The original publication of this article can be located on the Elnora’s Parish.
“You can jail a revolutionary, but you can’t jail the revolution.” – Fred Hampton
In August, we commemorate the fallen freedom fighters who courageously rose to the occasion to ignite the Black Liberation Movement. This month is known as Black August, and although it has drawn to a close, let us not forget about those who are still victims of the prison industrial complex.
It is easy to take our freedoms for granted until you find yourself staring into the eyes of a systematically unjust judicial system. Moreover, imprisonment disproportionately affects those of lower socioeconomic status, such as black and brown individuals, the impoverished, and other misrepresented people.
However, the primary lesson to be gleaned here is how we can support our friends who are currently or were previously involved in the prison system. The initial step is to educate oneself, which entails visiting your local library and perusing books like “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander, as well as attending conferences to actively engage with individuals involved in prison reform and abolition.
The second and more challenging aspect is to remain committed to your mission. Regardless of where you stand in your journey toward Black revolution, always sustain your involvement in the struggle for the rights of others. Activism takes on diverse forms, ranging from assuming the role of a social disruptor who educates and advocates whenever anyone is willing to listen (or even when they are not) to being at the forefront of protests. The objective is to consistently stay engaged.
Take this moment to recollect that your current position is owed to those who fought before you. We are the outcome of a revolution, and this momentum will persist as long as we continue to take action because of it.
