners!

We’ve finished the latest version of the NYC ABC “Illustrated Guide to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War” and it’s available for viewing at https://nycabc.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/nycabc_polprisonerlisting_sept2021.pdf.

This update includes updated mini-bios, photos, and address changes for several prisoners. We are thankful to remove Kings Bay Plowshares 7 prisoners Patrick O’Neill and Mark Colville!

A petition has been filed with the US Department of Justice seeking clemency for Leonard Peltier, as required procedurally for the case to come to the attention of President Biden.  In the meantime, a congressional “Dear Colleague” letter in support of Leonard’s release is circulating in the House of Representatives, generated by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), who co-signed the letter sent by then-Congresswoman and now Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland to the Trump administration in April 2020. 

Now is the time to let your congressional representatives know the strength of public support for Leonard and urge them to sign on to the letter to the Biden administration.  

Contact your U.S. Congress, House Representative by Phone, Online Form or Mail.

Simply request that they:
— Support freedom for Leonard Peltier.
— Stand with Rep. R. Grijalva and former Rep. Deb Haaland, and sign-on to Rep. Grijalva’s new letter and efforts to gain Leonard’s release.

Contact your U.S. Congress, House Representative by Phone, Online Form or Mail:
“Dear Representative… , as your constituent I request that you support immediate Relief and Release for Leonard Peltier, and Sign-on to Representative Grijalva’s “Dear Colleague- Support Letter for Clemency for Leonard Peltier”

Find your Representative (in your US Congressional District)

For info email [email protected] 
For more on Leonard Peltier visit www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

Here’s the latest compilation of every other week updates:
https://nycabc.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/updates-7-sept-2021.pdf

NYC ABC, along with several other individuals and prisoner support
crews, now send hard copies to all political prisoners and prisoners of
war we support.

If you consistently mail the latest updates to a specific prisoner,
please let us know so we can insure there’s no overlap. The goal is to
have copies sent to all of the prisoners we list.

We’ve also been told that some prisoners are not receiving the copies
sent in, yet we aren’t getting rejection notices. If you are in steady
contact with a prisoner, please ask them whether or not they are
receiving the updates and let us know.

Former political prisoner Ray Luc Levasseur On Vietnam, Prison, Principles and Anti-Imperialist Resistance. Listen to the episode at https://millennialsarekillingcapitalism.libsyn.com/i-took-those-deaths-personally-ray-luc-levasseur-on-vietnam-prison-and-anti-imperialist-resistance

In this episode we interview Ray Luc Levasseur. During his time underground Levasseur was a purported member of the United Freedom Front, and the Sam Melville Jonathan Jackson Unit. Prior to that Levasseur organized in several above ground formations, including the Southern Student Organizing Committee (SSOC), Vietnam Veterans Against The War, and SCAR.

We talk to Ray about his early life, and the influence of his experience in Vietnam on the development of anti-imperialist politics and commitments.  He also shares his first incarcerated organizing experiences in Tennessee. And we have brief discussions of his time in SSOC, Vietnam Veterans Against The War, and SCAR.

After that we discuss Ray’s time underground, and the claimed activities the Sam Melville Jonathan Jackson Unit and the United Freedom Front.  Specifically he discusses IBM’s involvement in Apartheid, and the targeting of the military and prison industrial complexes by those underground groups. 

We end with a discussion of Ray’s time in Marion and the refusal there by Levasseur and other political prisoners to build weapons for the federal government. Ray also shares thoughts on his experiences during 13 years of solitary confinement at Marion and later at ADX. And discusses why small acts of generosity and care on the outside can mean a great deal to people experiencing extreme repression. 

He leaves the discussion with several ways folks can get involved in supporting political prisoners. We will include links in the show notes for folks who want to get involved in that necessary work.

New #mural in #bushwick featuring the #artwork of #politicalprisoner #osoblanco from our set of #indigenous #greetingcards which benefit the #childrensartproject in #chiapas

Order the cards at https://burningbooks.com/collections/greeting-cards-and-postcards/products/oso-blanco-greeting-cards

They are due September 8th.
All the info is at https://friendsofdavidgilbert.org/parole-letter-guidelines/

Last week, on his final day in office, Gov. Andrew Cuomo commuted David Gilbert’s sentence, making him eligible for parole. Since then, a parole hearing for David has been scheduled for later this month. The Parole Board needs to hear that there is widespread support for his immediate release.

