We Demand a Community Meeting With Governor Baker

Governor Baker

Governor Charlie Baker

Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St.

Office of the Governor, Room 280

Boston, MA 02133

May 4th, 2020

Dear Governor Baker,

As members of Families for Justice as Healing and the community at large, we are writing to you with a great sense of urgency in regards to women who are incarcerated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Please consider attending a virtual discussion with members of the most incarcerated communities in Massachusetts. Many of our family members inside have already tested positive for Covid-19. Massachusetts has among the highest rates of Covid-19 infections in prison and jails throughout the entire country. We would like to discuss solutions on how we can help flatten the curve inside prisons and jails and invest funds in under-resourced communities.  

According to the recent SJC ruling, “the executive branch has the authority, inter alia, to commute sentences, issue furloughs, and allow early parole. We urge the executive branch to contemplate how it best might exercise those constitutional powers to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth's prison system.” (SJC Ruling, April 28 2020)

This is a moral and humanitarian crisis. In order to flatten the curve, community members and experts in medicine and public health both recommend decarceration as the safest response to this pandemic. You have a unique opportunity to create a new legacy with your governorship in this state.

We hope you will consider having a virtual meeting with community members to address the health and wellbeing of incarcerated people, and their loved ones, within your pandemic response. We hope your staff will be in touch with us soon to schedule a date and time. You may reach Joneisha James via email at jrjames@thecouncil.us.

Sincerely,

Joneisha James, Ayana Aubourg and Fabian Pierre

Families for Justice as Healing and The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls

Help us demand a community meeting with Governor Baker to discuss solutions for our community. Black and brown communities are the most incarcerated and under resourced communities. We do not need a new regional lock up and we do not need a $50 million dollar women's prison. We are demanding decarceration and funding for housing, healthcare and education. Sign and share this petition.


Petition by
Elijah Patterson
Roxbury, Massachusetts

To: Governor Baker
From: [Your Name]

We hope you will consider having a virtual meeting with community members to address the health and wellbeing of incarcerated people, and their loved ones, within your pandemic response. We hope your staff will be in touch with us soon to schedule a date and time. You may reach Joneisha James via email at jrjames@thecouncil.us.