Slave Narratives

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #23: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

An Open Letter – to My Nubian Sisters!

I love you and I need you. I’m writing you because I have problems, and I can see no way of correcting them without your cooperation. Unfortunately, you’ve been forced to carry more than your share of our burden. That’s not your fault. It’s mine. You see, you haven’t fully understood my problems because I have not fully explained them. In order for us to successfully share the burden, we must understand our horrible past and see how that past has shared our present. Only then can we build a thriving future.

Chains around my neck, whips to my back, I lost my name, language, religion, and you. I watched helplessly as you were sold away from me and raped repeatedly. My inability to save you from the beast was a constant reminder of my mental and emotional castration. I couldn’t look you in the eye. I prayed you were pregnant with my child and when you weren’t, I committed the worst offense known to man. I hated myself, then I hated you. The beast knew the greatest threat to slavery was the black man, turning most of us into whimpering, trembling, uncle toms.

A treacherous plan is being executed on black men and is the reason why so many of us are involved in the penal system, on drugs or alcohol, homeless, or just plain trifling. The problem with holding down the negro is easily solved. When you control a man’s thinking, you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to send him to the back, he will go without being told. Lincoln legislated the removal of the physical chains, but not the mental ones. If he wanted to rectify the psychological damage, he couldn’t, that’s something we have to do for ourselves. True freedom is never given, it can only be taken. It’s my estimate that 40 percent of us are either unaware or under-aware of the existence of the “mental chains.” While another 20 percent have knowledge of the “mental chains” but have simply given up the fight for their manhood. These “mental chains” manifest themselves as drug abuse, criminal activity, womanizing, wife beating, couch potatoes, riots, feelings of inferiority, low ambitions, and a lack of desire for knowledge of our history.

Beautiful Nubian Sisters, you are in a tough predicament because when it comes to finding an upstanding black man with character and backbone, the odds appear to be against you. To get what you want, you must become an excellent judge of character and potential. Yes, we’ve made mistakes and bad choices but many of us are righting the mistakes of yesterday and overcoming the adversity of today. My advice to you is to please judge us by our spirits, not by where we are, but by where we are going. Get in touch with our spirits, and let’s commit to each other, when each of us are committed to the advancement of our people, then we have another thread that will help us help each other to grow and flourish despite the odds. My Nubian Sister, when I ask you to be my woman, I want you to be my spiritual partner, the mother of my children, and my lover. I need you to help me become the man I envision being and vice versa. We can make it through compromise, commitment, love, and a sense of humor!

The resurrection of the black man means prosperity for black people in America. I was created to love, protect, and cherish you and our daughters. It is my duty to guide and direct our sons. Therefore, the onus is upon black men to help young black men and each other. We must heal each other and teach our sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, cousins, and neighbor’s children of our glorious African history. We must teach them of the power god has given them and the unlimited possibilities the world offers them! Contrary to popular belief, we don’t need any more leaders, we need each other.

My Nubian Sister, I love you but sometimes I don’t know how to love you. I’m just learning how to love myself. Come with me, trust in me, fall in love with me AGAIN, and together we will rebuild our black families!

Love,
Your Nubian Brother

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #22: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

No voy a hablar

No voy a hablar; tampoco voy a vender cuentos si a dondequiera que miras se nota el sufrimiento.

No voy a hablar; del abuso y la injusticia, de la pobreza y la ignorancia que se propaga con malicia

No voy a hablar; de la falta de atención medica ni de gobernantes incapaces en posiciones estratégicas

No voy a hablar; de la moral en calzoncillos si hay quien abusa del poder para llenarse los bolsillos

No voy a hablar; de un pueblo ciego sin promesa que se rompe la cabeza por los problemas que atraviesa

No voy a hablar; de armas porque hay suficientes que se disparan a diario matando a gente inocente

No voy a hablar; si entre nosotros nos matamos si seguimos como vamos al mañana no llegamos

