Black & Pink May 2016 Newsletter Pride: From Anti-Police Riot to Police Recruitment Booths Sonya Karabel, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, July 02, 2015 On June 28, 1969, police performed a routine raid of a gay bar in New York City called the Stonewall Inn. However, not so routine was the response of the patrons, who were tired of being discriminated against for their sexuality and gender identity by the police. They stood up against the police , who responded with violence, starting a three-day rebellion. At the center of this riot were transgender women of color like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera . Though the neighborhood, the Village, was heavily white, LGBT people from across the city, including many Black and Latino people, came to bars such as Stonewall, and the police violence against them was certainly racialized. A witness recalled a policeman yelling, "You n****r f*gs get away!" as he beat a black transgender woman with a nightstick. On June 28, 2015, I attended San Francisco’s Pride for the first time. This event ostensibly celebrates the anniversary of Stonewall, but the feeling could not be more different. I observed hundreds of police. Most were simply watching the crowd, but some were in booths, recruiting, joining in the celebration, and trying to spread the message that the police are allies of the LGBT community. However, the reality is, they aren’t, at least not to the majority. Black and brown LGBT people are no exception to the violence police commit against their communities, as the murder of Jessie Hernandez by police and subsequent lack of prosecution reminds us. Queer people of color may even be targeted in particular. For example, nearly half of black transgender people have spent time in jail. One of these women, Patti Shaw, called the police after being sexually harassed and assaulted by a man, including getting a tooth knocked out, but was arrested herself because he said she had started the fight. She was placed in the men’s section of the jail, and was sexually violated by guards during a strip search. Amnesty International extensively documented the harassment, sexual assault and violence that LGBT people experience at the hands of police in their 2007 report Brutality in Blue. Incidents included police officers calling a transgender woman a f****t and kicking her in front of her son, forcing a Native American transgender woman to choose between being raped and arrested, and targeting known gay areas for arrests in “bag-a-f*g” operations. The SFPD in particular has a known history of racism and homophobia, exposed after texts between officers were released, detailing how they frequently used slurs like n****r and f*g, as well as documented racial profiling. The homophobia, transphobia, and racism experienced by the LGBT community at Stonewall in 1969 still remains a problem today. Police are still not here to make LGBT people safer, especially not black and brown LGBT people. With the recent Supreme Court decision making marriage equality the law of the land, it’s critical that we turn our attention to other, equally important issues facing the LGBT community including police brutality, but also poverty, homelessness, lack of adequate healthcare, and job discrimination. 40% of homeless youth are LGBT, and homeless LGBT people have very high rates of sexual victimization. This population is disproportionately Black and Latino. It is legal in 29 states to refuse to hire, harass, or fire someone because they are LGBT. Let the LGBT struggle not be one to assimilate into the dominant culture, but rather to bring justice and liberation to the community, including from state violence.
A Message from Jason
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Dear friends, I hope this note finds you as well as possible. Like last month I am sitting here with my dog, trying to make sure we stay on top of things at the office. One of the best things about the office right now is that we recently hired a part time National Office Manager. He is AMAZING! His name is Charles, and some of you have probably gotten letters from him. Having an office manager will hopefully help us be more on top of things at Black and Pink. As most of you know Black and Pink is a nearly all volunteer project, Charles and myself are the only staff people. Charles is a formerly incarcerated member who moved up to Boston from Mississippi. He received the Black and Pink newspaper while he was in prison and he continues to be deeply dedicated to our work. Working with Charles makes my job so much greater, I’m really excited for the potential growth Charles will bring to our family. I wanted to spend the rest of this month’s note reflecting on one of my favorite things, superheroes. Have you ever been a comic book reader? Which were your favorite heroes? What were your favorite story lines? Did you ever watch superhero tv shows? Do you remember batman cartoons or maybe you’re old enough to remember the batman live action show starring Adam West... that’s a bit before my time. Some of you have been locked up longer than the new big Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have been coming out, but maybe you’ve seen some of the Iron Man, Captain America, Avengers, and others on tv. I must admit to you, I am a bit obsessed with superheroes, most especially, the X-men. Just moments ago I was making plans to purchase tickets to watch the newest X-men movie. I have also been reading the new brilliant Black Panther comic book series, written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. There are lots of things I like about comic book super heroes and lots of ways I feel connected to their storylines. As a queer person who has had to be closeted at different times, I really identify with the way mutants in the X-men stories feel like they have to hide who they are. Not only do they have to hide something about themselves, they have to hide something that is actually pretty awesome, their mutant powers. Similarly, as LGBTQ people, we are often told we have to hide something that’s pretty awesome about us. Being LGBTQ is not supposed to be a burden, it should be a celebration of sexuality and gender that is part of what makes us the incredible people that we are. I must say that I am much more of a Marvel fan than I am a DC fan (and for those of you who have no idea what that means, I apologize). The big difference is that I like my superheroes to be complex, to be imperfect, to be part of a team. One of the beauties of the Marvel Universe right now is how much things have been changing for the characters. Things are opening up and well-loved characters are being portrayed in new ways. The new Wolverine is a young woman as is the new Thor. Ms. Marvel (image below) is a Muslim teenage girl from New Jersey who is raised by loving devout immigrant parents. Iceman came out as gay. A few years ago we got Miles Morales, a young Black spiderman. As of last week the new Black Panther comic book is the best selling comic book of 2016. There is, however, much work to be done to increase the visibility of transgender superhero characters in mainstream comics. Whenever we read fiction stories we are often looking to find ourselves in them. Comics are no different. For far, far too long major superheroes have always been straight white men. As people who are imagining a different world, one free from prisons, we often live in a land of fantasy. Escaping to the world of comics is one way I like to imagine a different world. I like to imagine being part of a superhero team that joins our powers together to tear down prisons and stop the police from tearing peoples’ lives apart. Some times I want to be able to fly. Other times I want to be able to move things with my mind. Often I want to be able to walk through walls. When you have a moment to imagine, what is your super power? How might you band with others to build a team to fight for justice and liberation? We don’t need Batman’s Arkham Asylum or Superman’s Phantom Zone. We can create new possibilities of transformative justice. Thanks for reading my silly reflections on comics and superheroes. I know we use this paper to be serious and strengthen our movement. Yet we must also take moments to distract ourselves, to be silly even, knowing that the struggle is long. We keep ourselves going knowing that once there were no prisons, that day will come again. In loving solidarity, Jason
What’s Inside!
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We’re excited to introduce our new newsletter format with its full-color cover! Let us know what you think!
• Poetry from the heart 6, 12, 17, 19 • News you can use 7, 8, • Letters to our Black & Pink family 5, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 • Buscando contribuciones 18 • Call for submissions 18 • Paying the Price: Failure to Deliver HIV Services in Louisiana Parish Jails 20, 21 • Possible Transfer of Trans People to Federal Prisons Matching Their Identity 22 • Black & Pink Address and Topics 22 • Pride month art and imagery 23, 24 Statement of Purpose Black & Pink is an open family of LGBTQ prisoners and “free world” allies who support each other. Our work toward the abolition of the prison industrial complex is rooted in the experience of currently and formerly incarcerated people. We are outraged by the specific violence of the prison industrial complex against LGBTQ people, and respond through advocacy, education, direct service, and organizing. Black & Pink is proudly a family of people of all races. About this Newsletter Since 2007, Black & Pink free world volunteers have pulled together a monthly newsletter primarily composed of material written by our family’s incarcerated members. In response to letters we receive, more prisoners receive the newspaper each issue! This newspaper is being sent to over 9,400 prisoners! Disclaimer: Please note that the ideas and opinions expressed in the Black & Pink Newspaper are solely those of the authors and artists and do not necessarily reflect the views of Black & Pink. Black & Pink makes no representations as to the accuracy of any statements made in the Newspaper, including but not limited to legal and medical information. Authors and artists bear sole responsibility for their work. Everything published in the Newspaper is also on the internet—it can be seen by anyone with a computer. By sending a letter to “Newspaper Submissions,” you are agreeing to have your piece in the Newspaper and on the internet. For this reason, we only publish First Names and State Location to respect people’s privacy. Pieces may be edited to fit our antioppression values and based on our Editing Guidelines.
