The interfaith community and families impacted by incarceration honors the lives lost in San Quentin due to COVID19, calls for the end of transfers, and lifts up the call for releases! Imprisonment and captivity are inhumane practices that do not heal people.
Prisons do not heal people; community that holds all people sacred does.
On Sunday, July 19, our Interfaith Vigil to stood in solidarity with families impacted by the outbreak at San Quentin, to call:
Respect Human Lives
Release Them Home
Restore to Community
To practice mercy is to engage in deep empathy and compassion; recognizing people are more than their worst mistake. These mistakes are a result of deeper societal issues that cannot heal without community care. We need more community-based programs like those supported Chanthon Bun. This is what a world without bars and borders looks like.
This vigil was held in solidarity with the ongoing organizing lead by the Stop San Quentin Outbreak Coalition, comprised of a collective of formerly incarcerated folks, loved ones with direct connections to San Quentin State Prison, community organizers, and currently incarcerated folks at SQSP. It is supported by social justice organizations including Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Re:Store Justice, Asian Prisoner Support Committee, and more.
See also: our post on Stop the San Quentin Outbreak.