Write A Letter
WRITE A LETTER
Writing a letter to a political prisoner or prisoner of war is a concrete way to support those imprisoned for their political struggles.
A letter is a simple way to brighten someone’s day in prison by creating human interaction and communication–something prisons attempt to destroy. Beyond that, writing keeps prisoners connected to the communities and movements of which they are a part, allowing them to provide insights and stay up to date.
Writing to prisoners is not charity, as we on the outside have as much to gain from these relationships as the prisoners. Knowing the importance of letter writing is crucial. Prisons are very lonely, isolating, and disconnected places. Any sort of bridge from the outside world is greatly appreciated.
With that in mind, avoid feeling intimidated, especially about writing to someone you do not know. And if possible try and be a consistent pen pal.
WHAT TO WRITE
For many, the first line of the first letter is difficult to write–there is uncertainty and intimidation that come with it. Never fret, it’s just a letter.
For the first letter, it’s best to offer an introduction, how you heard about the prisoner, a little about yourself. Tell stories, write about anything you are passionate about–movement work and community work are great topics until you have a sense of the prisoner’s interests outside of political organizing.
And what we hear from prisoners time and time again is to include detail. Prison is so total that the details of life on the outside become distant memories. Smells, textures, sounds of the street all get grayed out behind bars. That’s not to say that you should pen a stream-of-consciousness novel.
For things you should and should not remember when writing to folks, read GUIDELINES.
GUIDELINES
You cannot enclose glitter or write with glittery gel pens or puff paint pens. Some prisons do not allow cards or letters that include permanent marker, crayon, or colored pencils and it is best to check with the prisoner beforehand. That said, it is usually best to write in standard pencil or non-gel pen in blue or black ink.
You cannot include articles or anything else torn out of a newspaper or magazine. However, you can print that same article from the internet or photocopy it and write your letter on the other side.
You cannot include polaroid pictures (though these days, that’s not much of an issue), but you can include regular photographs. Some prisoners are limited to the number of photos they can have at any given time, so again, check with the prisoner before sending a stack of photos.
If mailing more than a letter, clearly write the contents of the envelope/package. Label it “CONTENTS” and include a full list.
A couple of technical details– make sure you include your return address inside the letter as well as on the envelope. It’s common for prisoners to receive letters without the envelope.
Make sure to paginate– number each page, such as 1 of 3, 2 of 3, et cetera. This insures that if pages of your letter don’t make it to the prisoner, they will know it.
Be careful about making promises and only commit to what you are certain you can do. This should go without saying, but it’s not a good idea to make commitments to someone you don’t have a relationship with. If you can’t maintain a correspondence, let them know up front. Conversely, if you want to maintain an ongoing correspondence, let them know that as well.
If you are writing to someone who is pre-trial, don’t ask questions about their case. Discussing what a prisoner is alleged to have done can easily come back to haunt them during their trial or negotiations leading up to it.
Don’t valorize the person you are writing. Keep in mind that these are folks coming from the same movements and communities that you are. They aren’t looking for adoration, but rather to maintain correspondence.
Finally, do not write anything you wouldn’t want Fox News, a cop, or a judge to see. Assume that intelligence and law enforcement agencies are reading your letter. On a related note, this advice goes for any snail mail, e-mail, texting, messaging, or talking that takes place in known activist spaces or homes. This is not legal advice, just basic movement survival common sense (to review, read STAYING SAFE).
STAYING SAFE
You never have to, and it is never a good idea to talk to police, FBI, ICE, or any other law enforcement agent or investigator. Other than providing your name and address to a police officer who is investigating a crime, you never have to talk. You will not outsmart them by talking or sound less suspicious by talking or make things easier for yourself by talking. Anything you say will be used against you and others. If they catch you in a lie or inconsistency they can charge you with a separate crime.
Say: I have nothing to say to you OR I need a lawyer present to continue this conversation. If they come to your home, workplace, or school, ask them for a card and tell them your attorney will be in contact with them.
The FBI may threaten you with a grand-jury subpoena for not talking. It doesn’t matter because they were probably going to subpoena you anyway and you weren’t going to talk anyway.
If you receive a grand jury subpoena you should contact a lawyer immediately and let others in your community know. People can be held for up to 18 months (potentially longer) for refusing to talk to grand juries. Even so, for our own survival, it is imperative that we take that risk and do not participate in grand juries as they are used to indict political prisoners and prisoners of war.
In the federal legal system, the grand jury is used to decide whether someone should be charged (“indicted”) for a serious crime. The grand jury hears evidence presented by the prosecutor: the U.S. Attorney. The grand jury uses subpoenas to gather this evidence. It can subpoena documents, physical evidence, and witnesses to testify. The “special” federal grand jury, created in 1970, can be used to investigate “possible” organized criminal activity rather than a specific crime.