Black & Pink Hotline The hotline phone number is 617.519.4387! The hotline will be available Sundays 1-5pm (Eastern Time) for certain. You can call at other times as well and we will do our best to answer your calls; they will be answered as often as possible. We are sorry that we can only accept prepaid calls at this time. The purposes of the hotline are: Supportive listening. Being in prison is lonely, as we all know. The hotline is here for supportive listening so you can just talk to someone about what is going on in your life. Organizing. If there are things going on at your prison in terms of lock downs, guard harassment, resistance, and anything else that should be shared with the public, let us know so we can spread the word. Restrictions: The hotline is not a number to call about getting on the pen pal list or to get the newspaper. The hotline is not a number to call for sexual or erotic chatting. The hotline is not a number for getting help with your current court case, we are not legal experts. We look forward to hearing from you! This is our first attempt at this so please be patient with us as we work it all out. We will not be able to answer every call, but we will do our best. We apologize to anyone who has been trying to get through to the hotline with no success. We are still working this system out. Thank you for being understanding.
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Letters to our Black & Pink family Dear Black and Pink, Hey my brothers and sisters, as I must say, this is my first letter, but I’ve been a member for over six months. Reading you guys letters bring this overwhelming joy to my body that have me smiling from ear to ear. My name is Dion but call me Trell. Im a 24 year old bi-sexual male, im currently in the big muddy river seg lock up for so called being in possession of dangerous contraband “5inch sharpened eyeglasses earpiece”. I was told I can serve up to 6 months along with a disciplinary transfer to a disciplinary facility. I’ve filed a four page grievance to exhaust my administrative remedy’s, Now I must wait for a response. Since being in prison (seven years), I’ve witnessed a lot of police brutality, repeated sexual assaults, and it really have me thinking! Some of my brothers and sisters from B&P have shared their experiences from when they have served time; for example; Dee Farmer she was repeatedly raped. Men or shall I call them as they are “Rapists” don’t understand when they do those such acts, it messes up the mind of their victim. I am a convicted sex offender who participated in the BMRCC Sex offender program. Being in that program “I gave my victim a voice”, I felt relief. People have different situations. Some are S.O. for possessing child porn, child molestation etc. I say this to say: “I am against sexual violence” against children, adults, especially L.G.B.T.Q. Here in prison people think just because you are L.G.B.T.Q. you are in it for the sexual favors their choice, “No” its the way we are and who we choose to be. I came out to my Mom just the other day, she hated it because I came from a Christian background, she refuse to help me seek shelter now I am force to serve an additional 2 and a half years. Their are no more half way homes for S.O. so I gotta do what I have to do. I love you guys. You people are the people who motivate me to stand proud and say: “I am bisexual and I’m proud.” Thank you Black & Pink for the motivation. Shout out to chapter member “Andy”. Stay Happy and Strong, Dion, Illinois
—▼— To my Black and Pink Family and Friends, I am an Alaskan, senior medically retired prisoner that is obligated to live in a protective custody segregation cell which is fueled by the theft of several thousand dollars worth of artwork unaccounted for/stolen by and or with the knowledge of the wife/spouse of the
assistant superintendent of this AK D.O.C., South central Alaska facility. I as you might surmise am being punished due to the proven theft of my property (artwork) by this AK DOC female employee. I live in total fear for my life 24/7 at this facility. There have been numerous set-ups by AK DOC, employees, to take my life from the very same manner, using the very same tactics used to take the life of a very nice Gay/Trans friend on June 29th, 2014. I have been assaulted by another prisoner at the knowledge of a AK DOC, employee, I was sexually assaulted by inappropriate touching of my genitals and a unauthorized cavity search by a female pervert AK DOC, employee, I have been threatened (2) times by a prisoner and a attempt to take my life that failed on July 5-6 of 2015 by AK DOC employees and a untrained, uncertified Alaska state worker. The torture of being in a cell 24/7 no exercise, recreation for over 6 months no property other than some of my legal work, and the denial of association and speech to other prisoners (its a write up for them if they get caught talking to me) is none other than a slow death sentence for me. The fact is I have done nothing other than have my property stolen by the assistant superintendents wife. I want to wish everyone the very best, stay strong, don’t give up to a army of DOC scum. The loss of one battle does not mean the war on torture, prisoner abuse, harassment, retaliation or discrimination is lost. Love to All, Earl of AK
—▼— Dear Black and Pink Fam, Now I’ve heard some injustices in my life time hell I’m going through one now with the charge that I’m on. But when I read the May 2015 issue and read about Michael Johnson and he was facing life it compelled me to write something. Now I’m a trans woman and I’ve been HIV Positive for the last eight years. And I’ve heard of the HIV laws around, some of them people can live with, most are down right outragous. I hope for the sake of us people living with the disease that some of these laws change. Instead of criminalizing the virus the states need to put money in to treat the virus. The states need to treat it for what it is and not treat it like it’s a crime. We need to come together and tell our government that these laws are not right. We need to tell them that yes HIV is still a problem but we need to focus more on testing and treatment versus locking people up and creating more of the problem. Kenisha, Louisiana
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I’m Me This is message for the brothers & sisters behind prison bars Going toe to toe with inmates and prison guards Don’t ever let e beat you down, relax & be kool A change is goin’ come and we’ll make it there. Our family has a plan for us & they gave us a link Now we can lean on the brothers & sisters of Black & Pink Just be yourself for the world to see & if anybody asks who you are, tell ‘em...I’m me! Vincent L, Ohio ME The truth inside that’s hard to see the lonesome girl that’s really me hides behind this mask of skin the boy that hides the girl within a body separate from it’s soul two opposites that make me whole a balance few could understand bound forever “hand in hand” the boy I am with everyone else the girl I am when I am myself the one you know depends on you on what your mind is open to will you see the truth inside and accept that which most would deny will your eyes be the ones to see inside my heart to the real, girl, me Butterfly B, Texas My Criminalized Status I don’t know how to be comfortable I can’t be open and free like I want to be Because of the fact that I have HIV You want to lock me up because of the status of me? Treat me do not criminalize me. Kenisha, Louisiana
Art by Floyd S., CO
My Reality As the days go by Time appears to stand still Am I awake or dreaming Can you tell me whats real All I feel is despair As I hear their lonely cries Darkness has surrounded me I’m almost afraid to close my eyes I hear whispers in the dark. As shadows become my friends. Welcome to my nightmare Where horrors knows no end These walls contain secrets That no man truly knows The darkness of these cells Will penetrate the brightest of souls With voices in my head I’m lost within my thoughts I contemplate destruction As peace is no longer sought Theres people all around me With a lock that has no key Time passes slowly Yet there is no ticking clock There is only me And the coldness of these steel beds and concrete cells. Mark K. WA
News you can use
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Solitary confinement is ‘no touch’ torture, and it must be abolished By Chelsea E. Manning Originally published on The Guardian May 2, 2016
Shortly after arriving at a makeshift military jail, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, in May 2010, I was placed into the black hole of solitary confinement for the first time. Within two weeks, I was contemplating suicide. After a month on suicide watch, I was transferred back to US, to a tiny 6 x 8ft (roughly 2 x 2.5 meter) cell in a place that will haunt me for the rest of my life: the US Marine Corps Brig in Quantico, Virginia. I was held there for roughly nine months as a “prevention of injury” prisoner, a designation the Marine Corps and the Navy used to place me in highly restrictive solitary conditions without a psychiatrist’s approval. For 17 hours a day, I sat directly in front of at least two Marine Corps guards seated behind a one-way mirror. I was not allowed to lay down. I was not allowed to lean my back against the cell wall. I was not allowed to exercise. Sometimes, to keep from going crazy, I would stand up, walk around, or dance, as “dancing” was not considered exercise by the Marine Corps. To pass the time, I counted the hundreds of holes between the steel bars in a grid pattern at the front of my empty cell. My eyes traced the gaps between the bricks on the wall. I looked at the rough patterns and stains on the concrete floor – including one that looked like a caricature grey alien, with large black eyes and no mouth, that was popular in the 1990s. I could hear the “drip drop drip” of a leaky pipe somewhere down the hall. I listened to the faint buzz of the fluorescent lights. For brief periods, every other day or so, I was escorted by a team of at least three guards to an empty basketball court-sized area. There, I was shackled and walked around in circles or figure-eights for 20 minutes. I was not allowed to stand still, otherwise they would take me back to my cell. I was only allowed a couple of hours of visitation each month to see my friends, family and lawyers, through a thick glass partition in a tiny 4 x 6ft room. My hands and feet were shackled the entire time. Federal agents installed recording equipment specifically to monitor my conversations, except with my lawyers. The United Nations special rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, condemned my treatment as “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”, describing “the excessive and prolonged isolation” I was placed under for that period of time. However, he didn’t stop there. In a preface to the 2014 Spanish edition of the Sourcebook on Solitary Confinement, written by Méndez he strongly recommends against any use of solitary confinement beyond 15 days. As Mendez explains: “Prolonged solitary confinement raises special concerns, because the risk of grave and irreparable harm to the detained person increases with the length of isolation and the uncertainty regarding its duration. In my public declarations on this theme, I have defined prolonged solitary confinement as any period in excess of 15 days. This definition reflects the fact that most of the scientific literature shows that, after 15 days, certain changes in brain functions occur and the harmful psychological effects of isolation can become irreversible.” Unfortunately, conditions similar to the ones I experienced in 2010-11 are hardly unusual for the estimated 80,000 to 100,000 inmates held in these conditions across the US every day. In the time since my confinement at Quantico, public awareness of solitary confinement has improved by orders of magnitude. People all across the political spectrum – including some who have never been in solitary or known anyone who has – are now beginning to question whether this practice is a moral and ethical one. In June 2015, US supreme court justice Anthony Kennedy called the prison system “overlooked” and “misunderstood”, stating that he welcomes a case that would allow the court to review whether or not solitary confinement is cruel and unusual under the US constitution. The evidence is overwhelming that it should be deemed as such: solitary confinement in the US is arbitrary, abused and unnecessary in many situations. It is cruel, degrading and inhumane, and is effectively a “no touch” torture. We should end the practice quickly and completely.
