black and pink news
Volume 12, Issue 1
There will never be another you. Ever. That is historic. If you’re a Black person in this world I would offer that you ARE Black History simply because you exist. Today as I flew to Atlanta to begin our work for the Black & Pink National capital campaign for the Opportunity Campus, our new youth initiative, I happened to open up my phone and see all of these responses to this resolution that was acknowledging the impact of LGBTQ+ Black people in our country’s history. I was excited - I was overjoyed because I was seeing legends and icons that I’ve looked up to that I have thought about in some of my weakest moments, names that I have conjured when I wondered, “What would Marsha do?” as I was trying to make a decision for our community and then I got to the last page and I saw my name and I immediately began to cry. I didn’t cry because I was sad; I cried because I realized that I am Black History simply because I exist. I am a part of Black History and not because of my job at Black & Pink, not because of the work I’ve been blessed to do, but because I exist. When we think about the experience of incarcerated people
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in our country, one of the myths that the community buys into is that when folks are incarcerated they no longer exist. So we turn our eyes away from them, we ignore the atrocities that happened to them - we do this so we can be comfortable moving on and leaving them behind. What I realized in that moment is that if we are all history, and specifically Black folx are Black History because we exist, we can never - we should never leave anyone alone behind. Their story is as essential as ours is - we are intertwined and any attempt to erase or diminish their existence will inherently do the same to ours. We should be thinking about them. We should be talking about the power they have. We should be amplifying their existence in every way we can. At Black & Pink we try to do that every day. We’re not perfect but that is our heart’s desire - to let everyone know that every person who has been system impacted, every person who has been told they don’t matter, every person that has been told that their best is just not enough - should know that they are awesome just because they live and breathe.
In this issue we’re gonna talk about the power of Black people in our Queer history because we don’t do that enough. We’re gonna talk about the difficult space that abolition lives in within our community and what can happen when there’s been harm that is difficult to understand but we still choose to center the human that deserves to be seen and loved. I’m thankful for this resolution. I’m thankful for you all that remind me every day that I matter. You all are the reason that I get out of bed many days and make me want to show up. I’m thankful that we are still developing an incredible brilliant Black Future and one that I know hinges on the power of young people. So if you are a young person and you’re reading this I want you to know that I’m thankful for you and that I love you. I want you to know that I am trying to change the world we live in so you are able to shine and fly higher than I ever have. I wish you all a Happy Black History Month and Trans Day of Visibility. In solidarity, Dominique Morgan Executive Director Black & Pink National
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In This Issue p3 - Letter from Dominique Morgan p5 - Legislation Honoring Black LGBTQ+ individuals p7 - The Crossroads of Accountability and Respect p9 - Ask A Lawyer p10 - Ask Mx. Zephy p14 - A Conversation Between Preston Mitchum and Dominique Morgan p18 - Tokenism Is Just Triangulation With Extra Steps p20 - Black Empowerment is our Black History p21 - On the Importance of Conscious Visibility p23 - Transgender Day of Visibility p24 - Reclaim Your Power p27 - Information about Stimulus Checks p39 - Information about COVID Vaccines p45 - Letters and Poetry from Our Inside Family p55 - Black & Pink Updates
Cover Image by Noa Denmon courtesy of amplifier.org
Black & Pink News
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021
Disclaimer
Statement of Purpose
The ideas and opinions expressed in Black & Pink News are solely those of the authors and artists and do not necessarily reflect the views of Black & Pink. Black & Pink makes no representations as to the accuracy of any statements made in Black & Pink News, including but not limited to legal and medical information. Authors and artists bear sole responsibility for their work. Everything published in Black & Pink News is also on the Internet—it can be seen by anyone with a computer. By sending art or written work to “Newspaper Submissions,” you are agreeing to have it published in Black & Pink News and on the Internet. In order to respect our members’ privacy, we publish only first names and state locations. We may edit submissions to fit our antioppression values and/or based on our own editing guidelines.
Black & Pink is an open family of LGBTQ prisoners and “free world” allies who support each other. Our work toward the abolition of the prison-industrial complex (PIC) is rooted in the experiences of currently and formerly incarcerated people. We are outraged by the specific violence of the PIC towards LGBTQ people, and we respond through advocacy, education, direct service, and organizing. Black & Pink is proudly a family of people of all races and ethnicities. About Black & Pink News Since 2007, Black & Pink free world volunteers have pulled together a monthly newspaper, composed primarily of material written by our family’s incarcerated members. In response to letters we receive, we send the newspaper to more prisoners every month! Black & Pink News currently reaches more than 20,000 prisoners!
Volume 12, Issue 1
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Dominique Morgan Honored in Congressional Legislation Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a vice-chair and founding member of the Equality Caucus introduced legislation on February 26, honoring the contributions of Black LGBTQ+ individuals. This resolution seeks to uplift the contributions of Black LGBTQ+ individuals, both past and present, as fearless trailblazers in American culture and society. Black LGBTQ+ Americans have made significant strides in the fields of politics, entertainment, athletics, and more. This resolution recognizes and celebrates these contributions. “The accomplishments of Black LGBTQ+ citizens have often been downplayed or ignored while they face the compounding impacts of racism and anti-LGBTQ+ bias,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. “However, these harsh realities have not diminished the impact of notable Black LGBTQ+ leaders like Barbara Jordan, Marsha P. Johnson, and Bayard Rustin. “As we celebrate Black History Month, it is critical that we honor the remarkable and unique contributions of all LGBTQ+ Black Americans throughout U.S. history – those whose names we easily recognize and those whose names we’ll never know. This
resolution is an important step in ensuring that their contributions are remembered and properly commemorated.”
to celebrate the remarkable and unique contributions of all LGBTQ+ Black Americans in United States history.
“Too often the contributions of Black LGBTQ+ Americans to our society have been ignored or erased,” said Congressman Richie Torres. “They made contributions to various aspects of American culture and numerous fields and industries that significantly transformed our country, yet many of us are not aware of them. This resolution uplifts those accomplishments and finally recognizes the indelible impact that Black LGBTQ+ Americans had on our country and that we still feel today.”
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Ms. LEE of California submitted the following resolution
“Black LGBTQ+ people have played critical roles throughout our nation’s history, but all too often, their contributions have gone unrecognized,” said Congressman Mondaire Jones. “By recognizing their contributions, we are recognizing the fact that Black LGBTQ+ history is American history. This resolution sends a powerful message that Black LGBTQ+ history matters, that Black LGBTQ+ stories matter, and that all Black lives matter.” The text of the legislation is as follows: Recognizing Black History Month as an important time
RESOLUTION Recognizing Black History Month as an important time to celebrate the remarkable and unique contributions of all LGBTQ+ Black Americans in United States history. Whereas Black History Month is a historic tradition beginning in 1926 to honor and celebrate the aspirations and accomplishments of Black individuals, both past and contemporary; Whereas our Nation has been enriched by the countless contributions of generations of LGBTQ+ Black individuals, most of whom have never been seen or recognized; Whereas untold LGBTQ+ Black individuals have experienced the compounding impacts of racism and anti-LGBTQ+ bias and hatred, but nonetheless continued to fight for justice and equity; Whereas it is critically important to reflect upon and celebrate the unique contributions that Black LGBTQ+ leaders have made
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throughout the history of our Nation; Whereas Alvin Ailey was a famed dancer and choreographer, who moved audiences with his thrillingly theatrical dance moves for decades; Whereas James Baldwin was a powerful novelist, playwright, and social critic, who educated and prodded our Nation’s conscience with his words; Whereas Glenn Burke, a Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics, was the league’s first openly gay player and delighted the world by inventing the high-five; Whereas Patrisse Cullors and Alicia Garza, two of the three founders of Black Lives Matter, inspired a civil rights movement grounded in justice and equality; Whereas Andrea Jenkins is the first openly transgender woman to be elected to public office in the State of Minnesota and the first Black transgender woman elected to public office in the Nation; Whereas Martin Jenkins made history in 2020 as the first openly gay California Supreme Court Justice and just the third Black man to serve on the State’s highest court; Whereas Marsha P. Johnson was a transgender rights activist and drag performer who fought antiLGBTQ+ police raids and helped lead the Stonewall Uprising in June 1969;
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Whereas Barbara Jordan was a lawyer, civil rights leader, and the first African American elected to the House of Representatives from Texas; Whereas Storme´ DeLarverie, born in 1920, was a drag king performer of the Jewel Box Revue and a community advocate; Whereas Lori Lightfoot made history in 2019, when she was elected the first openly LGBTQ+ person and first Black woman to serve as mayor of Chicago, the Nation’s third largest city; Whereas Audre Lorde, an acclaimed poet, author, and essayist, gave countless readers the gift of her insights on race, class, and gender; Whereas Miss Major GriffinGracy, a transgender activist and Stonewall Uprising veteran, has spoken out for justice for marginalized communities for decades; Whereas Pauli Murray, LGBTQ+ feminist, author, lawyer, and minister was the first Black woman to be ordained an Episcopal priest; Whereas Ron Oden made history in Palm Springs, California, as the first Black openly gay mayor of a United States city; Whereas Bayard Rustin was a civil rights activist who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the organizer of the 1963 March on Washington; Whereas Jewel Thais-Williams
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founded Jewel’s Catch One in 1973 as an inclusive, welcoming space for Black LGBTQ+ Angelenos to gather and celebrate alongside legendary performers such as Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Donna Summer, and Whoopi Goldberg; Whereas Black advocates have deep and valuable experience promoting equality and are now leading major LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, including Alphonso David at the Human Rights Campaign, Imani RupertGordon at National Center for Lesbian Rights, Kierra Johnson at National LGBTQ Task Force, David Johns at National Black Justice Coalition, Dominique
Morgan at Black and Pink,
Gabriel Foster at Trans Justice Funding Project, and Carter Brown at Black TransMen Inc.; and Whereas Phill Wilson is the visionary founder of the Black AIDS Institute and a tireless advocate for people living with HIV: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes Black History Month as an important time to celebrate the remarkable and unique contributions of all LGBTQ+ Black Americans in United States history— those whose names we easily recognize and those whose names we will never know.
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The Crossroads of Accountability & Retribution Which Do You Choose? - A Check in with Deputy Director Zephyr Williams Hello beautiful inside members. You’re in my thoughts first and my heart always. We don’t move the needle towards collective liberation without keeping you centered in our movement. Not too long ago, we were questioned about our approach to abolition and our vision for liberation. Whew, what a question. Right?
gets complex, so I invite you to reserve any judgments and keep an open mind. John Lotter is a person incarcerated on death row In Nebraska for the rape and murder of a trans man named Brandon Teena; along with the murders of Lisa Lambert, and Phillip DeVine, on December 31, 1993.
Now you may be scratching your head and wondering why this article is in your hands. Grab some water and settle in. Over the holidays, National ran a holiday cheer drive to provide every single incarcerated person in Nebraska with some holiday goodies. Trans. Queer. Straight. AMAB. AFAB. Black. Brown. White. Jewish. Christian. Muslim. Buddhist. Regardless of conviction and identity, all 5,400 people received a little something to brighten their holidays.
Dominique, in response to the tweet from John Lotter, mused that “there is a lot sitting in this tweet.” She continued, “The history of Brandon Teena, Lisa Lambert, and Phillip DeVine and their tragic loss and the State of Nebraska is frightening to be honest. The flip side of the story, for me, is that while in solitary confinement in Tecumseh Maximum Security Institution, I was moved to the Death Row Gallery to finish the last 6 months on Administrative Confinement. Raymond Mata and, unbeknownst to me, John Lotter took care of me. Fed me, gave me paper to write my songs on and remembered my 22nd birthday. So 16 years later to get this tweet – having lived and grown into who I am now.. it shook me to my core – in the best way possible. Black and Pink has allowed me to sit in so many full circle moments. This is one I’ll never forget.”
Our National Director, Dominique, received a tweet expressing gratitude for the act of kindness from John Lotter. This is where the narrative
Black and Pink National responded with a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to John Lotter. What followed was a series of posts,
Before we swim into the depths of complexity here, let me lay one certainty at the shores of your understanding. We do not claim to have all the answers to the question of abolition. Nor do we have a singular approach to liberation. Our abolition may be personal, but our liberation is collective.
from a community member, questioning Dominique’s values, commitment to abolition, and identity as a Black trans woman; and Dominique explaining her truth. It was a lot to process and we won’t unpack the back and forth in these pages. Multiple truths and lived experiences coexist within that conversation. We are learning to disengage from conversations where only one side of the story is present. Instead, let’s lean into discovery here. The conversation raised some important questions that led to National staff engaging in a spirited discussion centered on abolition. What we discovered is that abolition is deeply personal. Everyone is traveling along their own road, exploring the landscape of their truth and understanding of abolition. We all come into this community space with unique lived experiences that informs our praxis. By praxis, I mean our reflection and action on our understanding of abolition. Praxis is asking yourself questions like this: Are we living into our values as we understand them? How can I grow my understanding? One certainty is that your praxis is your own. I honor wherever your journey may find you and hope that you create space for other truths and continued growth in your abolition journey.
