Director’s Update: November 2021

Nov 20

Written By Joseph Jackson

Operations

Fall operations are on track.

Added Kevin Collins, Brandon Brown and Wendy Smith to staff as MPAC Coordinators.
Correspondence with incarcerated individuals is on a daily basis.
In-person meetings occurring monthly between staff and incarcerated residents at MSP, Bolduc, MCC, SMWRC.
Staff went into Longcreek for the first time since the pandemic.
MPAC Staff meeting weekly for updates, and tension processing.
Jon Courtney is an active volunteer leading projects.
Board Co Chair Ryun Anderson attended this month's staff meeting.
MPAC has started working on our application for 501c3 status.
MPAC Staff currently sit on three legislative committees.
MPAC worked out the kinks of our pay structure for incarcerated consultants.
MPAC worked out the kinks for the reimbursement structure from UMA for the new hires.
MPAC Strategy Meeting is canceled this Saturday due to the passing of Dee Clarke. We will have an abbreviated meeting on the 20th from 10 - 11. Jan will be lead Facilitator.

On-going: Advocacy, correspondence, and Direct Dialogue.

October MPAC Strategy Meeting - Breakout Groups focused on county jail short staff, overpopulation, and could MPAC develop a counter narrative around the State's response to those topics.

MDOC- Juvenile Justice Task Force met, MPAC Director is a member.
MDOC - New phone contract!. Does not appear to be a cheaper or better service. GTL - Global Tell Link is the new company that MDOC is contracting communications with: https://www.gtl.net/. Now press 0 for connection.
MDOC- Amanda Woolford relocated to Youth Center. Michelle McLaughlin is in charge of both women’s facilities. Leslie wants to schedule a meeting to meet with the new warden Anthony Cantillo.

MPAC is working in Coalition with other partners to develop a strategy to put pressure on the governor.

MDOC - expresses displeasure with Melon Grant Advisory board, disallowed residents participation, has asked that the board be disbanded and remade to exclude Charlotte and Rachel.
MDOC- Jan met with MDOC who denies they have anyone in solitary confinement or segregation. They have changed the name of the Segregation unit to ACU administrative control Unit, but retained the same harsh practices.
Bolduc- 3 incarcerated individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. 13 staff are covid positive, MDOC reports a total of 79 individuals (staff and residents) covid positive.
Bolduc- Incarcerated residents are being confined to their rooms 23 hours a day, even though they are covid negative.
Bolduc - Mail has been reported to be held for two weeks at the facility. MPAC’S Director is reaching out to Superintendent Wooster. Director will update the ACLU.
Penobscot county- announced that they will be adding an additional 100 beds to the jail.
MCC Longtimers -dealing with possible PREA issue. Cheryl is looking into attending the Windham BOV and establishing relationships with the members.
Long Creek - Another riot at the facility. Police secured the perimeter.
CCLP is now doing an investigation of the August riot and now October. Report released this week.
Brandon went into the facility. The first time We have been inside since the pandemic. Brandon visited with a lense focused on Restorative Justice. He is planning to visit the facility a couple days a week, interacting with the youth, creating relationships, and building familiarity and trust.
MPAC Director supported 3 individuals with reentry support for the month of October. Totaling 210.00.
Peter spent Friday supporting reentry. MPAC and MPRN now offer Reentry support for folks in the Administrative Control Unit.
MSP - residents in the ACU report they are organizing a hunger strike to protest the conditions.
Jan gave presentation at UNE(virtually) Nov 2 on Children, Families, and the Impact of Incarceration
Jan gave same presentation Nov 4 at UMF live alongside excerpts from Norman Kehling’s one person play For the Other Guy
Paco was at a Recovery event in Portland on Nov 9 and will be speaking in a Colby class this week. Dec 6 he will be speaking at Maine College of Art

Projects

10/14 Jan held a workshop at the Women’s Economic Summit; it was virtual.

Portland Media Center/Union of Maine Visual Artists exhibit ended Oct 28th. Reported as the most visited exhibit in PMA history. See video! https://youtu.be/uX8yAHvxID4

MPAC Director and Catherine Besteman premiered the ABC'S of Abolition at MSP November 5th. It was well attended. Nearly half the residents in attendance were men of color.
MPAC hosted Jacinta screening at PMA on Friday November 5th.

MPAC supported Jimmy Santiago Baca film premier at the Women’s center November 9th. https://www.jimmysantiagobaca.com/a-place-to-stand-film

Social Media

Public engagement is On-track. Highlight, Paco continues to take on roles related to public engagement.

MPAC Director gave a presentation at Colby College.
MPAC Director collaborated with Muskie for Abolition Night at the Strand theater in Rockland.
MPAC collaborated with Maine Inside Out, and Maine Youth Justice for a Freedom and Captivity Project at University of Farmington.
MPAC Director part of a Colby panel, Beyond the Page, Writing for the Moment.
Website engagement up 172 percent from the previous month.
The Facebook page reached over 2282 individuals this past month.

Doners/Funders

MPAC was denied the Nellie Mae grant.

MPAC applied for grants for change from Maine Initiatives.

Legislative

MPAC Staff are members of 3 legislative committees - criminal records, long term care for the incarcerated, and solitary confinement. Entered the state house for the first time since the pandemic.

MPAC Assistant Director is initiating a public education project on Solitary confinement.

Strategic Partnerships

Ongoing: MaineTransnet, GLADD, Portland Outright, MIO, MYJ, Maine Law School, Disability Rights, Maine Equal Justice, ACLU, Muskie, Recovery Connections, Recovery Housing, JJAG, Women’s League of Voters, MPRN, MPDA, MSP-NAACP, Colby, Bates College, UMA, RJIM, Maine Immigrants, Maine Family Planning, Maine Humanities Council

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.

Communications/Media

Joseph Jackson https://maineprisoneradvocacy.org