Tools, Templates, and Continued Support
Throughout the course of this case, we have tried to be as transparent about the process as possible, to share what we have learned along the way. It’s one thing to read about the prosecution of our movement elders and comrades but it’s another thing to find yourself personally in the crosshairs of the federal court system. We never set out to be public figures but since we have become known faces and names, we hope that, at the very least, we can contribute some tools and templates to help others fight the good fight. La Luche Sigue!
Character Letter Template
When you and/or your loved one are contending with whatever villainous narrative the state is trying to create, character letters can help counter the lies they will tell. Whether they are used to appeal pre-trial detention or tell your story to a judge and jury, the words of the people who know you best can be powerful. They can also help remind you who you are and what you stand for as state forces try to make you doubt yourself.
Prison Visitation Guide
The process of visiting a loved one in prison is not always an easy one. The bureaucracy of visitation, along with the psychological intimidation of the carceral system, can take a toll, but we’ve found that having as much info on what to expect when visiting can be really helpful for both visitors and loved ones on the inside. This is why we created this visitor guide for people visiting Peppy at FCI Elkton.
Each prison will have its own rules and protocols so this isn’t meant to be a guide for all prison visits. Rather we hope it can be used as an example on how to make your own Visitor Guide specific to the facility where your comrade is being held.
Solidarity with Political Prisoners
We hope that long-term political prisoner support will always be part of your praxis because political prisoners are key members of our community not to be forgotten. There are many groups committed to materially supporting political prisoners held captive in this country; two of them are The Anarchist Black Cross Federation and The Jericho Movement. Both groups have chapters all over the country, and new chapters are forming all the time. Check out their websites below to get some ideas on how best to engage.
In 1995, a small group of Anarchist Black Cross collectives merged into a federation whose aim was to focus on the support and defense of all political prisoners. Today, there are 10 chapters who work autonomously on their own campaigns or as a unified front on larger campaigns, like the Warchest-program, which Peppy is a recipient of, where a list of political prisoners get a monthly stipend to help them cover commissary or other expenses.
Learn more about the federation and the work they do, here: abcf.net
The Jericho Movement kicked off with a march on Washington DC in the spring of 1998. The call for the march was initiated by political prisoner Jalil Muntaqim and collectives of political prisoners and their support groups from all over the country. Today, the Jericho Movement is still going strong, with the national coordinating committee at the helm and chapters all over the country.
Learn more here: thejerichomovement.com
Creative Consistency
Now in its 25th year of publication, the Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar is a fundraising and educational project coordinated between outside organizers across North America and current and former political prisoners. It’s a collective built around the idea that political prisoners and the movements they come from benefit from the consistency of this annual project.
Learn more here: certaindays.org