Suggested Videos and Readings Compelling videos you can show to help raise awareness and spark activism: Videos of general interest: • Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story – Advocates for the retrial of this Native American activist, exploring government repression and the Native occupation of Wounded Knee [1992, video store or library] • Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Case For Reasonable Doubt? – HBO Special on Mumia’s case [1996, video store or library] • Thin Blue Line – Errol Morris’ docu-drama on the wrongful conviction of Randall Adams [1988, video store or library] • Attica – Documents the rebellion that took place at Attica prison in upstate New York from September 9-13, 1971 [1973, order from CEML at http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~kastor/ceml-resources.html] Videos on the prison industrial complex: • USA, INCarcerated – Outlines the growth of the prison industrial complex, the social trade-offs being made to support it, and its place in the global economy. • Critical Resistance: Visions of Freedom – An emotional and inspiring look at a growing movement of activists, artists and intellectuals who are mobilizing against the prison industrial complex. - Both above videos on one tape, to order, contact: Critical Resistance at 510-444-0484 or [email protected] -- or -- Public Media Network # P.O. Box 411271 San Francisco CA 94141-1271 # [email protected] • The Last Graduation – Explores the cutting of educational programs in prisons - Order from: Zahm Productions # 101 West 79 Street, 4C New York, NY 10024 # 212-595-5002 # [email protected] Compelling readings to raise awareness and spark activism: Books: • The Celling of America: An Inside Look at the US Prison Industry, Daniel Burton-Rose, Dan Pens, Paul Wright—eds. Common Courage Press, 1998. (Available from AK Press—www.akpress.com) • Criminal Injustice: Confronting the Prison Crisis, Elihu Rosenblatt—ed. South End Press, 1996. • Live From Death Row,Mumia Abu-Jamal. Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1995. • Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis, Christian Parenti. Verso Books, 1999. (Available from AK Press—www.akpress.com) • Race to Incarcerate, Mark Mauer. New Press, 1999. • States of Confinement: Policing, Detention, and Prisons, Joy James—ed. St. Martin’s Press, 2000. Articles/pamphlets: • “The Prison Industrial Complex,” by Eric Schlosser. Atlantic Monthly, December 1998. • “Masked Racism: Reflections on the Prison Industrial Complex,” by Angela Y. Davis. Colorlines Magazine, tk. • “Private Prisons,” by Eric Bates. The Nation, January 1998. • “The Prison Industrial Complex and the Global Economy,” by Linda Evans and Eve Goldberg. Agit Press. (Available from AK Press—www.akpress.com) This packet was produced by the Prison Activist Resource Center, P.O. Box 339, Berkeley, CA 94701, 510-893-4648 Organizing A Teach-In on Prisons and the Criminal Injustice System: Some Tips for Organizers Teach-ins are an excellent way of doing grassroots educational outreach and building the movement for human rights and social justice. Here are a few things to keep in mind which can help us put on more successful teach-ins: 1. Think strategically about your topic. It can be helpful to focus in on a particular area of the overall crisis. For example, a teach-in generally on human rights, which covers control unit prisons, medical neglect, and violations of international law can be as successful as a teach-in just on medical neglect. Try to cover a range of issues in depth but don’t bite off more than your group can actually chew. The presentation(s) at the teach-in should be educational and challenging, sparking interest and inspiring action, but not overwhelming folks. 2. Think strategically about your audience. Is the subject matter interesting and relevant to the folks who you expect to come? Early in the organizing, brainstorm ideas for reaching out to new and different groups of people than those who usually hear your message. 3. Have concrete tasks or campaign work that interested attendees could plug into. Be sure to have a sign up sheet on hand so that you can follow up with folks who are interested in volunteers. Set it up so that there are projects or programs for people to get involved in as soon as possible after the teach-in. These should include activities that are not simply busy work, but can give one a sense of accomplishment and ownership in the organization. You can also build in opportunities for further education and skills building for those who’ve signed up. 4. Think strategically about your format and timing. If you are planning to cover many different issues, it makes sense to break the teach-in into several parts, for example before and after lunch on a Saturday or, say, three Thursday evenings in a row. Few things are worse than going to an evening event that lasts so many hours people are left blurry and staggering out at the end. There are plenty of times to organize events, not everyone needs to speak. It’s also important, however, to make sure your presenters represent a diversity of voices, not just the many straight white male academics from our communities and campuses that are often called on to speak to these issues. It also always helps to bring audio/visual presentations, theater, poetry, and music into the mix. 5. Make a little money for movement building. Figure in and plan to at least cover your expenses. Small grants and in-kind donations are always helpful. Don’t forget to take donations at the door and/or by passing a hat (hint: you’ll get even more if the event is Free to the Public.) Everyone should be able to attend a teach-in and those of us who have a little more moola to spend should cover those who don’t. 6. Plan the details as far ahead as reasonably possible. Use the sample task list below and/or make up your own to figure out well ahead of time all the big and little things you’ll need to take care of in order to make the event a success. Have frequent early check-ins to track your progress. Delegate! Make mistakes! Have fun! Additional information that can help you organize is available from PARC’s web pages at: www.prisonactivist.org/orgs www.prisonactivist.org/span This packet was produced by the Prison Activist Resource Center, P.O. Box 339, Berkeley, CA 94701, 510-893-4648 Event Task List EVENT NAME _________________________ DATE ______________________ Outreach Tasks Person Responsible Date $ Leaflet / flyer $ written / desktop published by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ printed / copied by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ distributed / posted by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Calendar announcements / PSA's / Press Releases $ written / proofed by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ faxed / sent by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ follow-up phone calls made by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Mailing $ time and place arranged by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ recruitment by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ envelopes, postage, labels etc. by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ Logistics Tasks Person Responsible Date $ Event space $ research / reserve by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ pay deposit by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ set up / get names for clean up by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Responsibility for arranging… $ Insurance by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Sound system by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Security by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Food/refreshments by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Childcare by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Tabling / tickets etc. by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Stage management by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Housing for participants by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Transportation for participants by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ Program Tasks Person Responsible Date $ Speakers/presenters $ Research by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Contacting by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Confirming by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ Continued % This packet was produced by the Prison Activist Resource Center, P.O. Box 339, Berkeley, CA 94701, 510-893-4648 $ Cultural presentation(s) / entertainment $ Research by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Contacting by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Confirming by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Production of event-specific materials $ Press packets by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Program brochures (“programs”) by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Props, banners, art by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Responsibility for arranging… $ Translation/interpretation by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Audio Documentation by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________ $ Video Documentation by:_____________________ on or before: ______________________