No voy a hablar; de guerras como si no hay ninguna mientras la mayor parte de nosotros pelea en mas de una

No voy a hablar; del dolor en corazones ni de las complicaciones que surgen en las relaciones

No voy a hablar; del dios que cause monopolios ni de seguidores ciegos con prejuicios y con odio

No voy a hablar; del abuso contra menores a manos de sus familiares, religiosos o profesores

No voy a hablar; de toda esa gente en prisión que saldrán tarde o temprano sin rehabilitación

No voy a hablar; de los que acumulan fortuna mientras muchos mueren de hambre y enfermedades sin vacuna…

Dicen que “para buen entendedor pocas palabras bastan,”; pero ¿Que pasara si no hay Buenos entendedores?!

También dicen: “La mejor palabra es la que no se dice,” Pero…si no se dice, no se puede escuchar y si no se escucha por la razón que sea, será mas difícil hacer la diferencia!!

Ely Iglesias (W-57655)
P.O. Box 43
Norfolk, Massachusetts, 02056
——————————————————-

I’m not going to talk

I’m not going to talk; I’m not going to sell stories either, wherever you look at the suffering.

I’m not going to talk; Of abuse and injustice, of poverty and ignorance that spreads maliciously

I’m not going to talk; Of lack of medical attention or incapable rulers in strategic positions

I’m not going to talk; Of morale in underpants if there is someone who abuses power to fill their pockets

I’m not going to talk; Of a blind people without a promise who break their heads because of the problems they face

I’m not going to talk; Of weapons because there are enough that are fired every day killing innocent people

I’m not going to talk; If among us we kill and continue to go on as if tomorrow will not arrive

I’m not going to talk; Of wars as if there is none while most of us fight in more than one

I’m not going to talk; Of the pain in hearts nor of the complications that arise in relationships

I’m not going to talk; Of the god who causes monopolies or blind followers with prejudice and hatred

I’m not going to talk; Of abuse against minors at the hands of family members, religions or teachers

I’m not going to talk; Of all those people in prison who will leave sooner or later without rehabilitation

I’m not going to talk; Of those who accumulate fortune while many die of hunger and diseases without vaccine …

They say that “to a good understanding few words suffice,”; But what if there are no good understanders?!

They also say: “The best word is the one that is not said,” But … if you do not say it, you can not hear it and if you do not listen for whatever reason, it will be harder to make a difference!!

Ely Iglesias (W-57655)
P.O. Box 43
Norfolk, Massachusetts, 02056

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #21: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

I sincerely hope you’re in a peaceful state of mind and enjoying life. I am very thankful and grateful for this opportunity to be heard. I am currently serving a life sentence, wrongfully convicted of a murder I didn’t commit. I was devastated after being arrested, accused of murder, and later wrongfully convicted due to faulty perjured eyewitness testimony, police perjury, judicial bias, prosecutorial misconduct, unqualified expert witness testimony, and ineffective assistance of counsel.

Imagine being 22 years young, sentenced to one day die in prison.

I was lost for a while but I eventually adapted to a life of incarceration.

I have been incarcerated for almost twelve years. I’ve utilized this time and experience to continuously grow and mature mentally, by embracing new avenues of learning and diverse perspectives.

Before my incarceration, I had a lack of appreciation for life, and very little guidance. I didn’t truly understand the values of life and living, nor did I yet value my self-worth, or notice the great qualities and potential I possessed.

I remember a point in my life when I was so damaged, I didn’t really care whether I lived or not. I actually expected to die young, because dying young was normal within my culture.

I have lost many good friends to violence, and to our deeply flawed legal system. Our legal system promises equal treatment under the law…myself, and many others are living proof, that is a broken promise!

When I was arrested, I was ignorant to the rules and science of the law, although I had been arrested before. I couldn’t afford an attorney so the Commonwealth of Massachusetts appointed attorney (Mr. Earl Howard) to represent me. I relied upon Mr. Howard, as my attorney, to have the competence, legal knowledge, knowledge of legal principles, and skill necessary to represent me. The United States Constitution guarantees a criminal defendant a Sixth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel.