Currently there is more than one active grand jury in new york city. There are also more than likely informants and agent provocateurs infiltrating anarchist communities here.
It is imperative that we continue our work as anarchists including the support of political prisoners and prisoners of war towards the abolition of the state, of capitalism, and of all oppression.
It is also imperative that we do so in a way that is smart, strategic, and sustainable.
-
9 February 2013 at 1:10 pm#OpValentine: Show a Prisoner Revolutionary Love | BirchIndigo
-
4 August 2013 at 5:40 pmNYC – Tuesday, August – Letter-Writing to Jason Hammond | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
18 August 2013 at 5:43 pmNYC – Tuesday, August 20th – Letter-Writing for Black August | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
19 August 2013 at 9:22 amNYC Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner 4 Black August Card Signing | Moorbey'z Blog
-
28 August 2013 at 12:15 amA request from Alex Stuck (Tinley Park Five) | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
29 August 2013 at 12:23 amNYC – Tuesday, September 3rd – Letter-Writing for Lynne Stewart | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
29 August 2013 at 1:41 pmNYC – Tuesday, September 3rd – Letter-Writing for Lynne Stewart | Moorbey'z Blog
-
11 September 2013 at 9:21 pmNYC – Tuesday, September 17th – Letter-Writing for Tyler Lang and Kevin Olliff | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
26 September 2013 at 9:21 pmNYC – Tuesday, October 1st – Birthday Cards for Imprisoned Comrades | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
11 October 2013 at 2:30 pmNYC – Tuesday, October 15th – Letter-writing to Puerto Rican Political Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
23 October 2013 at 11:15 pmNYC – Tuesday, October 29th – Come to a Green Scare(y) Halloween Card-Writing + Letter-Writing For Move Marie | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
6 November 2013 at 9:51 pmNYC – Tuesday, November 12th – Letter-writing to Mumia Abu-Jamal | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
7 November 2013 at 12:57 pmNYC, Tues Nov 12th – Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner | Moorbey'z Blog
-
21 November 2013 at 8:02 amNYC – Tuesday, November 26th – Letter-Writing Dinner For American Indian Warriors Oso Blanco and Leonard Peltier | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
6 December 2013 at 12:36 pmNYC – Tuesday, December 10th – Letter-Writing Dinner For NYS PPs (Part One) | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
3 January 2014 at 2:10 pmNYC – Tuesday, January 7th – Letter-Writing Dinner For NYS PPs (Part Two) | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
16 January 2014 at 11:21 amNYC – Tuesday, January 21st – Letter-Writing Dinner For Bill Dunne and Zolo Azania | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
14 February 2014 at 3:09 pmNYC – Tuesday, February 18th – Letter-Writing Dinner For Recently Imprisoned Comrades | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
17 February 2014 at 9:17 pmWrite Joel A Letter! | Support Joel Bitar
-
26 February 2014 at 11:15 amNYC – Tuesday, March 4th – Letter-Writing Dinner For NATO 3 | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
26 February 2014 at 5:06 pmNYC – Tuesday, March 4th – Letter-Writing Dinner For NATO 3 | Free the NATO 3
-
14 March 2014 at 8:00 amNYC – Tuesday, March 18th – Card-signing for Women’s History Month | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
28 March 2014 at 7:01 amNYC – Tuesday, April 1st – Letter-writing to California Political Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
28 March 2014 at 10:52 amNYC – Tuesday, April 1st – Letter-writing to California Political Prisonerz | Moorbey'z Blog
-
11 April 2014 at 8:00 amNYC – Tuesday, April 15th – The Assata Shakur Story, Letter-Writing Dinner for Sundiata Acoli, Sekou Odinga, and Mutulu Shakur | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
12 April 2014 at 3:59 amTha Assata Shakur Story, Letter-Writing Dinner 4 Sundiata Acoli, Sekou Odinga, and Mutulu Shakur | Moorbey'z Blog
-
12 April 2014 at 10:26 pmTha Assata Shakur Story, Letter-Writing Dinner 4 Sundiata Acoli, Sekou Odinga, and Mutulu Shakur | newafrikan77
-
24 April 2014 at 8:04 amBK/NY – Tuesday, April 29th – May Day Card-Writing for Anarchist Political Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
8 May 2014 at 11:01 amNYC – Tuesday, May 13th – Freedom Month Solidarity with Puerto Rican Political Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
21 May 2014 at 9:48 pmNYC – Tuesday, May 27th – Letter-writing to Cecily McMillan | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
4 June 2014 at 12:42 pmNYC – Tuesday, June 11th – Letter-writing to Marie Mason and Eric McDavid | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
19 June 2014 at 12:26 pmNYC – Tuesday, June 24th – Letter-writing to Barrett Brown, Jeremy Hammond, and Chelsea Manning | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
4 July 2014 at 1:37 amNYC – Tuesday, Jul 8th – Letter-writing to Alvaro Luna Hernandez | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
17 July 2014 at 8:01 amNYC – Tuesday, July 22nd – Letter-writing to Joe-Joe Bowen | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
28 July 2014 at 8:02 amNYC – Tuesday, August 5th – Letter-writing to Imam Jamil al-Amin | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
15 August 2014 at 4:10 pmNYC – Tuesday, August 19th – Solidarity With International Anarchist Political Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
