Director’s Update: April 2025

Written By Daria Rosario

  • Operations: March operations are on track. 

  • MPAC Board consists of 7 members, Co-Chair Ryun Anderson, Co-Chair Carla Hunt, Executive Secretary Julian Rowand, board members Jadirah Ortiz, Craig Williams, Rosalani Moore and Thraza Rosie Hylton. 

  • MPAC currently has a staff size of 12 individuals. Joseph Jackson, Jan Collins, Peter Lehman, Joelle Jackson, Darlene George, Brandon Brown, Andre Hicks, Antonio Jackson, Linda Small, Sammy Basu, Daria Cullen and Kathy Elliot

  • MPAC contracted Jeff Evangelos to support clemency and habeas corpus applications.

  • MPAC has 10 volunteers. Doug Dunbar, Jon Courtney, Jamie Peloquin, Leslie Manning, Tatum Rosenberg, Olivia Hochstadt, Lani Graham, Adriane Herman, Nicole Lund, Sarah Johnson, Ann Beaudry and Craig McEwen.  Special thanks for their work and dedication. 

  • MPAC Mission. Value, and Purpose statements: 

    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 criminal 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 Volunteers meet as a full team weekly to update and resolve tensions.

  • MPAC staff members are in regular communications with incarcerated residents and formerly incarcerated individuals.

  • MPAC staff meeting in-person with incarcerated residents at MSP, Bolduc, MCC, SMWRC. 

  • MPAC Strategy Meeting is the second Saturday of each month from 10-12.

  • MPAC Legislative Strategy Meeting every Tuesday at 5:30 pm. 

  • Arts Programming Team meets weekly Thursday mornings at 8:00am.

  • MPAC Website Committee meets bi-weekly, Wednesday at 5:00 pm

  • MPAC Development and Communications Committee meets Mondays every other week at 8:00 am.

  • MPAC grant committee meets weekly on Tuesday.

  • MPAC Ways of Working committee meets monthly.

  • MPAC staff continues to support formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry, with transport, peer to peer support. One on one and in group settings.

  • MPAC Admin responded to 6 interested in volunteering.

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

  • March MPAC Strategy Meeting- Meeting went well. The meeting was virtual because of The Beyond the Bars Conference in New York. oards of Visitor’s accountability to be discussed in future meetings. Good discussion on Parental Rights.

  • MDOC- met with Commissioner Cantillo about residents access to the law Library.  Westlaw is now available on all resident tablets.

  • MDOC- MPAC inquired about complaints that residents suffering from ADHD diagnosis were not receiving treatment. The Deputy Commissioner reported that he is aware and there is a nationwide shortage of medications.

  • MDOC- MPAC inquired about reports that MDOC wasn't honoring legal name changes for incarcerated residents. The Deputy Commissioner responded that the department is prohibited by law which says the must follow the name entered at the time of conviction.

  • MDOC- MPAC advocated  for a non- English speaking man whose grievance was denied because it was written in Spanish. The Deputy Commissioner tooks steps to provide a translator.

  • MDOC- MPAC advocated for a man who was subjected to humiliation because of a requirement to photo a tattoo on his genitalia. The Deputy Commissioner was very concerned about this revelation. If true it's a clear violation of the PREA policy.

  • MDOC- Met with Deputy Commissioner about ongoing Healthcare issues. Meetings regarding Healthcare have been halted.  Working with the DOC to resolve their issues with the meetings.

  • MCC Longtimers- MPAC advocated for access for dental care for women at MCC. 3 women were transported to their dental appointment.

  • MCC Longtimers- MPAC advocated for a woman with mobility issues. She is being set up for disability services.

  • MCC Reentry Center- Daria and Leslie - Women remain underemployed. Met with admin about this and they say the numbers are improving.

  • MCC Reentry Center- Nicole Murphy is the new leader in reentry.

  • Advocacy Coalition- continuing to process youth justice issues.

  • Longcreek- Andre reported as of last week there were 20 boys committed to Longcreek. This is a high number of kids. 11 detained boys, and 6 girls.