In my quest for “true justice” I realized it was in my best interest to be diligent and learn about the rules and science of law as it pertains to my case. In doing so, I found several injustices in my case, which led to my being wrongfully convicted. Throughout my incarceration, I have met other men who were also appointed Mr. Howard to represent them. Those men have similar charges, sentences, and are also men of color…which to me is a disturbing trend!

I often wonder how many defendants in total, of color, with similar charges and sentences were appointed Mr. Howard to represent them?

To my knowledge, there are six of us, but I’m afraid there are more.

Although incarceration has been overwhelming, and a major hindrance, I refuse to allow it to break, nor stop me from achieving my goals. The overall goals being Freedom, Success, and Happiness. I am seeking sincere, authentic, and understanding individuals to help me achieve the goals above.

Thanks for allowing me to share my story and thoughts.

Be safe and stay true.

Sincerely,
Dwight A. Williams Sr. #W90080
P.O. Box 43
Norfolk, MA 02056

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #20: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

To Whom It May Concern,

I am not shocked. I wish that this wasn’t the case. I desire to one day wake up in this hellhole and everyone be filled with discontent. It seems as if the concerned few are in the minority. Those who are okay with their current condition are overwhelmingly among the majority. So when I say that I’m no longer shocked at the things that I see daily here, I mean just that. People who don’t give a shit about their lives run the prison system. Trust me when I say that I am far from propagating that conditions here should improve. I disagree with better living conditions in a prison. What “slave” do you know would ask his master for a bed in his shack or some better food. He don’t give a shit about none of that. He wants to be liberated and freed from bondage and most importantly wants the system (institution of slavery) to be abolished. That said, I want the system abolished. I do and will support any challenge to the slave master. I will stand toe to toe when it’s time to confront the conditions on the plantation. Don’t misconstrue, however, I will take the lead in making sure that the slave master knows that I don’t like it here. He/she will never sense a complacency from me. I will cry liberation every day until I’m gone. My cell is just what it is. A cell. A bad cell, a part of a larger body filed with cancer. It is a slave quarter. No, I will not wax my floor and tell another slave to take his shoes off before he enters, then turn around and say nothing to the C.O. (correction officer) for walking in with his boots on. Hell no! Never wake up and be comfortable. In fact, I can’t even use the term “wake up” because I haven’t been asleep since I been here. I haven’t had a dream in years. Free me from hell first. Free all slaves from bondage first. Abolish slavery in the United States of America first, then I will rest and hopefully dream. Until then, I’m wide awake and ready to fight. That said, I am not shocked at the state that we are in. I am also sick and tired of being told that my anger doesn’t matter. I should be grateful for what I have. That’s like telling me that I should be ok with food that is nasty because kids in Africa are starving. Trust me, I am very empathetic at the same time, but what the fuck that got to do with my food being nasty? I still want good food and I also want them to eat. My conditions suck whether people are hungry or not. I know that may come off as insensitive but I’m really not. I feel like my heart is ripped out of my chest every day that I’m here. I feel like my testicles are being cut off every day that I’m here. I’m screaming liberty. Free me from this pain and agony due to modern day slavery. I am…
–to be continued

Sincerely,
Tufayl Kaseem-Amir
The Neo-Slave

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #19: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

The June 19, 2017 Unprovoked MCI Norfolk Institutional Lockdown

The Massachusetts Department of Corrections (DOC) facility at MCI Norfolk has been on an unannounced lockdown status since 10:00 P.M. of June 18, 2017. Prisoners were not informed or forewarned about the apparent planned institutional lockdown status and have been informed by DOC staff members the prison will remain in such status for five days. The administration is not allowing prisoners to make any outside communications (phone calls, send outgoing mail, receive visits etc.), shower, or drink clean water. Almost coincidentally, yesterday (June 18), The Boston Globe released an article lambasting the MCI Norfolk prison institution about the toxic water we’ve been consuming for years and the institution’s administrative indifference to the prisoners’ health conditions from consuming said sources.

