All Things Afrikan
Critical Resistance and Resources for Prisoners, former Prisoners and their Families
CR Structure and Background
Critical Resistance (CR) is a national grassroots organization with hundreds of members and thousands of supporters. CR's work falls into 3 main categories: Movement Building, Grassroots Organizing, and Education (see our brochure, "What is Critical Resistance?"). As abolitionists, CR has played a leading role in challenging the normalization of prison as a solution to social, political, and economic problems. CR's broad abolitionist strategy embraces 3 main areas:
1. Decarceration. Organizing to reduce the prison population. This could include the decriminalization of sex work and drugs and an end to racial profiling.
2. Ending Prison Building. Organizing to reduce the amount of prisons/jails. This could include closing existing facilities and fighting prison sitings and expansion.
3. Alternative Practices. Organizing projects that reduce a reliance on prisons and policing.
For more information on CR's abolitionist strategy see the Abolition Toolkit and the CR brochure, "What is Abolition?"
Communication
As a national organization with autonomous chapters and few paid staff, communication is the cornerstone of CR. We aim to maintain communication through a combination of methods: list serves, visits, calls, national and regional retreats, trainings, and conferences/strategy sessions. Our quarterly newsletter and annual reports also help keep members informed and updated about what's going on with each chapter's work. Chapter members are encouraged to participate in national retreats, national workgroups, national conference calls, and the national organizing body to help shape the direction of the organization.
Decision Making
Decisions affecting the entire organization are made by consensus by the National Organizing Body (NOB). NOB is organized by work groups. There are currently 3 work groups: Personnel-responsible for the hiring, evaluation, and policies related to staffing; Funding-responsible for the financial well-being of the organization; and, Technology-responsible for assessing, implementing, and troubleshooting the technological needs of the organization. NOB work groups meet on their own schedules, usually via conference call. The meetings are open to all members.
Funding
CR gets its funding from a variety of sources including foundation grants (such as the Open Society Institute), individual donors (through direct mailings and solicitations), and donations for merchandize (t-shirts, books, etc) Chapters are encouraged to be resourceful in their appeal for funds. Chapters host special events such as parties and film festivals, conduct local donor drives, and submit grants for projects and general support.
Staffing
CR currently has five paid staff positions. Staff operate on a non-hierarchical basis and are accountable to each other, the NOB, and the general membership. Staff is responsible for coordinating the communication, support, operations, and resources of the organization; including local chapters and regional offices.
The relationship between chapters and staff is reciprocal. The primary way that chapters maintain communication with the national body is through their staff "buddy." Consistent communication through phone calls, meeting notes, visits, and email is integral for minimizing problems and helping the organization thrive in a non-hierarchical structure.
Local Chapters
Local chapters determine their own structures, projects, and campaigns. However, chapters are required to support the CR mission and meet specific benchmarks. Our 9 local chapters are primarily organized by region: NE-NYC, Chicago, DC, Baltimore; West-Oakland, LA, South-New Orleans, Gainesville, St. Petersburg/Tampa. National CR provides local chapters with resources to support their work. Examples of these resources include: infrastructural support such as offices, phones, supplies, and staffing, literature, videos, funds for special needs, fundraising support, technology, trainings and a network of prison abolitionists throughout the country.
Mission
Critical Resistance seeks to build an international movement
to end the Prison Industrial Complex by challenging the belief
that caging and controlling people makes us safe. We believe that
basic necessities such as food, shelter, and freedom are what
really make our communities secure. As such, our work is part of
global struggles against inequality and powerlessness. The success
of the movement requires that it reflect communities most affected
by the PIC. Because we seek to abolish the PIC, we cannot support
any work that extends its life or scope
"THE WALLS, THE BARS, THE GUNS AND THE GUARDS CAN NEVER ENCIRCLE OR HOLD DOWN THE IDEA OF THE PEOPLE. AND THE PEOPLE MUST ALWAYS CARRY FORWARD THE IDEA WHICH IS THEIR DIGNITY AND THEIR BEAUTY."
Huey P. Newton
Calling Out to All Prisoners, Former Prisoners
and Family Members of Loved Ones Inside
I am going to be straight up. We need you to lead the movement to abolish prisons, policing, surveillance, and other forms of control. We cannot win without you. We as a people who head back into the community struggle everyday, trying to reclaim what has been stolen from us: our children, our partners, our homes, our access to a true and good education, our jobs, our history, our own methods of healing, our identity, our true freedom. On a daily, we try to keep the government off our backs, making it sometimes impossible not to rely on the same systems that oppress us. We try to stay outside of the cage and sometimes end up back in.
They say we need to become productive members of this society.
Whose society? Not ours.
As a people we need to be free in a society in which we create.
We need to create what freedom means to us.
We need to take back what has been stolen from us.
They Cannot Take Away Our Voice
Or Our Self-Determination
Contact a local Critical Resistance chapter to get involved in this movement.
