Director’s Update: May 2023
Operations: April operations are on track.
MPAC currently has a staff size of 11 individuals. Joseph Jackson, Jan Collins, Peter Lehman, Joelle Jackson, Daniel Fortune, Brandon Brown, Wendy Allen, Andre Hicks, Antonio Jackson, Linda Dolloff and Kathy Elliot,.
MPAC- Zack Swain resigned. The challenge of being newly released impacted his ability to show up.
MPAC has 6 volunteer Coordinators leading projects. Doug Dunbar, Jon Courtney, Jamie Peloquin & Leslie Manning. Whitney Parrish, and Cheryl Mills, Adriane Herman: Special appreciation to them for their work and commitment to the cause.
Our Mission is to support and advocate for Maine’s incarcerated citizens, their families and friends.
Our Purpose is to reduce Maine’s use of incarceration by advocating for a legal system that is ethical, humane and restorative.
Our Vision is of a justice system that is restorative. It supports humanity in every person, and reflects and creates transformation and accountability.
MPAC Staff and Volunteer Coordinators meet as a full team weekly to update on our projects and programming. We resolve tensions and barriers that arise in the work.
MPAC staff members are in regular communications with incarcerated residents and formerly incarcerated individuals via written correspondence, phone, text, and email.
MPAC staff meet regularly in-person with incarcerated residents at MSP, Bolduc, MCC, SMWRC.
MPAC has created new roles and accountabilities to support the work.
MPAC Coordinator Wendy Allen's role has shifted to development. The area of work is around fundraising.
MPAC Administrative Assistant Joelle Jackson picks up the mail, responds and directs incoming correspondence to staff. Responds to donors. Support grant writing,
MPAC- has a communication and Development committee. We meet twice a month on Mondays.
MPAC- ways of working committee evaluating job descriptions of all staff. Staff and board have MPAC emails.
On-going: Advocacy, correspondence, and Direct Dialogue.
MPAC Strategy Meeting is held the second Saturday of each month. The meeting has moved to a hybrid in-person/ virtual session. We meet in-person at the Maine Inside Out office at 168 Lisbon Street Lewiston Maine.
MPAC -Jan leads a Legislative Strategy Meeting every Tuesday at 6pm. Weekly meetings are held to discuss legislative strategy.
MPAC - is a member of a Coalition table and meets Thursday mornings with other organizations that share our value of transforming our legal system.
MPAC - meets regularly with the Maine Department of Corrections to review policy and practice issues raised by incarcerated individuals and their families!
MPAC - Monthly legislative meeting with incarcerated individuals at MSP. Held first legislative meeting with the women at MCC. MDOC requests legislative policy meetings happen at all facilities.
MCC Longtimers - Meet with MPAC the first Monday of each month. Cheryl and Leslie facilitate monthly meetings with the women. Asked to reduce visits to once a month.
MCC Longtimers - met with the health services director to discuss access to health-care.
MCC Reentry Center- MDOC plans to create an Earned Living Unit at the reentry center. Concern over equity between women and men.
MCC Reentry Center- MPAC Coordinator Wendy Allen, Linda Dolloff, and Brandon Brown are now allowed to go into the facility.
MDOC: rumors about plans for a new women’s facility turned out to be partially true. MDOC is looking to create an IMHU for women. MPAC asked that a system-impacted woman be allowed to join the discussion.
MPAC- relations with MDOC are strong. Favorable outcomes on many requests.
Penobscot county jail- jail-competing news stories in BDN, county commissioners spending county money on media consultants to generate public support for a new jail.
Longcreek- MPAC Coordinators are meeting with youth individually and in groups. We have daily contact with every youth in the facility. Our Coordinators are working with 8 youth that have transferred to the community to support reentry transition. MPAC is partnering with other orgs to connect youth to community resources
MSP - MPAC Coordinator and incarcerated individuals are meeting with the regional heads of Wellpath on May 28th. Access to health-care On-going concern for incarcerated individuals
MSP - incarcerated resident whom we advocated for is finally receiving health care
Projects
MPAC - supported 5 formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry, with mutual aid.
MPAC - three men and two women in reentry overdosed. Hitting the community hard!
MSP-NAACP - held a Reentry Recovery Resource Fair on May 5th, MPAC participated, Antonio Jackson spent the day tabling! Joseph and Joelle were present in support. Amazing event sponsored by the secretary of state. Many orgs in attendance!
Women’s Center- Linda helping to plan the Women’s Resource Fair.
MSP - MPAC is partnering with the Maine Humanities Council to hold art workshops.
MSP - Brandon and Jan attended the Academic symposium. Powerful stories shared!
MSP- Joseph, Jan and Jon met with the Deputy Commissioner Tony Cantillo on Gallery Exhibit Project in MDOC facilities. Positive meeting! Approved intern Nicole Lund to work Inside MSP.
Gallery Exhibit Project - There are three exhibits planned
Watts Hall in Thomaston. Opening Night July 21 2023.
University of Maine Farmington, Emery Arts. Opening Reception: Thursday, October 5th, 5-7pm.
L/A Arts Gallery, Lisbon St, Lewiston. Opening tbd!
