15 Years of Giving Voice to Women and Transgender Prisoners in California

An interview with Diana Block, Pam Fadem, and Deirdre Wilson of the California Coalition for Women Prisoners (From Angola 3 News).

http://www.alternet.org/story/152675/

On Sept. 26, the statewide prisoner hunger strike resumed after a postponement of almost two months to give the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) time to implement policy changes. The CDCR has reported that as of Sept. 28, almost 12,000 prisoners were striking and public support is needed in order for the strike to be most effective. An update posted October 7 at the “Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity” website stated that “medical conditions are also worsening for strikers throughout the state. We’ve received reports that after 12 days of no food, prisoners are once again losing severe weight and fainting. One hunger striker at Pelican Bay was denied his medication and consequently suffered from a heart attack and is now is an outside hospital in Oregon.”

http://prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/medical-conditions-of-hunger-strikers-worsen-strikers-supporters-keep-fighting-back/

The current hunger strike demonstrates once again that injustice fuels resistance, and California has a rich history of prisoners, former prisoners, and their supporters taking a stand. Among these freedom fighters is the California Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP), self-publishers of a newsletter entitled The Fire Inside (archived here). CCWP will be celebrating its 15th year anniversary on October 14, with an event in San Francisco featuring longtime anti-prison activist and former political prisoner Angela Davis along with other speakers and performers.

http://www.womenprisoners.org/
http://www.womenprisoners.org/fire/

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