News you can use
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Immigration officials to start sending transgender women to the middle of TX
By Jorge Rivas, Originally published on Fusion on May 23, 2016 U.S. immigration officials are opening a new detention facility in Texas that will include a unit specifically created for transgender individuals, Fusion has confirmed. “The facility is expected to house about 700 detainees, including a separate 36-bed unit for transgender individuals,” said Carl Rusnok, a spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.) ICE says the Prairieland Detention Center will open in November in Alvarado, Texas, and will operate with the agency’s most advanced care guidelines for transgender detainees. Each detainee will have an individualized detention plan “covering items such as searches, clothing options, hygiene practices, medical care, and housing assignments,” Rusnok said. Immigrant rights advocates have urged ICE to release LGBT detainees, especially transgender women, because they are more vulnerable to physical and sexual assaults while in custody. The new facility addresses a number of issues to better protect trans women, but immigrant rights leaders say any new detention center is a step in the wrong direction. The advocates want ICE to instead work more closely with community groups that could house trans women. “[ICE] is talking about the new detention center as if they are providing as a service to the community, and they’re not,” said Isa Noyola, the director of programs at the San Francisco-based Transgender Law Center. ICE officials estimate that there are approximately 65 transgender women in their custody on any given night. The new facility will be operated and managed by Emerald Correctional Management, a private prison corporation that acknowledges on its website it is “ not the biggest” company in the private prison industry. The company, which manages a total of six facilities, distinguishes itself by saying it doesn’t “warehouse detainees” and that it’s changing the culture of privatization. A Fusion investigation found that although only about 1 in 500 detainees are transgender, 1 in 5 victims of confirmed sexual assault in immigration detention were transgender in recent years. Many of the transgender individuals in detention are women who presented themselves at U.S. ports of entry to request asylum— women who have never committed a crime—and are detained until a judge can decide on their cases. “These [detention] beds come with violence and unwarranted transphobic interactions with line staff and other folks in the facility,” Noyola said in a telephone interview with Fusion on Sunday. A year ago in June 2015, 35 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson urging him to end the detention of LGBT undocumented immigrants. “These individuals are extremely vulnerable to abuse, including sexual assault, while in custody, in particular, transgender women housed in men’s detention facilities,” read the open letter addressed to Secretary Johnson. The new detention center in Alvarado is located in a relatively small town of 4,000 residents about 40 miles southeast of Dallas. State officials say the estimated $42 million detention center project will generate more than 100 new jobs in Johnson County, according to the local paper Cleburne Times-Review. Lawyers and advocates for transgender women say they’re concerned immigration attorneys may hesitate to take cases with clients in such a rural area. “It’s trickier and more complicated for lawyers and advocates to gain access and get notices of folks being released,” said Noyola, of the Transgender Law Center. [...] According to one lawyer, immigration judges in the area seem to be less favorable to LGBT immigrants. ICE has shown over and over again that they’re incapable of detaining trans people with even minimal levels of dignity or safety,” said Olga Tomchin, a staff attorney at the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, an immigrant rights group. “Rather than purposefully shipping trans immigrants to the [The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals] with some of the weakest asylum protections in the country, ICE must stop subjecting them to more violence and abuse,” Tomchin said. In July 2015, ICE officials announced that a detention center in California would open a pod in a women’s facility that would accept transgender detainees. A few months later in December, ICE announced it was dropping those plans. Currently ICE has one other facility with staff prepared to work with transgender women, but that facility will soon close. After a public pressure campaign that included a hunger strike, the city council of Santa Ana, California voted to not renew a contract that provided beds in the city jail to ICE. The ICE facility in the Santa Ana city jail is scheduled to close June 30, 2020.
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Letters to our Black & Pink family Dear Fags and Faggettes, (No pun intended) What’s the tea my people?! I’m L’Don Rose, a proud 29 year old slick-talking transgender who, unfortunately, is incarcerated in an all-male prison located in California. I’ve had the honor to cross paths with some of the most badass LGBT people while going through my transition, and I have been inspired by so many of you. So I felt it necessary to write an open love letter addressed to a special group of people that I so graciously call my own. In this world we share, from sea to shining sea, the power-that-be meticulously calculate and create ways to make one group of people feel less than another. What makes this sad is we, as a human collective, promote these biased ideologies into our lives involuntarily, creating this chaotic world. As it refers to the LGBT community, many of us grow up thinking that we are not the kind of people who are allowed to be happy or loved; as if being lesbian, gay, bi or trans is undeserving of normalcy. That’s a COMPLETE CROCK OF SHIT! Since the beginning of time, LGBT people have graced this earth. And since the beginning of time we have been absolutely fabulous. The way we can demand notoriety when we sashay into any room, and how we can turn rags into fashionable garments like no other. Needless to say, baby, they cannot come for us because we are definitely a force to be reckoned with. And besides, it’s redundant for pots and pans to call us kettles black. How many down-low people have we come across through the years? Too many to count, am I right? My people, my people, I am here to attest to you that we are a people of resilience and perseverance. Those who aim their words of hate our way are usually people who wish they could be like us. If you identify with any of the five letters in the LGBTQ acronym, you’ve done something that many people will never do in their entire life. You looked in the mirror and faced your fear. You’ve accepted your truth. You were courageous and you conquered. And that’s why you shine brightest in whichever crowd you’re in. You allow your truth to be worn on your sleeve like a bedazzled Michael Kors bracelet, bold and beautiful. In your Christian Louboutin six inch platform heels, size 13, you stand tall in the face of other’s bigotry, remaining proud. And I’m so proud to call you all my family. To my weave headed gay-boys with the goatees, I love you. To my butch-dyke homies with the low-cut fades, I love you. To all my statuesque slick-talkin’ T-Girls (especially the ones doing hard time like myself), I love
you. And to everyone in between, your influence in my life is just as grand. There seems to be an ongoing rivalry amongst gay guys and trans women, so in closing I want to say, stop all the bickering beef between one another. Divided we fall, but united we stand. Until next time continue to be fabulous. Smooches, L’Don Rose, CA
—▼— Dear Family, I write to you with humbleness in my heart, and quilt on my conscience. I have fallen, hard. Once again I am in a hospital because I tried to kill myself. This is my 5th suicide attempt since my incarceration in April 2000. I get overwhelmed by my emotions and I don’t know what to do. I can’t get the help I need and want in prison because of the officers and other tainted staff. Mentally I’m a wreck, emotionally I’m worse. I want people to understand that being sent to a shortterm program, such as CHCF-Stockton, can’t begin to unravel the issues that I have to deal with. It’s extremely difficult to advocate for myself when I’m locked in a room most of the time. Grant it that I’m getting more treatment than any other patient currently here, but this is only because I had to do a lot of explaining. Depression & sadness are ruining my life. I really don’t feel like I will ever be able to live a normal life. And on top of being Black, a convict, & bi-sexual I now have to add mentally disordered to the long list. My biological family gives me absolutely no support. This really hurts me, and is a part of my problem. The majority of my outside support comes from my pen-pal M.J. who I met through Black & Pink in 2012. He has become my rock. I don’t know where I’d be without my M.J. From where I’m at now, I will try to go back to Atascadero State Hospital. I parole in 2023, and if I’m going to have any chance at staying out, I need to get all of the help I can. This is why I’m writing. Embarrassment and shame kept me at bay. Now I’m asking my true family for help and support. Any thing you girls and guys can give me on what else I can do, please let me know. Thank you. Before I go, I want to apologize for not giving you guys a chance a long time ago. Please forgive me for being so stupid. With love, A.J. O. CA