Some prisoners are confined to double cells and unable to shower or drink from adequate water sources while all prisoners are confined and also unable to shower. Below are the written testimonies from men here at MCI Norfolk and the author (Derrick Washington), who cared to volunteer their thoughts and opinions of the status of our current condition:

Testimony 1: 
Since I’ve been a slave 33 years and counting, nothing surprises me more than the lack of concern the DOC has for the salves they capture and torture on an everyday basis. During this ambush (yet another of many to come), I’m in a two-man cell with another inmate who is sick. So now no water (clean water), no shower, in the middle of 90 degree weather trying my best not to go crazy, wondering what is gonna kill me first: the water, the germs, or the lack of human concern. All and all, it’s been a good day. The slave master hasn’t made it to my cell yet to place his/her hands all over my personal belongings and take what they deem contraband and as a good slave, I will smile while I pick up the mess they left for me to clean. After all, I ‘m a slave. It’s what I’m trained to do!

Testimony 2: 
While I agree somewhat, I must point out that as prisoners in Massachusetts Department of Corrections, we have very few rights, but one right we do have and which is constantly denied to us is the right to have clean drinking water and proper medical care. The medical care here is not consistent with regulations and prisoners continue to die because of indifference to our basic human requirements. Life for Massachusetts prisoners changed for the better in 1972-73, after the Attica and Walpole riots—what will these people listen to if there is no hope.

Testimony 3: 
It comes as no surprise that the DOC has once again shielded themselves under the umbrella of “security.”

Testimony 4: 
Incompetent + unprofessional.
And absolutely indifferent to all things in relation to treating men within the DOC as human beings. The conditions which inmates are being subjected to are the equivalent of dog kennels: without proper living conditions as well as current Flint water issues of known toxic poisoning. It’s as simple as that. The DOC does not care!! So having non-notified non-security policy regulated lockdown shake downs would be another abuse of their own policies. Today’s events are just another way to remove one more layer of dignity from those under the foot of a supposed legal standard. When in fact, it’s a standard of old…regarding the lives of those within the power of authorized legal illegal abuse, of inmates in the DOC. To understand the actions of the DOC is to look at it in its entirety, with a complete open-mindedness about the facts. It operates under the guise of justice, when it’s really just about us!
With much scrutiny
W.Brown

Testimony 5: 
My name is Iran Diaz. I’ve been in these types of unprovoked “shake downs” before and what is not said is the property loss that goes on. Usually the loss seems to be property that is excess, however, what gets “thrown in” with that loss are things we pay for. Headphones, knee braces, books, cosmetics, and other miscellaneous things that the administration “never” replaces. The lack of respect and disregard is always the case in these kinds of shakedowns. Therefore, we have to pay for more items we shouldn’t have lost! Be aware of these things free society! We have been convicted of a crime(s). However, this type of punishment is overkill for the lack of a better term. Thank you for your time.

Testimony 6:
My name is Michael Hicks. This morning I woke up to an unprovoked lockdown + shakedown. What I find hard to understand is the lack of respect that the staff that gets paid to do this job shows us, not only that I’m celled in with another man, we can’t take showers, we share a toilet in a cell that’s not built for two men at all. Since I’ve been here at M.C.I. Norfolk, it’s been a water ban. I’ve been here for over 8 years, the water is dirty and shouldn’t be used, but what choice do I have? I’ve been doing time since I was 18 years, just like the administration in the past, this one is no different. I’m unable to talk with my family and loved ones for 5 days for no reason at all. It won’t surprise me if they retaliate against me for speaking the truth.

