Books to prisoners
Resource of the month to support our work in solidarity with incarcerated people
Welcome to the Abolition Apostles monthly newsletter – A place to share reflections, resources, updates and announcements on our work together in solidarity with incarcerated people and toward a world without prisons. We’re glad you’re here!
In the coming months, we’ll be featuring interviews with Abolition Apostles outside volunteers reflecting on why they do this work, what they’ve learned from pen paling, and what abolition means to them. Do you know someone in your state chapter or working group who we should interview, or do you have a reflection on this work that you’d like to share? Email us to share your story!
In the meantime, check out this RESOURCE OF THE MONTH!
Our volunteers who staff the Abolition Apostles hotline have been receiving a lot of calls from folks on the inside asking about resources to order books. Abolition Apostles has compiled a national list of books to prisoners projects where incarcerated people can write to request free books. Print out the list here to send along with your next letter to your pen pals!
Abolition Apostles also has a book fund where volunteers on the outside can write to request one book per incarcerated pen pal. All book requests will be ordered from Black-owned bookstores. So far, we’ve made several orders from Marcus Books in Oakland and Harriet’s Bookshop in Philadelphia. Request a book for your pen pal here!
And, if you’d like to make a donation to the book fund to make sure we can continue offering free books to our pen pals, donate via Venmo @AbolitionApostles (under the “Businesses” tab ;), with a note letting us know that your donation is for the book fund.
Upcoming working group & state chapter meetings:
In order to uplift regional and local organizing, and to deepen our support and solidarity with incarcerated people across the country, Abolition Apostles has chapters in thirty states and working groups focused on a variety of topics. See below for upcoming opportunities to get involved, and email us with any questions.
Virginia state chapter meeting: Tuesday, August 24, 8 pm EST. Email us for the link to join the meeting!
Hotline working group: Thursday, August 26, 7 pm CT / 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST. Email hotline coordinator Nathalie Folkerts for the link to join the meeting!
Texas state chapter meeting: Thursday, August 26, 7 pm CT / 5 pm PST. Email Texas state chapter coordinator Angie Thomas for the link to join the meeting!
Illinois state chapter meeting: Tuesday, August 31, 7 pm CT. Email Illinois state chapter coordinator Nicole Faust for the link to join the meeting!
The Arts working group: Wednesday, September 1, 6 pm CT / 4 pm PST / 7 pm EST. Email arts working group coordinator Franzi Holfhansel for the link to join the meeting!
Technology working group: Thursday, September 2, 7 pm CT / 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST. Email us for the link to join the meeting!
Ohio state chapter meeting: Monday, September 6, 8 pm EST. Email us for the link to join the meeting!
The Apostle Newsletter working group: Tuesday, September 7, 4 pm CT / 2 pm PST / 5 pm EST. Email The Apostle coordinator Conor Foley for the link to join the meeting!
West Virginia state chapter meeting: Tuesday, September 7, 7 pm EST. Email us for the link to join the meeting!
Maryland & DC state chapter meeting: Thursday, September 9, 6 pm EST. Email Maryland state chapter coordinator Odessa Armstrong for the link to join the meeting!
Colleges & universities working group: Tuesday, September 14, 7 pm CT / 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST. Email us for the link to join the meeting!
North Carolina state chapter meeting: Friday, September 17, 4 pm EST. Email us for the link to join the meeting!
California state chapter meeting: Monday, September 20, 5 pm PST. Email California state chapter coordinators Laura and Sara for the link to join the meeting!
Spanish working group: Monday, September 20, 7 pm CT / 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST. Email Spanish working group coordinator Carlina Green for the link to join the meeting!
Legal working group: Tuesday, September 21, 7 pm CT / 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST. Email legal working group coordinator Natasha Baker for the link to join the meeting!
Abolition Apostles now has a Patreon!
Are you passionate about practical abolitionist work in solidarity with incarcerated people? Interested in building sustainable financial models for anti-capitalist organizing outside of the non-profit industrial complex? We are too!
Consider supporting Abolition Apostles’ work by making a small monthly donation through our Patreon. All donations received through the Abolition Apostles Patreon go directly to support the costs of the ministry and commissary donations for our friends on the inside.