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Letters to our Black & Pink family Hey, fellow cell dwellers! I wanted to add some of my thoughts on PREA, since it’s been talked about lately. In some ways, PREA has given LGBT inmates a tool for legitimate protection. In my state of Florida, prison staff take anything PREA-related super seriously, almost to a paranoid level. If you make a rape allegation, you’re going straight into administrative confinement and you WILL be transferred. No longer does it all depend on how well you’re able to prove anything. On the other hand, the above is exactly why people fail to report PREA violations. The victim is treated like an offender. Because even if you don’t want or need to be put in confinement, it happens anyway. And let’s face it, confinement is punishment regardless of why you’re in there. Since you have no job, you lose gain time. You lose lots of privileges like phone, visitation, full canteen, recreation, attendance at religious services, full library access, TV, most of your property (what the didn’t confiscate or throw away), and so much more. As the victim, YOU are put in “the box” and shipped out. Meanwhile, the actual offender may or may not go to confinement, and may or may not be transferred once you’re gone. Can you imagine if things were handled like this on the outside by the police? And of great concern is that the guards seem to be attempting to apply the idea of PREA to instances of consensual sex among inmates, in a sense using it as a weapon against us. They fail to comprehend that PREA is the Prison RAPE Elimination Act, and not the Prison SEX Elimination Act. Some inmates are capitalizing on the guaranteed transfer part in cases such as having borrowed too much money or just not liking the prison they’re at. A false PREA allegation meets their needs, although sadly the allegations often target some other random inmate. Allegations against guards are almost never made. In Florida anytime a prison staff member has sex, even consensual, with an inmate, it’s treated like rape and is a felony for the staff member. An inmate who alleges having had any sexual contact with a guard and demands to press charges with the state attorney’s office can very well land that guard in the county jail. Followed through all the way, that can put the (former) guard in DOC themselves. So don’t forget that PREA applies to prison staff as well. Knowledge is POWER. Understand what you’re dealing with in these types of situations. LGBT inmates will likely end up in some situation where PREA comes into consideration. How you handle it, and whether you
report it or not, is up to you. I’ve personally let things go simply because I didn’t want to be transferred. Prison administrators know this happens and it reduces their statistics. Sexual violations that aren’t reported never happened. I plan to lobby prison officials to lock up and transfer the offender rather than the victim in a PREA case unless the victim requests placement in confinement and/or transfer. Hope this helps someone. Let us know what’s going on in your prison system! Ryan in Florida
—▼— Dear Family; My name is Gavin. I am Gay, and today is my Birth Day. I was 35 when I was arrested February 14, 2001. I’m innocent and have been imprisoned ever since. If memory serves, I contacted Black and Pink for the first time on this same date in 2012 and i’d been coming out selectively since mid-2010. It took time for my name to make it high enough on the subscription list, so I borrowed the newspaper from fellow Gay boys ‘til I received my first copy. I’ve experienced the prison industrial complex’s brutality of the GLBTQ community before 2003’s Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) legislation was passed, and in the years afterward, where it seemed nothing happened to the State of Nevada for almost eleven years. Then in 2014, I became a “person of interest” in the Nevada DOC’s first PREA audit by the Feds, because I satisfy “one or more of the criteria” of particular groups identified in the legislation. I don’t intend on making this about me but certain references to myself are unavoidable. I’ve been reading you guys’ letters for several years now, and the common thread I see running through all of them is that of a call to unity; to familiarity. What I want to [do is] draw our collective attention to the question, “How are we being prevented?” This [is] not the only question, and like a Word Jumble (puzzle) the answers are right in front of us, if we’ll just ask the right questions. Save accusations and complaints against prison staff to address in the grievance procedure. I put this question to all of you because there is a guard at my facility who is not homophobic, is a cis-gendered, straight white male, and he believes abuse against our community while in prison and despite PREA, is just something we have to accept; get used to, sympathize with;, understand. He claims to have “gay” friends. Continued on next page
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Letters to our Black & Pink family Continued from prior page This causes me to question because a substantial number of staff claim to be “glbtq” in the DOC. It makes me think if these are the same “friends,” then no wonder our community in prison can’t get any relief, and unity and familiarity is broken or prevented at every turn. The wider GLBTQ community, free from any connection to the PIC doesn’t acknowledge us; dismisses us. So anything a staff member does or says, he never gets punished for, or even warned that his behavior is unacceptable. These are just two questions. Say, see assume these same “glbtq” staff publicly defame prisoners generally in the same way this guard does officially (this guard actually told a Gay prisoner the abuse he’d just suffered; in this case, being told on; was his fault and was because “you people [Gay people] put yourselves out there like that,” and when the Gay prisoner refused to let him say it and just walked away, the guard threatened him, saying “I’m glad you stood up for yourself, but don’t ever stand up for yourself against me”), but with this assumption in mind, they don’t target us specifically as Queer prisoners publicly, and you can see why, but you still have “openly gay” staff who, on duty defame and even berate us to our faces, and off duty stamp prisoners generally as “dangerous to the peace, order, and safety of the community,” painting GLBTQ prisoners with the same broad brush. These are questions we need to be asking if we’re serious about prison abolition. Due in large part to the staff treatment described above the call has gone out from many of us in prison for “a place of our own.” But think carefully about this: a place of “our own” to be incarcerated in??? Are you serious?!? Do we want there to be GLBTQ wings? dorms? units? prisons? To continue the American circular culture feeding the prison industry? It’s tempting for me only because I could be with all of you; be my self; but do we really need to be giving them more options, making their job (incarcerating us) easier? This would further limit their liability, you know, costing them less for insurance. Those who maintain the PIC aren’t all the same, and the ones nearer the top have very different reasons for their involvement than those at the bottom. At the bottom, in the NDOC at least, it’s a cake job that pays well and has extensive benefits. Something happens; one of the fags gets beat down; you push a little paper, make an appearance of effort, you move on. At Lieutenant and above, though you’re gonna start taking heat. Reasoning changes because the focus has to change the higher up the command chain you’re promoted. At
this point you’ve become a salaried employee. Some guards knew this and even quit because their superiors were squeezing them to force them to “accept rank.” I hope to start a dialogue. The PIC doesn’t need to be added to. It doesn’t need to be made easier to accept, to live with, more efficient; it’s not broken, and it doesn’t need to be fixed and further pandered to. It needs to be stopped. Expanding the PIC in this way using our safety as an excuse is not the answer. The GLBTQ community must be allowed to defend ourselves if they’re not going to, without fear of punishment, reprisals, or retaliation, which means when you allow prison gangs to commune against us, we have the same expectation of communal defense. These cowards attack us 2; 3; 4 or more on one. The GLBTQ community must be allowed to defend in kind. But what do you do when you’re told, “You’re not allowed to defend yourself. It’s our job to protect you” (I was actually told this by a Sergeant in 2012). In addition, administrative rules, regulations, and/or policies are designed to punish both the attacker and the defender under a theory of “mutual combat,” and this is used to secure and “Offense In Custody” charge against perpetrator and victim both; the former, a substitute designation which few of us catch during disciplinary proceedings. Then, there’s the seemingly ever-present trigger-happy gunner who shoots down both, and yet is never much of a deterrent, while staff refuses to do “convenience” bed moves and we’re getting punished for defending ourselves against rapes, beatings, and other types of brutality. Let’s be clear about consequences of what we’re wishing for, and whether weourselves might not be being manipulated into assisting governments and corporate America generally in further circular establishment. Because ours will not be the only future made to suffer under this ideology. Gavin, NV
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Poetry from the heart I Cry Standing inside my cell staring out my bar door, my tears have soaked my face and have made a puddle on this concrete floor. went to classification, I poured my heart out and I begged to be set free, After I walked out of that meeting I feel like they had nailed me to a tree. Being misunderstood, the administration thinks I’m up to no good. Judged because of “who I am” making me wish I was the invisible man. I’m hurt, torn to pieces, can’t you understand? Alienated to you when I reveal my hand. the warden claims the way I feel is contraband, what happened to rights for LGBTQ people? I wish I had the help from the rainbow community, so this prison will grant me immunity. The prison I’m in tells me to quit acting this way, my heart is made up, my gay pride is here to stay, the attractions of same sex inside me will not stray. Will I stay in solitary until I go home? When I read the black and pink paper I know that I’m not alone. Even my family have turned their backs, I feel so disowned. Through the struggle I keep my head high, sometimes confinement gets to me, I break weak, I can’t even speak, I just hit my knees and “I cry” and scream out loud “why”? my sister had to die without one word, not even goodbye. I try to look through my eyes, Remembering familiar people and all of their lies. Can’t you see my pain? Forcing me on lock, what are you to gain? On yardcall I watch the sky, letting my face get hit by the Rain, so you don’t see that “I cry.” Miss Venus, Arkansas The names Tiffany XO, IM ‘Bout It Stonewall Riots, IM ‘Bout It In the cafeteria throwin coffee mugs, IM ‘Bout It Talking Politics and Movin Agendas, IM ‘Bout It Trans Women In Power IM ‘Bout It Every Minute, Day and Hour, IM ‘Bout It Dedicated to the Trans-women, ABOUT IT! Tiffany, PA
Art by Henry W.
