Director’s Update: November 2024
MPAC: recognizes and honors the passing of our former board chair Irving B Faunce on October 17th. Irving was a stabilizing force during a phase of transition of the organization.
Operations: October operations are on track.
MPAC: Board consists of 6 members, Co-Chair Ryun Anderson, Co-Chair Carla Hunt, Executive Secretary Julian Rowand, board members Jadirah Ortiz, Craig Williams, and Rosalani Moore.
MPAC currently has a staff size of 11 individuals. Joseph Jackson, Jan Collins, Peter Lehman, Joelle Jackson, Darlene George, Brandon Brown, Andre Hicks, Antonio Jackson, Linda Small, Sammy Basu and Kathy Elliot
MPAC has 11 volunteers. Doug Dunbar, Jon Courtney, Jamie Peloquin, Leslie Manning, Tatum Rosenberg, Olivia Hochstadt, Lani Graham, Adriane Herman, Nicole Lund, Sarah Johnson, Daria Cullen, 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: is switched to the first Monday each month.
MPAC - Development and Communications Committee meets Mondays every other week.
MPAC - grant committee meets weekly on Tuesday.
MPAC - Ways of Working committee meets monthly.
MPAC- All staff are enrolled in the State of Maine retirement benefit program.
On-going: Advocacy, correspondence, and Direct Dialogue.
September MPAC Strategy Meeting - Luca talked about the importance of Gender Justice. Darlene and Luca starting a Pen Pal project for trans individuals!
MDOC - Executive Director met with the Deputy Commissioner and established a new structure to address health care complaints. In the new structure, MPAC ED brings complaints directly to the Deputy Commissioner. In our first engagement with the new structure, the resident was seen by a medical provider that afternoon.
MDOC - met with Commissioner Cantillo about complaints regarding delayed responses to SCCP applications. Delays chalked up to office renovations and redirection of applications.
MDOC - met with Superintendent Ben Beal about women's advocacy! Health care requests require incarcerated women to complete Freedom of Information permission for MPAC to discuss individual complaints.
MDOC - to open a Women's reentry house in Auburn Maine. Amanda Woodford will run the facility.
MDOC- phasing out the Endovo texting contract. New system will cost families more to communicate with incarcerated loved ones. MPAC will discuss our concerns with MDOC.
MCC Longtimers- Darlene met with Commissioner Liberty, Sam Prawer, Tessa Mosher, and Rachel Talbot Ross about issues with the grievance process. They will create a subcommittee to address the issues.
MCC Longtimers- Brandon’s hybrid class Bridging the Divide is going well. Horace Mann students are very engaged.
MCC Longtimers - Darlene is working with the NAACP, on the SCCP policy, PPR policy, and Parental Policy. They are meeting with DHHS, and every person in a role who makes decisions about visitations with their children. One question is, How many DV classes does one have to complete before they can have visitations?
MCC Reentry Center- monthly meetings at the facility are going well.
Advocacy Coalition- planning a retreat to develop a strategy for the upcoming legislative session.
Longcreek- MPAC is entering the youth facility 5 days a week. At last count there were 14 committed, 16 detained, with 4 girls.
Longcreek - MPAC is supporting 19 youth in reentry. There is weekly engagement with youth in a 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.
MPAC - staff continues to support formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry, with transport, peer to peer support. One on one and in group settings.
MSP - MPAC'S Incarcerated Coordinator supported a Resource Fair at the facility.
MSP- MPAC'S Incarcerated Coordinator reports that the residents advisory council met and discussed the lack of due process in the grievance policy, and the practice of photocopying legal mail. They also advocated that check cashing be returned to 3 days instead of 14 days.
Penobscot County - Commissioners are moving forward to purchase land and build a new, larger jail at a staggering cost to taxpayers.
Projects:
MSP - MPAC helped facilitate creation of sampler trays for Orange Bike Brewing Company with the Director of Industries Kenny Linsey. Project complete! Orange Bike is planning to sell the trays for Xmas with half of the profit going to MPAC.
MSP - MPAC is supporting the MSP-NAACP group to hold an Appreciation day November 22nd. Kenya Hall is performing.
MPAC - MPAC has contracted Jeff Evangelos to work with Colby College to create a get out of prison handbook on clemency and other strategies for reducing a prison sentence.
Reentry Support- MPAC supported 6 people in reentry transition.
Gallery Exhibit Project - The Francis Hotel is hosting a gallery exhibition. The exhibition will run through November. Over 200 photos up. Attendance was down this First Friday possibly impacted by the Beyond the Bars conference.
Gallery Exhibit Project - Tommy Parish workshop at MSP has been canceled, but was successful with both long timers and the reentry center at MCC. Jon courtney supported the visit by providing housing.