Please contact me if you are a Former Prisoner or a Family Member of a loved one inside prison and need or have any information regarding Former Prisoner/Family Support resources in your area:
Pilar Maschi
Former Prisoner and Family Outreach Coordinator
CRITICAL RESISTANCE NEW YORK CITY
976 Longwood Avenue, @ the corner of Beck Street
976 Avenida Longwood, esquina de la Calle Beck
Bronx, NY 10459
Phone: 718.676.1660
Fax: 718.676.1672
pilar-AT-criticalresistance.org
Critical Resistance (CR) is a national grassroots organization with hundreds of members and thousands of supporters. CR's work falls into 3 main categories: Movement Building, Grassroots Organizing, and Education (see our brochure, "What is Critical Resistance?"). As abolitionists, CR has played a leading role in challenging the normalization of prison as a solution to social, political, and economic problems. CR's broad abolitionist strategy embraces 3 main areas:
1. Decarceration. Organizing to reduce the prison population. This could include the decriminalization of sex work and drugs and an end to racial profiling.
2. Ending Prison Building. Organizing to reduce the amount of prisons/jails. This could include closing existing facilities and fighting prison sitings and expansion.
3. Alternative Practices. Organizing projects that reduce a reliance on prisons and policing.
For more information on CR's abolitionist strategy see the Abolition Toolkit and the CR brochure, "What is Abolition?"
Communication
As a national organization with autonomous chapters and few paid staff, communication is the cornerstone of CR. We aim to maintain communication through a combination of methods: list serves, visits, calls, national and regional retreats, trainings, and conferences/strategy sessions. Our quarterly newsletter and annual reports also help keep members informed and updated about what's going on with each chapter's work. Chapter members are encouraged to participate in national retreats, national workgroups, national conference calls, and the national organizing body to help shape the direction of the organization.
Decision Making
Decisions affecting the entire organization are made by consensus by the National Organizing Body (NOB). NOB is organized by work groups. There are currently 3 work groups: Personnel-responsible for the hiring, evaluation, and policies related to staffing; Funding-responsible for the financial well-being of the organization; and, Technology-responsible for assessing, implementing, and troubleshooting the technological needs of the organization. NOB work groups meet on their own schedules, usually via conference call. The meetings are open to all members.
Funding
CR gets its funding from a variety of sources including foundation grants (such as the Open Society Institute), individual donors (through direct mailings and solicitations), and donations for merchandize (t-shirts, books, etc) Chapters are encouraged to be resourceful in their appeal for funds. Chapters host special events such as parties and film festivals, conduct local donor drives, and submit grants for projects and general support.
Staffing
CR currently has five paid staff positions. Staff operate on a non-hierarchical basis and are accountable to each other, the NOB, and the general membership. Staff is responsible for coordinating the communication, support, operations, and resources of the organization; including local chapters and regional offices.
The relationship between chapters and staff is reciprocal. The primary way that chapters maintain communication with the national body is through their staff "buddy." Consistent communication through phone calls, meeting notes, visits, and email is integral for minimizing problems and helping the organization thrive in a non-hierarchical structure.
Local Chapters
Local chapters determine their own structures, projects, and campaigns. However, chapters are required to support the CR mission and meet specific benchmarks. Our 9 local chapters are primarily organized by region: NE-NYC, Chicago, DC, Baltimore; West-Oakland, LA, South-New Orleans, Gainesville, St. Petersburg/Tampa. National CR provides local chapters with resources to support their work. Examples of these resources include: infrastructural support such as offices, phones, supplies, and staffing, literature, videos, funds for special needs, fundraising support, technology, trainings and a network of prison abolitionists throughout the country.
Mission
Critical Resistance seeks to build an international movement
to end the Prison Industrial Complex by challenging the belief
that caging and controlling people makes us safe. We believe that
basic necessities such as food, shelter, and freedom are what
really make our communities secure. As such, our work is part of
global struggles against inequality and powerlessness. The success
of the movement requires that it reflect communities most affected
by the PIC. Because we seek to abolish the PIC, we cannot support
any work that extends its life or scope
"THE WALLS, THE BARS, THE GUNS AND THE GUARDS CAN NEVER ENCIRCLE OR HOLD DOWN THE IDEA OF THE PEOPLE. AND THE PEOPLE MUST ALWAYS CARRY FORWARD THE IDEA WHICH IS THEIR DIGNITY AND THEIR BEAUTY."
Huey P. Newton
Calling Out to All Prisoners, Former Prisoners
and Family Members of Loved Ones Inside
I am going to be straight up. We need you to lead the movement to abolish prisons, policing, surveillance, and other forms of control. We cannot win without you. We as a people who head back into the community struggle everyday, trying to reclaim what has been stolen from us: our children, our partners, our homes, our access to a true and good education, our jobs, our history, our own methods of healing, our identity, our true freedom. On a daily, we try to keep the government off our backs, making it sometimes impossible not to rely on the same systems that oppress us. We try to stay outside of the cage and sometimes end up back in.
They say we need to become productive members of this society.
Whose society? Not ours.
As a people we need to be free in a society in which we create.
We need to create what freedom means to us.
We need to take back what has been stolen from us.
They Cannot Take Away Our Voice
Or Our Self-Determination
Contact a local Critical Resistance chapter to get involved in this movement.
Please contact me if you are a Former Prisoner or a Family Member of a loved one inside prison and need or have any information regarding Former Prisoner/Family Support resources in your area:
Pilar Maschi
Former Prisoner and Family Outreach Coordinator
CRITICAL RESISTANCE NEW YORK CITY
976 Longwood Avenue, @ the corner of Beck Street
976 Avenida Longwood, esquina de la Calle Beck
Bronx, NY 10459
Phone: 718.676.1660
Fax: 718.676.1672
pilar-AT-criticalresistance.org
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