Once again David needs your help. Personal letters to the Parole Board are the best way to show your interest in this case. Time is short. We have only one week to collect letters for the Parole Board members to grant David parole at this hearing. Letters must be submitted by 6pm on September 8th.

If you wrote a letter supporting clemency for David, thank you! Please also consider reworking the letter to urge the Parole Board to grant him parole at this upcoming hearing. Every letter helps!

See below for guidelines for the letters. Note that a hard copy of the letter must be mailed to David’s counsellor and a digital copy should be submitted to https://friendsofdavidgilbert.org/parole/

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Order at https://nycabc.wordpress.com/merch/

NOTE: When making a purchase, click on the appropriate button and in the notes/comments (depending on PayPal or Venmo), make sure to include:
• the item name
• size (if applicable)
• mailing address

Also, make sure to enter the correct purchase amount. PayPal does not require you to have an account and you can pay with a credit card through them.

ACAB T-shirt – $25

Looking for a smart shirt that let’s everyone know ACAB? Here’s the answer. We have a few of these left and won’t be printing this design again. Scoop one up before they’re gone. Shipping within the continental United States is included in the price of this t-shirt (include size–extra small, medium, large, extra large, or double extra large, and your address in the notes for the sale).

I Am Anarchist T-shirt – $25

Negate ambiguity with this fetching garment. With every politician looking to scapegoat anarchists, here’s a practical way to show some love. Shipping within the continental United States is included in the price of this shirt (include size, small through extra large, and your address in the notes for the sale).

Sugar Skull T-shirt – $25

“Solidarity is the heart of fighting the power.” This shirt was designed by comrades in CNA-DF (Cruz Negra Anarquista – Mexico City) and funds raised go to political prisoners they support. Shipping within the continental United States is included in the price of this shirt (include size, small through extra large, and your address in the notes for the sale).

Palang Hitam T-shirt – $25

NYC ABC printed these shirts in solidarity with anarchists in Indonesia, facing continued, intense state repression. Prisons are for BURNING! Shipping within the continental United States is included in the price of this shirt (include size and your address in the notes for the sale). Only small and medium sizes remain.

Black Flag Enamel Pin – $8

Nothing tells the world “no nations, no borders, fuck the state, law, and order” like a black flag enamel pin. Wear it on your lapel at court support or anywhere else. Shipping within the continental United States is included in the price of this pin (include your address in the notes for the sale).

Anarchist Black Cross Enamel Pin – $10

Show your solidarity with political prisoners with one of these enamel pins. Perfect for your cap, jacket, or…balaclava (no, not really–stay away from identifying details). Shipping within the continental United States is included in the price of this pin (include your address in the notes for the sale).

War On the Panthers Infographic Poster – $25

This poster is a marvel in screen-printing on paper—intricate, precise, and outstanding. This poster is a graphic reproduction from the book “Edible Secrets” by Mia Partlow and Michael Hoerger, measures 9 1/2″ by 21″ and is shipped in a poster tube. The history of state repression against the Black Panther Party in this infographic will have you revisiting it over and over. Shipping within the continental United States is included in the price of this poster (include your address in the notes for the sale).

Abolition Not Reform Poster – $20

It’s no secret that we deplore prisons and the bootlicking that goes into trying to make reforms to them. These amazing posters are letter-pressed, in a print run limited to 131 (2 proofs were also printed), each numbered. The white variation is limited to 96 pieces and will not be reprinted. Due to the inherent nature of letter-press, the color of the text is uniform, though opacity varies from poster to poster. Thanks to Wasp Print for the layout and help with printing that made these possible, and to The Base and NYC Anarchist Action, with whom funds raised from these posters will be split. The poster measures 13″ by 20″ and will ship in a poster tube. Shipping within the continental United States is included in the price of this poster (include your address in the notes for the sale).

Leave, Take Kill poster – $13

Leave, Take, Kill is a poster is from photographer Kelly Sena’s 2005 two-person exhibition “International Geographic.” The poster is printed on glossy poster stock, measures 7″ by 30 1/4,” and is mailed in a poster tube. Shipping within the continental United States is included in the price of this poster (include your address in the notes for the sale).