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As for Black & Pink National, our understanding of abolition is grounded in the founding principles set by Jason Lydon: Abolition means a world where we do not use the prison industrial complex as an ‘answer’ to social, political, and economic problems. Abolition means that instead we make new ways to stop harm from happening. It means responding to harm when it does happen, without simply “punishing.” We will try to fix the causes of harm, instead of using the failed solution of punishment. This means harm will occur far less often. This is often called “harm reduction.” We will not use policing, courts, and prisons, which are making us less safe. Abolition means creating sustainable, healthy communities with the power to create safety. (Based on words by Rose Braz, former director of Critical Resistance) Abolition is our goal, and our strategy for action. Any advocacy, services, organizing, and direct action we take will remove bricks from the system, not put up more walls. We want revolution. And we will work on reforms too, even if they are only small steps at ending the suffering caused by prisons. The basic gist of National’s praxis is that the prison industrial complex is not the answer. We are. Our friends, our families, our neighbors, our loved ones; and even those we are not in friendly relations with, hold the power and capability to create sustainable solutions to our social, political, and economic problems. It’s the
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strength of these relationships, our bond to ourselves and each other; that transforms our communities into spaces of trust, love, security and comfort. Remain in this work long enough, however, and there will be one question that resurfaces and tests that bond. What about people who commit rape and murder? It’s a challenging question to be sure. I ask in turn, what are we doing with them now? Does our current punishment paradigm prevent or respond to harm meaningfully? Is this current punishment paradigm truly holding people accountable or just holding them? Are we truly imagining justice? I don’t believe that we are. Instead, we turn towards a one-size fits all punitive approach that restrains our compassion. Dominique counters quite beautifully, “my privileged body shouldn’t be the only one to access the power of system dismantlement. My friends. My enemies. My neighbor and the person I’ve never met.” Powerful, huh? It invites us to challenge the boundaries of possibility. We limit our imagination and creativity simply because it is easier to incarcerate than to engage in meaningful relationships. Of retribution or accountability, which are you seeking on your journey? One leads to perpetuating punishment and one to possibility and healing. Imagine this before you choose. What if we paused to witness every person we meet with the fullness of their being? Who
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are they as people, not as the harm they may have caused? What lived experiences make up the sum of who they are? Can you make space for multiple truths and release the tension of what you think you understand about them? Can you choose to unlearn everything we have been told about safety, violence, trauma, and accountability and lean instead into compassion and understanding? We all are not our past mistakes. We all have room to grow. It’s your responsibility to accept accountability. No one can make you accountable. It’s an internal reckoning of how your values align with your actions. Does what you practice match what you believe and what you preach? I’ll leave you with this question posed by Dominique: “How fucking dare we reimagine our world and keep the same tactics that have made people feel worthless since the beginning of time? Why are we here?” Why are we here? I don’t know about you, but I am going to pause and reflect on my why for this work. What do I believe to be true about abolition? How do I envision collective liberation? Why do I show up for this work? Care to join me in this thought exercise?
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Hi Folks! I’m Aaron El Sabrout, Black & Pink’s new Advocacy Manager. As part of our new Inside Member Advocacy program, I’m super excited to announce our new “Ask A Lawyer” column. Similar to the “Ask Mx. Zephy” column, I’ll be picking a couple of your questions for each newsletter to respond to publicly, so that we can all learn about the law and our constitutional rights together. I am a licensed attorney, and while I can’t represent you, if you have any advocacy questions, please write to: ATTN: Advocacy Request 6223 Maple St. #4600 Omaha, NE 68104 We’ll do our best to respond to all advocacy requests, and we’ll choose a couple to highlight in this column to help educate everyone about the law. For this first column, I’m not going to be responding to any advocacy requests. Instead I want to highlight an advocacy opportunity for folks currently
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or formerly incarcerated in Nebraska. The Nebraska legislature is currently considering a Department of Correctional Services (DOCS) 2021-2023 budget request to build a new 1,500 bed prison between Omaha and Lincoln, NE. This would cost at least $230 million. This budget will not help address overcrowding or understaffing in existing Nebraska prisons and jails, and the new facility will require even more hires and operational budgets to run. Black & Pink believes in prison abolition. We believe that no new prisons should be built, ever. Instead, we believe that we should focus all of the state’s money and efforts toward getting folks out of cages, stopping them from being put in cages, and making sure they have everything they need to succeed in life. This means free university tuition, community-based alternatives to incarceration, medicare and mental health care for all, and all of the other necessities for a good life.
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We believe that as currently and formerly incarcerated folks in Nebraska, you have a unique opportunity to comment on what the priorities of the state should be in terms of DOCS services. Do you think a new prison would help Nebraskans? Do you think there are other things Nebraskans need more? What other ways could the state spend that money that would prevent incarceration, rather than just imprisoning more people? If you want the Nebraska Legislature to hear your opinion on this matter, write to: Sen. John Stinner, Chair Nebraska Legislature Appropriations Committee Room 1004 P.O. Box 94604 Lincoln, NE 68509 (402) 471-2802
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Hello, beautiful people! Mx Zephy here, pronouns any | no. Before I share a quick update and some reflections of mine, I want to express my sincerest gratitude. To my beloved inside family, thank you all so much for trusting me with your questions. I am deeply humbled by the courage and vulnerability you demonstrate when I open a letter and you pour out your worries or concerns. I appreciate y’all so damn much. Thank you for sharing space and energy with me. I see you. I hear you. I honor you. If you have been reading this column, you may have noticed that I changed my pronouns. But what are those pronouns, Zeph? How do I use them? Any and no pronouns means you can use any and no pronouns you would like when referring to me and my identity. She | Her. He | Him. They | Them. Xe | Xem. Any and no pronouns, when used respectfully, are appropriate for my gender journey. You can also choose to not use pronouns and use my name instead. For me, my gender is liberated. I identify as neither male nor female, but outside the gender binary. The best way to describe my gender
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is water ebbing and flowing with masculine and feminine energy. Is changing my pronouns allowed? Does it change my identity? Yes, you are allowed to change your pronouns. Your gender journey, and mine, is personal. Each of us is allowed to affirm how we show up in the world. Neither I, nor you, have to declare and affirm your identity to anyone to be valid. Change your pronouns as often as you need until you find ones that you feel at home in. No, it doesn’t change my identity. For me, pronouns describe my identity. They do not define my identity. I identify with embodied resilience and thrival. I have flowed into a space in my gender journey where my work and gender have coalesced into expansiveness, not neutrality. No shade to anyone who feels their pronouns are important. I love that for you and honor your journey. We all make our way in the world with a diversity of experiences. What’s more is that I do not have the power to gift you the permission to change your pronouns, to affirm your gender, or to say this is me. That power rests within you. Only you can declare who you are. What are your pronouns? Where
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are you on your gender journey? How do you identify? Those are heavy questions. They might feel overwhelming. Breathe, beautiful people. One quick inhale in. Long exhale out. Really empty your body of breath. Grab some paper and a pen. Close down your eyes and picture those questions in your mind, if that feels safe and comfortable for you. Pause and continue gentle inhalations and exhalations of your breath. Focus on the rhythm of your breath. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Maybe more. Jot down whatever thoughts, feelings, or body sensations arise within you. Put the notes aside for a while. Then return and reflect. How does what you jotted down align or not with your day to day experiences? It’s within any discord and disharmony that you’ll remember the greatest truths. Allow yourself gratitude for any nuggets of remembrance. If you feel nervous about affirming your truth or it’s not safe, find one or two people you trust and explore what feels brave for you. Speak aloud your feelings and desires about your personhood. Permit yourself to discover the fullness of who you are and how you move in
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the world. You deserve it. Much love, Mx Zephy P.S. Gentle reminder folks. I cannot take on legal cases as I am not a licensed attorney. If you have a specific ask about something, I could provide direction or very general guidance. Again, I am not an attorney so I don’t want to give any response that might get your hopes up. That feels harmful to me. Also, for me to file briefs or engage in lawyerly activities is outside what the Ask Mx Zephy column can do. Understandably, I also received a number of requests for me to be a personal pen pal. While I would love to and am flattered, there were so many requests that I unfortunately can’t honor that. Keep the questions coming, but please stay within the bounds of the questions I can provide guidance on. P.S.S. I only answered one question this time, because it was wonderfully complex and we may need some time to sit and process our understanding.
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Dear Mx Zephy,
Strap in, because the work is just beginning. What you are experiencing APAB is an exercise in imagination. There are a lot of details to tease out here that have not truly been explored in conversations. What this means APAB, is that you are pioneering this facet of gender and sexuality. How wonderful is it that you have mapped your desires in a way that allows you to explore this complexity?
I have a question for you, gorgeous. Does it still make me bisexual if I am still attracted to transgender (ladies) born male but identify female, and queen’s because of the feminine aspect? I don’t find AFAB that are identifying with their sexual gender, unattractive, I’m just not interested in that straight | straight anymore. Am I actually gay, because I know that trans ladies were AMAB, or that queen’s are men that don’t want to change sex, but feel comfortable looking and dressing like ladies. I’m not confused, just unsure. Please help. -Assigned Pioneer At Birth Wowww! WOW! APAB what a brilliant and beautiful articulation of your desires and identity. This is a really layered and nuanced observation of how you move in the world. So much love and respect for the thoughtful and intentional work to unfurl your sexual identity. It’s evident that you have mapped your desires and identity and arrived at an understanding that your attraction is to feminine energy. Not only that APAB, but you mindfully negotiated respect and mutual understanding through languaging AMAB (assigned male at birth), AFAB (assigned female at birth), and gender neutral pronouns. I applaud this deep internal work to language desire and identity with this attentiveness. I am beaming at the light that you, APAB, so effortlessly exude by choosing to honor and respect everyone’s identity. Luminescence, that’s how I witness you APAB.
Word of warning here, I cannot provide you clear answers. Defining and describing your sexuality is as personal as defining and describing your gender. I imagine trying to figure this all out may feel overwhelming. That’s to be expected. There are a number of different words to describe various sexual and romantic attractions, orientations, and behaviors. Be easy on yourself as you journey onward. What I can do for you is provide gentle guidance and warm encouragement for your journey. It used to be, and in some spaces still is, that sexuality is a spectrum from hetero- to homosexual. As we have grown more comfortable chatting about our attractions and desires and expanded our understanding of gender, so too has our view on sexuality. Here is where this conversation will ask us to invite in curiosity. The traditional understanding of sexuality centers on attraction. In my last column, I described attraction as: Attraction is our sexual orientation. It is the sexual, romantic or emotional pull we feel towards someone’s gender based on our own gender. This is all yours. You can be attracted to one
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attraction, or sexual orientation, is gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, and asexual. There are a number of other descriptors, but this is a good list to get started with.
art by Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, courtesy of Justseeds
sex or gender, two, three or more; or even none at all. Every person and every body is different. Some of the ways we describe attraction, or sexual orientation, is gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, and asexual. There are a number of other descriptors, but this is a good list to get started with. Your question APAB, raises an important point of consideration. Thank you for giving me pause to reflect on my own understanding of attraction or sexual orientation. Before we move any further
along in unpacking this question, I move to correct my definition by striking out and adding the following: Attraction is our sexual orientation. It is the sexual, romantic or emotional pull we feel towards someone’s gender based on our own gender another person. This is all yours. You can be attracted to one sex, gender, or energy, two, three or more; or even none at all. Every person and every body is different. Some of the ways we describe
My reasoning for this is that you raise a great point APAB. Sexual, romantic, and emotional attractions can be rooted in more than one’s gender or biological sex components. What I feel you are describing for you is that you are romantically and sexually attracted to feminine energy, but sexually attracted to AFAB. What I am unsure about is what you feel about masculine energy and AMAB. P.S. If that is how you truly feel, that is 100% valid and beautiful. There are two big ideas here to further tease apart: attraction and energy. Extending a word of caution here, because it is not clear what you mean by “attraction” in your question. We’re figuring this out together, so please don’t feel like you messed up by not being clear. It’s for this point of clarity that I bring up that sexual and romantic attractions are two different things. Someone can feel romantic attraction for someone or many people, yet not feel sexual attraction for them. Conversely, someone can feel sexual attraction for someone or many people, yet not feel romantic attraction for them. Someone can also feel both or neither sexual or romantic attraction for someone. Our feelings and desires are beautifully complex. My understanding of people is that we all have feminine (femme) and masculine (masc) energies. Some are more balanced, others lean more masc or more femme consistently, and others, like me, fluctuate depending on how I
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show up that day. Femme energy is intuitive and caring, while masc energy qualities include being assertive and dominant. Over time, masc and femme was married to gender and it became more about performance than expression. Femme and masc became roles based on our genitalia that were reinforced by social expectations, and less about an embodied sense of self. Our culture tends to celebrate masculinity and demonize femininity. The result of which is an erasure of identity and promotes an idea that identity is a straightforward construct. Languaging femme and masc is how I move towards an identity and away from what is socially expected of me. When we move into a conversation on femme and masc energies, we divorce ourselves from the gender binary entirely. With this idea of energy, it becomes more about answering how can I honor and express the femme energy with my AMAB gender or the masc energy with my AFAB gender. Expressing ourselves as both femme and masc allows us to embrace queerness and the fullest expression of our authentic selves. There was a lot that we covered here, so quick recap: How we identify sexually and
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who we are attracted to are two separate constructs. How we present our gender often doesn’t have much connection to our attractions. Gender and sexuality are unique descriptors for your identity. Romantic and sexual attraction are unique descriptors for how you experience desire. Energy ventures into woo woo territory, but is something to consider in how you describe and experience your identity and desires. It’s a question you must decide for yourself APAB. It’s clear you have not locked yourself into a box with how you identify and experience desire APAB. Let me uplift how refreshing it is to witness you carving out space for your identity with the language available to you. This self-discovery is a wonderful display of your embodied worthiness. I invite you to explore these concepts a little further so you can deepen your self-knowledge about and connection to your identity and desire. Some questions for you to consider are: Is your attraction or desire romantic, sexual, energetic, neither, all, a blend? Is it the physical attributes such as hair, build, or genitalia? Is it something non-physical like voice, mannerisms, or style?