25 August 2014 at 10:07 pmWrite to Luke « Support Luke!
-
28 August 2014 at 8:00 amNYC – Tuesday, September 2nd – Letter-writing to Walter Bond | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
1 September 2014 at 8:28 pm“If the wind is at my back or in my face, I continue on my path.” | CHAINBREAKER!
-
11 September 2014 at 11:41 amNYC – Tuesday, September 16th – Letter-writing to MOVE 9 | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
23 September 2014 at 12:19 pmNYC – Tuesday, September 30th – Letter-writing for the Cuban 5 | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
9 October 2014 at 8:01 amNYC – Tuesday, October 14th – Letter-writing for Luke O’Donovan | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
22 October 2014 at 8:04 amNYC – Tuesday, October 28th – Come to a Green Scare(y) Halloween Card-Writing | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
23 October 2014 at 8:50 amNYC – Tuesday, October 28th – Come to a Green Scare(y) Halloween Card-Writing
-
6 November 2014 at 8:00 amBK/NY – Tuesday, November 11th – Letter-writing to 5E3 and Eric King | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
8 November 2014 at 9:37 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, November 11th – Letter-writing to 5E3 and Eric King
-
20 November 2014 at 8:01 amNYC – Tuesday, November 25th – Letter-Writing Dinner For American Indian Warriors Oso Blanco and Leonard Peltier | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
22 November 2014 at 6:39 amNYC – Tuesday, November 25th – Letter-Writing Dinner 4 Amerikan Indian Warriorz Oso Blanco and Leonard Peltier | Moorbey'z Blog
-
3 December 2014 at 8:03 amBK/NY – Tuesday, December 9th – Letter-Writing Dinner For Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqim | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
17 December 2014 at 8:01 amBK/NY – Tuesday, December 23rd – Letter-Writing Dinner For Mumia Abu Jamal | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
1 January 2015 at 8:01 amBK/NY – Tuesday, January 6th – Letter-Writing Dinner For the Cleveland 4 | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
5 January 2015 at 8:04 amA Letter From Connor Stevens (Cleveland 4) | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
5 January 2015 at 3:12 pmLetter from Prison: Connor Stevens | Defending Dissent Foundation
-
15 January 2015 at 2:12 amBK/NY – Tuesday, January 20 – Letter-writing to David Gilbert and Maliki Shakur Latine | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
29 January 2015 at 8:01 amBK/NY – Tuesday, February 3 – Letter-writing to Jason Hammond | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
30 January 2015 at 2:31 pmTues, Feb 3: Letter-writing for antifa prisoner Jason Hammond | NYC ANTIFA
-
12 February 2015 at 8:01 amBK/NY – Tuesday, February 17 – Letter-writing to Jaan Laaman and Tom Manning | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
27 February 2015 at 8:01 amBK/NY – Tuesday, March 3 – Card-signing for Women’s History Month | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
27 February 2015 at 1:02 pmBkln, March 3: Card Writing Dinner 4 Women Politikal Prisonerz | Moorbey'z Blog
-
4 March 2015 at 4:02 pmThe Other Side of the Wire: Prisoners as Workers | Jeremy K Galloway
-
12 March 2015 at 8:04 amBK/NY – Tuesday, March 17 – Letter-writing to NATO 3 Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
12 March 2015 at 10:13 amNYC Letter Writing Dinner for the NATO 3 | Free the NATO 3
-
24 March 2015 at 2:15 pmAgainst the Criminal Justice System, Pt. V: Escaping Prison Forever - Freedom's Floodgates
-
26 March 2015 at 8:04 amBK/NY – Tuesday, March 31 – Letter-writing to Y12 Plowshares Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
10 April 2015 at 8:00 amBK/NY – Tuesday, April 14 – Letter-writing to Seth Hayes and Abdul Majid | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
10 April 2015 at 1:08 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, April 14 – Letter-writing to Seth Hayes and Abdul Majid | Moorbey'z Blog
-
12 April 2015 at 1:16 amSupport Luke O’Donovan! | Sacramento Prisoner Support
-
23 April 2015 at 8:01 amBK/NY – Tuesday, April 28 – May Day Card-signing for Anarchist Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
8 May 2015 at 8:02 amBK/NY – Tuesday, May 12 – Letter-writing to Bill Dunne and Casey Brezik | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
21 May 2015 at 8:01 amBK/NY – Tuesday, May 26 – Letter-writing to Oscar López Rivera | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
28 May 2015 at 8:27 pmCyberGuerrilla soApboX » Write letters to Stanley Cohen
-
4 June 2015 at 8:00 amNYC – Tuesday, June 9th – Letter-writing to Marius Mason and Eco-prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
4 July 2015 at 3:09 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, July 7th – Letter-writing to Amber Canavan and Krow | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
17 July 2015 at 9:27 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, July 21st – Letter-writing to Albert Woodfox | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
31 July 2015 at 8:02 amBrooklyn – Tuesday, October 14th – Letter-writing for Luke O’Donovan | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
