Today the Center for Media Justice and our partners in the Prison Phone Justice Campaign, launched a Mother’s Day of Action.  The Action calls for families to send electronic postcards to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging them to take action of the “Wright Petition”.

Our Mother’s Day Action will be continuing through Monday.  Thanks to all of you we’ve collected over 500 stories for the FCC, over a 100 people have downloaded our Toolkit and several blogs and actions went out over the Internet.  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. 

To fill out a postcard go here.  

And check back here early next week for a complete wrap-up and round-up of all the blogs, actions, and news on the Prison Phone Justice campaign from around the Internet.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Background on the Wright Petition and the Prison Phone Justice campaign

The Wright Petition, which has been in front of the Commissioners since 2004, requests the agency to examine the public harm caused by high phone rates charged to people in prison.  Originally filed by Martha Wright, the grandmother of a former prisoner, it highlights the relationship between prison administrators and commercial phone companies that has allowed for such extraordinarily high rates. A typical 15-minute call costs between $10-15 in most prisons.    The petition also points to the numerous studies that demonstrate the substantive value of keeping people incarcerated connected to their loved ones, namely decreased recidivism and increased chances for success post-release.

“The Wright Petition was filed in an attempt to rectify a great injustice – namely, the charging of exorbitant interstate phone rates for families to remain in contact with those that are incarcerated,” says Attorney Lee G. Petro, who represents Mrs. Wright in her claim. “In light of technological developments that have increased the service providers’ economies of scale and decreased their costs of service, there is simply no valid justification for the rates being charged family members, most of whom are already struggling financially.”

As part of the Mother’s Day Action, the organization Thousand Kites produced a half-hour radio program featuring the stories of families struggling to stay connected with loved ones in prison.

“My husband is in prison, and in order to communicate with him, I have to pay extremely high prices,” says Charlotte, whose story is part of the radio program.  “I sometimes can’t afford to pay my bills because I want the simple joy of hearing the sound of my husband’s voice. Something has to change.”

“For 2.7 million children with a parent behind bars, delivering a ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ message is only possible through an expensive phone call,” says Steven Renderos, National Organizer at the Center for Media Justice. “The FCC can address this problem by passing the Wright Petition.”

For many years, from the age of 13 years old until he died at 42, my first cousin spent most of his life in and out of jail. He was 17 years my senior, but we were close. He was my good buddy.  I remember his last stint, when he went inside for eight years, my mom let me talk to him on the phone, and I remember one time we talked for hours.   I felt closer to him when we could talk on the phone. I felt he would be all right. As long as we had the time to laugh and talk together, about the old times, or what happened today, everything would be all right.

My mom never told me I couldn’t talk too long on the phone, but I remember that the calls became more infrequent, and when my mother would ‘accept the charges’, she would rush him through the call and promise hurriedly that she was sending him a package next week and that she loved him.  Maybe at some point she had to tell him not to call as often, or that we couldn’t afford the calls anymore, but all I knew as a child was it hurt not to talk.

For most of the two million families of the incarcerated in the U.S., accepting the charges means telling their incarcerated loved one that someone values and needs them.  But it also means that they pay a heavy price, easily $100 or more per month or more to demonstrate their love.

There are no special reasons why prison calls cost more.  There’s no fancy equipment needed, no translation services, or special relay system.  It’s the same technology we use to call friends and family locally and nationally.  The prison industry and the phone companies are coldly and garishly collecting enormous profits off of the most basic of human needs: connection, at a time when it is most needed.

The calls with my cousin 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.

I believe prison phone calls are a vital part of healing our wounds and redeeming us by giving loved ones precious time to be together, to understand the value of relationships and importance of love.  Having more than one family member in prison over the years has taught me important life lessons, the most significant being our times together with our loved ones are limited by space and time, and are truly priceless.  The experience and the memories of love can’t be valued in dollars or profits, or at least shouldn’t be.

Please send a postcard to the FCC today and join me in reminding them that they have the power to address the high cost of prison phone calls and ensure that everyone can speak to their loved ones be it on Mother’s Day or any other day. 

From Myths, Messages and Tactics of the Political Right, Political Research Associates

Jason Bourne books drop knowledge

I love crime fiction. It’s one of my weaknesses. I will make dates with a good mystery or suspense novel and ignore my friends. The Jason Bourne series is one example, which was turned into several blockbuster movies starring one of my favorite socially conscious actors Matt Damon. Jason Bourne gets framed for doing some horrible things, making for action-packed fighting sequences, complicated international financial transactions, and ultimately, justice and retribution for the bad guys.