Is it how they express emotionality? How do you describe your gender? What about your sexuality? Do you find AMAB physical features attractive or do you only consider them attractive when it is presented through femininity? Are there other descriptions of sexuality, outside of gay, bi, straight, that you have not considered that might more accurately reflect your sexuality? How are your gender and sexuality related or not? Also, note any feelings or sensations that arise when thinking about these questions? Hold that any feelings or sensations are valid and that they will key you in to your gut response. It may be something worth exploring. Our gender and sexual identity are only limited by the knowledge and language we have. Continue creating space and pioneering the frontiers of your understanding APAB. The courage to explore and question what you thought you knew about yourself is proof of your boundary breaking sensibilities. With love & adoration, Mx Zephy
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Dominique Morgan, Black & Pink’s executive director, and Preston Mitchum, Director of Policy at URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, chatted in early February about what it means to be LGBTQIA+ and Black. Here are some excerpts of their conversation. Dominique Morgan: I’m a kid that grew up in Nebraska not realizing LGBTQ+ History month was a thing. I recall really focusing on National Coming Out day in my era which we now know is not a ... I don’t even know the right word, but it doesn’t create Community. It doesn’t see everybody for where they are in their journey. And it silos someone’s truth. And that’s not fair. And that’s not about community. So I wanted to have this conversation talking about our history, how we’re attached to our history, the history that we want to make, history that we don’t want to repeat. Preston Mitchum: My name is Preston Mitchum. I use he/ him pronouns, and I’m the director of policy with URGE. URGE is Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity. I’m also
an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center teaching LGBTQ+ Health Law and Policy. I write, I speak. I do all things that really centers the lived experiences of Black queer and trans folks. And so I’m just really happy to be here and really to explain and sometimes even commiserate with all the things that are happening in our world today and you’re right. You know, I remember years ago I wrote an article on National Coming Out Day called “Don’t Disparage the Closet” because I saw this really dangerous hyper-focus on the performative nature of being out and expressing yourself as opposed to really honoring that some people, mostly Black folks, Brown folks, queer and trans folks who decide to not quote “come out” do so usually for safety, for reasons that are not
related to the things that like the Queer Inc, for example, would tell us that we need. It’s always like this focus on coming out and not really what happens when you do and you lose housing? What happens when you experience poverty, what happens when you lose your job and are fired from your job, right? And so this conversation is really fitting right because it doesn’t focus on just the performative act of coming out but really focuses on what our history means and what our ancestors wanted for us. So I’m really glad to be here. Dominique: I use divest so much now,because of the work I do but back then I didn’t realize I was divesting from this oppressive term, But it was the opening weekend of Moonlight and here in Omaha I was hosting like three showings so I saw it
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three days in a row. I remember watching this nuanced, varied story of Black folks, Black love and all these different ways. And I never heard the term DL once. And I remember getting up and thinking my goodness, how I’ve perpetuated harm on my people, how I haven’t recognized the privilege that a person has to sit in oftentimes to live their lives in a very public way and and and how I don’t have a right and and shouldn’t punish people not knowing what their journey is. And it hit me again like this transition that started for me in March of this year of what you were describing. I was seeing it in real time. I was struggling with knowing that not only holding space as a woman in this world. But holding space as a Black trans woman. I was watching access and privilege and position shift in real time. And I’m like, oh this is the why of the thing and I think that looks at our history of our people because there’s this idea that I think Black queer people have this obligation to be very very very public about everything that we do around our identities, about who we love so on and so forth. Do you think that’s fair? Do you think that allows us to really have our own experience around our experience? And where do you think that idea could be valid? Preston: So that’s interesting and I appreciate your selfreflection. I remember a panel that we did, a webinar a couple of months ago, and one of the things that you often described
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is like what does it mean to go through a transition and suddenly start to lose like certain accesses and privileges, right? Because now there’s like a gender dynamic and a sexism dynamic and relations with being treated as a Black woman obviously and so now there’s elements of mysogynal war and these like fake ideas of paternalism. Or patriarchal violence that obviously, you know, we can all experience as Black people but it’s definitely layered when it comes to the intersections of gender and race among other things. And so I just really appreciate that self-reflective moment. I do think there’s obviously some value of quote-unquote “coming out.” I think it was Darnell Moore who years ago wrote about how it was actually being invited in. So like you’re not really coming out to folks. Some people are actually honoring their existence by allowing you to be invited in to them and to their life and so I really liked that framing. I will say that we see ... there’s so many examples of young queer boys, young queer people, young trans people who don’t know what their adult self can look like. They often times don’t see possibility models. And it could be on TV which is still a little distant from those who are actively on the ground and having lived experience of being an adult, who is LGBTQ+ and who’s Black and Brown. So I do think there is some some semblance right? There’s some positivity around being able to mentor younger
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people who may be struggling with their sexuality among other things, right? And again, the balance to that is what happens after the act of coming out because you’re shedding. So you’re supposed to be shedding so many parts of yourself, right? Like, you know, you don’t just come out once, you’re coming out every day and I think that’s the thing that’s really dangerous about the notion of coming out or even inviting people and it purports that you’re only doing it one time in your life. You’re doing it when you are going into new organizations. You’re doing it when you’re going into new churches or whatever faithbased setting you’re going into you know, you’re doing it when you go to different schools. You’re doing it when you are actually on the internet every day and you have different people who are following you, you know, there are still people who follow me, that are like “I didn’t know you were gay” and I’m like really? Cuz my gay queer thing on my bio, but nonetheless I realized that for them I’m coming out in a way again. And there’s these repeated acts which also have really negative health outcomes and implications for us, especially against the intersection of being Black and Brown and especially more for those who are immigrants or incarcerated or people who use drugs among other things. And so it’s a really layered
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narrative around the ability to come out or be invited in. Do I think there are some positive aspects? Of course, there can be, there should be, right? We should definitely be models for younger people but sometimes not at our own existence. There are many of us who are being killed every day. We’re not really discussing what it means to be an LGBTQ person of color and being killed by the police, but we know we’re killed by the police. We know that for those of us who are sex workers, we can still experience violence. We know that there’s negative health outcomes: we’re more likely to smoke, more likely to drink more in addition to other things. And I want to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with any of those things. But there’s a particular reason why those outcomes happen in the queer and trans communities and a lot of that is through institutional violence and state violence and interpersonal violence. There was a campaign around “it gets better” or some form of it, but I’m just like yeah for who? Like who does it get better for? How long does it take? Let’s think about how long it takes exactly, what you have to have for it to be better. I’m like, you got a little coin you right? It could be better right like my God, it could be better. Right? Like you may be living in like more of a metropolitan area? It may be a little bit better than like rural folks. Right, but it’s still and again, it’s so layered, you know people talk about “it’s better just come out” and it’s like wow,
that’s really dangerous to say. Dominique: I asked that question because I consider you and I to be in spaces where we are doing work that 20 years from now folks will be talking about us. I think that’s fair to say and I also feel like we’re two people who also think about who we come from and who’s done the work before us and I feel as if when I think about my responsibility, my accountability to the movement. I really want to do a good job of showing reverence for what our elders have done, but changing and dismantling behaviors that
they had to navigate that we know were harmful to them. What from our history is from the folks that we definitely benefit from the work that they began? What do you feel like your connection is to that legacy and if you had to describe a part of your practice as a leader in the work that you that you’re really trying to reposition the way it looks why are you doing that? What is the reason? Mine is self-care. Mine is not showing - trying to show people The Good Bad and the Ugly don’t think it’s going to be perfect because I believe it and it caught
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me up. So your connection to who we come from and when it comes to your practice what have you intentionally tried to shift because you’ve seen the harm it perpetuated on our elders? Preston: Yeah. Oh my God. That’s such a great question. I know without a doubt that I would be nothing without our elders and without our ancestors. They’ve braved some battles that many of us will never have to go through and they try to set for this idea of struggle and but also Liberation and love and light. When I think of people like James Baldwin and Bayard Rustin and Audre Lorde and so many other people. We are nothing without them, right? It doesn’t mean that they were perfect. They were not. It doesn’t mean that they had it all figured it out. They did not. But for me, when it comes to just like legacy and ancestry and spirituality and connection to all those things and all those people, I am nothing without them. I think about them so often. I just made this tweet the other day; there’s this idea of people saying it on t-shirts and other things and it says “I am not my ancestor” and people think it’s like a logical framing but it actually is pretty anti-ancestor, right? And maybe some people are attempting to run away from their ancestors because they’re afraid that we’re not going to be who they were or who we uplift them to be. But it’s usually on the tail end of like violence, right? So it’s usually
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like don’t let the president get your ass whooped. I am not my ancestor, as if they did not rebel and fight back and push forward right? Many of us can’t even stop eating at Chick-Fil-A, right? And so I’m just like: you think you about to lead a revolution and you trying to get extra Polynesian sauce. And I’m kind of talking to myself. You know, I’m trying to work out some things too. But my point is that our ancestors went through something that many of us won’t ever have to go through. So for me, I just sit with this often. There’s so much I can say around what Legacy and ancestry means. But I know I do this work deep down inside to live out their wildest dreams, to do what they could not do and what they attempted to do. And so absolutely there’s something that’s so deep and resonant and powerful about our ancestors about us living through every single day because we live through them every single day. We live through their dreams, their expectations, their ideas. And I do want to just say like obviously they weren’t perfect, right? When I think of like some people for example, there was this infatuation still with respectability politics and many times out of survival for sure. But there was also this notion of the closer to whiteness that I am, the safer I’ll be, right? So again, not perfect. Our ancestors didn’t have to be, we’re not perfect, right? We’re not expecting purest standard, but we know that people are still fully living out their dreams and
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expectations and I try to do that every single day. Dominique: Listen, y’all know how I live for Preston and I talked often about how I follow Preston on social media and really leaned into the ways that that person would challenge me. I would read something and be like well goodness, what do I really think about this? And so I think it’s so valid. For me, I think there’s more of accountability of speaking our truth around what we believe than your truth of seeing like who I’m booed up with or whatever. I’m saying I feel like that’s more important than the other piece of the spectrum because that is when you can say I look at this person. I respect this person and this person’s values can affect my values and and there’s appreciation there and what I hear you saying about our elders is that they’ve helped us really kind of get the root of what we think and what we believe and then we get to put our own razzle-dazzle to it and say, you know what, child, we going to lead us to the side because I’m not really living for that and I’m going to do this. I’m just doing it my way. I’m doing it the way I can do it now and I think that I’ve been watching your posts around the whole “I’m not my ancestors” piece and it hit me where it was like ... the audacity of that. Thank you for always just catching us and things that we say. You are a great litmus test for how anti-Blackness can show up in insidious ways.
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Tokenism is Just Triangulation with Extra Steps By Sharonda Harris-Marshall In daily run-ins with white people, I’ve often wondered why they consider white privilege an abstraction. And one day it hit me: most white individuals I’ve encountered don’t “believe” in white privilege because of token Black people. Because a few select BIPOC flourish in an otherwise white space, stubborn white people don’t understand why other Black people struggle. How can white privilege exist if Black Harvard grads exist? America voted in a Black president so why are Black people still complaining about racial inequalities? For most of my life, I’ve occupied the token role. As a child, I was once the only Black child in my school. I was often one of a handful of minorities in my honor classes. I was the only Black person in my fine arts program in college. I work in predominately white fields and I’m praised unnecessarily for just existing. I’m often the only Black person or one of a handful representing my professional interests. But tokenism is harmful to marginalized people. It’s an abusive tactic used to reinforce white supremacy even in the people it supposedly benefits. Tokenism is triangulation with extra steps.
