Friday, April 6, 2012, 6pm - 8pm in the Louis B. Mayer Lounge, UC Hastings College of the Law, 198 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. For wheelchair access, please use the side entrance on Hyde Street. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.Co-sponsored by the Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal and the Hastings chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, in collaboration with Solitary Watch and the International Coalition to Free the Angola Three.
Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox have been in solitary confinement in Louisiana’s Angola Prison since April 17, 1972. This forum will mark their 40 years of solitary confinement, exploring the expansion and effects of solitary confinement in society. We will discuss current community-advocacy efforts by Amnesty International and other groups, including California prisoners themselves, to organize peacefully to oppose the widespread use of solitary confinement.
The keynote speaker will be Robert H. King, a survivor of 29 years of continuous solitary confinement, released from Angola Prison in 2001 after his conviction was overturned. King will be signing copies of his award-winning autobiography, “From the Bottom of the Heap.”
We will also be screening two new short films by Solitary Watch: “The Gray Box: A Multimedia Investigation,” by Susan Greene, The Dart Society; and “Cruel and Unusual Punishment,” by Claire Schoen, for the AFSC Stopmax Campaign.
These are the scheduled speakers:
ROBERT H. KING (Keynote Speaker)-- A member of the Angola 3, released in 2001 after 29 years of continuous solitary confinement. Since his release, he has worked tirelessly in support of Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox. In 2008, King released his award-winning autobiography, entitled From the Bottom of the Heap: The Autobiography of Robert Hillary King (PM Press). His website is www.kingsfreelines.com.
HANS BENNETT-- A prison abolitionist, independent multi-media journalist and co-founder of Journalists for Mumia Abu-Jamal (www.abu-jamal-news.com), Bennett has written for several publications including Alternet, Truthout, Z Magazine, Black Commentator, ColorLines, Poor Magazine, SF Bay View Newspaper, Slingshot and Indymedia.
DR. TERRY KUPERS-- An Institute Professor at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. Dr. Kupers’ forensic psychiatry experience includes testimony in several large class action litigations concerning jail and prison conditions, sexual abuse, and the quality of mental health services inside correctional facilities. He is a consultant to Human Rights Watch, and author of the 1999 book entitled Prison Madness: The Mental Health Crisis Behind Bars and What We Must Do About It.
MANUEL LA FONTAINE-- The Northern California Regional Organizer, All of Us or None. As a former street organizer (also called a gang member), a formerly incarcerated person, and a college graduate, Manuel brings street savvy, along with scholastic aptitude, and incorporates them into his work life to better assist those without voices.
AARON MIRMALEK-- The founder of the Oakland chapter of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee, started in honor of his cousin Leonard Peltier. Born in Oakland, he is a longtime community organizer. In 2010, Aaron was the Executive Producer of "Free Leonard Peltier: Hip Hop's Contribution to the Freedom Campaign."
KIILU NYASHA-- A San Francisco-based journalist and former member of the Black Panther Party. Through the end of 2009, Kiilu hosted a weekly TV program, "Freedom Is A Constant Struggle,” on SF Live. She writes for many publications, including the SF Bay View Newspaper and Black Commentator. Also an accomplished radio programmer, she has worked for KPFA (Berkeley), SF Liberation Radio, Free Radio Berkeley, and KPOO in SF. Her website is www.kiilunyasha.blogspot.com.
TAHTANERRIAH SESSOMS-HOWELL-- Youth Organizer, All of Us Or None. Sessoms-Howell is a native of Berkeley, California. When she was arrested at the age of 15 she got her first glimpse into the cruel world of “rehabilitation.” She now works to inform the youth of their rights and keep connections between youth and their elders strong. As Youth Organizer for AOUON, her job is to help, by any means, ensure the safety and rights of future generations to come.
LUIS “BATO” TALAMANTEZ-- One of the “San Quentin 6,” Talamantez also works with California Prison Focus, and is a long time Bay Area activist and organizer.
AZADEH ZOHRABI-- Co-Editor-in-Chief of the UC Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal, Zohrabi is a third year law student at UC Hastings. Her family's experience with incarceration is what motivated her to become an attorney and an advocate for people in prison. Most recently, she has worked to advocate on behalf of prisoners in the Security Housing Units as a member of the Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition and the mediation team for the prisoners.