Testimony 7:
Forced to sit in a twelve by ten cell with no ventilation with the outside temperature at 90 degrees. Forced to stay hydrated with the unsafe water, having no opportunity to shower, use the phone, and send out legal mail, with expiration dates near. Being held captive as if we aren’t already incarcerated. Our rights are being challenged, we are being threatened as prisoner doesn’t mean without worth. It’s a name for the wrong done to others. To the outside world, we as prisoners need to been as us as human
D Will

Testimony 8:
I’m forced to sit in a 12/10 cell with no ventilation on a 90 degree day with no clean water, no showers because that’s how the DOC works. They don’t care about our conditions as long as they keep making money off us. I can’t make any phone calls to inform my family of our situation so I’ll tell my story now. The DOC might not care, but hopefully someone out there does so let’s put a stop to this now.
N. Harrell

Testimony 9: 
Me encuentro en una celda forzado a comer en la celda sin ningun tipo de bano. El departamento es uno hijo de la gran puta. No podemos ni bañarnos. Sin aviso ninguno, es injusto lo que estan aciendo. Espero que esta situacion se mejore pronto.

Testimony 10:
Soy un preso sin derecho alguno. Nos tienen sin ningun tipo de comunicacion. A mi familia en especial, creo que nos estan violando nuestros derechos. Ni un baño nos dar. Mi opinion, creo que es inhumano.
Sinceramente un preso
Pablito

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #18: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

REAL: Be yourself and never compromise that for anyone or anything. Since I’ve been in the penitentiary, I’ve met some of the most authentic people (real) I ever met in my life. This is an environment where the whole “fake it till you make it” B.S. only lasts so long. False images and personas get exposed quickly after weeks, months, and years in the constant company of one another. Though my experiences, I’ve come to realize that when I look into the eyes of some of the men in here who have nothing left (material) to give, I’m able to see the “wholeness” of that person. In this place the residents are equally oppressed, deprived, and cut off from society and have nothing left to give except all of them to whatever they’re investing their energy into. The pains that come from the strict isolation of incarceration within itself creates a desire to seek out activities to fulfill the time to make days go by faster and bring about some peace of mind. Some choose to sniff medications to get high while others decide to work out all day. Regardless of what we choose to do, we’re all stuck in a hell-hole where the people and space remain the same which usually works to either bring the best out of a person or rip the soul out of him.

Growing up as a young adult, I interpreted “Real” to mean to have heart and to fear no one or anything. In many cases that would mean not to fear death or doing things that could someday lead me to being caught and thrown into the cage that I find myself locked in today. Among the many different meanings of Real, it also meant to not give a fuck. As a young adult, we smoked weed just to maintain a smile and drank fifths of Hennessey to keep us up while we sold coke and crack throughout the night. I’ll never forget the first day I drove through the hood in my new money green 2002 Aurora (in the year 2003) riding on 20 inch rims. I was only 18 years old but had a never-ending smile as I pulled to a stop at the top of Amherst street to pay homage to my man “Lil P” and Cleve.” All I could do is smile as they leaned into my car window to embrace me—it was Lil P who then said “D, you the Realist Nigga I know.” I just smiled at him as I passed off the already lit blunt of marijuana I’d been smoking, for him and Cleve to draw from. It was like yesterday; I didn’t even respond to his comment. I just nodded my head while turning the music up (that was around the time when 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Trying” CD had just hit the streets) and then pulled off. I remember thinking to myself like “these lil niggas don’t even know that imma be a millionaire before the age of 20.”

At that time, my mother was already serving time in state prison in Ohio and my father was not present. I love my mother with all my heart and when the system took her out of my life for a reason I believed was not her fault, that really brought the best of the worst out of me. It was a lot for my young mind to process. The only thing that now mattered were my younger siblings, who had nobody. I felt like only “Real Niggas” could relate to me and survive in my situation. With that mentality—I gave all of me to the streets because the streets were my way of survival. I developed a hatred towards law enforcement and government and sold crack from 12:00 to 12:00. I never even thought to do anything else because that was all I had known to survive. The life I lived had all the physical characteristics as the hell that religious people often describe—I figured, fuck it survival by all means. If there is an actual hell after death, I guess I’ll just have to survive down there as well.