MERN- did not get the federal Reentry grant. Prison work on hold! Trying to shuffle things around so they can do some reentry work. Maine owes MERN 50,000 dollars. Missed payroll.
Book drive - Jon delivered and picked up books at MCC. Getting books for and about native residents.
Bates -MPAC is partnering with Bates on a project to offer legal literacy for system-impacted individuals and their families. Class is going well, a lot of engagement with students.
MPAC Film Series : a performance of the Iliad at MCC. It was well attended. https://www.figtreecommittee.org/
MSP - Jon attended a performance of the Iliad at MSP. It was well attended. https://www.figtreecommittee.org/
MPAC Film Series-Jon will be at MSP on the 25th to show the Dakota 38 film.
MCC Reentry Center- Brandon was at the women's center. Bridging the Divide class. Spoke to 16 women with Rebecca Barr.
Reentry Sisters: Linda - meeting with researchers about the Reconnect app program for probation. It's a pilot program that allows folks on probation to meet virtually rather than go in person (interrupting jobs, child care, and mitigate travel expenses, etc) potentially roll out the program statewide.
Reentry Sisters- tabled at the Women’s Recovery Fair at MCC.
National Humanities Conference: Cuba, Linda and Brandon presenting this weekend with Freedom and Captivity.
Justice Radio -Link to Justice Radio “Framing Punishment in Childhood” https://www.spreaker.com/episode/framing-punishment-in-childhood--62677231?utm_medium=app&utm_source=widget&utm_campaign=episode-title
Behind the Door Podcast- MPAC Coordinator Brandon Brown co-host with the Executive Director of Recovery Connections of Maine Jeremy Hiltz. https://youtu.be/KN51nJFTOFA?si=FQwG3n96LXYTDk37
Charles Jordan House - Charles Jordan is continuing to progress. Expect to break ground in the spring. Land survey is complete.
Communications:
MPAC - is hiring Daria Cullen as our communications lead. Her role will be to manage the website. It includes creating, curating, and generating content for the website. Start date November 18th.
Website: MPAC Volunteer Jamie Peloquin leads our Website design.
Website: Ann Beaudry joined the communication team. We reviewed the website and made editing suggestions.
MPAC brochures. MPAC Brochure
Public engagement is On-track.
Communication Resources:
Maine art Commission featuring Joseph's video. Joseph's poem "Lewiston Strong "
Andre's Video
Donors/ funders:
Grant team meets weekly. MPAC Fundraiser trailer Google says the trailer does not exist.
Cuba - joined the grant team!
PayPal Transition: Working on closing the old paypal account that was under Irv’s name and transitioning to Zeffe.
The Fundraising Appeal Letter is ready to go out, waiting to insert the new link to donate.
MPAC Fundraiser: raised $45k from the event.
Private donor to donate 100,000 if we can get it matched by the end of the year.
MPAC Fundraiser - another donor pledged 25000
Long Timers and MSP-NAACP have been approved to hold a fundraiser inside the prison for MPAC.
Maine Initiatives- Giving Project grant completed.
Haymarket People's Fund - grant team working on an application.
MEHAF - MPAC is part of the MEHAF design team along with six organizations to develop a plan to stribute 2 million dollars.
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 6 each week.
Legislative Committee Meetings - is experiencing more participation from incarcerated individuals.
MSP - the Criminal Records Review Committee met with residents at MSP. Some residents expressed concern about sealing criminal records.
Legislative Committee - language for Bill to expand SCCP is complete.
Jan is working with Victims advocates on records sealing for sex trafficking and asking them to support reentry bill.
MPAC is supporting the creation of a Justice Caucus in Maine's legislature. NIna Miliken is the organizer. MA also has an active caucus https://www.cjreformma.com/
Legislative Committee - Looking at models for oversight and transparency.Lani Graham is the lead writer for the bill.
MDOC - policy hearing on County Jail oversite. The objective is to grant MDOC more authority over County jails which would create a baseline of rights for individuals jailed in Maine. Concern is the proposals aren't mandatory.
Legislative Committee / Speakers bureau- Speakers Bureau Brochure
Legislative Update- Parole4Me- meets every other Wednesday over zoom. The group is developing a plan to bring the issue back during the next legislative session. The last meeting hosted Richard Harburger, current chair of the parole board.
County Jail Boards of Visitors - Jan is on the Franklin County Board of Visitors, Sarah Johnson and Janet Drew are on the York County BOV. All are working to bring more humane policies that focus on successful reentry.
Parole4ME - In addition to our statewide work, we are also hoping to organize by county. York County has begun contacting all of the local rotary clubs to discuss the topics of mass incarceration and the topic of parole. They are using Speaker’s Bureau brochures with a cover letter from MPAC and Prole4ME. Nicole Lund will be presenting on Mass Incarceration at UMF on Nov 14th and on Parole on Nov 21.
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