The Jason Bourne books and corporate news media have something in common. White people are often portrayed as the good guys, victims of circumstance, and are generally sympathetic characters—even when they commit crimes. I can tell you that this is a fact that comes from source X or Y, but if you’re reading this and don’t believe me, you’ll understand why you don’t in a second.

What does it mean when, of the 2.3 million people locked up in the criminal justice system (not including the almost 400,000 in immigration detention for a civil offense), 60 percent are people of color? What does that signal to us when black women were the fastest growing group in the prison population—at a rate 6 times greater than the rate of white women a few years ago? What does it mean that 84 percent of the near 600,000 unconstitutional stops-and-frisks by the NYPD were of men of color, even though stopped whites were in possession of contraband or drugs at a greater rate than the people of color?

Why it puts me in a pickle when reporters ask: “Why should criminals get a break?” 

Some facts for you fact-mongers out there.

• Black and Latin@ people appear in the news as perpetrators more often than victims
• Black and Latin@ people who appear as perpetrators on the news are portrayed as threatening and violent more often than white perpetrators
• Black and Latin@ children who go missing are not reported on by national media
• Media coverage of rape and sexual assault of Black and Latin@ women is minimal, minimizes violence, and often uses victim-blaming frames.

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. Often, they’re not even based on logic when approached from most angles, whether it’s public safety, rehabilitation, deterrence or recidivism.

Can you afford to call your mom on Sunday?

Another popular frame is “you do the crime, you pay the time.” But just how much should people pay? How about 10 to 15 dollars for a fifteen-minute call? Seems like a lot, right? It is. Today, the Center for Media Justice, Working Narratives, and Prison Legal News launched the Mother’s Day of Action as part of the Prison Phone Justice campaign.  The action is part of a campaign to pressure the Federal Communications Commission to pass the Wright Petition, which has been in front of the Commissioners since 2004. Originally filed by Martha Wright, the grandmother of a former prisoner, the petition exposes the relationship between prison administrators and commercial phone companies that allow exorbitant call rates.

Another fact: People who stay connected to their loved ones while incarcerated have decreased recidivism and have a better chance when re-entering the world outside. And kids—including the 2.7 million children with an incarcerated parent—who communicate with their parents have a better chance at being successful in school, employment, and relationships.

Just how many people, and at what cost, have to pay the price? Before Mother’s Day this year, take a moment to share your prison phone story and to tell the FCC to pass the Wright Petition—and don’t forget to call your mom.

First up is Karlos Gauna Schmieder, Karlos has been on staff with CMJ (then known as Youth Media Council) for the last six years.  Karlos has been marching, community organizing and strategizing for social justice since he was in diapers.  Read about how he spends his days, what he learned from his mom and more.  

What is your role at Center for Media Justice?  

I’m currently the director of communications programs at CMJ. I oversee our training programs and field building activities. 

What’s your life like at CMJ?  What’s a day in the life of KGS?

“Early in the morning, rise into the street/Light me up that…and strap shoes on my feet.”  When I’m not on the phone, you can find me provoking @mexicanmitt on Twitter.  I work hard, and try to play just as hard. I love to hear live music. 

What does “media justice” look like to you?

Justice on every device, justice in our everyday lives. I really believe in our tagline at CMJ. “The power to communicate, and therefore imagine and organize for a better future, must belong to everyone.” 

What most excites you about the work you do at CMJ?

I really love working with groups to sharpen their communications strategies. The look in folks’ eyes when they get to tell their story strategically and powerfully brings me joy. 

What do you think is missing in communications for justice sectors? 

There is a lot of exciting communications work going on in communities across the country. There has been a sea change in the way organizers think about using communications to strengthen their work. I think what we need most is some shared strategy and infrastructure and the resources to communicate at the scale of our organizing. 

What’s your favorite meme or a meme that has most recently moved you?

I have to say, I loved the #MamasDay actions from Strong Families and Forward together.  (I had a really tight relationship with my Mom, and even though she won’t see it I made her one.)

What’s your top tip for how to communicate for people in justice sectors?

Culture is the meme pool to unlock the power of our communities. A famous playwright once said, “Art is not a mirror to reflect reality, but a hammer with which we shape it.”  I think we often focus on the problem, without showing folks that we have the power to shape the reality of our communities. 

And finally, what would it most surprise people to know about you (that you’re willing to share)?

Even though my mom helped to coin the phrases “Environmental Racism” and “Environmental Justice” (and re-defined the environment as where we live, work and play), I’m a closet golfer. It always surprises people – especially those that knew her  – when I come out. 