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In a standard triangulation pattern, the manipulator uses one victim (the Golden Person) to antagonize or humiliate another victim (the Scapegoat), exploiting both parties. The Golden Person will receive accolades in bad faith for the sole purpose of making the manipulator feel superior to both the Golden Person and the Scapegoat. Token minorities are the Golden people to white supremacy manipulators. White supremacy thrives on promoting just enough people of color to favored status to reinforce the myth we live in a meritocracy. However, leadership often remains white or white-majority. Tokenism protects white interests and status above all else. Because successful Black people exist, whites can continue to ignore historical and systemic injustices that affect our society. Whites don’t have to feel personally responsible for continuing discriminatory policies because, Oprah. Tokenism has defined race relations in the US ever since freedman and wealthy
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landowner Anthony Johnson sued another Black man to legally own him, forever setting up the unique class system that exists between minority groups and individuals who can assimilate into white society and those who cannot. Although American BIPOC are the least likely to be considered whiteadjacent, the acceptance of some of us means white society can continue to gaslight all of us. As tokens, we are meant to be either the exception to the rule or a social experiment for white liberal organizations to test their colorblind missions. Tokens are expected to be spokespersons for their races but also are expected to tolerate daily emotional labor under the guise of friendship. Sometimes, the token will believe themselves to be “better” than those other people and some will become active participants in systemic racism. Other times, a token person might recognize their role and attempt to use it to highlight racial and social injustice. When that happens, whites will violently suggest the token is in debt to whites for the
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opportunity. Whites will make sure that successful BIPOC knows that their success is conditional and dependent on white approval. Just like other abusive tactics, tokenism damages the Golden Person’s psyche. Tokenism sets up the token to credit their white mentors for their personal success. The token may develop imposter syndrome, which lowers the chances of the token questioning their white colleagues’ mediocrity. Whether white organizations tend to or not, they guarantee once the token wises up and leaves, the door stays closed for other BIPOC for a while. If anyone questions why a white space stays white, leadership could point to that one time they did integrate the space with disastrous results. And that’s why leadership decided to hire the executive director’s nephew with no previous job history instead. We’re not falling for it anymore.
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Black Empowerment is our Black History: What We’re Taught vs. What We Learn By Portia Burch, Black & Pink Communications Coordinator given to give us that “feel good” feeling about being Black and growing up Black. art by Naimah Thomas, courtesy of Justseeds
Growing up, I remember the versions of Black History that we received. It was often watered down, telling us the “good parts.” How we were inventors and innovators. We were taught about the advances we were responsible for, and how we made the world a “better place.” We learned the MLK “I Have A Dream Speech,” we learned about how Rosa Parks refused to leave her seat, and we learned about how Jackie Robinson was the first Black professional baseball player. These were the feel-good stories that we were
As I began to navigate life as an adult, I was shown how different the reality of my world as a Black woman was from what I was shown growing up. Yes, Black folx, my ancestors included, were responsible for bringing many great things to this country, but at what expense? I learned of the true history of how we were stolen from our homeland of Africa, and brought here to be sold as property. I learned that while there were many creations built on our backs, we were not given any credit or acknowledgment. I was shown that even while this country was built on our backs, we were treated lesser than second rate citizens. These
lessons were ones that I didn’t learn in the classroom. They weren’t taught to me through a textbook or a lesson plan. I learned these lessons seeing countless Black folx murdered senselessly, at the hands of the citizens of this country, and also at the hands of the police. The very people I was taught to respect and look up to as a child. I learned these lessons by being systemically held back from advancements at work. I learned these lessons by being called out of my name, simply for being in the wrong part of town. The lesson I learned, and the ones that stick with me the most, is the one that while the work we have done will be forever invaluable to this country, this country still considers me less than, simply due to the melanin in my skin. It is because of these lessons and experiences I’ve had to learn that I’ve also learned what I find to be truly invaluable. And that is that us as Black folx are feared because of our power. We are struck down because our shine is too strong. And it is that power that I choose to lean into and on. Because our Black is beautiful and we will continue to fight and work until everyone sees just that.
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On The Importance of Conscious Visibility By Jessica Hicklin (MO) For many years I have turned the pages of my calendar, wondering every year as I scan through the month of March, “What the hell is the point of Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV)? I’m loud, proud and trans everyday. Doesn’t that make everyday TDOV?” It took me many years to realize the foolishness of this belief. What’s worse, reflection on my own journey to the woman I am today confirms just how wrong I really was. For example, in the early days of my journey, as I hid in the proverbial closet, I found the visibility of Jazz Jennings, Chelsea Manning and Caitlyn Jenner life saving. In fact, “If they can do it I can” became the silently uttered mantra that kept me strong as I provided the obligatory answers to the ridiculous questions time and again, “Yes, my name really is Jessica,” “No, I’m not gay and confused,” and “Yes, my life really does depend on this.” The visibility of these strong trans women became the light that led me out of my darkness. As I struggled against officials who reduced my struggle for life to a simple, “the constitution doesn’t guarantee the right to lipstick and panties to any one,” it was these women’s visibility that drove away that oppressive darkness for me.
Therefore, I venture that TDOV is not just another day of being trans but instead, is a day to celebrate the strength of visibility in our beautiful trans family. It is a day to celebrate that strength in ourselves as well, to recognize the light we hope to shine for the rest of our family still stuck in the darkness that we have all known at one time. Of course, if we are to speak of becoming visible in a way that brings hope, strength and light to our family, we must take a second to consider what it means to be visible in such a way. In particular, we must learn to cast a light with our visibility while remaining mindful of the shadow we cast. Of course, it is no surprise that I made mistakes in this department. In fact, as news of my fight for trans healthcare (Hicklin v. Precynthe) grew and people began to refer to me as, “Mother”... to speak of my visibility as a light in the dark, I made the mistake of thinking that just being a visible trans woman was all I needed to do for my family. To just be seen as trans and unafraid was, I hoped, all I had to do to help others out of the darkness. At the time, I did not realize how hurtfully mistaken I was. Yes, several women expressed that my visibility was a source of strength for them but,
many more indicated that the shadow cast by my visibility was oppressive. Not in so many words mind you. Instead, more and more I began to hear comments about “real” boobs and “that hair down to your ass,” not in endearing terms but as expressions of envy and otherness. When I finally understood what my family was saying to me, I was horrified. Horrified to realize that where once I was able to speak of togetherness and being heard, to convey the message of sameness and of the beauty of the truth in the light, I now found myself speaking to individuals who could not relate to me. They did not know me and did not feel anything like me. They did not know my past, they did not know my journey... they did not knew the depths of the ugliness of my prison of maleness before I had finally escaped. They only knew of the woman they see in the papers and hear about second hand. That woman that even I am struggling still to become. Shame on me for forgetting my journey, where I came from. For forgetting the days where I once expressed that same envy and sense of otherness, where I felt so deeply in the core of my being, “I’ll never be a Jazz...” that I nearly gave up not only the struggle for my truth but the struggle for my very existence.
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Thankfully, the loving kindness of a very good friend helped me understand a simple truth that saved me. The truth, “Those people are an example of ‘a’ way to be trans, not ‘the’ way to be trans. You are your own light, amazing and beautiful in your own way.” She was right, and ever since that simple truth became a part of my life I have endeavored to make my visibility “a light”,
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not “the light” for my family. Her message has become my message of visibility to my family. We are all beautiful, perfectly trans in our own way. As I encourage my family to celebrate this upcoming Trans Day of Visibility with me... to be there standing tall and proud in order to push back the darkness that seeks to encroach upon our joy and imprison those yet to be freed from the dark I implore
us all to do so consciously. To remember that while we are bright and beautiful truths, expressing our transness, we are an example of “a way” to be trans, not “the way.” Besides, how boring would it be if all of our lights were the same? Perhaps only slightly less than if our lights didn’t shine at all.
art by Mary Tremonte, courtesy of Justseeds
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Transgender Day of Visibility By Patricia Trimble (MO) Each and every Transgender Member of the Black & Pink Family: WE SEE YOU We celebrate with you in your leadership, your vision, your victories, and provide emotional support when you think you have been defeated, and exude joyful pride when you pick yourself up, reorganize your thoughts and refuse to take no for an answer WE SEE YOU For your strength, determination and refusal to bend to the gender demands of those who refuse to accept. For remembering always that self care is choosing not to argue with people who are committed to misunderstanding you Jessica, Our Warrior Princes, WE SEE YOU in all that you do to battle an unjust system, to fight for the right of every Trans Person to proudly stand up and declare what has been denied for so long WE SEE YOU and your love of community and compassion for everyone, not just those of us you know personally. Alexis My Beautiful Sister, WE SEE YOU in your pride and your strength, standing tall, leading by example and showing what dignity and respect means
WE SEE YOU in your unwavering dedication to loyalty, never turning your back on friends or family. Bree My Beautiful Daughter, WE SEE YOU as you grow and learn to become a powerful advocate for our community, overcoming your own doubts and learning to draw from your inner strengths WE SEE YOU as you walk with pride and dignity, displaying affection not just for those closest to you, but even more to those dysfunctional souls who need a smile the most. RaQueen WE SEE YOU with the strength and will for survival held by only the bravest of our warriors, held down without human contact for far too long
have gone as far as you can in your treatment WE SEE YOU as you grow beyond the misogynistic views of many, as you embrace your inner nurturing nature and give hope and dignity to so many. Marrisa, Joanna, Angel, Stephanie, RaeLynn, Amanda, and Tiffany Beautiful Daughters, WE SEE YOU as young Blossoming Women continuously growing and maturing into your authentic selves WE SEE YOU as you prioritize your goals and move forward with the understanding that every day, you are in school and learning the lessons of life and the secrets, and pains, of womanhood.
WE SEE YOU and recognize your beauty, compassion and love as we continue to fight and advocate for your removal from the torturous environment forced on you years ago.
Michelle Adams and Jami Naturalite Beautiful and Dear Friends, WE SEE YOU We see your strength and determination, your refusal to accept a negative response when it comes to treatment
Briyanah, Sabrina, Chelsea, Summer, Princess and BrookeLynn Beautiful Daughters, WE SEE YOU in the pride of your conviction to be your authentic self, never giving up, never listening to those who would tell you you
WE SEE YOU as you are nearing the end of forced separation from friends and family, moving forward with hopeful visions of a future where you are known to all as your authentic self.
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By Brooke Monoco, Black & Pink Wellness Coordinator In the year 2021, it’s all about recognizing your own power and owning the best within you. We are concentrating on making everyday lifestyle changes to help us thrive in our bodies. Our goal is to help you develop small habits you can employ daily. Each month we will introduce a new method of self care. You’re welcome to utilize all 12 tips daily, assign a habit to each day of the week, or only focus on a few. Making time for daily self care rituals can help you grow and feel centered even when everything around you may feel chaotic. MONTH 1: Meditation Meditation doesn’t necessarily need to be long, it can be as little as two minutes! Starting your day with a quick morning meditation, wherever it is comfortable, can greatly enhance your day. It is known to decrease stress and anxiety levels, improve focus and concentration throughout the day, gives body awareness, better sleep, lowers blood pressure, among many other benefits! Let’s get started. Find a comfortable seat,
whether this be on your bed, a chair or on the earth; the goal is to be relaxed. Draw the crown of your head upwards, finding a straight spine. Slowly close the eyes, and let them go soft, feeling them slowly drop & remembering your spine. Palms can come to your knees; you can either put your palms down to find grounding energy, or palms up to find uplifting energy. Shoulders relax and gently draw backwards, bringing the heart forward. Now become aware of your natural breath. Take a deep inhale from the bottom of your belly, filling up through your ribs, all the way to your heart. Hold at the top for three seconds, and exhale for a count of three. Remove the tip of your tongue from the roof of your mouth. Continue your breathing and with every exhale, feel any tension slowly melt away. As you recognize your breath, start to bring your concentration to the mind. It’s OK if your mind is still wandering; let things come, but quickly let them pass by and come back to your breath. Take a deep breath. Inhale, feeling your abdomen lift. Exhale, feeling
your tailbone gently tucking under. Inhale, feeling the lungs expanding. Exhale, feeling the release of any tension. Inhale, feeling the energy lift. Exhale, feel the comfort wrap around. Inhale, take in positive energy all the way up the spine. Exhale, releasing any negativity energy being held. Scan the body, releasing any held tension. Take a deep inhale from the bottom of your belly, filling up through your ribs, all the way to your heart. Hold at the top for three seconds, and exhale for a count of three. Repeat at the end: I am worthy. I am doing my best. I deeply and completely accept myself. Ways to extend this meditation: Run through the three-part breath at the beginning of the meditation five more times. Take a scan of your body, without moving, starting with your thirdeye point (between the brows), moving all the way down the body until you reach your toes.
