Pam Africa, ICFFMAJ, Suzanne Ross, FMAJC and ICFFMAJ, Betsy Mickel, FMAJC: WE NEED YOUR HELP TO FREE MUMIA, ALL OUR PP’S, AND END MASS INCARCERATION!

We thank you once again for the years of support so many of you have given us in our work to free Mumia. It is only a little over a year ago that we won a phenomenal, albeit partial, victory in overturning Mumia’s death sentence. The forces that were so determined to „fry Mumia“ were surely served a defeat. Mumia is in general population, able to hug family and friends, engage the brothers in the prison, and even play a role in building our movement. But we cannot be pacified with this partial victory as long as Mumia remains in the custody of a system that wants him dead. ICFFMAJ, Educators for Mumia, FMAJC, International Action Center, and others celebrated this victory on December 9, 2011, at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia, where over 1,000 enthusiastic people were inspired by Mumia, the speakers, the performers, and our movement and to which Archbishop Desmond Tutu sent a video message calling for Mumia’s release from prison. That night we identified three major initiatives for the next period: (1) to pressure the district attorney of Philadelphia so he would be forced to call for Mumia’s release from prison; (2) to „occupy“ the Department of Justice on April 24 (2012), Mumia’s birthday; and (3) to broaden and intensify our international work. We are proud to report that, despite our modest resources, we have made significant progress in each of these areas.

 

· April 24, 2012. Again united, the Free Mumia Movement brought out hundreds of young activists, hip-hop artists, and longtime supporters to „occupy the Department of Justice.“ The day ended with a prolonged and dramatic act of civil disobedience. We were saying, unequivocally, that we will continue the struggle to free Mumia and that life in prison without the possibility of parole for our innocent brother is unacceptable!

 

· April 24, 2013. Over the past year, there has been recurrent pressure put on Philadelphia district attorney Seth Williams to demand that he call on the governor to free Mumia. These actions will culminate on April 24, Mumia’s 59th birthday, in a larger demonstration at Williams’s office. See our website www.freemumia.com for details.

 

 

(a) in April 2012, we filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights calling for Mumia’s immediate release based on violations of human rights, constitutional rights, and and his innocence. However, limited resources have prevented us from pursuing this avenue more aggressively

 

. (b) In July, we traveled to Venezuela, bringing a birthday greeting from Mumia to President Chávez in Spanish. The message was broadcast repeatedly. Suzanne Ross also appeared extensively on national radio and TV speaking about Mumia and related issues. Out of those appearances, a plan developed whereby Mumia is now sending monthly messages in Spanish to be played on Venezuelan and other Spanish language media. We, in turn, participated in various tributes to Chávez after he died. We regularly support people’s struggles against US intervention in Venezuela and elsewhere as part of building reciprocity in our international work. We are convinced that international support for Mumia has been key to getting him off death row and will be key in getting him released from prison. (3) Very strategic internationally, is our work with comrades, particularly in Germany and France, to petition human rights bodies to call for Mumia’s release from prison.

 

In addition, last September 14, the 41st anniversary of the Attica Massacre, we coordinated, with several important anti-mass incarceration organizations, a historic event at Riverside Church calling for the end of mass incarceration and solitary confinement, the closing of Attica, and the freeing of Mumia and all political prisoners. Some 2,100 attended, with Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, Cornel West, and Marc Lamont Hill among the panelists and a video message from UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan Méndez. The purpose of the event was to integrate the political prisoner work with the anti-mass incarceration movement. The spirit of unity and excitement that night spoke to the success of getting that message through and the resonance it had with the audience. From prison, Mumia played a major role in that project.

 

In Philadelphia during this same period, ICFFMAJ organized a jazz evening in support of Imam Jamil Al-Amin, commemorating Gil Scott-Heron, focusing on the Philly DA, and bringing people to NYC on September 14. ICFFMAJ also put together a book party to honor the late Veronica Jones, a sister who stood up to the judge and police in 1996 to tell the truth about what she saw the night that Mumia and the cop were shot. Veronica’s sister, Valerie, and her family spoke at the event and showed a video on Veronica’s life. FMAJC followed up early this year with a similar event in New York.

 

Over the past year, we have also been very active in supporting campaigns against police terrorism and anti-„stop and frisk“ campaigns. We are on the front lines in Philadelphia dealing with police cases of poor African-American and Latino victims such as Brother Askia and Aida Guzman. ICFFMAJ is regularly in the streets standing up to injustice and helping organize resistance. In New York we have supported political activists such as „Jazz“ Hayden, Shaka Shakur, and Brother Shep when they were targeted by the police for retaliation; the Central Park 5 in their quest for justice; and the general struggle against police outrages. Finally, we were especially happy to support students at Borough of Manhattan Community College, who organized an event to reclaim education and end mass incarceration.

 

We have never dropped the death penalty issue. We pay close attention and work with the Innocence Project in Philadelphia and the Campaign to End the Death Penalty. Recently, when we heard that the governor of Pennsylvania had signed a death warrant for Borgela Philistin, a Haitian brother we’ve known and supported for years, and Michael Travaglia, we jumped right into action.

 

In the midst of all this, a new and exciting film about Mumia came out called Long-Distance Revolutionary. When it opened in New York, we joined with others when we were presented with a challenge to fill the theatre in its first critical three days. And we did it! As a result, the film has gone into wider distribution and has been received enthusiastically all over the country.

Sisters and brothers, we need funding to do this work! None of these activities raised money for us beyond covering our expenses, and sometimes not even that, including the Riverside Church event. Why do we need funds now? BECAUSE WE NEVER STOP. April 24 requires a sound system, fliers, posters, bus rentals, and paid radio time in Philadelphia to get the word out in a city that is still terrorized into silence. Pam Africa has been maintaining Mumia archives for years that require costly storage fees. We help Mumia with his essential telephone calls. We support other political prisoners and even help them financially when we can. Travel to consult with Mumia and costs for secure mailings to him all add up. The international work also requires travel funds (costs we have never been able to subsidize). We are deeply grateful for any help you can give us. We know these are difficult economic times. But our work must go on. Mumia must be freed! The other political prisoners must be freed! And we must put an end to mass incarceration!

 

To contribute by check, make out your tax-deductible contribution to FMAJC/IFCO and send it to the FMAJC, PO Box 16, College Station, New York, NY 10030. To contribute online, go to www.freemumia.com, click on „Donate“ on the home screen of our site, and follow the instructions. As always, funds are split between our two organizations. If you have other fundraising ideas, please leave a message at 212 330-8029 and we will get back to you.

With sincere appreciation for your support.

 

 

Pam Africa, ICFFMAJ, Suzanne Ross, FMAJC and ICFFMAJ, Betsy Mickel, FMAJC