In addition to having the highest incarceration rate of women in the world, the U.S. has seen an increase of 700% of women behind bars in the last forty years. 80% of those jailed are mothers and two-thirds are women of color. Despite this crisis, the unique lived experiences of incarcerated mothers of color receive little attention in conversations around mass incarceration. Blending essays, interviews, visual art, and poetry, Muchacha Fanzine’s “Free Our Mamas” amplifies the voices of incarcerated mothers of color and activists on the outside who together are fighting for a world where all mamas can live dignified lives, free from cages and the clutches of the carceral state. 25% of all zine proceeds benefit Philadelphia Community Bail Fund’s “Black Mamas Bail Out Campaign” to help free Black mothers and reunite them with their families this Mother’s Day and beyond.
