BK/NY – Tuesday, April 16th – Letter Writing Dinner for Joshua Williams

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, April 16th, 2019
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free

While it comes as no surprise, the fact is that in modern times Black people are not only regularly gunned down by the State, but also kidnapped and caged for standing up for and defending their communities. 23 year old Joshua Williams is a victim of the latter and will be the focus of NYC ABC‘s every-other-week political prisoner letter-writing dinner.

Josh became a vocal regular participant in the anti-police demonstrations following the murder of 18 year old Mike Brown in 2014. Later that year, Joshua was arrested for the arson of a convenience store that was located across the street from the fatal police shooting of Antonio Martin just days prior. In December 2015 Joshua pleaded guilty to arson and burglary and has been sentenced to 8 years in state prison. There is currently a petition campaign to get parole for Josh or have his sentence commuted. You can sign it by clicking here.

Josh’s age and high profile status as a Ferguson protester have made him a consistent target for right wing media and blogging blowhards. They have been giggling to their empty selves at the idea of a young man who has been outspoken for peace being locked up for arson. They lack the understanding that peace sometimes comes at a cost. They lack the context of a world in which a young Black person enduring any violence by the State or other white supremacists will likely go unchecked and probably publicly applauded. The damage to an empty building is not equivalent.

We expect to see you on Tuesday. If you can’t make it, please take the time to write a letter to Josh:
Joshua Williams #1292002
Missouri Eastern Correctional Center
18701 Old Highway 66
Pacific, Missouri 63069

BK/NY – Tuesday, July 4th – Letter Writing Dinner for Josh Williams, Krow, and Ramsey Orta

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, July 4th, 2017
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free

While the rest of the country happily turns the other cheek to the daily atrocities committed under the name of the USA in order to get wasted and light off fireworks, NYC ABC will be doing something a little different.  Join us at this Tuesday to enjoy some vegan barbecue, relish in our disgust at the state and celebrate folks who have recently been captured.  This week we’ll be writing three individuals who have gone down for their participation in the Ferguson uprising, No DAPL, and cop watch actions.

Josh Williams became a vocal regular participant in the anti-police demonstrations following the murder of 18 year old Mike Brown in 2014. Later that year, Joshua was arrested for the arson of a convenience store that was located across the street from the fatal police shooting of Antonio Martin just days before. In December 2015 Joshua pleaded guilty to arson and burglary and has been sentenced to 8 years in state prison.

On April 12, Krow was taken into custody, to Morton County Jail, where she awaits extradition. True to form—always thinking of others— she spent her last day on the outside supporting other No DAPL prisoners and rescuing a cat.  On February 4, 2017—her 30^th birthday—she was assaulted and arrested by a member of the Bureau of Indian Affairs while in North Dakota supporting the resistance to the Dakota Access pipeline. She was held in Morton County Correctional Center until February 27. She is being charged with violating felony probation. Krow’s legal case set a precedent in North Dakota as the first case to release someone on bond preceding a formal extradition hearing.  For Krow’s statement after her initial release from jail on February 27, and before turning herself in on April 12, visit http://supportkrow.org

In July 2014 Ramsey Orta was in front of a corner store on Staten Island when vicious murdering pig David Pantaleo wrapped his arm around Eric Garner’s neck and squeezed until his final breath. Having dealt with police before Ramsey had the forethought to grab his camera phone and start recording. He captured the final moments of Eric Garner’s life, in which he uttered the now infamous phrase and rallying cry, “I can’t breathe.” Ramsey released the video, which instantly went viral and inspired folks to hit the streets across the country against the police. Given the State’s goals of maintaining white supremacy it should come as no surprise that the only person who both walked away from the scene of Eric Garner’s death alive and faced any real consequences handed down by the State is Ramsey. Since the uploading of the video, Ramsey has been harassed non-stop by the NYPD and was arrested numerous times. On one occasion when the police were targeting and arresting him, they even pulled out their phones and said “You filmed us, now we are filming you.” One of these charges stuck and Ramsey surrendered himself to begin a four year sentence on October 3rd.

If for some reason you can’t make it Tuesday, please take a moment to write these folks on your own time:
Josh Williams #1292002
E.R.D.C.C.
2727 Highway K
Bonne Terre, Missouri 63628

Krow*
Iron County Jail
300 Taconite Street
Hurley, Wisconsin 54534
*address envelope to Katie Kloth

Ramsey Orta 16A4200
​Franklin Correctional Facility
Post Office Box 10
Malone, New York 12953-0010