Letters to our Black & Pink family Hi my beautiful family. It’s Robin again. I wrote a while back and had my letter printed. I was set down as being from NY, but I’m from NV. Nevada-Vegas baby! I’m in Ely Nevada right now. Well I’m writing in regard to some of these letters I’ve been reading about all these haters in the prison system, be it prison staff or other inmates and sometimes even our own family members. These people want to make rude comments or try to put us down for one reason or another. Maybe because you’re gay or a “queen,” trans or maybe it’s your case that they’re hating on. Let me tell you something about these haters. They love to make these comments or write you up, put you in the hole or take away your belongings to get a reaction out of you. To play with your emotions. See when they control your emotions they win. In their minds they control you. Don’t let small-minded people control your mind. They control you if you hate them back. Don’t waste your time filling your mind and heart with hate. You are way too beautiful and intelligent than to let others control your behavior. I look at it like this, “Mind over matter.” If you don’t pay these haters any “mind,” then they don’t matter. If you and only you control your emotions, then you win, not them. No matter your case, or that you’re gay, bi, trans, whatever you are! You are a winner. And where I’m from (Vegas) we love to win. Stay strong, stay beautiful and stay winning. With love, Robin Las Vegas NV PS. Life is made up of 10% of what happens to you and 90% of what you do about it.
—▼— Dear Black & Pink family, It’s been a long journey. Thanks to everyone’s letters I read every month and with the help of a very special friend, Pudding, I’ve found my true self and am very happy. Many of you know me as Josh, LA & Love Always. That has all finally changed. Family, I’ve finally grown into Tiffany. It’s amazing how much happier I finally am. I was scared at first to fully come out and I believe that’s why I’ve been so unhappy. The weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I love you all (wiping tears)! Without all of you I would’ve never been happy. 28 years of unhappiness was enough. Please keep your heads up. I will continue to keep the family in my prayers. Tiffany, PA
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Hello brothers & sisters, It’s your girl Mrs. Ge Ge again. Just spreading some more wisdom for you all who are incarcerated. I want to teach you all how you can start an LGBT+ support group in your facility. (Step-1) The very first thing you will want to do is reach out to as many organizations as you can and tell them your idea and what you are trying to do. Let them know that you need their support. Ask them if they would be willing to make phone calls to the prison on your behalf, or write letters to the prison regarding the support group. (Step-2) You need to find other inmates who would be interested in joining your group. Get them to start requesting that a group be started. By doing so, you create pressure to make the P.I.C. comply with your request. To increase the pressure ask all those organizations to start making those calls. (Step-3) You might what to try to find staff (not C/O’s) that would support the idea. See if they would maybe facilitate said group. This takes away the P.I.C.’s ability to make excuses as to why they can’t approve it. (Step-4) Depending on the facility that you are in, you will most likely be denied. This does not mean to simply give up. You just keep on filing your requests to the administration perhaps people higher up on the food chain with each request, or other departments. Maybe you might want to request different things in each of your request too. Like maybe first try to get an inmate organization, then the group, then maybe just a place to meet and talk. Maybe try a religious approach or educational approach. Just don’t stop until they decide to give you a group, and if they deny you you should ask them why. Make sure to keep copies of all responses as this can be useful to show that they are being biased in their decision. You just keep on applying that pressure and the P.I.C. will eventually get tired and give you the group and then you have won. Yeah! Warning to all: Do not collect signatures or names because the P.I.C. can say that you are trying to run a petition and they will lock you up. Just get all the people who are interested, to keep on sending those requests separately than your request or any other requestors. Peace & Solidarity, From Mrs. Ge Ge & L.I.G.H.T. SMILE YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
Letters to our Black & Pink family
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To My Black&Pink Family,
Hello Brothers and Sisters,
I’m writing to you today cause I want to express my feelings and thoughts. I hope that some of you will be able to relate to some of my views and if not at least be able to understand them. First let me say that being a transwoman the first thing I learned is that before you can expect others to accept you, you must accept yourself. It took me a long time to understand that.
It has been a long time since I’ve written, however, I’ve been extremely busy educating myself and preparing for the outside world.
I didn’t always take the easy road either. My entire 20s was sex work, drug abuse, and I was hurting myself more than others. Again no lesson easily learned after spending most of my twenties in jail. I learned that this isn’t what I wanted for myself. Today I keep a journal daily of all my feelings and thoughts. One thing I want to share with you is a quote from my journal. This quote comes from an entry I wrote one morning after Jason came to visit me in jail. “I don’t want my actions to make me different, I want my actions to make a difference.” I believe that if we all think that way we could make a difference and a difference and a change is much needed in todays world. Together we can make that change. I just finished reading a book by Janet Mock, “Redefining Realness,” If you’re a trans woman it’s a must. Please believe me. At age 30- this book helped me learn so much about myself that I wish I learned at a younger age. bell hooks once said, “sometimes people try to destroy you, precisely because they recognize your power - not because they don’t see it, but because they see it and don’t want it to exist.” With that being said I want you to remember that as long as you have a voice you have power. Being incarcerated has taught me that even though they can take away a lot from me they cannot take my voice which is my power and I won’t give it to them or anybody else. Your thoughts, beliefs, and ideas can be so powerful and influential whether you voice it through pen and paper or verbally. It’s a powerful tool to be able to think for yourself, one tool you must never lose. I could go on forever but I don’t want you to lose interest in what I’ve said. So be strong and remember that as long as we have each other to count on and be supportive things will be alright. Keep your heads up, voice loud, beliefs strong, and believe in yourself. Love always, Lexi T. MA
As time progresses, people change. Part of the maturing process is learning through experiences, setting boundaries to live a more stable life, and obtaining and maintaining behavior along the lines of self-discipline, self-control, and self-respect. From the last time you’ve heard from me so much has changed. To browse my life would be an exhaustive and personal approach I would rather not get into, but I’ve had too many bad experiences to learn what is best not to do under incarceration. I hear so many times of “couples” that are separated because of their unconditional love for each other in the midst of circumstances. We are, after all, human beings—are we not? My ex-boyfriend, Richard, and I had a tiresome two years and, although I’d never regret the love I had for him, I wish the circumstances could’ve been different and my love was blinded by irrationality. I sympathize truly with those who are sincerely in love with another person who is out of their reach, but I encourage those who are truly in love to be careful and to be extremely rational in making decisions. The penitentiary is a hard place and is very unkind due to the security measures that are taken. Discrimination is something that has existed for as long as life has and prejudices were extracted from fear and lack of understanding. Minority groups are oppressed because they do not serve all of the same interests of the majority, which makes them unique and distinctive. When you feel as if you are being upon, do not allow the hate to make you bitter or change what makes you different. Never let another person drain happiness out of your life. With me, I’ve chosen to remain solitary until I can share myself with a person mentally, physically, and spiritually, whatever happens is to serve the interests of God, that person, and myself. I do, however, support freedom of oppression and fighting for what you believe in. Thus, I wish the best to everyone who sincerely wants to change and profess unto moral and spiritual liberation. Love always, Jessie, TX
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Letters to our Black & Pink family Dear Family, This is my first time to write and I am nervous. I am writing to let you know that Texas has passed laws and TDOJ has made policies to allow transgender prisoners access to hormone therapy. I am a transgendered woman and I finally was able to afford hormone treatments in the free world in September 2009, 6 months before I was incarcerated for Life Without Parole. I was denied my hormones for almost 6 years before the new policies came into effect. I have been on male units with community showers because when I first came in the doctor I told that I was transgendered and had been diagnosed as having GID/Gender Dysphoria in 1998, decided not to put it in my records or in the computer system. Once I found out that Texas has changed its policies, I put in for hormone treatments. Then everything went crazy. LOL. The day I asked the medical department ran by UTMB, I first was asked who to get my previous use records from the world to which I only had a reply of the doctor who diagnosed me died in 2002 and was a private practitioner. They decided that that would be a dead end. But they are proceeding with the steps to get me back on hormones. The next thing that happened was I got locked up in high security in a single occupant cell because it is the only block that has single man showers. I am to be shipped to a different unit that has only single man showers. Which is good but it rips me from my true love, JW. But he is going to work to get transferred to where I am. The nurses on my unit have told me that it is obvious that I had been on hormones at one time because I have female rounded hips and butt, but because they can’t get my previous records, from the free world, I may have problems getting my hormone treatments started again. I will keep you updated on my progress. I also want to try to get the girls, my sisters, to understand that being called a “punk” is just as bad as being called a “faggot.” First of all the word “punk” is not and was never an all-inclusive word for LGBT girls. Back in the day, Punk meant a gay male who is a “girl,” but hides who or what they really are and acts like a “man” when he is in public. LGBT’s who are fully out and never hid that they liked men for sex and did not care who knew, were actually called “babies.” I will let other prisoners know I am not a “Punk” but a girl who is in the middle of transitioning to a full woman. To all of you sisters who are hiding who and what you are are not helping the cause in Texas Prisons. On my first unit and my current unit, I was more respected by all because I was True To Myself. In fact, I press