Today, I find myself in a different hell although I am still alive. Unironically, I’m still surviving and continuing to be myself given the circumstances that myself and 2.3 million other men face. I’m still grinding and hustling in this hell as well. The only difference now is that the grind has become organizing for political strength and people power and the hustle has transferred to spreading awareness. So what’s REAL? REAL remains the same, having heart and being yourself! Facing your trials and tribulations face to face and growing from them to move towards your goals in life while continuing to evolve in your understanding of the world around you. Selling crack in the face of adversity was not the answer but however, that’s what I knew how to do and because of that, I’m able to see my mistake in relegating myself to such a limited way of thinking and grow from it. By being able to broaden my thinking, I’ve been able to free myself from a cyclical pattern of a cultural and generational path of self-destruction. I had to be completely REAL and honest with myself to allow me to evolve in my wisdom and understanding.

So I guess the takeaway for all people is to continue to be yourself (REAL) and regardless of the hardship or adversity you may confront, keep your head up, stay strong, and adapt to it while using the best of you while remaining you! BE REAL!

Derrick Washington

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #17: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

“I refuse to let myself be punished with stuff like this. Locked in jail, within a jail, my mind is still free. I refuse even to allow myself to be forced by living conditions into a response that is not commensurate with intelligence and my final objective.” – George Jackson, Soledad Brother.

Physically, we are in prison but let’s not conform our minds to do/move like we are, simply giving into what the system wants us to do, such as playing cards/sports all day, not ever really giving thought to will ourselves a better destiny, a better man. We are capable of a lot of things, but this is the bottom of the barrel so we’ve got to use our time in prison to create more in life. We all had some type of plan, a dream, could put anything on it that this wasn’t part of it. So why stop planning?! This is the start for us, only if we use our time wisely. Study, focus on your mind and body, work it overtime. We all have willpower within us. We just have to find the means to drive us to wake it up, keep our minds steady, plotting for more! Never allow our minds to shut down due to our living conditions. Think of this as a momentary thing and know that your time is near to unfold all your tools and apply it to the reality of things. Once we let ourselves waste away with nonsense, things that aren’t a source for success, that’s when we’ve lost. In any victory, great victory, preparation was key! So why waste time fooling around in prison, only to be granted your freedom later with no plan, leaving you to freestyle though with no direction, not knowing exactly where to land. Why risk that?! We’ve got to prevent things like that. Of course, all plans don’t go according to the plan but it’s on you to will another one until you find yourself sitting lovely, comfortable enough to relax your mind, close your eyes like “Yeah I did it!!!!” Life is what we make it. Mistakes are always going to be made but it’s not the mistake that breaks us. It’s not learning from our mistakes that breaks us. Why make the same mistake twice?! Life doesn’t stop till our heart stops. So steadily want for more, but show action with the thought of wanting more.

Calvin Vasconcelos

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #16: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

Today was a long day,
I was awoken by the screams, grown men trapped in their dreams, in a place where sleep becomes an escape from reality, but reality manifests itself in your unconscious minds…surrounded by cement walls, where the doors are locked, and if the door isn’t locked then the door behind that door is locked and it’s all surrounded by another cement wall.

Today was a long day,
For the sake of conversation, I called a man by a derogatory term, and the talk was only as long as I could deal with his ignorance without being affected by this common irritation…see, these are signs of recreation, while some men try and find peace through meditation, the rest just tell stories of violence and spurts of memories that will hopefully take another young mind and inspire imitation.

Today was a long day,
This is a place where your mind is used against you, as a form of torture hidden in formulas to reinvent you, telling you that society won’t accept you, everything you have learned up until this point has been erased, replaced with disgrace, until they feel that the tools that they have given you are essential or until your personality can be defined by your mental.

