HighlightsActionResourcesOur Partners Meet CMJ
On May 17th, CMJ ally and partner, the Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice along with the Black Leadership Forum will host a discussion at Howard University on the exploitation of athletes, artists and their intellectual property, and impact of international trade on Black people. Find out more.
We've heard hundreds of stories from people disconnected from their loved ones behind bars because extremely high prison phone rates. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) needs to hear them too. Please share your story with the FCC urging them to take action on behalf of families.
Our Prison Phone Justice campaign is under way - learn more about why communities should get involved by downloading your free copy of "Criminal Charges: Fighting for your Right to Call Home", and kickstart organizing in your community.
Prison Legal News is one of our partners in the fight against prison phone charges. Take a look at the in-depth nationwide survey they conducted on prison phone contracts and kickbacks to government and corporations.
Check out the #mamasday card CMJ's Karlos Gauna Schmieder made for his mom. Alongside her, Karlos has been marching, community organizing and strategizing for social justice since he was in diapers. Read Karlos' Q & A and learn more about him here.
Featured Blogs & Dispatches From the Field
Keep Pushing – The Mother’s Day Action Goes Through this Monday
Our Mother's Day Action will be continuing through Monday. Thanks to all of you we've collected over 500 stories for the FCC. But we can go further - this Sunday thousands of mothers will be disconnected from their families because of egregiously high prison phone rates. Please keep pushing - the FCC needs to hear your voice. Read more »
Why I Support the Prison Phone Justice Campaign
The calls with my cousin while he was incarcerated weren't just for him; they were for all of us as a family. They were a balm for my mother's hurt and his mother's. For as long as they lasted, three minutes or thirty, they were a message of love and hope sent and received by both sides, connecting our hearts and lifting our spirits. Read more »
Jason Bourne, Being “Tough on Crime” and Prison Phone Justice
Corporate media with the help of the right has done a superb job of creating popular—and fundamentally flawed—frames that play on the emotions, and deeply embedded racism—internal or otherwise—of the average American. Some familiar ones are “tough on crime,” “do the time,” “prisons keep ‘us’ safe,” “the law is just,” and “justice is blind.” The tricky thing about these frames is that they aren’t based on facts. Read more »
