Values

We welcome participation from anyone who wants to write to someone in prison. No one becomes an abolitionist overnight, and you do not need to be an abolitionist to join us. However, we do expect all outside participants to respect these values:

  1. We honor everyone’s humanity, and recognize that none of us, whether in prison or not, should be defined by our worst moments. 
  2. We commit to learning, growing, and building relationships together.
  3. We commit to solidarity, not pity. In the words of Humanities Behind Bars, there is an important “difference between solidarity as a verb and pity or charity. Feeling sorry for someone is an assertion of power; being outraged at the Prison Industrial Complex is not.”
  4. We do not take into consideration any divides imposed by the prison system, such as “violent” vs. “nonviolent,” or any other type of offense category. We believe everyone is worthy of communication and love.

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