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MONTH 2: Bed Yoga A good night rest is associated with a healthier, more productive lifestyle. When the mind begins to relax, the body will start to follow, leading to a soothing and restful sleep. Incorporating as little as three yoga poses a night before bed, can help struggles with insomnia, improve sleep quality and could help alleviate stress that tends to cause anxiety. This practice at night is not intended to be long or demanding on the body, it’s simply moving from one pose into the next.
The first pose to start the night will be a simple, legs up the wall. You are able to do this while in bed, or if it’s more beneficial from the floor, you may start there as well. Start by getting your seat bones as close to the wall as possible, but if you start to feel an intense pull in your hamstrings; move further away from the wall. Let the shoulder blades relax on the floor, lower back stays grounded to the floor, arms lay wide in a T- shape with the palms facing upwards. Now slowly start to add gentle breathing. Stay in this pose for anywhere from five to 20 minutes. With your feet elevated above the heart, this pose will help with blood flow and circulation.
image courtesy of Skratch Labs
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The second pose will be childs pose. Start on your hands and knees, slowly letting the hips draw down and back towards your heels. Let your knees go wide and let your chest slowly start to melt between your thighs towards the floor. Arms can stretch forward, above your head, finding length in the spine. If you want to give your shoulders a break, arms can draw back towards the feet. Either cheek or forehead can rest against the bed or floor. Stay in this pose for up to five minutes. Childs pose helps release tension in the hips and thighs, which alleviates pain throughout the back and neck.
The third pose is happy baby. Lying on your back, slowly start to bend your knees wider than your chest and draw knees towards armpits. Palms grab the outsides of the feet or peace sign fingers wrap around the big toes. Keep the ankles stacked above the knees, drawing the knees closer to the armpits. Spine can hang heavy against the bed, or you can rock side to side, creating a gentle massage. Happy Baby will help ease anxiety and stress, reduces lower back pains and opens up the hamstrings, hips, inner thighs and groin. Hold this pose for 5-10 breaths. image courtesy of Yoga Journal/Jeff Nelson
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STIMULUS CHECKS FOR INCARCERATED PEOPLE In September 2020, in Scholl v. Mnuchin, Federal Judge Phyllis Hamilton ordered the IRS and Treasury Department to stop withholding CARES Act “stimulus checks” (called “Economic Impact Payments” or “EIP”) from incarcerated people, who could file claims with the IRS until November 4, 2020. But many people who correctly followed the instructions to request the EIP never received it because of how the IRS (mis)handled claims. For example, with 1000s of claims pending, the IRS stopped processing claims, and some never had the chance to file because of short timelines. After the filing cutoff for the first EIP (EIP 1 was the $1,200 stimulus check), Congress passed a new stimulus bill with a second EIP (EIP 2 was the $600 stimulus check). Some people got only EIP 1, some got only EIP 2, and some got neither. The good news is that if you did not receive EIP 1 and/or EIP 2, it’s still possible to claim them by filing 2020 taxes. To do so, you must file the Form 1040, which must be POSTMARKED by no later than APRIL 15, 2021. This letter explains who is eligible for EIPs, how to fill out the Form 1040 to claim them, and instructions for filing. These instructions are designed for someone who is unmarried—or married but filing separately—with no dependents, and who has a 2020 adjusted gross income below $12,400 (others can still file a claim, but they must fill out the Form 1040 differently than the way it’s outlined below).
FAQ ABOUT ELIGIBILITY AND EIPs 1. What are the benefits available? Eligible people can receive up to $1,800 ($1,200 from EIP 1, $600 from EIP 2) for themselves and more for eligible dependents. If you already received EIP 1 or EIP 2, you cannot receive that stimulus check again. On the Form 1040 that you have to file, the EIPs are referred to as “recovery rebate credits.” You have to write the amount of recovery rebate you are still owed on the Form 1040 in line 30 (more on that below). 2. Am I eligible? You are eligible to file a claim if you satisfy all of the following requirements: -You are a U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident with a valid SSN received through work authorization -You were not claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return 3. What if I entered prison before ever holding a paid job or filing taxes on the outside – am I still eligible? Yes, so long as you meet the other eligibility requirements listed above. 4. The Form 1040 asks for my social security number. What if I don’t know it? If you have a SSN but don’t know it here are a few suggestions: -Contact the last school you attended to ask for a copy of your “cumulative folder,” which may include it; if you are unable to contact the school, see if a loved one on the outside can Inside Member Mailing Address: Black & Pink - Advocacy 6223 Maple St #4428, Omaha, NE 68104
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contact them for you. -Contact any state office you have received any benefits from and ask for a copy of yourb application.bb -Your SSN may be in court documents. You can request these from the court where yourb case was held.bb 5. What is the filing cutoff?b The envelope with the 1040 must be postmarked by April 15, 2021 (unless you request anb extension).bb 6. Where do I send the claim? Incarceration Facility Addressb
Mailing Address for filing 1040b
AL, AR, DE, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, ME, MA, MN, MO, NH,b NJ, NY, NC, SC, TN, OK, VT, VA, WIbb
Department of the Treasuryb Internal Revenue Serviceb Kansas City, MO 64999-0002b
AK, CA, HI, OR, WAb
Department of the Treasuryb Internal Revenue Serviceb Fresno, CA 93888-0002
AZ, CO, CT, DC, ID, KS, MD, MI, MT, NE, NV, NM, ND,b OH, PA, RI, SD, UT, WV, WYb
Department of the Treasuryb Internal Revenue Serviceb Ogden, UT 84201-0002
FL, LA, MI, TXb
Department of the Treasuryb Internal Revenue Serviceb Austin, TX 73301-00022b
7. Can I file a claim if I had no earnings?b Yes. You are eligible for the EIP even if you had zero income in 2020. 8. What do I do if I get a refund check but I am incarcerated?b Please check with the prison or jail to understand its rules on how government tax refundb checks will be distributed. Most will deposit them in commissary or trust accounts. Makeb sure the address on your form 1040 is the return address the unit designates for accepting checks and include your inmate number.b 9. Can I have the check sent to an outside address?bb Last time, some people used the address of a loved one outside—for example if they livedb there before incarceration—for the “home address.” If you have the check sent outside,b cashing the check or getting it into your commissary account may be difficult. Cashing orb depositing outside will often require that you endorse the check by writing “Pay to theb order of ____” and then sign it. Some banks require your loved one to have a notarizedb Inside Member Mailing Address:bb Black & Pink - Advocacyb 6223 Maple St #4428, Omaha, NE 68104bb
Volume 12, Issue 1
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limited financial power of attorney on your behalf. But the prison may take out fees before depositing it in your account, delay depositing checks, or otherwise mishandle mail. We encourage you to ask officials at your prison/jail about how checks are handled. 10. What if I filed a claim last year but did not receive the money?b b File again! This is true even if the IRS asked you for follow-up (such as to verify yourb identity) but you still haven’t received your money. 11. What if I didn’t file in October or November at all? Can I still file to claim the EIP now? Yes. It is not a requirement of eligibility that you previously filed.b 11. What about a third stimulus check? We don’t know if a new stimulus bill will pass, and if it does, we don’t know how the checkb will be claimed. 12. My bunkie/friend/someone else e-filed and got their money. Why didn’t I? Can I e-file now?b Last time, the IRS said it would not accept e-filings from a loved one for someone incarcerated. Then, they accepted and processed them first. You can choose to pursue thatb option, but we cannot advise you to do it or help as an organization. 13. The IRS sent me a debit card instead of a check. What do I do?bb Check with your unit. The prison may mail it back to the IRS. They may let you mail it to someone outside (if you trust someone to receive it). The IRS has not yet offered guidanceb on what to do in this situation. 14. How do I check on the status of my filing?bb The IRS site for checking payment status is now offline. The only way to check is to have someone outside call 800-919-9835.b 15. Someone else fraudulently filed on my behalf. What do I do?bb Fill out a 14039 Identity Theft Affidavit and send it to the IRS. (Someone who has a Powerb of Attorney can do this for you, as long as they include the Power of Attorney with you). Youbstill must file the Form 1040.bb
If you are stuck, you can have someone outside call the IRS help line at 800-919-9835 or you can contact one of the Taxpayer CLinics on the followingb pages.b We have heard that the IRS is not consistently providing forms to incarcerated folks. Another wayb to get the form may be to get an outside person to mail it to you, depending on whether yourb facility allows you to receive blank forms.b
Inside Member Mailing Address:bb Black & Pink - Advocacyb 6223 Maple St #4428, Omaha, NE 68104bb
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HOW TO FILL OUT THE FORM 1040b We requested the IRS send copies of the Form 1040 to your prison. You should also be able to request it from the library or guidance unit, or a loved one can request it be sent to you from the IRS website. 1. Biographic information [IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE YOUR 1040 SAYS “2020” AT THE TOP]b
Fill this section out with your personal information. If you are using the prison for yourb address, make sure to include your “inmate number” after your last name. You MUSTb complete: Filing status, full name, social security number, incarceration facility address,b and the virtual currency question (select “no”). 2. Dependents
If someone else can claim you as a dependent, you are not eligible for the EIPs. If you canb claim a child as a dependent for 2020, list them here. We are not covering rules aboutb dependents, but NOTE: If you were incarcerated for more than half of 2020, you can’t claim a dependent, because a dependent must live with you for more than half the year. If you have dependents, you may be able to claim more money.
Inside Member Mailing Address:bb Black & Pink - Advocacyb 6223 Maple St #4428, Omaha, NE 68104bb
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3. Your income and deductions
If you made under $12,400 in 2020 leave 1 through 15 blank EXCEPT: in lines 12 & 14, putb “$12,400.” In line 15, put “$0.”bb 4. Rebate owedbb
b LINE 30 IS WHERE YOU CLAIM YOUR STIMULUS PAYMENT. If you received neitherb EIP, write “$1,800.” If you got one but not the other, write the value of the one you did notb receive (“$1,200” or “$600”). Write the number you wrote in line 30 (for example,b “$1,800”) in lines 32 and 33. This is the amount of money you’re claiming the IRS owesb you. You may leave the remaining lines blank.b
Inside Member Mailing Address:bb Black & Pink - Advocacyb 6223 Maple St #4428, Omaha, NE 68104bb
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5. Refund information
Write the same amount from lines 30, 32, and 33 into lines 34 and 35a. If you want the money to go into an outside bank account, write the account information. Otherwise, leaveb the bank information blank. Leave the rest of the section blank.b 6. Signaturebb
Sign your name in blue or black pen where it says “your signature,” and write the date.b Leave the rest blank.b FORMSb Your jail/prison should be distributing Form 1040s to you. People can request that the IRS send upb to 100 Form 1040s to a single address. We have had several volunteers request that 100 Formb 1040s get sent to your jail/prison. Please check with the facility for access to 1040s. Let us know ifb they do not give you one.b
Inside Member Mailing Address:bb Black & Pink - Advocacyb 6223 Maple St #4428, Omaha, NE 68104bb
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List FREE OR LOW-COST ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS WITH A TAX PROBLEM If you are a low-income taxpayer who needs help in resolving a tax dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and cannot afford representation, you may qualify for free or low-cost assistance from a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC). What Tax Assistance Can LITCs Provide? • LITCs represent individuals whose income is below a certain level and need to resolve tax problems with the IRS, such as audits, appeals, and tax collection disputes. LITCs can represent taxpayers in Tax Court as well as with the IRS. In addition, LITCs can provide information about taxpayer rights and responsibilities in different languages for individuals who speak English as a second language. LITCs provide services for free or a small fee. LITCs receive IRS grants but work independently to assist and advocate for taxpayers. Who is Eligible to Receive Assistance? • Generally, taxpayers whose incomes do not exceed 250% of the federal poverty guidelines may qualify for assistance. Contact the LITC nearest you to find out if you meet income and other eligibility requirements. Where is the Nearest Clinic? • This publication includes contact information for LITCs and is available online at: www.irs.gov or by calling the IRS at: 1-800-829-3676. For the most current information, please view the online LITC map at: www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/litcmap. Please note the location listed is the main office and many clinics have additional office locations. Please call the clinic if you would like to find out about additional locations. 2020 LITCs and Contact Information State
City
Clinic Name
Public Phone Number 800-478-3474 907-562-0335 866-456-4995 334-832-4570
Languages Served in Addition to English All languages through interpreter services
AK
Anchorage
Alaska Business Development Center LITC
AL
Montgomery
Legal Services Alabama LITC
Little Rock
UA Little Rock Bowen School of Law LITC
Springdale
Legal Aid of Arkansas LITC
Phoenix
Community Legal Services LITC
Tucson
Southern Arizona Tax Clinic
800-852-9075 602-258-3434 520-622-2801
Los Angeles
Bet Tzedek Legal Services Tax Clinic
323-939-0506
Los Angeles
KYCC Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
213-232-2700
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Russian, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and Korean
Los Angeles
Pepperdine LITC
213-673-4831
Spanish
Los Angeles
Bookstein Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
818-677-3600
Spanish
Orange
Chapman University Tax Law Clinic
714-628-2535
Spanish and Vietnamese
Riverside
Inland Counties Legal Services LITC
San Diego
Legal Aid Society of San Diego LITC
888-245-4257 951-368-2555 877-534-2524
Spanish, Mandarin, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Arabic, Farsi
San Diego
University of San Diego LITC
619-260-7470
San Francisco
Chinese Newcomers Service Center
415-421-2111
San Francisco
415-982-1600
San Francisco
Justice and Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco UC Hastings Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Chinese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Taishanese Spanish
415-703-8287
Spanish
San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Spanish
Santa Ana
Community Legal Aid So Cal LITC
Denver
Colorado Legal Services LITC
877-318-6772 805-756-2951 800-834-5001 714-571-5200 844-440-4848 303-837-1313
AR
AZ
CA
CO
501-916-5492 479-442-0600
All languages through interpreter services Spanish Spanish and Marshallese
Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean Spanish and other languages through interpreter services
CT
DC DE
Denver
Denver Asset Building Coalition LITC
303-388-7030
All languages through interpreter services
Denver
University of Denver LITC
303-871-6331
Spanish and Mandarin
Hamden
Quinnipiac University School of Law LITC
203-582-3238
Hartford
UConn Law School Tax Clinic
860-570-5165
Washington
The Catholic University of America LITC
202-319-6788
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish
Washington
The Janet R. Spragens Federal Tax Clinic
202-885-3440
All languages through interpreter services
Georgetown
Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Council LITC Florida Rural Legal Services Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc.
