1,000 signatures reached
To: Governor J.B. Pritzker
Halt student transfers, protect prison programming!
Following the announcement of Stateville Prison's closure, PNAP and other educational programs have been advocating for the transfer of our students to the same facility. However, we were informed yesterday that eight of our students are scheduled to be relocated as early as this Thursday to various prisons, including some as distant as Shawnee on the Kentucky border. This abrupt move threatens their access to legal counsel, medical care, and family support. We urge Governor Pritzker to halt these transfers immediately and allow all our students to move to Hill Correctional Center. Programs have moved together with their students in the past and we are asking for the same process.
The students set to be transferred this Thursday include:
Reginald BoClair, Antonio Kendrick, Darnell Lane, Daniel Perkins, Jerel Mathews, Jason Munoz, Nathaniel McCray, and Charles Hill.
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CLICK THIS LINK AND SEND YOUR EMAIL TODAY. SAMPLE DRAFT BELOW:
Dear Governor Pritzker,
My name is ____ and I am writing to request that you immediately halt the transfer of Reginald BoClair, Antonio Kendrick, Darnell Lane, Daniel Perkins, Jerel Mathews, Jason Munoz, Nathaniel McCray, and Charles Hill. I urge you to allow all these students to transfer to Hill Correctional Center instead along with all students named in the roster delivered to IDOC by the Prison+ Neighborhood Arts/Education Project (PNAP).
These students set to be transferred this Thursday include university Teaching Assistants, Fall 2024 graduates from Northeastern Illinois University, published poets, and exhibiting artists, among other notable accomplishments. They are part of a roster provided by the Prison and Neighborhood Arts / Education Project (PNAP) and are currently engaged in ongoing discussions about a group transfer that would minimize disruptions to programming and students survival networks.
The abrupt transfer of these students to multiple institutions, some as far as 350 miles to the Kentucky border, jeopardizes their access to legal representation, medical care, and family support. Programs have been allowed to move as a cohort in the past and we are asking for the same respect and process for our students. It is contradictory for Governor Pritzker to celebrate the achievements of incarcerated students while simultaneously undermining their support systems and well-being. I strongly urge you to prevent these transfers and facilitate their relocation to Hill Correctional Center.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
The students set to be transferred this Thursday include:
Reginald BoClair, Antonio Kendrick, Darnell Lane, Daniel Perkins, Jerel Mathews, Jason Munoz, Nathaniel McCray, and Charles Hill.
----------------------
CLICK THIS LINK AND SEND YOUR EMAIL TODAY. SAMPLE DRAFT BELOW:
Dear Governor Pritzker,
My name is ____ and I am writing to request that you immediately halt the transfer of Reginald BoClair, Antonio Kendrick, Darnell Lane, Daniel Perkins, Jerel Mathews, Jason Munoz, Nathaniel McCray, and Charles Hill. I urge you to allow all these students to transfer to Hill Correctional Center instead along with all students named in the roster delivered to IDOC by the Prison+ Neighborhood Arts/Education Project (PNAP).
These students set to be transferred this Thursday include university Teaching Assistants, Fall 2024 graduates from Northeastern Illinois University, published poets, and exhibiting artists, among other notable accomplishments. They are part of a roster provided by the Prison and Neighborhood Arts / Education Project (PNAP) and are currently engaged in ongoing discussions about a group transfer that would minimize disruptions to programming and students survival networks.
The abrupt transfer of these students to multiple institutions, some as far as 350 miles to the Kentucky border, jeopardizes their access to legal representation, medical care, and family support. Programs have been allowed to move as a cohort in the past and we are asking for the same respect and process for our students. It is contradictory for Governor Pritzker to celebrate the achievements of incarcerated students while simultaneously undermining their support systems and well-being. I strongly urge you to prevent these transfers and facilitate their relocation to Hill Correctional Center.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Why is this important?
PNAP embodies two essential truths: the urgent need to abolish all prisons while simultaneously advocating for the dignity and humanity of those currently imprisoned. We strive to achieve this by advocating for the freedom of incarcerated individuals and offering programs that celebrate their stories, art, and spirit. Over the past thirteen years, students in our program have highlighted that the most significant impact has come from the strong community they have built with their peers. These transfers by IDOC threaten to dismantle this crucial support network, further exacerbating the hardships of incarceration.
Prisons are not environments conducive to reform and this scheduled transfer is proof of that. They exacerbate suffering by dispersing student communities, separating families by nearly 350 miles, and jeopardizing medical care. These practices underscore the punitive nature of the prison system. Governor Pritzker has the authority to end this cycle of punishment by halting the transfers and engaging in discussions with IDOC to relocate all our students to Hill Correctional Center.
PLEASE CLICK THE LINK HERE TO VOICE YOUR OPINION AND HELP US HALT THESE TRANSFERS IMMEDIATELY.
Prisons are not environments conducive to reform and this scheduled transfer is proof of that. They exacerbate suffering by dispersing student communities, separating families by nearly 350 miles, and jeopardizing medical care. These practices underscore the punitive nature of the prison system. Governor Pritzker has the authority to end this cycle of punishment by halting the transfers and engaging in discussions with IDOC to relocate all our students to Hill Correctional Center.
PLEASE CLICK THE LINK HERE TO VOICE YOUR OPINION AND HELP US HALT THESE TRANSFERS IMMEDIATELY.