  • Longcreek- MPAC is supporting 26 youth in reentry. There is weekly engagement with youth one-on-one or in groups. Youth are provided food, shoes, and haircuts. They are supported with seeking employment (help with filling out applications). Andre is speaking on behalf of youth during court hearings.

  • Longcreek- Joseph and Bruce King met with the youth group, and discussed legislative protocols.

  • Longcreek-  Youth enjoyed the cooking class offered this week.

  • MSP- Admin decided to discontinue Jericho Circle in the Close unit. 

  • MSP- Dental and Medical needs are not being met.

  • County Jails- MPAC responded to 4 requests for support for individuals in Kennebec, Penobscot, Cumberland, and York Counties.

Projects:

  • MPAC -  Breaking ground on Paco's Place (Charles Jordan) reentry house has been slightly delayed till June. Met with the mayor to discuss a tax waiver for 5 years.

  • MPAC Clemency project - Jeff continues to meet with residents every Sunday. He is no longer allowed to bring paper in from the outside. He has helped one individual overcome a call for dismissal, and he has helped another obtain an attorney.

  • Get Out of Prison Guide - MPAC is continuing to work in collaboration with Freedom and Captivity, and the Justice Collective to create a Guide to Pathways for early release. We had two lawyers review it, and we are now in the formatting stage.

  • Reentry Support- MPAC supported 7 people in reentry transition this month. 

  • Gallery Exhibit Project titled Inside Vision- gallery art exhibition at LA arts from March 28–May 19. The grand opening is this Friday 5:30 - 7:30.

  • Inside Vision Project- March 16th viewing of the film 16 BARS, reaching out to Genius Black.

  • Inside Vision Project- May 12th viewing of the film Sing Sing.

  • MPAC- working with the Brennan Center as advisors to their research in Maine prisons.

  • Mainecare- MPAC is partnering with Mainecare to hold workshops at MSP, MCC, Statewide Community meeting and a county jail.

Communications: 

  • MPAC - Daria Cullen is our communications lead. 

  • Website: MPAC Volunteer Jamie Peloquin leads our Website design.

  • Website: Added the Legislative Tracker.

  • Website: promoting Inside Vision gallery exhibition at LA ARTS. 

  • Website: Jamie is working to improve communications.

  • Website: team working to create a newsletter.

  • Website: Daria continues to update our website, https://www.maineprisoneradvocacy.org/

  • MPAC- new YouTube channel MPAC YouTube channel 

  • MPAC brochures- Jamie is updating the design of  MPAC Brochure 

  • Public engagement is On-track.

Donors/ funders:

  • Grant team meets weekly. 

  • PayPal Transition:  we continue to receive monthly donations on our paypal account. We have sent letters to our monthly donors informing them of our move to Zeffy.

  • Donate Button Zeffy platform 

  • MPAC- Maine Initiatives 250.00 

  • Wellspring - 20,000.00

  • Longtimers - 400 dollar donation 

  • Incarcerated Residents - 400 dollar individual donation.

  • Individual Donation - 160.00

  • Revolutionary Press- 500.00

  • Become A Sustainer campaign- A sustainer is a Donor or Supporter who commits to making monthly or yearly donations of time or money to the organization. Sustainers play a crucial role in providing a stable and predictable source of income for us by allowing us to plan and execute long-term initiatives with greater confidence.

Legislative: 

  • Assistant Director Jan Collins leads!

  • Legislative Committee Meetings- meets Tuesdays at 5:30pm each week.

  • Legislative- the team is in Augusta 4 or 5 days a week. We are following over 100 bills and will give testimony on them all.

  • Legislative- team is attending workshops and responding to questions on priority bills.

  • Legislative Update- Parole4Me- meets every Wednesday over zoom. 

  • Legislative Update- MPAC’S 2025 Legislative Tracker

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, FAMM (Families for Justice Reform).

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, Reform Alliance, College Guild, Project Home, Maine Health Equity Foundation, Orange Bike Brewing Company, Friends of LongCreek, Groundwater Institute, Volunteers of America, Brennan Center.

Daria Rosario
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Director’s Update: March 2025