877-825-0750 302-690-5000 888-582-3410
Spanish, Hindi, Italian
866-256-8091 352-372-0519 305-576-0080
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Haitian, Creole
813-752-1335
All languages through interpreter services
Ft. Myers Gainesville Miami Plant City FL
GA IA
ID
IL
Plantation
Legal Services of Greater Miami Community Tax Clinic Bay Area Legal Services Inc. LITC
954-736-2477
Spanish and Creole
St. Petersburg
Legal Aid Services of Broward and Collier Counties Gulfcoast Legal Services LITC
727-821-0726
Tallahassee
Legal Services of North Florida
850-385-9007
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish
West Palm Beach
Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County LITC
Atlanta
The Philip C. Cook Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
800-403-9353 561-655-8944 404-413-9230
Hinesville
JCVision and Associates, Inc.
Lawrenceville
North Georgia Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Des Moines
Iowa Legal Aid LITC
Boise
University of Idaho College of Law LITC
Twin Falls
866-396-4243 912-877-4243 678-646-5661
KY
LA
MA
MD
Spanish Spanish Spanish Spanish
La Posada Tax Clinic
800-532-1275 515-243-2151 877-200-4455 208-364-6166 208-735-1189
Spanish
Chicago
Ladder Up Tax Clinic
312-630-0274
Spanish
Chicago
Loyola Federal Income Tax Clinic
312-915-7176
All languages through interpreter services
Elgin
Administer Justice
847-844-1100
Wheaton
Prairie State Legal Services LITC
855-829-7757
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services
Bloomington
Indiana Legal Services LITC
Indianapolis
Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic
800-822-4774 812-339-7668 317-429-4131
South Bend
Notre Dame Tax Clinic
574-631-3272
Kansas City
Kansas Legal Services, Inc. LITC
Covington
The Center for Great Neighborhoods LITC
800-723-6953 913-621-0200 859-547-5542
Louisville
Legal Aid Society Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Richmond
AppalRed Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
New Orleans
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services LITC
Boston
Greater Boston Legal Services LITC
Jamaica Plain Springfield
Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School LITC Springfield Partners for Community Action LITC
Baltimore
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service LITC
Baltimore
IN
KS
Spanish and Creole
800-292-1862 502-584-1254 800-477-1394 859-624-1394 877-521-6242 504-529-1000 800-323-3205 617-603-1569
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish
All languages through interpreter services Spanish, French, Arabic, Burmese, Hakha Chin, Kinyarwanda, Maya, Swahili, Chinese, Zophei, Falam, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, French, German, Russian, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish All languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services All languages though interpreter services
University of Baltimore LITC
866-738-8081 617-522-3003 844-877-7422 413-263-6500 800-510-0050 410-539-6800 410-837-5706
Spanish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Russian, Korean All languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services
Baltimore
University of Maryland Carey School of Law LITC
410-706-3295
All languages through interpreter services
ME
Bangor
Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. LITC
207-942-8241
All languages through interpreter services
MI
Ann Arbor
University of Michigan LITC
734-936-3535
All languages through interpreter services
866-673-0873 313-556-1920 517-432-6880
Spanish and Arabic
Detroit
Accounting Aid Society
East Lansing
Alvin L. Storrs Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Grand Rapids
West Michigan Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Minneapolis
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid Tax Law Project
800-442-2777 616-774-0672 612-334-5970
Minneapolis
University of Minnesota LITC
612-625-5515
Kansas City
Legal Aid of Western Missouri LITC
MO
Kansas City
Kansas City Tax Clinic
800-990-2907 816-474-6750 816-235-6201
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Arabic, Oromo, Amharic, and other languages through interpreter services Somali, Spanish, Hmong, Karen, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services
St. Louis
Washington University School of Law LITC
314-935-7238
Spanish
MS
Oxford
Mississippi Taxpayer Assistance Project
888-808-8049
All languages through interpreter services
MT
Helena
Montana Legal Services Association LITC
Charlotte
North Carolina Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
800-666-6899 406-442-9830 800-438-1254 800-247-1931 (SP) 704-376-1600 919-530-7166
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services
MN
NC Durham
NC Central University School of Law LITC
NE
Lincoln
Legal Aid of Nebraska LITC
NH
Concord
NH Pro Bono Low-Income Taxpayer Project
Camden
South Jersey Legal Services, Inc. LITC
Edison Jersey City
NJ
NM
NY
OH
877-250-2016 402-348-1060 603-228-6028
All languages through interpreter services
Spanish Spanish and Chinese All languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services
Legal Services of New Jersey Tax Legal Assistance Project
800-496-4570 856-964-2010 888-576-5529 732-572-9100
Northeast New Jersey Legal Services LITC
201-792-6363
Spanish, Korean, Hindi, Urdu, Hebrew, Arabic, Portuguese, Tagalog, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish
Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Portuguese, Hindi, Arabic
Newark
Rutgers Federal Tax Law Clinic
973-353-1685
Albuquerque
NMLA Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
866-416-1922 833-545-4357
All languages through interpreter services
Farmington
Four Corners Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
505-566-3747
Spanish and Navajo
Albany
Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York LITC
All languages through interpreter services
Bronx
Bronx Legal Services
800-462-2922 518-462-6765 917-661-4500
Brooklyn
Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A LITC
718-487-2300
Brooklyn
Brooklyn Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
917-661-4500
Buffalo Hempstead
Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project LITC Hofstra Law School Federal Tax Clinic
800-229-6198 716-847-0662 516-463-5934
Jamaica
Queens Legal Services LITC
917-661-4500
New York
Fordham Law School
212-633-7353
New York
Mobilization for Justice
212-417-3839
New York
The Legal Aid Society LITC
212-426-3013
Staten Island
Migration Resources Center LITC
646-827-2959
Syracuse
Syracuse University College of Law LITC
Akron
Community Legal Aid Services LITC
888-797-5291 315-443-4582 800-998-9454
Cincinnati
Legal Aid of Greater Cincinnati LITC
Cleveland
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland LITC
Columbus
The Legal Aid Society of Columbus LITC
Columbus
Southeastern Ohio Legal Services LITC
Toledo
Legal Aid of Western Ohio LITC
800-582-2682 513-241-9400 888-817-3777 216-861-5500 877-224-8374 614-224-8374 800-837-2508 740-354-7563 888-534-1432 877-894-4599
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Russian, American Sign Language, and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Chinese, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Albanian, Russian, and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services
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OK
OR
PA
Toledo
Toledo Tax Controversy Clinic LITC
419-530-4236
Arabic
Tulsa
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma LITC
918-236-9572
Gresham
El Programa Hispano Catolico's LITC
503-489-6845
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and French
Portland
Legal Aid Services of Oregon LITC
503-224-4086
Portland
Lewis & Clark Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
503-768-6500
Philadelphia
Philadelphia Legal Assistance LITC
215-981-3800
Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh School of Law LITC
412-648-1300
Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Farsi, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and French
Villanova
Villanova Federal Tax Clinic
888-829-2546 610-519-4123
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services
Washington
Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services LITC
724-225-6170
York
844-675-7829 401-274-2652
Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services
RI
Providence
MidPenn Legal Services Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Rhode Island Legal Services LITC
SC
Greenville
South Carolina Legal Services LITC
888-346-5592
SD
Vermillion Memphis
University of South Dakota School of Law Federal Tax Clinic Memphis Area Legal Services
844-366-8866 605-658-3531 901-523-8822
Nashville
Tennessee Taxpayer Project
Fort Worth
Legal Aid of Northwest Texas LITC
Fort Worth
Texas A&M University School of Law Tax Clinic
866-481-3669 865-483-8454 800-955-3959 817-336-3943 817-212-4123
Houston
Houston Volunteer Lawyers LITC
713-228-0732
Houston
Lone Star Legal Aid LITC
Houston
South Texas College of Law LITC
Lubbock
Texas Tech School of Law LITC
San Antonio
Texas Taxpayer Assistance Project
Provo
Centro Hispano LITC
Fairfax
Legal Services of Northern Virginia LITC
Lexington Richmond
Washington and Lee University School of Law Tax Clinic The Community Tax Law Project
800-733-8394 713-652-0077 800-646-1253 713-646-2922 800-420-8037 806-742-4312 888-988-9996 210-212-3747 801-655-0258 801-691-5259 866-534-5233 703-778-6800 540-458-8918
TN
TX
UT
VA
VT
800-295-0110 804-358-5855 800-889-2047
Burlington
Vermont Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Seattle
University of Washington Federal Tax Clinic
866-866-0158 206-685-6805
Spokane
Gonzaga University Federal Tax Clinic
Milwaukee
Legal Action of Wisconsin LITC
Milwaukee
The Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, Inc.
Wausau
Northwoods Tax Project
800-793-1722 509-313-5791 855-502-2468 414-274-3400 888-562-8135 414-727-5326 800-472-1638 715-842-1681
WA
WI
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021
Black & Pink News
Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Chinese, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services Spanish Spanish Spanish, Portuguese, and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services Spanish All languages through interpreter services Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Swahili, Portuguese, French, Punjabi, Vietnamese, and Hindi All languages through interpreter services All languages through interpreter services Spanish and other languages through interpreter services Spanish and Hmong
Publication 4134 (Rev. 1-2020) Catalog Number 35391Q Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service www.irs.gov
Volume 12, Issue 1
blackandpink.org
STIMULUS CHECKS FOR INCARCERATED PEOPLE The last year has been difficult and challenging. The CARES Act “stimulus checks” (aka “Economic Impact Payments,” or “EIP”) were meant to help with some of the financial difficulty people have experienced this year. In September 2020, a federal court ruled in Scholl v. Mnuchin that currently incarcerated people can claim stimulus checks. So far there have been two payments, we do not know if there will be a third, or how to claim it. If you did not receive EIP 1 ($1200) and/or EIP 2 ($600), it’s still possible to claim them by filing 2020 taxes. To do so, you must file the Form 1040, which must be POSTMARKED by no later than APRIL 15, 2021. Here are some basic instructions about how to file. These instructions are designed for someone who is unmarried—or married but filing separately—with no dependents, and who has a 2020 adjusted gross income below $12,400 (others can still file a claim, but they must fill out the Form 1040 differently than the way it’s outlined below). 1. You are eligible for EIP if you are a US Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident with a valid social security number (SSN), and you have not been claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return. If you don’t know your SSN, contact the last school you attended, a public benefits office, or ask for your court documents, all of which may have your SSN on them. 2. You will need a Form 1040 (2020 Individual Tax Return). You can request one from your facility, or an outside person can request the IRS to mail it to you through this link: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/forms-and-publications-by-us-mail. We have heard that the IRS is not consistently providing forms to incarcerated folks. Another way to get the form may be to get an outside person to mail it to you, depending on whether your facility allows you to receive blank forms. 3. Fill out the top of the form with your personal information. If you are using your facility as the address to mail the check, include your ID number with your last name. Otherwise, you may put an external address. It’s important to check with your facility what will happen if you receive checks in the mail before you decide to get your stimulus mailed there. 4. For the “income” part, put your income in line 1-9 (most will probably be blank), put “$12,400” in lines 12 & 14, and put $0 in line 15. Again, most of the remaining lines will probably be blank, but make sure to put how much EIP you are owed in line 30 (“Recovery Rebate Credit”.) If you received EIP 1 but not 2, put $600 in line 30, if you got EIP 2 but not 1, put $1200, and if you got neither, put $1800. You’ll put the same number into line 32, 33, 34, and 35a.
