June Remote LetterWriting - Pride Edition!

Hello everyone,

Happy Pride month! It's hard to believe we are already in June. We are heartened to be in community with you all during this moment of collective uprising, as calls for police and prison abolition take center stage. Through letter-writing, prison visits, and study groups, we build relationships across walls as we work to dismantle the PIC. Now is a great time to start a penpal relationship, or send a card or two to show our inside members some love. 

We have some information below about ways to get involved this month. We are continuing to cancel all in-person letter-writing events for community safety. However, because prison visitation is shut down and folks are more isolated than usual, we still want to get cards sent to our folks each month. See details below!


SEND JUNE PRIDE CARDS

Help us send 300 Happy Trans March / Happy Pride cards to our incarcerated family in CA! Letterwriting is one incredible way we have to overcome the isolation intended by the Prison Industrial Complex, and we want all of our Trans & GNC community on the inside to know we are thinking of them this year.

Trans March has gone virtual for community safety, along with all of our monthly letterwriting events. We're an annual sponsor of Trans March, and usually we have a booth in Dolores Park where our community can stop by and decorate a card to send inside.

So, even though we won't see you this year at Dolores Park, we hope you will sign up to help us remotely send pride cards to our inside members.

Please fill out this form (https://forms.gle/jZFxt2nH2GUgCeEc9) if you can sign up to send a card or two from home. We will email you the address(es) - and some tips if it’s your first time. You will need to provide your own stamps and supplies (but we can send these to you, if needed). 

BECOME A PENPAL

Now is also great time to become a penpal. If you want to start a penpal relationship, you can learn more and sign-up here anytime: https://www.blackandpink.org/penpal-sign-up

This month, the @flyingoverwalls instagram is spotlighting featured inside members who are looking for a penpal! Feel free to browse and DM us there to be connected!

Plus, organizers from a few of the B&P chapters put together this amazing penpal webinar to answer all your questions and review the guidelines: bit.ly/penpalwebinarrecording

Once you become a penpal, you can join this group to stay connected here to other outside penpals for support and resources: https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackandpinkpenpalsupport/

SENDING MONEY INSIDE

Thank you to everyone who joined us in sending money to our inside leaders in CA! We are now working in coalition with the Transgender Advocacy Group (TAG) to send money to hundreds of trans folks in CA prisons. We are deeply concerned for the lives and wellbeing of our loved ones inside prisons, who aren't able to practice social distancing and who don't have access to basic hygiene supplies. Please donate if you can!! 100% of your contributions will go directly to trans folks in CA prisons.

Venmo: @TAG_CA_covid19relief
Paypal: freddiefrancis88@gmail.com
Cashapp: $freddieblooms

EVEN MORE RESOURCES

Saturday June 13th Critical Resistance is hosting: Celebrating Juneteenth! An Abolitionist Perspective on Movements for Black Liberation Past and Present

Critical Resistance continues their Tuesday night volunteer nights on zoom https://www.facebook.com/events/2259404944136098/ Also check out their webinar, focused on grassroots campaigns fighting to get people free from cages during the COVID-19 health crisis. Find resources at: http://criticalresistance.org/covid19webinar/

Please join CCWP, Asian Prisoner Support Committee, and others every Tuesday to continue freeing people from ICE detention. We can #FlattenICE and #LetThemGo! Toolkit here: bit.ly/flattenICE

Beyond Prisons - Prisoner Support Guide For The Coronavirus Crisis https://tinyurl.com/vb6yrpp

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Flying Over Walls/SF Bay Area Black & Pink