Support College Classes for Political Prisoner Marius Mason!

From Free Marius Mason

Marius is in need of a new wave of letters, books, and donations! He is looking to start taking college courses and needs your help!

Write!

Marie (Marius) Mason #04672-061
FMC Carswell
Federal Medical Center
P.O. Box 27137
Fort Worth, TX 76127

Donate!

Donate here.

Support Marius Taking College Classes!

Marius Mason is an anarchist, environmental and animal rights activist, musician and artist currently serving a nearly 22-year sentence in federal prison for acts of property damage carried out in defense of the planet. The actions, years earlier, resulted in no injuries. In 2009, the draconian sentence, the harshest punishment of anyone convicted of environmental sabotage to date, was imposed on Marius.

Marius is incarcerated in the high security Administration Unit at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, a particularly isolating prison facility, where visits and other contact with the world outside the prison walls is difficult. Marius has maintained an amazing spirit, writing poetry, creating art, and keeping up with political and environmental issues that have been central to his life.

After several years, his effort to access educational opportunities has finally met with an approved avenue to construct an academic program. Marius needs support for this very important opportunity!

Marius has just applied to Ohio University Correctional Education – one of only a small number of colleges that offer full correspondence (rather than on-line) courses. As soon as all the paperwork is completed and expenses met, he will be starting his first course. Marius is really excited about starting classes!

There are, of course, costs. The coursework costs $343 per credit hour (each class is 3-4 credits), plus an application fee and books, totaling an estimated $1200-$1300 for the first course.

Marius wants to study psychology in order to, in his words, gain a better understanding of how the mind works, to develop a deeper understanding of his own diagnosed gender dysphoria,  and the way in which we all develop a sense of self and our relationship to the larger society. He adds, “When I am released I don’t want to be a burden to my family. I have a huge fine and will also have many costs to pay for my lifetime of probation. It will be necessary to provide for those costs, in order to avoid a return to prison…and more than anything else, I’d like to think that I could contribute something meaningful to society, to be a help and support as so many others have helped me through these prison years.”

The other expenses we are committed to covering for Marius include use of the prison’s video calls to family members and close friends. Marius was recently approved for use of this system, and it has provided a huge boost to his general state of being to be able to have video calls with his two grown children and a few close friends.

Our fund-raising goal is $3000—a totally achievable target! The benefit afforded to someone serving a long sentence in prison is immeasurable. Please help us reach that goal quickly so that this hard-won access to classes and communication is made available immediately!

Thank you so much.

For more in depth information about Marius, and to see his poetry and art, please visit supportmariusmason.org.