My mother on the other hand has always been resistant to technology, having only recently adopted a cell phone.  Last time I visited my mother though, I taught her how to text and Skype.  It means this year I have the luxury of being able to call, text, or Skype my mom for Mother’s Day.

For 2.7 million children in the United States though, a phone call is their only means of communication with a parent in prison.  A phone call with that parent can provide stability, comfort and a sense of normalcy.  For the parent on the other end of the line, that same phone call can offer accountability, and strong motivation to work towards improving the lives of themselves and their family upon release from prison.   That phone call comes at a heavy price as telephone companies and prisons have found a way to turn a necessity to stay connected with loved ones into a $362 million a year business.  A 15-minute call will cost you around $10-$17 in most prisons in the United States.  For families of prisoners, most of which are low-income and people of color, these phone calls are a necessity but are priced by phone companies as though they’re a luxury.

When a friend of mine from Minneapolis was picked up by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement outside of Toledo, Ohio, my local community organized fundraisers for two reasons: legal defense and phone calls.   The phone rates easily added up to $300/monthly for a one hour call a week.  That’s an experience that is far too common, with families across the country having to make extreme sacrifices to stay connected with loved ones in prison.

The Federal Communications Commission has the power to change this nationwide.  For close to eight year a filing known as the “Wright Petition” has been sitting at the FCC.  The filing urges the FCC to address the high cost of phone calls by setting standards that ensure families are charged reasonable rates.

That’s why my organization, the Center for Media Justice, along with our partners are promoting a Mother’s Day of Action, asking people in our communities to speak out against expensive prison phone calls.  We’re collecting stories through an online postcard where they’ll be submitted into the public record at the FCC.

Join me in reminding the FCC that they have the power to address the high cost of prison phone calls and ensure that everyone can speak to their moms on Mother’s Day.  

Bank of America was taking it on the chin in social media in the lead up to Bank of America’s shareholder meeting happening today in Charlotte, NC.

A quick search for “Bank of America” on Twitter demonstrates the anger from protesters, shareholders and customers that will converge this week for what one group is calling the “Showdown in Charlotte.”

Bank of America even announced a brand advertising move this week. No doubt the Bank would not attribute it to the specific protest, but the bank definitely is taking a brand hit from all the negative publicity.

JOIN THE FIGHT

Part of the campaign is a twitter beef between @bankvsamerica #99Power and @BrianBofA, a parody account of Brian Moynihan, BofA’s CEO.

I had some interactions with him this week:

Join in the fun, and tell “Big Banks Moynihan” just how Bank of America changed to Bank Vs America.

You can reserve ring side seats, see a live stream and get involved at http://bankvsamerica.org.

As usual, if you feel it click the like button above.

Hmmm.

That might be true if you have the digital literacy skills needed, and have a Smartphone with a data plan, or Internet access at work, or broadband and a computer at home.  But what about everyone else?

Earlier this year the Louisiana Weekly published an article that said “subscribers to high-speed Internet services in New Orleans are generally white and in the higher income brackets.”  In fact, data compiled by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University shows that Louisiana is ranked 44th out of 50 states in terms of broadband subscription, with just 51 percent of residents subscribing.  You don’t need to be a math genius to understand that means nearly half of the state lacks reliable Internet access.

So what is this really about?  Could it be about *insert shocked face* a larger profit margin for AT&T?  Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell thinks so, and I agree.  Foster opposes AT&T’s request, calling it  “a moneymaking deal.”   He rightly points to the fact that without a phone directory and/or Internet access, Louisiana residents will be forced to call 411—and pay $1.50 per call.  This, in a state that has a poverty rate of over 18%!

The Louisiana Public Service Commission could vote on this request as soon as May 23rd—including their counter recommendation that white pages (or a paperless CD ROM) only be sent to people who specifically request it.  Whatever happens—it’s worth following, because with the lobbying reach of AT&T, it’s fair to say your state could be next.

Shout out to Strong Families and Forward Together.

Art by Veronica Bayetti Flores. Caption by Miriam Zoila Pérez.

Now, go and make your own #mamasday card at mamasday.org!

As always, click like if you feel it.

This past week there’s been several blogs and articles published on the 20-year anniversary of the L.A. riots.  I’d recommend reading Jeff Chang’s piece about  “Rap and the L.A. Riots” and  Colorlines  “Children of the L.A. Riots “.  I opted to go a different route and ask my mom what she remembers from los disturbios and here’s what she said:

What I remember the most about the L.A. riots are the signs people would put up that said, ‘Somos Latinos’ (We’re Latinos).  These signs got posted on businesses and even homes because the anger of the riots was being directed towards white people. What started it all was the Rodney King beating.  It was that video they kept showing of the police that kept hitting him and they wouldn’t let up.

