Director’s Update: April 2022

Operations: April operations are on track.

• MPAC currently has a staff size of 13 individuals. Joseph Jackson, Jan Collins, Peter Lehman, Whitney Parrish, Joelle Jackson, Cheryl Mills, Bobby Payzant, Daniel Fortune, Brandon Brown, Wendy Allen, Andre Hicks, Antonio Jackson and Kathy Elliot

• MPAC has 4 volunteers leading projects. Doug Dunbar, Jon Courtney, Jamie Peloquin & Leslie Manning.

• MPAC's bookkeeper Karen Marysdaughter has officially retired. We are very appreciative of her work to get us to this stage of our development.

• MPAC Staff and Volunteers meet as a full team weekly to update and resolve tensions.

• Every MPAC staff member is in communications with incarcerated residents and formerly incarcerated individuals.

• In-person meetings between MPAC staff and incarcerated residents at MSP, Bolduc, MCC, SMWRC has resume.

• MPAC's application for 501c3 has been submitted.

• MPAC is looking to create company emails for all staff after receiving our 501c3 status.

• MPAC Administrative Assistant responds and directs incoming correspondence to staff.

• MPAC Strategy Meeting is the second Saturday of each month and continues to be well attended.

• MPAC is using the app Instrumentl to discover, research and track grants.

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

• MPAC Strategy Meeting - Saturday March 8 Excellent turn-out and great conversations.

• MDOC - The MPAC Executive Director, and Jon Courtney met with Ryan Thornell to discuss the Freedom Library and gallery exhibit.

• MDOC - Cheryl sat in on MCC Board of Visitors meeting. Will be present at those board meetings moving forward.

• Penobscot county jail- Wendy is hoping to get recidivism numbers from penobscot county as compared to other counties. Penobscot is planning to expand the jail. Doubling its size. County making design plans, coming with a price tag.

• MDOC - MPAC Executive Director met with Commissioner Liberty to talk about our tension during this legislative session. We agreed to meet prior to the next session to discuss our legislative agenda. We discussed the Parole commission. Commissioner reported the governor will decide the MDOC'S position on it. The commissioner is working on food quality, MDOC is starting a project to grow broccoli, and they are producing maple syrup. He is consulting with 3 chefs including one at Mt View. Chef’s came to Long Creek and consulted.

• MCC Reentry Center- sticking with once a month meetings. Need to follow up with health issues mentioned next week. Wendy will need to go through an application process.

• Longcreek- Brandon met with Shaun Libby, Associate Commissioner Christine T., and LC superintendent Lynne Allen about reinstating the “Bridges” program with the youth, and also talked about current issues at LC and the difference between mentoring and modeling for incarcerated youth. Wendy, Rachel, Andre, and Jeremy Hiltz are all approved to come into LongCreek and speak to the youth. Two other men from pros and cons meetings are approved to speak with kids via zoom.

• MPAC staff are supporting formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry. One on one and in group settings.

• MCC Longtimers - meeting with Longtimers twice a month.Getting support from staff and new unit manager. Medical issues continue to be a problem. Several volunteers have volunteered to write to long timers. Congregations have also contacted Leslie about volunteering. She is contacting the chaplain to see if the chaplain will accept help from non-Christian denominations. Blessed spring, Passover, Easter, and Ramadan.

• MSP - MDOC is installing LED lighting statewide. The lighting has negatively affected inmates in the ACU because of its excessive brightness. In MSP masks are no longer required. Facility reopening to volunteers.

• MPAC Staff is collaborating with the Rest Center in Lewiston on a peer support group for formerly incarcerated individuals entitled Pros and Cons.

• MPRN- still meeting with individuals. Hiring three staff members, hoping for those with lived experience( 40 applications.) Having individuals inside who are working on reentry appears to have stalled.

Projects:

• MPAC held a protest at the State house on Solitary confinement.

• MPAC supported Rosanna's protest at Cumberland County Jail over the death of her son.

• Gallery Exhibit - Art project for Prisons is coming together- our intern from last year will curate the exhibit. The Portland Public Library has agreed to hold the exhibition in October (may do so annually). Meeting with MDOC next week to determine point people in each facility.

• Jan working with folks in Franklin County to try to find a way to open up Recovery/ reentry center in the county as they are severely lacking in services.

• MPAC Volunteer Jon Courtney is leading a project to provide increased access to Library books in Maine's prisons and jails. Meeting with MDOC on next steps.

• MPAC Staff is partnering with Amistad to provide support for incarcerated residents in Cumberland County.

• MPAC Staff worked with Bates professor Amy Douglas to develop a survey for formerly incarcerated people, and did a presentation for her class.

• MPAC staff is considering partnering with Aron McPike to start a reentry program at 87 Bartlett st Lewiston Maine. The property has 10 rooms, 3 bathrooms, it will be fully furnished and include electricity, and heat.

• MPAC is still considering partnering with Dan Black (real estate developer) about the Charles Jordan House located at 63 Academy Street Auburn Maine. The house was a boarding house with 12 rooms, bathrooms, and community space for living and kitchens. Group is offering MPAC ownership of the property.

• Justice Scholar strategy- MPAC Executive Director is meeting Catherine Besteman and Erica King to discuss next steps for Freedom and Captivity and the justice Scholar strategy.

• Mellon UMA Grant - MPAC received a grant for 16 laptops for incarcerated students. Laptops purchased!

• The Executive Director is working with UMA Melon Director and the Director of the College Guild on the Letters Project. It's a project targeting incarcerated residents to participate in a correspondence course to prepare them for the college experience.

Social Media platforms:

• Public engagement is On-track..

• Website engagement up. A lot of press on our solitary confinement campaign.

Donors/ funders:

• MPAC applied to Gorman 25000.

• MPAC awarded 10,000 from Sewal.

• MPAC applied to UU 15,000.

• MPAC applied to Bangor Savings 25,000

Legislative:

• The Parole study bill passed the house and senate. Governor allowed it into law without signing!

• Solitary confinement received an 8 to 7 ought-not-to-pass vote.

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 College, 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. No Penobscot County Jail Expansion , ME-RAP, Southern Maine SURJ(Standing Up for Racial Justice), Amistad, Maine CDC, Vera Institute, Curative, Augusta Recovery Center. Preble Street