Starting August 21, 2018, incarcerated peoples in 17+ states will be striking to demand an end to the death penalty, unfair wages, unsafe conditions, and racist policing and sentencing practices. They are also demanding equitable access to therapeutic rehabilitation programs and the right to vote.
Throughout the history of prison strikes, lack of quality medical care is a constant theme. The Attica Prison Rebellion, which this strike commemorates, was in part a response to the poor health conditions and medical experimentation on incarcerated people. At Attica, there were compassionate physicians who demanded access to prisoners to assess their injuries following the violent retaliation by correctional officers. As caregivers and public health advocates, SNaHP seeks to honor this legacy of medical solidarity by supporting those striking almost fifty years later in the 2018 National Prison Strike.
SNaHP is encouraging caregivers and public health advocates to personally support the 2018 National Prison Strike by signing the Letter of Solidarity sponsored by White Coats 4 Black Lives.
Here are a few other ways you can support to the strike:
- Educate ourselves and others about the strike demands.
- Officially endorse the strike by emailing a statement of endorsement to prisonstrikemedia@gmail.com and millionsforprisonersmarch@gmail.com. (Sample statement here).
- Share the Letter of Solidarity with classmates, colleagues, and social media: http://bit.ly/students-for-the-strike.
- Amplify incarcerated voices via social media using the #August21 and #prisonstrike hashtags.
- Organize a phone tree in preparation for phone zaps and similar requests once the strike is underway.