If you are stuck, you can have someone outside call the IRS help line at 800-919-9835 or you can contact one of the Taxpayer Clinics listed in this newsletter.
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5. If you want the money to go to an outside bank account, put the bank account information under 35b-d. Otherwise, a check will be mailed to the address you provided. Sign at the end, where it says “Sign here.”b 6. Mail the claim, before April 15, 2021 (unless you request an extension).b
Incarceration Facility Addressb
Mailing Address for filing 1040b
AL, AR, DE, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, ME, MA, MN, MO, NH,b NJ, NY, NC, SC, TN, OK, VT, VA, WIbb
Department of the Treasuryb Internal Revenue Serviceb Kansas City, MO 64999-0002
AK, CA, HI, OR, WAb
Department of the Treasuryb Internal Revenue Service Fresno, CA 93888-0002b
AZ, CO, CT, DC, ID, KS, MD, MI, MT, NE, NV, NM, ND,b OH, PA, RI, SD, UT, WV, WY
Department of the Treasuryb Internal Revenue Service Ogden, UT 84201-0002b
FL, LA, MI, TX
Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Serviceb Austin, TX 73301-00022b
If you are stuck, you can have someone outside call the IRS help line atb 800-919-9835 or you can contact one of the Taxpayer Clinics listed in thisb newsletter.b
Vaccine hesitancy in the Black community and prison populations is a result of decades of medical neglect and abuse and is a fair
reaction to a medical your trust and continues to betray it. We hope these resources provide a bit Volume 12, Issue 1industry who has done little to earnblackandpink.org Page 39 more understanding of the vaccine so that you can make an informed choice if vaccination is a possibility for you! How is the pandemic affecting incarcerated folks in prisons? Over 329,298 reported cases, at least 2020 deaths in US prisons since January 8, 2021.1 What’s happening on the outside? As of Dec 9th the national average for intensive care unit occupancy is 72% in many cities the percentage ranges from 80-90% source (NY Times).2 This means many people with life threatening conditions, including non COVID related ones, are being turned away due to a lack of space. We are witnessing many preventable deaths. Due to the need to conserve oxygen (as we are running out to administer to patients), in some counties paramedics are told not to transfer those with a low chance of survival.3 This impact is just from spikes caused by Thanksgiving gatherings and we have yet to witness the effect of Christmas & New Year’s gatherings. (Adirondack Daily Enterprise).4 As of January 10, there are over 22,300,000 cases so far (around 255,000 new cases daily), with over 373,000 total deaths (over 3,700 deaths every day) in the entire country!5 Benefits of getting the vaccine5 - All vaccines available are shown to be highly effective at preventing you from getting COVID-19 - All vaccines have been carefully evaluated through clinical trials and have to prove they are safe and effective - Even if you do get COVID-19 after vaccination, the vaccine will help you from getting seriously ill - Other measures (wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands) are effective, but immunity produced by the vaccine will help your immune system so that it will be ready to fight the virus if exposed What can happen if you get COVID-19?6 The most commonly reported symptoms include: - Fatigue - Shortness of breath - Cough - Joint pain - Chest pain Other reported long-term symptoms include: - Difficulty with thinking and concentration (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”) - Depression - Muscle pain - Headache - Intermittent fever - Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations) More serious long-term complications appear to be less common but have been reported. These have been noted to affect different organ systems in the body. These include: - Cardiovascular: inflammation of the heart muscle - Respiratory: lung function abnormalities - Renal: acute kidney injury - Dermatologic: rash, hair loss - Neurological: smell and taste problems, sleep issues, difficulty with concentration, memory problems - Psychiatric: depression, anxiety, changes in mood The long-term significance of these effects is not yet known. CDC will continue active investigation and provide updates as new data emerge, which can inform COVID-19 clinical care as well as the public health response to COVID-19. What type of damage can coronavirus cause in the lungs?7 COVID-19 Pneumonia: In pneumonia, the lungs become filled with fluid and inflamed, leading to breathing difficulties. For some people, breathing problems can become severe enough to require treatment at the hospital with oxygen or even a ventilator. The pneumonia that COVID-19 causes tends to take hold in both lungs. Air sacs in the lungs fill with fluid, limiting their ability to take in oxygen and causing shortness of breath, cough and other symptoms. While most people recover from pneumonia without any lasting lung damage, the pneumonia associated with COVID-19 may be severe. Even after the disease has passed, lung injury may result in breathing difficulties that might take months to improve. (continued in next column)
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS): As COVID-19 pneumonia progresses, more of the air sacs become filled with fluid leaking from the tiny blood vessels in the lungs. Eventually, shortness of breath sets in, and can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a form of lung failure. Patients with ARDS are often unable to breath on their own and may require ventilator support to help circulate oxygen in the body. Whether it occurs at home or at the hospital, ARDS can be fatal. People who survive ARDS and recover from COVID-19 may have lasting pulmonary scarring. Sepsis Another possible complication of a severe case of COVID-19 is sepsis. Sepsis occurs when an infection reaches, and spreads through, the bloodstream, causing tissue damage everywhere it goes. “Lungs, heart and other body systems work together like instruments in an orchestra,” Galiatsatos says. “In sepsis, the cooperation between the organs falls apart. Entire organ systems can start to shut down, one after another, including the lungs and heart.” Sepsis, even when survived, can leave a patient with lasting damage to the lungs and other organs. Superinfection Galiatsatos notes that when a person has COVID-19, the immune system is working hard to fight the invader. This can leave the body more vulnerable to infection with another bacterium or virus on top of the COVID-19 — a superinfection. More infection can result in additional lung damage. Vaccine myth & facts8, 9: Myth: it was developed too quickly and hasn’t been adequately studied Fact: There is already a decade of research on the technology behind this COVID-19. The influx of billions from multiple governments was the push to get this technology tested - but the concepts are not new. Both the Pfizer & Moderna vaccines underwent the normal, rigorous, 3 phase trial system. No corners were cut. There was a worldwide effort to reduce or remove the usual barriers and delays in vaccine research, production and distribution. A large number of ordinary people volunteered for clinical trials of the vaccines, which meant we got the answers to key questions about safety and protection quickly. The approval process through the FDA had an independent panel of experts look at the data from the studies, and ask tough questions of the vaccine makers before voting to approve it on an emergency basis. The FDA is also requiring the companies to track what happens to people who took part in its studies, and the CDC will monitor what happens to people who get the vaccine outside the studies.
Myth: people weren't followed long enough after getting the vaccine Fact: Documented adverse effects to vaccines show up mostly in hours, sometimes in days, rarely in weeks. All participants were followed for a minimum of 2 months. Myth: The vaccine is more dangerous than COVID-19 Fact: 1% of all ppl who catch COVID-19 die. Another 10-20% are hospitalized. Another 30+% have long lasting symptoms. The vaccine is far safer, with only minor temporary side effects. (continued in next page)
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A Summary of Information about the COVID-19 Vaccine NU Abolition & Northside Prisoner Letter Writing Coalition compiled the preceding resource to help answer questions and ease concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine. Prison and medical systems have been historically violent to the Black community and prison populations. The groups aimed to help provide more understanding about the COVID-19 vaccine so you can make an informed choice when you are able to get the vaccine. People who are inside prisons have been overwhelmingly impacted by COVID-19; more than 329,298 people inside
prisons have had COVID as of January 8, 2021. Vaccines can help to keep you from getting COVID. They are proven to be safe and if you do get COVID, you are less likely to have severe side effects. Coronavirus can cause permanent damage to the body including problems with the lungs, heart, kidneys and brain. The vaccine helps to prevent these long-term issues. The vaccine works by essentially teaching the body how to make antibodies to protect you from coronavirus. It does this by introducing a harmless
protein from the surface of the coronavirus. This protein is not infectious and will not cause COVID-19. You will need two doses of the vaccine several weeks apart. You will be protected from coronavirus a week after your second dose. Some side effects may occur including temporary soreness, fatigue, and headache. No one has had the vaccine for longer than eight months so we truly do not know if they will cause long term side effects but health officials are observing and have not noticed anything as of yet.
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Black & Pink News
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021
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“I Survived COVID” by Mike L.
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Black & Pink News
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Letters from our Inside Family Dear B&P,
of negativity and judgment.
I am a 29-year-old FTM doing time in an Arizona women’s prison. Prior to my incarceration, I always lived “stealth” and was never open about being trans. But being the only man in a women’s facility has forced me to be out. I have been on HRT for five years, I grow a full beard and have a completely male appearance yet people still make the mistake of calling me “she.” I have had to learn how to correct and educate people rather than getting frustrated and offended. I urge anyone else transitioning behind bars to speak up and correct people when they use the wrong pronouns (as long as it feels safe to do so). As frustrating as it might be, correct people every time they misgender you and eventually they will address you properly. My mom recently told me that she is so disgusted by my transition that she does not want to ever see me again or be a part of my life in any way. This was devastating as I have desperately craved her love and acceptance for so many years. As painful as it was to deal with her rejection, in many ways it is also a relief. I no longer have to torture myself trying to gain her acceptance. I can stop holding on to the guilt and shame she put on me for being trans. Now I truly understand the meaning of the quote “once you lose everything, you are free to do anything.” When you face rejection for embracing your truth, think of it as being freed
Abel C. (AZ)
Black & Pink Family, Hello everyone! My name is Taylor B. I’ve thought long and hard about writing in and I finally decided to go for it. I am a transgender male to female and am 28 years old. I’ve been living as a woman since I was 16 years old and I most def was feeling it before then. I would like to talk about something not often talked about: love on the inside. I arrived at my institution on 3/25/18. Believe me, I will not lie, I was a HOE. All of these men in here. I had my pick. I was all over the place. But on 12/3/18, that all changed. The man that I had been crushing on bad, he made me his. I had never been in love before and had never been loved. He taught me both. Even though I lied to him, put my hands on him and cheated on him, he stayed. And never stopped loving me. I could blame it on being gender dysphoric. But it was just plain stupidity, immaturity and selfishness. Skipping to today, 12/31/20, he got tired of my clap. I guess he figured I didn’t love him enough to change. But I did. Just not fast enough. We had so many plans for the future. He came out to his family with me, told them he loved me.
He’d kiss me in front of inmates and staff. He had my name put on his neck. You know that old saying, “”you don’t know what you got till it’s gone?”” It is so true. I’m going to be okay. My heart is broken and my love for him is still just as deep. If I had a chance to do it all again, I’d love him right. I just wish he knew how much I do love him. I say all of this to say: love changes people. It hurts but it heals too. So, if you find love inside, don’t take it for granted less you may lose the love of your life. Love always, Taylor (NY)
B&P, Happy holidays, merry new year! Mid-pandemic greetings, hope everyone is safe out there in the wild. :) I recently came to possess a couple of your issues, Black & Pink News October 2019 and May/June 2020. I enjoyed the “Letters From” section. I received them from a dormmate after some winter/pandemic cleaning. :) As I read the articles, I came across a call for submissions ad for COVID-19 conditions in prisons so I am here writing, an inmate in the California State Prison System. I’m a 36 year old gay male passing my days mostly in quarantine conditions. Our facility has had many “contact” precautions take place, there
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Letters from our Inside Family
have been quarantines of several units and entire levels to prevent possible outbreaks. The issue inmates have with the “contact” is that it’s caused by staff that work in the facility. We’re given blue surgical masks; while on quarantine we are given N95 masks; however, occasionally the masks are cheap productions and end up breaking. Throughout the facility, there are non-alc hand sanitizers and plenty of signage to inform of the dangers and symptoms of COVID-19. Even with masks and hygiene, there are still many who constantly disregard the guidelines and rules.
left to spend our time in extreme confinement. Prior to COVID-19, inmates had programs, jobs, groups, schooling and yard time to distract from the mental stress of being in prisons. With little to no distractions, many inmates have had a hard time coping, tensions build.
“The virus is a hoax” is a common phrase in here. I happen to have friends and family whom had hospital visits due to COVID. I know it’s not a simple virus. Today we also heard of the mutation in the UK. A new phrase today has been “It’s a fabrication.”