 It just angered you to watch it.  On TV they showed pictures of what he looked like after the beating and he couldn’t even open his eyes.  So when they let those police officers go it forced people to act.  It forced people to not stay quiet anymore about police abuses. 

You don’t see the same types of beatings anymore.  Today it’s different.  Just the other day the police killed a Korean man.  There was video of it and you could clearly see that they killed him.  They said he was armed but they never found a weapon.  The police said they were just defending themselves.  I see more police killings now, beatings like before you just don’t see.

Even though the riots officially ended on May 4^th 1992, the frustrations didn’t.  I definitely grew up having a healthy distrust of the police, a feeling further re-affirmed through several experiences of “driving while brown”.  My mom is right, los disturbios were a wake up call…a call that didn’t end on May 4^th but that’s still relevant 20 years later.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people across the globe are coming together to challenge the status quo. While social movements haven’t received this much airtime in a while, mainstream media continues to portray progressive movements like the Arab Spring, the Wisconsin labor movement, and Occupy using the same old rightwing frames that seek to discredit the possibilities of real change. Some of the words and images corporate media have used to describe demonstrations and actions this week and last are “anger,” “gloom,” burning flag,” (Associated Press), “mischief-makers” (Forbes), “besiege,” and “season of acrimony” (Wall Street Journal).

Occupation/decolonization, home takeovers and other direct action—like the powerful 99% Spring takeover of the Wells Fargo shareholders meeting in San Francisco last week—are just some of the important tactics being used by activists and organizers. Culture jamming—the disruption or subversion of mainstream institutions via culture and communications, i.e. appropriating the branding of corporate banking institutions—is another tactic that has been getting the attention of the ruling class.

Last month, the culture jamming activist duo the Yes Men successfully launched a corporate hoax on Bank of America, sending out a mass email announcing a “Your Bank of America” campaign in which customers were invited to shape the future of the bank. Culture jamming often incorporates humor and satire—effective vehicles for messages for social justice—as in the case of YourBofA.com. Mainstream media will still do its best to deride or completely ignore culture jamming tactics (there was only one mainstream media hit about the hoax), but the use of humor and satire can make culture jamming an effective vehicle for social justice messages.

The hoax email read: “We may not have all the answers, but we’re confident that those answers exist,” said Brian Moynihan, Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America. “We want to make sure the American people are well positioned to assert control and implement changes in the direction of banking, in the eventuality that such control becomes feasible.”

The hoax got the attention of the Bank of America and Google, which initially disrupted the site’s availability. The Yes Men—who described themselves as facilitating a project of Occupy Wall Street—clarified that http://yourbofa.com/ was not a phishing site. And, Bank of America emailed a press release to its customers headed by the statement: “The malicious website (YourBofA.com) that is fraudulently representing itself as a Bank of America re-branding effort is misleading the public; those behind it will be prosecuted to the fullest extent the law allows.”

Ironically, this was great public relations for YourBofA.com. Not only was the URL for the excellently designed site shared, but the press release read: “Banking is too complicated for ordinary people to understand,” said Jeff Walburn, Risk Management, Bank of America. He follows with another patronizing comment, but basically asserts the underpinning message of YourBofA.com—regular folks should have a say in how major banking institutions do business, e.g. with our bailout tax dollars.

*Editor’s note – on May 1st the site YourBofA.com page was taken down.

Subverting culture and disrupting big business are incredible feats in this day and age. With massive conglomeration and globalization being the norm for multinational corporations (including media, telecommunications, and financial institutions), the consequences can be high. It’s a price that movers and shakers have paid for generations and one that is very much alive in the collective memory of those from the global south.

The term “culture jamming” is derived from radio jamming. One famous example of the power of disrupting and seizing communication for the people is Radio Venceremos of El Salvador—the clandestine radio broadcast that denounced the atrocities committed by the United States-backed Salvadoran military dictatorship. The 40-year old radio transmitter and the voice of Radio Venceremos, Carlos Henriquez Consalvi, aka “Santiago,” had evaded military capture for years, but the military’s hunt for the transmitter and the guerilla command post was the impetus for the heinous El Mozote massacre of up to 1,000 villagers.

The struggle to protect the right to communicate is fundamental to all human rights. Creating our own media, and ensuring media access and media conditions that elevate and protect the humanity of all our communities, is a viable platform to advance racial and economic justice. Check out the Media Action Grassroots Network and consider applying for your own community radio station, because the right to communicate should belong to everyone.