the thought given to us by Sister Sledge’s - “We Are Family.” The golden rule my daughters and I follow is “Have faith in you and the things you do, you won’t go wrong.” In fact, you would see my daughters, and me got them, out on the rec yard or in the gym singing that very song. We sing it to let the boys know that we are a strong unit and family and if you mess with, or hurt one of us “Babies,” you will have all of us on you. It is so effective that the boys leave us alone. One even said, “When the women get riled up, it is time to run for the protection of our cells. LOL.” Take that golden rule to heart my sisters and you will see that the more that openly admit that they are LGBT the less persecution you will receive. Especially if you come together to protect each other and to be there as a support structure for anyone who is attacked in any way. I will close this with a “I love you all, my family.” Proudly your sister, Cassie, TX [Editor’s note: We want to affirm Cassie’s experiences and amazing community, and also say that it’s okay not to be out if you don’t feel safe or ready! <3]
Hope Hope is not foolish Hope is the dream of a waking man Hope is the courage & strength By which a warrior will stand. Hope is the sympathy the care & the love, Hope is our true faith In the Lord above. Hope is the power That flows from inside, When we are weakened Hope carries us on its side. E. Roy M.
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Letters to our Black & Pink family Dear Black and Pink family, This is my first letter. My name is Robert, but I go by Bobbie. I’m a 24 year old man that feels and believes he’s a woman. I’m housed in the worst prison in Ohio. I’ve been this way since I was 11 years old. The pain and heartache I go through every day. I’ve been down since I was 14 years old. I show the true me! I don’t hide! I’m not ashamed! For every kick, for every spit in my eye, and for every punch, I die a little more inside. You see I ender the beatings cause I’ll never hide behind something I’m not. In 2012 I found true love but couldn’t do nothing cause I’m faithful and I was in an abusive relationship. At the end of 2013 my true love wrote me and asked if we could hook up I said heck yeah and we’ve been together for almost 3 years now. He’s my rock and my shelter in the storm. I’m going through some health issues so keep me in your prayers. When Scott asked me to marry him, I cried. I wrote him saying goodbye and he flipped out. That was darkest time for me. I’m verbally assaulted every day, I’m called a homo, fag, queer, sicko, sissy. When will the hate end? I can’t wait unti 5-14-2016 cause I’LL BE FREE!!! Every night when the lights go out, I cry myself to sleep. I’ll make it cause my baby needs me. Keep your head up high. Black and Pink has been inspiring. Love, Bobbie, OH
—▼— Dear Black and Pink, My name is Carrie and I am a transwoman incarcerated in southern Ohio. I am a first time offender and this is my first time in prison. I had never heard of the prison abolition movement until reading your newspaper. I doubt I would have cared, honestly. Like most people on the outside, I didn’t have a clue what prison was like. I’d never felt the unending hurt that tears at your heart from being away from your family. I’d never been suicidal on a daily basis (if not for my children I would not be here). The humiliation is palpable, as is the misery and hopelessness. I’ve never known people to have to live this way and now I am one of them. Life truly is a daily struggle. I wrote for a newspaper for twelve years on the outside and I can witness firsthand to the power of the written word. While relationships and the like are fine, we need to focus our attention in this pages to the end of prisons as we know them and better treatment for not just LGBTQ inmates but all of us as a whole. There are many ways that we can start like access to
gender-affirming undies and hormone treatment, the decriminalizing of adult relationships--things that are routinely covered in this newspaper. Then we will see progress. In closing, let me encourage open discussions. We are a family. I’m a “T”; you might be an “L” or a “G.” I don’t care. We are all friends and should act like it. It is love that makes the world go around. A friend to all, Carrie, OH
—▼— To my new family at Black & Pink, My name is Bryan; I am 28 years old. The name I have assumed is Jackelyn Crysty Frost. I am a woman in a mans body and have to live everyday in prison unable to care for myself as a real woman in the “free world” would. Prisoners who identify themselves as transgender are given sexual misconducts if they try to imitate the gender they identify with. Since I was 10 years old I have known that I was meant to be a woman and began to openly acknowledge this at the age of 15, first to my father, then to my mother, grandmother and aunt. However none of them believed me and said that I was just going “through a phase”. I have talked to my psychologists about having G.I.D and they also do not believe me because they say I would’ve needed to be this way my whole life. It is very frustrating living in a world where no one believes you. I am very empowered by the stories that I read in your 2015 Oct/Nov newsletter. I would like to encourage my sisters Dede and Jada to hang in there and stay strong no matter what problems come your way. I am fortunate to have found B&P and found that I have a great LGBT family out there. My bunkie, Robert, who is also my lover, gets your newsletter and told me how inspirational it is and once I read it I was instantly hooked. I would very much like to receive your newsletter I would also like to know what the QIA means in LGBTQIA. Jackelyn, MI [Editor’s note: The Q for Queer, I for Intersex, A for Asexual!]
Poetry from the heart
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Just One Chance I've been living in the dark for awhile, no genuine laughs and heart felt smiles, simply getting up in the morning, at times, is problematic. It's like a part of me is gone and can't find its way home. So I flow slow upon these lines, hoping to find a friendly hand that's willing to withstand walking through the sands of my troublesome wastelands. I bet you're wondering if it's even worth it, feeling as if it has no purpose? Yet, if you were in a similar situation, would you want to live a life with a part of yourself missing, struggling to live on while chipping at your patience? You see, we all have problems, no one is perfect, I'm just looking for a chance, a chance to experience a life once again, no longer feeling lost and incomplete. A life with trustful friends who'll believe in me as I will of them. Can you be that special person? I believe that you are because everybody deserves, Just one chance Clifton G. New York My mind today in solitary 2-9-16 My poems, aren’t really poems…Just pages of my life. The words? Only I know ‘em. The past year has brought me so many experiences…pain, worries, tears…hard to fight off the weariness. I love a love, but I found a lover…been a month since I’ve heard from my mother and brother. I try my best not to stress but best or lest I stress, stress, stress. I’ve finally written my father after a year. We had a long, silent, feud…I’ve shed plenty of tears. But life is too short to hold a grudge…life is too short to say, “no, I won’t budge.” So, forgiveness is given bid our pain good riddance. Now I face a dilemma, no longer will I hide…The beautiful person I am! My colorful gay pride! All my life I’ve been 1/2 in and 1/2 out; hide it from some but with others, I’m about what I’m about. All I know is I’m proud to be me; and, if this coming out cast me out? I’ll smile and say, “Now, what are you about?” I’ve learned so much in my 24 years. On 2-11-of-92 was when I came to be…here! I’m young, dumb, and full of longing but always a hater is in my in, to keep me hoping and wanting. How does it feel to be hated? Or underrated? Call it what you want…discrimination is discrimination. But we’ve got a lot of victories in the past few years; panties and make-up in the D.O.C.’s to Gays married legally in the U.S. of A’s. Still got a long way to go but I think we’ll be ok! :) I’m just rambling, 2-days before my b-day. And to my colorful family I just want to say: Love y’all! Keep it real and gay! Don’t do it any other way! Ride-or-Ride, side-by-side, keep that fire burning inside: Gay Pride And don’t ever think twice! …. LGBTQ for life! Antoine PA P.S. Solitary is a bitch! Stay out of the hole if you can! This isn’t my first but it’s my last. This hole is making me crazy! No mail, money, friends, etc., we got enough oppression. And it sucks turning 24 in the hole! Love Y’all! **Editor’s note, sorry for the late printing of this and all the other submissions, we get so many, sometimes the references to holidays and such highlight how behind we can get, thanks for being patient with us**
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Letter to our Black & Pink family Dear Black & Pink Family, I come...Sorry, have to go deal with someone flooding my cell, will be back with you shortly...Just a quick rant that I know you can relate to; I hate it when someone floods the run and doesn't tell anyone that he is doing so; especially for some stupid reason, like oh, they served chow at 4:00 PM and it's now 6:00 PM and i didn't get my tray but this is the first I'me telling anyone about it...Ahh the joys of prison life...be back after i clean my cell for the 3rd time today.
