North Carolina Prisoners Report Back on Impact of Phone Zap Campaign

The following letter and report from prisoners in North Carolina was published by the Atlanta Anarchist Black Cross. It expresses the impact of a recent phone zap campaign organized by anarchist and abolitionist groups.

Prisoner in North Carolina Writes:

It is imperative that I thank you all for the solidarity shown during our struggles within these razor-wire plantations. It’s the action y’all took on behalf of prisoners who don’t have the ability to do so themselves that was critical. I know I sent a missive before this one, that didn’t include the details y’all deserve. I deal with my personal issues by expressing others’ pain with this ink pen. Yes, I will always stand in the face of adversity, but I do have flaws and weaknesses myself and the prominent one being hating myself when I feel like I could be doing more for those around me.

I came to the conclusion that my transfer here was done in attempt to stifle my advocacy and organizing efforts. Let me enlighten you on something, the previous facility (Scottland Correctional) had told y’all that I had tried to hang myself, which was a fabricated story to compel Central Prison to accept me. See Central Prison is where all NC’s mental health prisoners and Death Row prisoners are warehoused. No other facility would accept me due to my advocacy history. So they falsified reports to compel Central Prison to accept me. Then upon my arrival I was placed on a block with prisoners who had been zombiefied, who lack the ability to resist! So this makes organizing difficult but I’m making progress starting with getting prisoners to stop taking these medications.

Furthermore, y’all’s action got a lot done! They released five prisoners from solitary confinement that they had told prior to the phone zap that they would be doing 90 more days of solitary confinement before being considered for release again. Three prisoners they’ve been holding back here they have approved for the TDU program (which is a good program that is very difficult to get into). So I thank you all for that.

The excessive use of mace has ceased! The deputy warden claims he was unaware of this and assured us that any officer who uses their mace on mental health prisoners would be subjected to harsh punishment.

They removed the doctor that was assigned to this unit and replaced him with one who is actually helping us!

Honestly she has seen more of us this past week than the other doctor did the whole time here. Self-meds have been delivered. Thank you all so much. Some of the guys are working on some thank you cards for both ATL ABC [Atlanta Anarchist Black Cross] and ATL IWOC [Atlanta Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee], y’all’s actions were very effective.

Now only if we could get them to let me go from solitary confinement, but that’s nowhere in the future. It’s going on 3 years now but if this is where I have to be to ensure others living conditions are ameliorated I’m content.

I will be wrapping this up, thank you all, without outside support these pigs would continue with their sadistic ways, I will follow this up with some of my ideas for moving forward. Let Komrade [REDACTED] know I received their messages and the love conveyed via their letters. I responded and they should receive responses soon, but send them my love.

I’m here, I’m alive, I’m struggling. All power to the people.