Director’s Update: April 2024
Operations: April 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 12 individuals. Joseph Jackson, Jan Collins, Peter Lehman, Joelle Jackson, Darlene George, Brandon Brown, Wendy Allen, Andre Hicks, Antonio Jackson, Linda Small, Sami Basu and Kathy Elliot
MPAC has 11 volunteers leading projects. Doug Dunbar, Jon Courtney, Jamie Peloquin, Leslie Manning, Cheryl Mills, Olivia Hochstadt, Lani Graham, Adriane Herman, Nicole Lund, Sarah Johnson and Art Jones. 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 will become the speaker’s meeting for the summer.
Arts Programming Team - meets weekly Thursday mornings.
MPAC Website Committee: is switched to the first Monday each month.
MPAC- State of Maine retirement benefit Mandate. MPAC will enter the State's program. New State Requirement for Retirement Savings in 2024
On-going: Advocacy, correspondence, and Direct Dialogue.
MPAC Strategy Meeting - Cuba and Linda facilitated. Both are growing in their roles. We continue to have new people join us. 19 people attended.
MDOC - met with Deputy Commissioner Tony Cantillo about continued collaboration on the art project. He requested an outline of the project. We submitted our project plan.
MDOC- Deputy Commissioner raised a tension with orgs about sharing information about hunger protests in MDOC facilities.
MDOC - Warden Magnuson resigned! MSP hired York County Jail Administrator Nathan Thayer as Warden.
MDOC - One individual of color is on a hunger strike. Raised concerns over his mental health with Deputy Commissioner Tony Cantillo.
MDOC- met with Deputy Commissioner Tony Cantillo about SCCP eligibility for residents at MSP. The next step is for residents to bring this to the next meeting with Wellpath and MDOC officials.
MCC Reentry Center- monthly meetings at the facility are going well. MERN staff Shanna Murphy joined the monthly meetings.
MCC Reentry Center- MPAC arranged for 18 women in reentry to attend Clyde at the Portland Stage in April. The director has pledged to continue to support women in reentry attending plays.
Longcreek- 14 committed, 12 detained, the 11 year old is back(twelve in September) - met with probation and mom last week, three girls. Went to the statehouse with a couple of guys from Day one and others. Took pictures and received tours. Two individuals graduated from Day one. Andre checked in on them. SNAP thread- #FREE EVERYBODY more people are joining. MDOC gave money for two of the kids to take boxing lessons.
Quality Housing March 27th is looking for alternatives for youth who age out of the voucher project. Working with Quality Housing to connect returning citizens to housing resources.
MPAC - staff continues to support formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry, with transport, peer to peer support. One on one and in group settings.
MCC Longtimers - meeting with Longtimers twice a month. Leslie met with unit managers. Darlene is working on a Juneteenth event.
MSP-NAACP- MSP is doing Juneteenth on the 28th. Nicole Porter from Sentencing Project is keynote, Joseph will be speaking and Sam James for music.
MSP- The dentist is present 1 or 2 days a month. When units are locked in no one is allowed to go to the dentist. At least two people have pulled their own teeth.
MSP- DOC has also taken complete control of the hospice program.
Penobscot county jail- Wendy in contact with some residents and one recent release w/o housing and drug court support.
MERN- Federal System is reaching out for help with reentry of federal prisoners. Would like a regular relationship. Pharaoh's House is also reaching out for assistance.
MYJ - Working with the DA in Cumberland and Sagadahoc on restorative justice with youth and young adults.
Projects:
Reentry Support- MPAC supported 5 people in reentry transition.
Gallery Exhibit Project - planning a June 7 exhibition at the Meetinghouse Arts Gallery in Freeport.
Book drive - Jon Courtney has sent four boxes of books to MVC.
Bates -MPAC is partnering with Bates on a project to offer legal literacy for system-impacted individuals and their families.
MPAC Film Series : On hold! Jon met with Erica Grover and Peter Servidio at MCC. They were enthusiastic about bringing the project to MCC. Proposed film project
MCC Reentry Center- Leslie: writing program beginning “Healing our Stories”. The unit manager has been very supportive.
Reentry Sisters: is supporting women in reentry with backpacks filled with donated clothing. For years women have been released in prison garb. Our program curbs this practice.
Resource Organizing Projects: Joseph joined this Affinity Space for Black leaders in New England. We held our first meeting. It is a supportive space for black leaders.