MDOC- Art based film series also approved. Jon is floating ideas and films.
Pros and Cons - Took a trip to the lake for community clean up and Lunch.
Reentry Sisters- Radical Love bags for Reentry are going well. Huge donation of and clothing. Joseph transported cargo to Linda in Standish.
Reentry Sisters- MDOC held a poorly planned Celebration of Life for the woman who passed away in MDOC custody. They failed to reach out to Linda prior to the event.
Charles Jordan House - Approved for a grant from Maine Housing Authority. MPAC to establish reentry housing in Auburn Maine. MPAC is partnering with Auburn Housing. Predevelopment phase is required to access the funding. Owner willing to extend the MOU with MPAC to extend beyond June.
Film Screening - MPAC sponsored Love in the Time of Fentanyl 5:30 April 24 in Augusta, and 5:30 April 26 in Portland. Winnifred Tate and Chastity Tuell were speakers. Project completed!
Abolition Night - held May 5 at the Strand Theater in Rockland. Linda Dolloff and Brandon Brown hosted. MPAC ED shared art! Over 200 registered for the event. Abolition Night Recording
Freedom And Captivity - second section with Andre, Jan and Paco complete. Third section starts May 17th. Joseph and Brandon will facilitate the 13 week course on Wednesday nights.
Juneteenth- MPAC is collaborating with MIO in the planning for an event in Kennedy park on June 16.
Justice Radio - project is going well. Linda is doing an amazing job. Justice Radio is now on two stations. WMPG 90.9 1pm Sundays and WERU 89.9 5pm Thursday
Links to podcasts: https://www.wmpg.org/podcasts/justice-radio/
Facebook Justice Radio
Instagram Justice Radio
2023 Sustainer Learning Circle - MPAC joined the cohort this year! MPAC ED, and Board member Craig Williams are attending meetings. Maine Health Access Foundation to cover MPAC's participation.
Mellon project- completed!
Communications
MPAC'S brochures. MPAC Brochure
MPAC - planning a quarterly newsletter. Template created, worked on content aspect. Still need to come up with a name. Building something in Canva? Take advantage of Jan's suggestion of using the Google group.
Public outreach
https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/05/10/opinion/opinion-contributor/solitary-confinement-torture/
USM Law Panel - over 30 in attendance. MPAC ED sat on the panel!
Colby College luncheon. Over 20 people in attendance. MPAC ED presented!
Annual meeting of Maine Retired Educators - Jan presente
Donors/ funders
MPAC - planning to sell cups and keychains on our website. 18 cups in stock! Another case ordered!
MPAC - Fundraising banquet postponed till September.
Maine Community Foundation BIPOC 10,000 grant approved.
Wellspring Coalition 100,000 grant approved.
Sewell 10,000 grant approved
Legislative:
MPAC- Testified in favor of the parole bill.
MPAC - Testified in favor of bill calling for transition services.
MPAC- joined Health and Human Services in support of the harm reduction health center bill.
MPAC - testified in support of closing the gap with Mainecare for incarcerated individuals in county jails.
MPAC - Testified in support of the Long Creek bill.
MPAC - supported an Act to Establish Alternative Sentencing for Primary Caregivers"
MPAC- supported a bill to define Solitary Confinement.
MPAC- supports a "An Act to Provide Safe, Short-term Housing to Individuals Recently Released from Correctional Facilities".
MPAC - submitted testimony supporting the housing first bill.
MPAC - testified in support to pay minimum wage bill for license plate production for incarcerated individuals.
MPAC- testified in support to Establish Alternative Sentencing for Primary Caregivers"
MPAC - testified in support of the bill to Release the elderly, dying, and incapacitated in Maine's prisons!
MPAC- supporting the bill to Establish the Commission to Recommend Cost-effective, Safe, Administrable and Healthful Programs to Reduce Violence in Prisons and Jails.
MPAC- testified in support of An Act to Establish a Pilot Project Regarding Harm Reduction Health Centers
MPAC - testified on LD 1626 An Act to Standardize Requirements Between Boards of Visitors for County Jails and Department of Corrections Correctional Facilities
MPAC- signed a letter in opposition disrespecting and stifling student learning
MPAC- signed a letter of support automatic sealing of juvenile records.
Strategic Partnerships: ongoing- MaineTransnet, GLADD, Portland Outright, MIO, MYJ, Maine Law School, Disability Rights, Maine Equal Justice, ACLU, Muskie, Recovery Connections, Recovery Housing, REST Center, Roses Room, Bates College, JJAG, Women’s League of Voters, MPRN, MPDA, MSP-NAACP, Colby College, Bates College, UMA, RJIM, Maine Immigrants, Maine Family Planning, Maine Humanities Council, Consumer Council of Maine, Maine Council of Churches
New Partners: Pubic Health Committee for Maine Medical Association, Knox-Waldo Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women. No Penobscot County Jail Expansion , ME-RAP, Southern Maine SURJ(Standing Up for Racial Justice), Amistad, Maine CDC, Vera Institute,FAMM, NRCAT, Unlock the Box, Curative, Augusta Recovery Center, Reform Alliance, College Guild, Project Home, Third Place.