John P-K (CA)
Recently we had several large sections quarantined, a staff member had a busy day going around the facility to various units. Currently all programs are shut down, no yard, no visits, no classes, no groups, no phones. :( The past couple of days have been the worst with extra lockdown, we weren’t even allowed showers. Several inmates a couple days ago were rushed out with complications from COVID. The main issue with COVID-19 confinement is that we are
A person can be lonely in a crowd of people. Even I experience loneliness here in a dorm setting. When a person doesn’t relate to others here like we would in the free world, we begin to become a one man-girlhuman island. “
Dear Black and Pink Family, Wow, all these years behind these federal prison walls and I’m finally reaching out. Well first, I wanna say thank you to Black & Pink for continuing to fight for the LGBTQ inmates behind these walls. Listen up everybody, we all must keep focus and not allow these prisons walls to make us feel less of a person because we are all worth it. I have come across some wonderful people of the LGBTQ community since I been in federal prison. For the most part, we all get along but at the end of the day, we all family. We have to continue to mentally and emotionally support each other behind these prison walls. In the federal prison,
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it’s fucked up conditions, just as in the state prison system. LGBTQ people are assaulted, raped and mistreated daily by both staff and inmates. But it really depends on what prison you’re located at which could determine your fate. It’s really sad to say the least. I am at a USP and my prison is having a COVID outbreak and everybody know the staff brings that stuff into the prison. But the inmates will ultimately suffer. I wanna tell all the LGBTQ people that when one of our own hits the compound, I sincerely ask that you embrace each other. When new LGBTQ community members come to a new yard, we don’t know anybody and we need all the mental support we can get from the LGBTQ community. Finally, to all the gay-bashers who are closet gay, y’all need to cut it cause y’all ain’t fooling anybody. A queen can spot you closet girls. So cut out the messy shit and embrace who you really are: LGBTQ sister or brother. Yours truly, Dee-Dee (CA)
Hello sisters & brothers, My name is Frank P and I am a proud trans woman! And I have gained the courage to come out to the administration as a trans woman in the hope that they will allow me to purchase bras and panties and to have feminine products added to the canteen for purchase by any LGBTQIA
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Letters from our Inside Family
individual who would care to buy them and set a precedence in this system for those will follow this path in the future! I have for many years hid behind a façade of a gay man when in truth I have known from the time that I turned 13 that I was most definitely a girl on the inside. Then after I caught the crime and wound up in prison for life, I closed myself off from the world of the life inside and all the prejudices around me for fear of having the very same people set their eyes on me. But now after nearly 40 years inside, I have gained the courage to advocate for myself and all of the LGBTQIA community here and try to make a difference. Even if it will cost me friends or ostracize me within the prison community. Because I have made the most difficult and life changing decision to drop the mask and embrace my true self. I am LIINA JAMIE P. and I am a proud trans woman, hear me roar MOTHERF**KERS! I will be heard for all who seek to live their lives as their true selves. May the Goddess bless you all and in love and solidarity my heart goes out to you all. -Leena Jamie (WY)
I am currently incarcerated inside of ____ and there is an issue with people saying Black Lives Matter. This is an issue that is going on inside of America and this CO told this lady to take her du-rag out from
under her hairnet. She said no. So she cuffed up and went to the hole. This CO is so racist so someone else said Black Lives Matter. So the CO told her to cuff up and took her to the hole. She said “anyone says Black Lives Matter,” that they will be taken to the hole for rioting. So basically you just locked up these two Black women for being Black. I don’t understand that but they can walk around with swastikas and all that and it’s OK. This is a female institution but it’s ran oh so wrong. We face a lot in here but all you can do it keep your head down and do your time. Nobody in power is for us. But God! Well thank you for listening. Is there not too many lesbians writing in this newsletter or know about it because if not, I am going to inform others of this newsletter for us. -Joi Boi (MO) Greetings Comrade, I hope that this finds you in good spirits. I want to start off saying “I love you :)” Those three words are a gift we should give to our loved ones whenever we can. My ways of thinking change almost everyday and my teachings confirm that I’m unfolding into that man Allah (God) designed me to be. But my thoughts on inhumane treatment, racism and mass incarceration with no “real” rehabilitation efforts from prison staff hasn’t changed. And it
hurts to know that prison staff members are put in a position to assist prisoners in changing their lives in a positive direction. But instead they abuse their authority and continue to punish instead of giving prisoners rehabilitative needs. I’m not the smartest person in the world but rehabilitation will never be the main objective because of the geographic location of these modern plantations. The prisoner class and true freedom fighters exposed this scam years ago. They built these prisons in small, poor, so-called white areas all over this nation when statistics show that most prisoners commit crime in major cities of the state. It’s designed on all levels. The compromise for political gain always affects the common people. The Missouri Compromise, The Civil War, to the fake Reconstruction era, the capitalist always prospers off the common people’s labor. From the school to prison pipeline and human warehousing for profit, who prospers? And the prisoncrats get content because they fall for the illusion of the “American Dream.” Now that they can pay a car note, rent, buy some Oakley sunglasses, it’s OK to confine a human in a locked bathroom. When a job requires you to go against divine law by living by a sinful code of conduct to “take up for your fellow staff no matter what” then how could rehabilitation ever work for a prisoner who is hurt, broken, uneducated, hungry and has no faith and no trust in
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anything, not even himself? It’s designed for the prisoner to feel that he or she has no redeeming value or worth and only deserve low wages for labor, disregard, domination, exploitation, direction and control. I used to think that maybe I just fell through the cracks, that I could have been saved as a child and rehabilitated. Then when we get educated and our consciousness is raised and we realized that we fell for the traps, we now know that mass incarceration is just a euphemism, a code word for national oppression, for genocide, for ethnic cleansing. That is what imperialism does.
It controls its perceived threat populace. This is even more so with leaps in technological development and the escalating threat of disposability confronting the common peoples working class. As the empire becomes more ethnically diverse and the Eurocentric settler population has nightmares of minority status and loss of privilege ... All throughout the course of our story and our national contact with the settler imperialist state, they have carried out all kinds of policies and practices from medical experiments to outright murder designed to control,
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regulate, instill fear, prevent rise of movements, leadership, etc. The attempt by various elements to make our struggle about race is an attempt to confuse and distract. But “real” comrades don’t fall for that! Prison is designed for poor people, Black, white, Brown, everyone. Let’s put the truth out there to expose those who are active in warehousing humans for profit. “ - Travis H. (FL)
art by Ozzye, TX
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Black & Pink News
Letters & Poetry from our Inside Family Leave Your Mark Choose to leave your mark or not It’s all on you Tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all Together we stand strong Divided we fall Honesty makes hope Lies sow discord Tell what you feel Ask of me what you will Grant me just one wish Leave your mark on me Leave your mark inside of me Let me feel you deep down inside And know your love Change for no one But always remember Leave your mark For you never know When your time may be up in this world -JT (IL) A Call to Forgiveness Teach us to forgive, Dear Lord, Those who do us wrong. Help us set aside the hurt, And somehow move along. Help us to control our anger, When people are unkind. Help us to turn the other cheek, When troubles cloud our mind. Forgive us, Lord, when we offend, And need forgiveness too.
Give us a second chance, To right the wrongs we do. Lord, you forgave them from the cross, And we can do no less. For a heart that’s filled with anger, Cannot find happiness. Forgiveness is a bridge we build, That magnifies the Lord. When we work for brotherhood, And strive for one accord. Help us to live from day to day, More willing to forgive. Lord, help us to strive for peace on earth Each day that we shall live.
Do you love me? I love you cause you my life for real This is crazy but I hope you know just how I feel I never had a real family Kinda sad but true Before I came across you and Black & Pink Now I’m not alone Someone out there can relate I hope you can embrace Just stay strong in keep ya pride That’s all it really takes ... Sean’ah
-Eric T (TN)
-JT (NV)
Who am I? All I really know is pain and struggle You can see my hurt when you look me in my eyes. I’ve been locked up since I was a kid So all I know is prison life. Is it a crime or do I have the right to be confused? Yeah, all this time I’ve been lookin like a damn fool Goin’ by (amber) now I’m tryna change the way I move. I hope that all my real friends respect my new decision I’m tryna make amends but love is all I’m missin Bisexual I’m not afraid to keep it real 727 till my death and that’s just how I feel
I love you all LGBTQIA+ family
Window Pains As I look out upon my window I wonder are you watching also Are we gazing up toward the beautiful sky I see the magnificent colors fly Never the less they are so high Two different spots, we see the same utopia Is this true it just may Sculpted and shaped in a beautiful array I wish they would stay But eventually they fade away Even they speak and want to say Look at these colors that want to play I wish I could tell you hey But when I look over you’re not there Even just for a second This is a work of art on the rise
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So don’t demise Your eyes devoured the prize Alone looking out up in the skies So far but yet so close We share the same colorful display I just can’t stay away The window keeps calling my name The clouds and sun spark a flame So beautiful is it to blame Such a shame I look over and you’re never there’ True Love Always - Solo (FL)
Veracity I felt this shame deep down inside, this pleasure that I need to hide, from the overwhelming desire to die, all because I was living a lie, which left me with no pride. So call me a sinner and cast your stones, then maybe you’ll be satisfied and leave me alone, yeah call me a sinner and hurl your stones I’m just an abomination from head to toe and you are nothing but hypocrites throwing stones I don’t care if you’re satisfied, so leave me alone. We are all sinner, don’t you know? That’s why I won’t cast a single stone; Now you are no judge and
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neither am I, yet you’ve decided what’s best for my life; now everyone grab a stone, cause I’d rather die, than have to live a lie. So tell me why you care for my soul? I thought all you cared about was your stones? Now you say that God has forsaken me, and that maybe, may He cast the first stone for all to see; cast, throw, hurl away, I said cast! Throw! Hurl away! I will take every stone with a smile on my face I no longer feel shame deep down inside, now I share this pleasure that I needed to hide, there is no overwhelming desire to die, because I’m no longer living a lie, which left me with no pride. - Skye (OR)
Prison Pride You see, it all started because I made this big mistake when the officer asked if I was gay I said “I don’t know.” He thought I was being smart, so he hit me. Twice. No one came to help me, not even other inmates who would have rallied
somewhat against police brutality if it was aimed at “one of them.” But I am not one of them. I am gay. And WE do not get rallied behind. WE are laughed at. Why does it have to be this way? I’ll tell you why! Because WE have lessons in balance to share measures of compassion to disperse miracles of love to radiate obstacles toward triumph to overcome all this together Together. I can take two punches - it takes more than a fist to hijack my self-love! - Matthew (NY)
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art by Aimee Belanger
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Call for Submissions Seeking erotic short stories, poems, and art by Black & Pink incarcerated and free-world family members for a new zine. To be mailed, art cannot include full nudity. Please send submissions addressed to Black & Pink — HOT PINK. This is a voluntary project, and no money will be offered for submissions, but you might get the chance to share your spicy story with many other readers! The zine will be sent one or two times per year. To subscribe to upcoming issues of HOT PINK, write to our address, Black & Pink — HOT PINK.
Black & Pink Mailing Information Write to us at: Black & Pink — [see table below] 6223 Maple St. #4600 Omaha, NE 68104 Please note that you can send multiple requests/ topics in one envelope! Due to concerns about consent and confidentiality, you cannot sign up other people for the newspaper. However, we can accept requests from multiple people in the same envelope. There’s no need to send separate requests in more than one envelope.
If you are being released and would still like to receive the Black & Pink News, please let us know where to send it! Penpal program info: LGBTQ+ people who are incarcerated can list their information and a short non-sexual ad online where people can see it and write. There will be forms in upcoming issues Mail info: We are several months behind on our mail. There will be a delay, but please keep writing! Email us: members@blackandpink.org
If you would like to request:
Address the envelope to:
Newspaper Subscriptions, Address Change, or Volunteering
Black & Pink — General
Newspaper Submissions — Stories, Articles, Poems, Art
Black & Pink — Newspaper Submissions
Black & Pink Organization or Newspaper Feedback
Black & Pink — Feedback
Black & Pink Religious Zine
Black & Pink — The Spirit Inside
Advocacy Requests (include details about the situation and thoughts about how calls or letters might help)
Black & Pink — Advocacy
Submit to or request Erotica Zine
Black & Pink — HOT PINK
Stop Your Newspaper Subscription
Black & Pink — STOP Subscription
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Black & Pink Announces Capital Campaign to Open Opportunity Campus The Opportunity Campus will be a housing and community space in Omaha, Nebraska for LGBTQIA2S+ youth and young adults who are system-impacted. We understand systemimpacted to include individuals who have been impacted by such violent carceral systems such as incarceration, detention, foster care, and family surveillance. This initiative will provide housing, wrap around support services, mental health support, daily drop-in services (such as hot meals, showers, food pantry, and laundry), and community programming to system-impacted LGBTQIA2S+ youth, young adults, and their families. All services at the Opportunity Campus will be provided at no-cost to our residents and members.
art by Marius M. (CT)
