Director’s Update: November 2023
Operations:
November 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, Daniel Fortune, Brandon Brown, Wendy Allen, Andre Hicks, Antonio Jackson, Linda Small and Kathy Elliot
MPAC has 6 volunteers leading projects. Doug Dunbar, Jon Courtney, Jamie Peloquin, Leslie Manning, Cheryl Mills, Olivia Hochstadt and Lani Graham. 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: Justin Gilchrist MPAC’S new intern is working on research to reduce violence in prisons and jails.
MPAC staff meeting in-person with incarcerated residents at MSP, Bolduc, MCC, SMWRC.
MPAC Ways of Working committee has shifted staff roles to correspond to accountabilities.
MPAC Strategy Meeting is the second Saturday of each month from 10-12.
MPAC - Legislative Strategy Meeting every Tuesday at 6pm.
Arts Programming Team - meets every Thursday at 8:30 to discuss avenues for increasing arts programming at DOC facilities. Jon, Jan, Olivia(departed for Boston but still participating), Adriane Herman, and Nicole Lund.
MPAC Website Committee: meeting every other week.
On-going: Advocacy, correspondence, and Direct Dialogue.
MPAC Strategy Meeting - Met November 11, 2023. 15 people attended.
MDOC - Brief meeting with Deputy Commissioner Tony Cantillo. We discussed incarcerated residents' ability to donate organs, bone marrow to family members in need? Currently no policy exists.
MDOC - Women’s Service in upheaval, creating turmoil in the unit as leadership changes.
MDOC- residents in community custody (SCCP) can no longer access medical care through the department. We believe Medical files should be part of an individuals exit package, but are not. Must be requested and payed for per copy
MCC Reentry Center- grievances over a shakedown that took lots of items including material to make Christmas gifts.
MCC Reentry Center- town hall meeting held at the reentry center. Breast and Cervical health specialist attended to spread the message that this resource is available.
Longcreek- Andre is in Long Creek every day. 21 detained bc mini riot, 8 kids went to SMU and the rest to the detention area and still remain, but the 8 sent to the MSU are now back in their dorm, 3 girls in the facility, Dre working with PO Lature and Roy King to hold a men’s group on Monday afternoons.
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. Linda joining!
MCC Longtimers - women complained they have been denied the ability to open bank accounts. Men have been allowed to open accounts for years. Deputy Commissioner Cantillo has created a pathway for women to open accounts.
MSP - C-pod and E-pod close are now lock-down pods, that do not show up on any records for SMU
MSP - Joseph, Cuba, Brandon participated on a panel for Ellen Taylor to discuss the benefits of liberal arts education. Cuba noted a great turn out and the men were very engaged.
MSP-NAACP- met with the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and tribal population. They are also very interested in working with incarcerated/justice impacted women.
MERN- being used as a model for other reentry work around the country. MERN's contract has been extended for three years.
MYJ - Colby students making films about youth incarceration, role of education inside places like Longcreek.
Androscoggin County Jail- Cuba connected with the family who lost their son at ACJ, Trevor Saunders was 27 years old. MPAC has a packet of information for people who lose loved ones in prison or jail.
Projects:
Reentry Support- MPAC supported 6 people in reentry transition.
Gallery Exhibit Project - LA Arts exhibit has been canceled due to the tragic events in Lewiston. The exhibit was invited to go back to UMF, the poetry was a big hit. MPAC needs support delivering art to families.
Book drive - Jon Courtney delivered books to Longcreek. Over a thousand books have been delivered this year to prisons and jails.
MIO - open mic on Dec 14 5:30 to 7:30 at Afro Taste Restro. Art Prompt is “When Harm Happens”. This event is in collaboration with Recovery Connections of Maine.
MPAC Film Series : Ryan Adams is coming to MSP this month.
Reentry Sisters: developing a local and a regional gender justice symposium! Women received a huge donation of clothing, suitcases, backpacks, and winter gear.
Sustainer learner: Craig and Joseph participating.
Justice Radio: Listen live at 90.9 WMPG FM or stream online: https://www.wmpg.org/ Sunday at 1:30
Freedom And Captivity - Catherine Besteman leads. Workshops completed. Planning to meet with MDOC to discuss spring workshops with incarcerated facilitators.
MPAC'S Speakers Bureau- creating a structure to hold the work. We plan to make changes to the webpage for recruitment. Looking to create a meeting space and time to support the project.
Behind the Door Podcast- MPAC Coordinator Brandon Brown co-host with the Executive Director of Recovery Connections of Maine Jeremy Hiltz.
Survivors Network - bringing folks together nationally and locally for survivor support system for Maine RJM and Downeast, Survivor Speak (Amanda Comeau).
Communications:
Public engagement is On-track.
Beyond the Bars Conference: MPAC Coordinator Dan Fortune presented.
MEHAF retreat - Peter attended, worked on Infrastructure and support for the process of moving forward in collaboration with other orgs sharing similar values.
Second Chances convention: Jon and Jan attended. Over 200 folks in attendance discussing parole and re-sentencing. Rep Saradosa in MA has a caucus and working on a similar situation in Maine.
Behind the Door Podcast, MPAC Executive Director appeared on the podcast. Behind the Door Podcast with Joseph Jackson
Donors/ funders:
MPAC Fundraiser trailer
Maine Humanities Council- grant for $1000 awarded.
Borealis - Grant submitted
Onion Foundation - 2000 awarded
OSHA - grant submitted
Gill Foundation- 3500 awarded
PayPal- 1200 received from individual donors. 525.00 Personnel checks.
MEHAF - 30000 awarded!
Network for Good - 1940.00 awarded
United Way - 54.00 awarded
Wellspring - report complete
Giving Tuesday appeal went out on time.
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 zoom meetings resume.
Solitary confinement
Parole4Me- zoom meetings have resumed. They meet every other Monday afternoon.
Indigent Housing - working with the Speaker of the House
Earned Good Time- working with the Speaker of the House
Longcreek Bill - working with MYJ and the Advocacy table.
Criminal Records Committee- MPAC Executive Director appointed by Senate President Troy Jackson to serve on the committee.
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, Reform Alliance, College Guild, Project Home, Maine Health Equity Foundation
