On Saturday, March 13th, we concluded our most recent round of Reconstruction’s Community Capacity-Building Curriculum. As part of Pillar III, we explored subgroups, grassroots partnerships, and institutional disruptions. Thanks to all who participated! Below is the word-cloud we made with our informal ‘notes.’ Read more…
IT’S 2020 WELL, ANOTHER DECADE HAS PASSED WHAT HAPPENED IN THOSE 10 YEARS REMAIN IN THE PAST BUT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON THE HERE & NOW WE MAY NOT HAVE ANOTHER DECADE TO BLOW SO, LET’S THINK ABOUT THE YEAR JUST ENDED DID YOU ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU INTENDED? DID YOU GAIN IN WISDOM AND STRENGTH? OR WERE YOU SWAYED AND CONVINCED BY A FEEBLE EVENT? WERE YOU FAITHFUL TO YOUR CORE AND BELIEF? OR DID 2019 HAVE YOU RUNNING AND SEEKING RELIEF? I CAN’T SAY THAT LAST YEAR WAS SUCCESSFUL I HAD TOO MANY PERIODS OF BEING STRESSFUL I LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE I LOVED I STARTED TO LOSE MY FAITH IN THE ABOVE I SEPARATED FROM FRIENDS OF THE PAST I WAS SHOCKED AND ROCKED WHEN I LEARNED LOVE DIDN’T LAST I THOUGHT I KNEW WHO WERE MY REAL FRIENDS AND WASN’T SURE HOW TO BEGIN AGAINRead more… Read more…
[NOTE from Hakim ‘Ali: It has been my practice and tradition to write a poem greeting each new year. But 2020 has been unique (to say the least), so I’m writing about the END of 2020, THE OTHER 2020]. IN LIFE THERE’S AN AUTOMATIC MISSION AND THERE’S NO SIN IF THERE’S PERMISSION BUT SOMETIMES THINGS SEEM TO GO AWRY SO YOU WONDER IF YOU’LL MAKE IT OUT ALIVE THERE’S BLOOD STAINS IN THE STREETS THERE’S THE STRONGEST PERSON TURNING TOWARDS BEING WEAK THERE’S NORMALLY OUR VICTORIES, TURNING INTO DEFEATS AND WE SEEM TO CHANGE OUR BEAT TO TRYING TO MAKE IT OUT ALIVE MANY PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY ARE OF BLACK SKIN AND THEY’S HIDING, RUNNING AND SCARED OUT OF THE DANGER WITHIN AND EVEN THOUGH THEY CAN SEE THROUGH ALL THE LIES THE OBJECTIVE IN LIFE IS TO MAKE IT OUR ALIVE NOW, THERE’S A NEW ENEMY AT LARGE Read more… Read more…
Plays are my Psalms sung unto God, someone once told me Stories staged to bless the condemned A portrait of deliverance or chaos, freeing the hopeless for just a few short hours We are all actors behind the razor wire Moment by moment, one scene at a time I feel alive portraying these roles The struggles of the confined This is where my redemption dwells A purpose revealed to this mass population A dedicated legacy defined -(c) 2020, SCI-Phoenix Read more…
Trapped in the bars of my mind Addiction has feasted on my soul Obsession controlling my thoughts Incarcerated within my world A dark cloud hovers over me I’m searching for the light My prefrontal cortex is on lockdown Welcome to prison world I gotta break free, plan my escape Release myself from the bondage Riot my emotions Next stop, Death Row, if I don’t break the chains of oppression I must look into the eyes of reality Accept rehabilitation and embrace my recovery Learn to forgive all, including myself Accountability and responsibility is my motto of truth A heart of remorse Atonement lays at my feet Freedom calls my name -(c) 2020, SCI-Phoenix Read more…
Reposted from Chicago Review Press: “In Pennsylvania’s first use of mitochondrial DNA in a criminal case, Patricia Rorrer was quickly tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison without parole. But did the jury make the right decision? Is Patricia Rorrer truly guilty? As new evidence continues to surface, including allegations of evidence tampering, that question requires an answer even more. The book reveals information never before made public and gathered directly from more than 10,000 official documents, including Pennsylvania State Police reports, FBI files, forensic lab results, and the 6,500-page trial transcript.” Read more…
