The following information was shared by The Multifaith Initiative to End Mass Incarceration (EMI) Network in the December 2020 Network Update. You can download the original PDF here.
The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta is a participant in the EMI network. If you have any questions about the EMI network, please email Don Plummer at dplummer@episcopalatlanta.org.
Faith and Redemption
Holiday Traditions Bring Families together to uphold their deep-rooted beliefs. We praise, we decorate, we sing, we eat, and we give. We share stories of an era gone by and remind ourselves of Corinthians 13:13
“Three things will last forever –faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.”
We enjoy all the blessings we have been given and we promise ourselves to be good to our fellow human beings.
Unless that person is incarcerated. For decades Americans have been able to ignore men and women who are locked up. We have purposely put prisons in remote areas, kept loved ones silent with fear of retaliation, and imagined a guard as nothing more than a lazy person who cannot get a job at Walmart.
We have allowed ourselves to create a narrative about these human beings that is far from what faith leaders preach every weekend and far from what the Bible states.
Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that ye be not judged”
Matthew 25:43-44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.”
Or perhaps the verse I recited every Sunday as a child, Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us.”
These simple verses should help us all understand how we should reshape our beliefs and do what is expected of us. I encourage each of you, especially during this holiday season, to reflect on your faith and begin the journey of redeeming the 2.2 million Americans that live in our jails and prisons.
Kate Boccia is the Founder and CEO of the National Incarceration Association and has a son who lived in prison for 6 years.
Happy Holidays!
From all of our families to all of yours, the EMI National Strategy team sends seasons greetings. We pray that this becomes a season of light for you and your communities, as we see a future where WE ARE THE LIGHT for one another. Together, we will listen and heal, organize and apply pressure, break down the system and build something holy in its stead. We are grateful to you for all that you do, across the country, for the sake of the people who live inside of prisons and for the sake of the soul of this country in need of redemption.
Critical Acclaim for new Odyssey-Impact Film
Core Partner for the National Multi-Faith Initiative to End Mass Incarceration
The new documentary, Trapped: Cash Bail in America explores the growing movement to end the inherent economic and racial inequalities of cash bail while highlighting victims impacted by an unjust system, the tireless campaigners fighting for criminal justice reform, and a bail industry lobbying to maintain the status quo. The documentary highlights the fact that every year, millions of American men and women are incarcerated before even being convicted of a crime – all because they can’t afford to post bail. Trapped: Cash Bail in America shines a light on the flawed criminal justice system and the activists working to reform it. Trapped: Cash Bail in America also gives a face to those who are forgotten behind bars and spotlights the human impact on the individuals stuck in jail before their trial. The harsh repercussions this has on the accused and their families is outlined through the story of a single mother separated from her children for a non-violent felony. Trapped: Cash Bail in America is produced and written by Chris L. Jenkins and directed and edited by Garrett Hubbard. The documentary won the Social Impact Award at the A Show For A Change Film Festival and is also opening the (In)Justice For All Film Festival on December 10, 2020.
Watch the Film
Screening Toolkit:
To access the toolkits, including the faith-based toolkit,
email screenings@odyssey-impact.org for more information.
(Source for article: https://www.vimooz.com/2020/10/13/youtube-documentary-trapped-cash-bail-in-america/)
SAVE-THE-DATE
Pipeline to Possibilities: Policing and Public Safety
Tuesday, January 26th | 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Join us for the third in our series of “Pipeline to Possibilities” as we hear from experts and officials about the
alternatives to policing that we could be advancing. More information to follow.
Donate Today
If you are able, and your heart is so moved, please consider supporting our National Multi-Faith Initiative to End Mass Incarceration in your end of year giving. Our volunteers work tirelessly to build this network, and we are on the verge of making an even bigger impact. But we need your help. Visit our website for the link to donate: http://www.endingmassincarceration.com.