From It’s Going Down
From August 26th to 28th, over 60 radicals from the Midwest, and from as far as Florida and New York, gathered in Columbus, Ohio for Bend the Bars, a convergence to build outside support and action for the nationwide prisoner strike this September 9th. You can see the prisoners’ call to action here.
Greetings from Columbus, Ohio!
You are invited to Bend the Bars 2016, a Midwest convergence in support of prisoners’ struggles.
When: August 26-29
Where: Columbus, OH
What: A weekend of workshops and discussions on prisoners’ resistance, the national prison strike starting September 9, and broad opposition to prisons, along with a public demonstration in solidarity with ongoing prison struggles.
Who we are: a group of individuals involved in prisoner solidarity work in the Midwest.
Who it’s for:
We hope to assemble a diverse group of individuals, groups, and organizations that are united by a desire to work against prisons, in support of our friends and family members who are locked up, and prisoners who are organizing themselves and acting up on the inside. Long-term supporters, former prisoners, prisoners’ families as well as those who are just starting out and wanting to learn more are all encouraged to attend. (Party-based organizations and politicians are discouraged from attending.)
If you plan on attending:
1.If you want to come to Bend the Bars, please RSVP with how many people will be attending and what kinds of accommodation you will need. The website will be updated as more details of the convergence come together, but feel free to contact us with any questions.
2. The organizing process for the convergence is ongoing, so we want to hear from you! What activities, structure, and content do you want to see? Specifically, we will have several slots for workshop sessions throughout the weekend. What discussions do you want to be a part of? Do you want to talk about the work that you’re doing? What projects and initiatives do you want to learn more about? Some topics we are interested in are supporting prison rebellion and prisoner organizing, support for individual prisoners, resistance to maximum security units, resistance to solitary confinement, prison publications, and literature distribution. Let us know if you would like to put something together! Continue reading
On September 9, 2016, prisoners across the U.S. are initiating a wave of strikes and other forms of resistance to confinement and forced labor. It’s vital that we get organized on the outside to meaningfully support their resistance.
Bend the Bars will bring together a diversity of people who have a stake in supporting prisoners’ organizing and fighting against the prison system. We envision two days of workshops and discussions to share skills, meet each other, and build our strength. Throughout these days, we’ll highlight the voices of prisoners and ex-prisoners. And, importantly, there will be a public demonstration to make sure prisoners know that we have their backs.
More is coming soon! Details, invite, workshops, logistics, and more!
Save the date: August 26-29
Columbus, OHIO
bendthebars (a) riseup.net
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