start making calls to prison administrators for people who are having issues on the inside. Start with the unit warden, then if you don't find the solution, go to the ombudsman's office of the director of the corrections dept. Anyone who wishes to help me is encouraged to contact the TDCJ--Ombudsman's office and my unit warden. See the envelope cover.
Okay, sorry about that, now as I was saying... i come to you from the wonderful world of administrative segregation, not by force, but by choice. I am tired of being treated like a dog. you see i have been "sold" to a gang, and told that there was no way I could get out of it. I was raped last year (2015) but the administration on my unit decided that since i was gay, that can't be rape and that if anything occurred, it was consensual, therefore a violation of policy (code 20). Well after i was taken to a free world ER and examined by a sane, there was evidence of sexual assault. I got really depressed and had myself admitted into a psych unit, whereI spent 3 months. Then the great state of Texas, in their infinite wisdom, decided to send me back to the same unit where i was raped.
With all my love, Robert R. in Texas
Upon arriving back, I was told that I belong to a certain gang, and that there was no way to secure my freedom. After acting up and getting cases (disciplinary's) I was placed in medium custody, where I was and have been subject to extortion, threats of rape, sodomy, murder, and mutilation. i had proof of these threats in the form of kites, yet when i contacted PREA SGT. to investigate, classification committee (UCC) told me that there was no proof of the threats (unsubstantiated). I have been fighting with wardens and PREA SGT. since December, to no avail. Finally in January, i filed a1964 in Federal court requesting that Texas place me into safekeeping status. We will see what happens with that. So for now, we continue to be denied all privileges and I am kept in my cell (9 1/2' x 5'x8'=352^3) 24/7 and not given any rec, phones, or education/vocation. So only time will tell what happens from this point, but remember, though we may be facing trials, there are still people who are going through the same thing. Remember we are greater when we rise up together, as one. We need to join each other and help fight for what is right. If you are on the inside, help someone file a grievance, who is no knowledgeable on the process, give someone a kind word when you walk by their cell going to showers. If you are in the free world,
In loving solidarity with all my brothers and sisters in the fight, stay strong, keep your head up, and know i care about you!
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Buscando contribuciones ¡Hola hermosa familia hispano-parlante de Black & Pink! Estamos buscando contribuciones en español para nuestras secciones de Cartas A Nuestra Familia y Poesía Del Corazón. Por favor envía tu contribución escrita en forma legible y de no más de tres páginas a: Black & Pink – ESPAÑOL 614 Columbia Road Dorchester MA 02125 Damos la bienvenida a cualquier escrito de tu creación, pero dado el espacio y la variedad, no todas las contribuciones pueden ser aceptadas. Al enviar tu contribución, das permiso a Black & Pink para publicar tus escritos en forma impresa y en Internet.
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Call for submissions Seeking erotic short stories, poems, AND ART by Black & Pink incarcerated and free-world family members for a new ‘zine. To be mailed, art cannot include full nudity. Please send submissions (and shout outs to the authors from the first issue mailed in January!) addressed to Black & Pink - HOT PINK. This is a voluntary project, and no money will be offered for submissions, but you might get the chance to share your spicy story with many others! The zine will be sent 1-2 times per year. To subscribe to receive a copy of HOT PINK twice a year, write to our address, Black & Pink - GENERAL.
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Poetry from the heart
Letter
Collective Wars of the Heart and Soul The flash of steel, Kiss my flesh A feeling I’ve come to adore The faint aroma of copper, Its fresh feeling this, I feel no more
I was in receipt of Sept 2015 newspaper in November. I was moved by Wiz Kid like myself had attempted to interview people. Theres not enough qualified therapists. The PREA Manager Manager talked to us on 11.13.15 and we watched a 20 minute videos. May the Inclusive God protect Wiz Kid and many of us who are struggling is our quest for inclusive spirituality. Even when speaking to this paper. There is help available. :) Know you are loved. I love you. Pick up the pen and file greivance each time homophobia comes out of a staff’s mouth. I been doing it every week. I am an SSI for those who are in TX know about it. I get bullied because I am Queer as Folk (HBO). There needs to be a book called Quest for Authentic Queerhood. These stories an Black and Pink have motivated me. You are a blessing from the liberated.
Fingers pointed, years of spit A child that couldn’t know Shame, humiliation, I lost my grip And this monster began to grow. All these scars, a tribute to this war my comfort In uncertain times The separation of my flesh, more hateful words Can you read between the lines? N ow I am the father, that feared It was too late I was the brother afraid to tell I am the son of industrial-strength hate Society sentenced me to my emotional hell. So these are words of comfort, to those that share this longing to feel the same Stay the pain, I love you and I care And NEVER feel ashamed. Robert S, Indiana The First Kiss We met outside of Sunday school class I knew if I got caught that was my ass I stood close to you and felt the rush I seen your body react and blush My hands were in your hair Gospel music was in the air Your eyes were bright as the north star we were close, not far You bumped me with your hip and I brushed your cheek with my lip We came nose-to-nose Your breath was as sweet as a fresh cut rose Your beautiful brown eyes held me in a trance I knew this is what people meant by romance Your lotion smelled like ice cream I thought it was in a daydream When you leaned in you didn’t miss our lips connected for, the first kiss Shaylanna L, NY
To Michelle, keep fighting. I know its been tough for 45 years. Hopefully this will be my last year in prison. I want to write to many of you. As a black gay 32 year old man I dealt with drama. It goes on in the dayroom, church house, etc. The Clemens Unit is extremely disrespectful. It won’t change for the better. It’s getting worse. We have Republicans out on the run. To clean out anti-gay police that disrespects the Creator. Hypocrisy is not necessary. There are stupid people out there who don’t respect queerhood. We must be trailblazers. I sent my award home to keep treasure. I love awards. It was my very 1st queer award. I’m looking forward to more queer awards. My goals are to get legally married, remain active in queer politics, read Harvey Milk, James Baldwin, Clive Davis, Michealangelo Signorile, Ellen DeGeneres, etc. We must be united not divided. I am thankful for their joyous occasion of writing my thoughts here on paper and wanting our queer community to rise higher and don’t feel lonely. Know you are accepted just as you are. My HIV Poz buddies - World AIDS Day was 12/1/15. This year makes 25 years. Lets raise more money to find a cure for HIV/AIDS. Discrimination is discrimination. Lets not allow the conservative Bible straight folks to shutdown the clinics, hospice centers, etc. I’m tired of hearing about the shutdown. Shutdown is not necessary. We need more queer restaurants, politicians, health care centers, schools, daycares, etc. Joseph O TX
Paying the Price: Failure to Deliver HIV Services in Louisiana Parish Jails Excerpt from the report by Megan McLemore, Human Rights Watch, March 29, 2016
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In 2011, the United States, in concert with countries around the world, announced the “beginning of the end of AIDS.” Defeating AIDS would be a stunning achievement in public health. But doing so requires effectively diagnosing, treating, and maintaining individuals with HIV while they receive care. In the United States, this inevitably means addressing HIV in correctional settings. That is because the populations at risk of HIV and the populations that are incarcerated—including people who use drugs, sex workers, the poor, the homeless, and racial and ethnic minorities—overlap in the US. The prevalence of HIV among incarcerated persons is three times greater than in the general population. One out of seven people living with HIV will enter a jail or prison each year. Nowhere is the need for reform more urgent than in Louisiana, which incarcerates people at a higher rate than any other US state. At any given point in time, roughly 1 in 75 Louisiana adults are in jail or prison. In Louisiana parish jails, thousands of people charged with minor, non-violent crimes endure lengthy pre-trial detention, and those with HIV often go undiagnosed, untreated, and without effective community care upon release. Many Louisiana AIDS service providers estimate that between one-quarter to one-half of their clients have been in jail or prison—in many cases frequently—an experience that endangers their health, safety, and even their lives. [...] The state of Louisiana is “ground zero” for the dual epidemics of HIV and incarceration. Its two major cities, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, lead the country in new HIV infections each year. The death rate from AIDS in Louisiana is among the highest in the US. As of January 2016, the Louisiana Department of Corrections housed 525 prisoners living with HIV; in 2010, the prevalence of HIV in Louisiana state prisons was 3.5 percent, the second highest in the country. The United States’ incarceration rate is the highest reported in the world, and Louisiana incarcerates its residents at a rate 150 percent higher than the national average, higher than any other state. Louisiana parish jails hold more than 30,000 people daily, including people convicted of relatively minor offenses by local courts, some federal prisoners, and nearly half of the state prison population. The same socioeconomic factors that place people at risk for HIV—poverty, homelessness, drug dependence, mental illness—also place them at higher risk of incarceration. The HIV epidemic and the criminal justice system are marked by similarly disturbing racial disparities: in Louisiana, African-Americans are 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV and five times more likely to be incarcerated than whites. For heavily policed groups, such as people who use drugs, sex workers, transgender women, and LGBT youth, the overlap of HIV and imprisonment is not a coincidence. Going to jail tends to make people poorer, less stably housed, and more likely to be jailed again—all factors known to play a part in HIV prevention and outcomes. Even brief incarcerations are likely to interfere with people’s access to, or use of, HIV medications and reduce the chances of achieving viral suppression, the pinnacle of good health for someone living with HIV. Inadequate Treatment in Parish Jails Many HIV positive people, including prisoners, do not know they are living with HIV. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that all correctional facilities provide routine voluntary HIV testing to promote awareness of their status as well as linkage to medical care in the facility and upon release. Yet in Louisiana, only 5 of 104 parish jails regularly offer HIV tests. At other parish jails, HIV tests are conducted only if a prisoner appears ill, or in some cases if requested. In a state facing one of the country’s worst HIV epidemics, the extent of HIV in Louisiana parish jails remains unknown; when asked if they were holding any prisoners with HIV, several jail officials Human Rights Watch interviewed said that they were not aware of any. Cost as a Barrier to Treatment The reasons for limited testing are not a mystery. HIV medication is expensive; a treatment course can average more than $50,000 per year. In Louisiana, jail budgets are the responsibility of local parishes, the equivalent of counties in other US states. Several jail officials told Human Rights Watch that they avoided HIV testing because they could not afford to provide treatment to prisoners testing positive for HIV. The federal government offers little assistance. With few exceptions, it does not fund HIV treatment for state or local prisoners. Federal Medicaid excludes all incarcerated persons from coverage, and services under the Ryan White Act that assist people living with HIV are of limited availability for people in jail or prison. Federal programs permitting nonprofits to purchase medications at a discount are not available to correctional facilities. Jail health budgets are under added pressure from the state’s recent privatization of LSU Continued on next page
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Continued from prior page “charity” hospitals that used to provide subsidized medical services to state and local prisoners. Under the new system, the state Department of Corrections (DOC) holds the purse strings for aspects of what it calls “offender care” and has decided—apparently purely due to budgetary constraints—that HIV care is not a reimbursable expense. This leaves jails on their own, and means they have a powerful incentive not to encourage prisoners to disclose or test their HIV status. Officials at jails that do offer testing and HIV treatment said that medication costs consume large portions of their total health budgets. In parish jails throughout Louisiana, HIV treatment is often delayed, interrupted, or denied altogether. For prisoners living with HIV, the health consequences can be devastating. Case managers at AIDS service organizations throughout the state described clients who “disappear” into jails, go months without HIV medications, emerge gravely ill, and in some cases, die after release. “I took sick.... I had flu, congestion, bumps on my skin, I lost a lot of weight,” said Keith, 32, who spent two years in a parish jail without HIV medication. “I was scared. I was going through a crisis in there.” Most Louisiana parish jails also do not ensure that people living with HIV connect to medical care when they return to the community. In Louisiana, only half of people living with HIV remain in care after visiting a doctor, and many are lost to care after leaving a correctional facility. With few exceptions, release from parish jail is a haphazard process consisting of whatever is left of their medication package, a list of local HIV clinics, or often nothing at all. When clients fail to appear for appointments, some HIV case managers told us that they check jail websites and, if they manage to locate them, simply hope for their eventual return, expecting no communication from the jail or the client. Many prisoners living with HIV, fearing discrimination and harassment by guards or other inmates, choose not to disclose their HIV status while incarcerated even though it means missing doses of medication. As one case manager explained, “If they saw people being treated and linked to care, they might disclose, but right now there is only the downside.” State Prisoners in Parish Jails The state Department of Corrections (DOC) operates an HIV testing program and a strong discharge planning program for HIV-positive prisoners housed in its nine state facilities. But in Louisiana, roughly half of all state prisoners—about 18,000 people as of early 2016— are housed not in DOC facilities but in parish jails. DOC offers no testing, treatment or discharge planning services to any of these prisoners—essentially running a two-tiered system that ignores the potential need for HIV services among nearly half of its population. The DOC tries to justify this approach by claiming that no HIV-positive prisoners are in local parish jails, and maintains that HIV-positive prisoners are promptly transferred to DOC facilities, an approach that ignores the lack of routine HIV testing in parish jails. Even for inmates who disclosed their status in a parish jail, Human Rights Watch received several reports of HIV-positive DOC prisoners who were not transferred out of parish jails and did not receive adequate treatment for HIV in the parish facility. By claiming there are no HIVpositive prisoners in parish jails, DOC avoids responsibility for providing equivalent HIV testing, treatment, and linkage to care for this highly vulnerable population of DOC prisoners. Human Rights Obligations Louisiana’s failure to ensure that prisoners have HIV testing, treatment, and linkage to care upon release is inconsistent with its obligations under international human rights law. To protect the right to the highest attainable standard of health and provide adequate medical care in detention, the state of Louisiana, parish governments, and the federal government should ensure that policies promote and ensure access to HIV care in all state and local correctional facilities. Louisiana Department of Corrections should address undiagnosed HIV in parish jails and end funding exclusions for HIV-related services for prisoners in parish jails. Louisiana should ensure that prison health services have enough funds to meet international legal obligations to a population that depends on it for health care. Louisiana health officials should ensure that all detention facilities have strong HIV testing programs in place, and facilitate participation in federal programs that will help pay for HIV medications for prisoners awaiting trial. Policymakers should consider that when it comes to people living with HIV, public health objectives may best be met by avoiding detention altogether. For prisoners living with HIV who stay in jail without adequate treatment, health consequences become more serious the longer treatment is delayed, interrupted, or denied, and treatment becomes more expensive. Louisiana has taken some important steps, including reducing mandatory minimum sentences, revising marijuana laws, and expanding parole and probation opportunities. In New Orleans, innovative projects have significantly cut its jail population, and risk assessment tools help judges identify and release pre-trial defendants who pose no risk to the community. Alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and pre-trial detention should be urgently explored and expanded, state-wide. There is no time to waste. Detention in Louisiana parish jails endangers the health, safety, and the very lives of people living with HIV.
Possible Transfer of Transgender People to Federal Prisons Matching Their Identity
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Are you a transgender person currently incarcerated in the Federal Bureau of Prisons? Are you interested in getting moved to the gendered prison that matches your identity (for example, if you’re a transgender woman, do you want to be moved to a women’s prison)? The BOP claims that they are moving some transgender people to prisons that match their gender identity, we have never heard of any examples of this. We are working with a team of people trying to advocate for specific individuals to be transferred. We cannot promise anyone will get moved, but we do want to collect information from people who might want to be moved. If you are one of these people, please send us the following information: Name, number, address, sentence length (including likely release date), any history with disciplinary tickets, current classification level (if you know it), whether or not you have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder, what types of gender affirming recognition you already have from the BOP (such as if they allow you to get gender appropriate underwear, medical care, etc.), and any other information you think would be important to know. Please send this information to Black and Pink - Federal Housing
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