#prisonabolition

“Abolish prisons & the conditions which lead to their existence!

#FreeThemAll4PublicHealth

Geographies of Racial Capitalism with Ruth Wilson Gilmore An Antipode Foundation film (directed by Kenton Card)

“The relationship between slavery and race, race and unfreedom, freedom and labor, is one that we constantly try to untangle. At our peril we ignore it; but also at our peril we make it too simplistic. Because the complexity of it matters for what we do in the current moment to undo the catastrophe of mass incarceration.” -Ruth Wilson Gilmore

A look into the work of geographer and abolitionist, Ruth Wilson Gilmore, who specializes in the study of prisons, carceral punishment, it’s industrialization and policing. A professor of Geography and Environmental Studies, as well as Director of the Center for Place, Culture, and Politics at the City University of New York, Gilmore constantly intersects the dynamics between people and place, and more specifically, human interaction with long-lasting environmental well-being.

Her provocative stance on prison abolition (and police abolition by extension), is misinterpreted, due to failure to understand abolition is not about absence but rather, presence. To replace the old systems of punishment with the presence of newer systems based on social support in areas including but not limited to education, health, and social services. 

Gilmore furthermore insists, sustainable social solutions must have general impact that can be applied globally for the benefit of the most, if not all the people of the world.

In the 4th chapter of Luke’s gospel, Jesus gets up in the synagogue to read from the Scriptures. He said, “The spirit of God is on me and has told me to give good news to the impoverished, release the incarcerated, recover the sight of the blind, and release the oppressed.” 

He put down the scroll and said “Today this is fulfilled,” and then a mob tried to throw him off a cliff. 

I made some prints of angels and demons to illustrate those good old time religion promises.