Marvin, Indira and their family together at our 2020 NEAT Potluck Celebration
With Nueva Esperanza (NEAT) accompaniment by Congregation B’nai Tikvah and Temple Isaiah of Contra Costa County, Marvin, Indira, and their family have reached their goals to enroll their daughter in school, find legal assistance, and start employment.
Recently, Marvin’s sister was diagnosed with cancer and he asked the congregations accompanying him if they could help fundraise for her treatment. Please read their GoFundMe to hear their story and share to raise funds!
Help Glenda Aguilera Espinoza fight her cancer in Nicaragua.The government of Nicaragua is cracking down on any dissent from its citizens. Anyone speaking out against government repression can face violent punishment and even death. Glenda’s brother and his family have fled Nicaragua and have been granted entry to the United States to pursue an asylum claim. But the family that remains in Nicaragua is very poor and the family now in the United States is barely getting by and so has little extra money to send home to help Glenda with her cancer treatment… [read more]
Photo featuring Alumita Siva. Photo by David Bacon
“Every person now in SQ is on death row. We pray also for the guards, staff and their families. they too deserve our compassion today. People treated as if their lives are expendable, but every person’s life is precious here.” -Rabbi David Cooper, Emeritus, Kehilla Community Synagogue
On July 19, the interfaith community and families impacted by incarceration honored the lives lost in San Quentin due to COVID-19, called for the end of transfers, and lifted up the call for more releases. To view the powerful images from the vigil, see the photographs from local photographers David Bacon and Joyce Xi.
Our Interfaith Vigil lifted up the following demands, in line with the demands from loved ones who are incarcerated, including the campaigns for #ActNowNewsom (bit.ly/actnownewsom) and #StopSQOutbreak (bit.ly/StopSQOutbreakDemands):
Governor Newsom must begin the process of drastically reducing the overall prison population to below 50% of current capacity. In order to achieve this level of decarceration, Governor Newsom must grant releases without categorical exclusions based on crimes of commitment or sentencing but be based on the current level of risk not past offenses. We know that people can change and transform their lives. Releases must include those who are serving Life Without Parole sentences, who are actually at the lowest risk of reoffending, and those on Death Row who comprise a majority of deaths by COVID-19. Release should be to families, the faith community, or community-based re-entry programs – not other prisons.
Governor Newsom and CDCR must immediately stop all transfers between California prisons, and from prisons to ICE detention centers. Transfers continue to spread the disease inside the prison system, to staff and outside communities. Immigration transfers of people who earn release and parole. We believe all people are sacred and deserving of life, regardless of past convictions.
Governor Newsom must release people beginning with those most vulnerable people, including transgender people, elderly, disabled, and those medically vulnerable. Transgender people are at disproportionate risk of harm and violence in prison. Prisons should not be a death sentence. All life is precious.
Immediately improve the care and treatment for people inside San Quentin. This includes restoring access to phones to communicate to loved ones, adequate testing, access to PPE, improved sanitation, hot meals, etc. This also includes, CDCR must ensure that the incarcerated trans community has access to hormones and healthcare immediately – before and after their release. We demand that all people imprisoned be treated with mercy, compassion, and human decency.
Call to Action: Join us to tweet, email, and call the Governor!Hashtags: #StopSanQuentinOutbreak #FreeThemAll #FreeThemAllGov #StopICETransfers
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.
