Slavery is legal in America. Written into the 13th Amendment, it is legal to work someone that is incarcerated for free or almost free. Since the civil war, tens of millions of people most arrested for non-violent offenses, have been used as slaves for the sake of generating massive profits for multi-national corporations and the US government. Today, prison labor is a multi-billion dollar industry which helps generate enormous wealth for key industries such as fossil fuels, fast food, telecommunications, technology, the US military, and everyday house hold products.
The strike, which starts officially on September 9th, the 45th anniversary of the Attica Uprising, is historic. The strike is being led by groups such as the Free Alabama Movement, Free Texas Movement, Free Ohio Movement, Free Virginia Movement, Free Mississippi Movement, and many more. Prisoners have asked that supporters hold noise demonstrations outside jails and prisons, protest, disrupt, and demonstrate outside of corporations that profit from prison labor, and also support the strike that is happening across the US.
This is not just a prison strike for better wages or conditions, it is a strike against white supremacy itself.
Upcoming Events in Portland to Support the Strike:
Thursday, August 25th, 7pm, Anarres Infoshop, 7101 N. Lombard St, Portland: This political education event will discuss the ongoing work in the Portland area connecting various struggles against the Prison Industrial Complex, immigrant detention and police violence. Speakers will discuss the importance of cross movement solidarity for collective liberation as well as how people can get involved supporting incarcerated, formerly incarcerated and friends and families of those locked up. The Prison Divestment and and September 9th coalitions in Portland will be present to discuss various projects and organizations to plug into.
-ABSINTHE ROSE (ON TOUR! Oregon/Boston Feminist Folk Country Punk): https://absintherose.bandcamp.com/
-SHOOTDANG (Gritty/Lovely Folk/Country duo): https://shootdang.bandcamp.com/
-TALLWOMEN (Indie Punk): https://tallwomen.bandcamp.com/
Friday, September 9th: People across Portland and Northwest will converge in Downtown Portland in solidarity with the US wide prison work strike against prison slavery and white supremacy. Our goal is a mass showing of support with the growing prison rebellion in the US and to also march on the corporations in the Downtown area that make massive profits off of prisoner enslavement.
3PM: March to Prison Profiteers.
6PM: Reconviene at Champman for a Noise Demo @ the Justice Center (across the street from Chapman Square).
september9thpdx@gmail.com