Justice Radio: talk show on radio to give voice to what is really happening in the carceral system. Part III of the Survivorship Series played Sunday, April 21 at 1:30pm on Justice Radio! Catherine Besteman and Linda Small talked about accountability, healing, and justice in relation to our criminal legal system with their guests Tyler Redskye of Youth Led Justice and Kage Johnson, from the Restorative Justice Institute of Maine.
For archived episodes, please visit: https://www.wmpg.org/show/sunb/ or tune-in every Thursday at 5pm for Justice Radio on Community Radio WERU 89.9 FM!
Freedom And Captivity - Catherine Besteman leads. Darlene is facilitating two classes. Cuba and Linda will facilitate a class for Conscious Revolution. https://www.freedom-captivity.org/fc-curriculum-project
MPAC'S Speakers Bureau- Speakers Bureau meetings are rescheduled to Tuesday evening 5:30 - 6:30pm of each week while the legislature is not in session. There may be some legislative issues mixed in as this is the usual time for the legislative meeting.
Behind the Door Podcast- MPAC Coordinator Brandon Brown co-host with the Executive Director of Recovery Connections of Maine Jeremy Hiltz. Clip from Behind the Door Podcast Super powerful podcast. People really connected with the door. Hampton Rhodes went well. Talking with the Virginia interfaith council. They will take the door to VA campuses four times next year.
MPAC - has decided to contract the women at MCC to create MPAC merchandise.
Maine Humanities Council - Linda and Cuba are participating in planning committees for a National gathering focusing on mass incarceration.
Charles Jordan House - MPAC has site control over the Charles Jordan House. We beat the May 6th deadline imposed by the Maine Housing Authority(MHA). Joseph is meeting with MHA next week. The next step is to ensure the building is structurally sound.
MPAC- will table at the Lewiston/Auburn pride parade June 7th.
MIO: MPAC has joined a Coalition with Maine Inside Out to plan a mural, parade, and block party in Lewiston on Juneteenth.
Letters For Leo- MPAC is supporting Leo Hylton's application for clemency. This man was incarcerated as a teen and has spent more years than living free. He has earned a Master's degree, and is about to receive his PHD. Please, take a few minutes to capture your thoughts on why Maine’s Pardon Board and Governor Janet Mills should free Leo Hylton. Send them to: FreeLeoHylton@gmail.com by Saturday, June 1, 2024.
Communications:
MPAC brochures. MPAC Brochure
Public engagement is On-track.
AMID 6th Amendment concerns, Maine lawmakers seek to ensure right to speedy trial. With some people waiting years for their day in court, the Legislature has passed a bill that would create rules for when trials must begin Morning Star Article
Mills’ veto of ‘3 strikes’ bill keeps Maine on the wrong track by Jeffrey Evangelos, “Gov. Mills doesn't seem to realize that Maine is already an outlier in criminal justice policy.” Portland Press Herald Article
State police investigating inmate’s suicide at Wiscasset jail
Are Maine prisoners being held in solitary confinement? Without a definition, it’s hard to say
Communication Resources:
Maine art Commission featuring Joseph's video. Joseph's poem "Lewiston Strong "
Donors/ funders:
Grant team meets weekly Al Cleveland has joined our Development team!
Sewell: Joseph and Cuba presented a four minute presentation April 30th. Sewell Presentation
National Philanthropic Trust: 500.00
Durham Quakers: 50.00!
Maine Initiatives- applied to their outdoor equity fund.
Maine Community Foundation- 65521.65
Donors- 16 Donors
Joseph Birthday Fundraiser- raised 628 dollars
Orange Bike Brewing MPAC fundraiser: Scheduled for September 17th. Planning Committee will have its first meeting this Friday.
Highland Green Brown Bag Lunch Fundraiser: Tentatively scheduled for this Fall.
MEHAF - MPAC joined six organizations to develop a plan to distribute 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!
Federal Legislation- meetings with Senator Collins and King about banning federal solitary confinement May 16th at 10:00 am and 11:00 am. We will be advocating along with 7 other partner organizations
Legislature in Recess.
Legislative Committee / Speakers bureau- brochures are ready Speakers Bureau Brochure
The group is practicing their stories. Meetings at 5:30pm via zoom Join Zoom Meeting
Legislative Update- Parole4Me- meets every other Monday over zoom. The group is developing a plan to bring the issue back during the next legislative session
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