Today was a long day,
Once the iron cuffs are placed on you, in a way, it becomes equivalent to your wake, the sentence is your funeral with no eulogy to partake, birthdays no longer require care, people who used to love you, hug you, kiss you, seem to forget about your existence and what was real becomes fake. Memories keep your persistence intact, little white lies are misconstrued into facts, and even the most guilty of the guilty seem to define their heinous crime with a moment where they could take it all back.

Today was a long day,
I can tell you how many days I’ve had like today where it feels like a movie on rewind, the rewind becomes play, but the plot never thickens, the movie never ends and you’re left with nothing else to say, besides this…

Today was a long day!

–Jacob Velazquez aka “J-Dollaz”

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #15: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

…Why not look to here after? Many of us had been captured and sanctioned to perpetual servitude. It boggles the minds of many of us how slavery can exist within a free country. Well, free is subjective while the objective for some electors has been subjugation. The race war has shifted to a caste war in which income establishes our class while many remaining at the base striving to last but all too often we still end up last. Born to poverty to be shaped by the projects, reared for prisons as if it were destined. What is life to those who shape lives? Does life become a living hell or were we simply born into it? The land of the free never applied to me as living hell became actuality—a living reality and not a myth or a tale only told by the comfortable and old. No, men beg for death—or at the last a long lasting dream where everything seems utopian.

Why do men pull triggers? For a fleeting moment of survival? I don’t know, nowadays moments are worth a lifetime as a result, hatred toward one another has become inherent—inherent in the laws and criminal statutes that govern society—hatred towards Blacks and minorities has become priority. Priority for promise—but I promise we will prevail and be a voice. Not just a voice of rhetoric but a voice at the ballot. Our voice will connote choice which is swift like the wind bringing an end to that in which must end. Chains and slavery was said to be broken but remains a token through the erosion of skewed forms of what classifies citizenship. Citizens who’ve yet to be treated as such don’t expect much from our government, have pledge their allegiance to a flay beholden to a felonious past embedded in its history, which is no mystery. The mystery lies in the promise of an equitable future of equality. False promises and proclamations don’t go far—It’s incumbent upon the people to shape our reality in our image in our ideals of liberty and freedom. We need more of us and us more of them! Rise up!

Your Champion,
Derrick Washington

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SLAVE NARRATIVE #14: Real Thoughts and Experiences from the Perspectives of Massachusetts Prisoners

This is a reduction of my experiences and reality wherefore they held me (and are still holding me) expressly against my will. Against my will within an institution of industrialized commerce; and, furthermore, a perpetual state of treatment-denial as an extreme gender dysphoric prisoner. This narrative has been deeply contemplated and undoubtedly could be expanded in a manner similar to the first atom of life; however, differing in that it would be meticulously manifested: atomic dimensions of natural-life without parole!

One must ask oneself: Are you enslaved? Are you human-product being warehoused? Am I purposefully dying in their cellular-space to sparkle in human darkness to feed the lives of those who journey through the universe???

Does my death-by-no parole elevate my slavery-torn soul? Emphatically not! Me and all freedom sojourners who have been sensory-deprived, caged morally coerced to be uncivilized, naked, violence driven & given nothing but legalized hard times; We, (all selves, as One) have been beaten, abused, (some killed) & strung along (donkey & carrot) via psychosocial means; I submit this written reality and give birth to it (in great pain), as a matriarch, mother, mere matter within a Great Womb as a full measure of devotion to resurrect universal balance. This shall serve as testament to the femininely repressed samurai-like sword of divine motherly love unknown to many.

This is not completed. I advocate genuinely that for two decades (in captivity), having lived merely half a century and about half a decade in an inhuman-abyss of solitary that a third-eye sees no relief to our (my) condition until we recognize/acknowledge a consciousness level and a true means to an end.

Herewith, I lay protection via spirit & element to continue forth day and night; and in those who shall not divide & subtract, may their proverbial fingers burn and twitch & such. Fore, I, soul-mind-body, invoke the Law of Thy & Thee via my will. So mote our self-emancipation be!

Very Truly,
Sister Candice Africa