16 August 2015 at 11:35 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, August 18th – Letter-Writing for Black August | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
30 August 2015 at 1:00 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, September 1st– Letter-Writing for Christopher Monfort | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
11 September 2015 at 8:01 amRunning Down the Walls 2015 – A Reportback | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
13 September 2015 at 12:05 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, September 15th– Letter-Writing for Russell Maroon Shoatz | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
24 September 2015 at 7:45 amBK/NY – Tuesday, September 29th – Birthday Cards for Imprisoned Comrades | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
9 October 2015 at 2:42 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, October 13th – Letter Writing for Jeremy Hammond and Barrett Brown | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
20 October 2015 at 3:20 amUpcoming: To Change Everything Tour & Prisoner Letter Writing Night | tucsonabc
-
25 October 2015 at 12:48 pmNYC – Tuesday, October 27th – Come to a Green Scare(y) Halloween Card-Writing | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
7 November 2015 at 1:43 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, November 7th – Letter Writing for Eric King | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
19 November 2015 at 7:07 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, November 24th – Letter-Writing Dinner For American Indian Warrior Leonard Peltier | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
4 December 2015 at 3:19 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, December 8th – Letter-Writing Dinner For Chelsea Manning and Norman Lowry | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
17 December 2015 at 11:43 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, December 22nd – Letter-Writing Dinner For Mumia Abu-Jamal | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
2 January 2016 at 5:49 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, January 5th – Letter Writing Dinner for Joshua Williams | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
15 January 2016 at 2:28 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, January 19th – Letter Writing Dinner for Herman Bell | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
20 January 2016 at 8:01 amNYC – Sunday, January 24th – International Day of Solidarity with Trans Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
20 January 2016 at 8:21 amNYC – Sunday, January 24th – International Day of Solidarity with Trans Prisoners | colouredjustice.wordpress.com
-
28 January 2016 at 6:02 amBK/NY – Tuesday, February 2nd – Letter Writing Dinner for Jay Chase | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
28 January 2016 at 10:50 amNYC: Letter writing for Jay- February 2nd | Free the NATO 3
-
28 January 2016 at 11:16 amNYC: Letter writing for Jay- February 2nd | Chicago Activism
-
12 February 2016 at 5:44 amBK/NY – Tuesday, February 16th – Letter Writing Dinner for Joe-Joe Bowen and Muhammad Burton | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
26 February 2016 at 3:13 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, March 1st – International Women’s Day Political Prisoner Card Writing Dinner | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
12 March 2016 at 7:51 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, March 15th – Letter Writing Dinner for Brian Vaillancourt | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
18 March 2016 at 1:52 pmThe Other Side Of The Wire: Prisoners As Workers | Making Noise In The South
-
26 March 2016 at 9:51 amBK/NY – Tuesday, March 29th – Letter Writing Dinner for Seth Hayes and Jalil Muntaqim | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
8 April 2016 at 7:12 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, April 12th – Sympathy Card Writing Dinner for the Family of Abdul Majid | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
22 April 2016 at 11:27 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, April 26 – May Day Card-signing for Anarchist Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
7 May 2016 at 12:46 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, May 10th – Letter Writing Dinner for Joseph Buddenberg | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
20 May 2016 at 10:00 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, May 24th – Letter Writing Dinner for Oscar Lopez Rivera and Kojo | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
3 June 2016 at 1:35 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, June 7th – Card Signing Dinner for the J11 International Day of Solidarity with Anarchist and Eco Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
14 June 2016 at 11:02 amBK/NY – Tuesday, June 21st – Letter Writing Dinner for Janye Waller & Jasmine Abdullah (aka Jasmine Richards) | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
29 June 2016 at 9:29 amArchive soApboX 2015 » Write letters to Stanley Cohen
-
2 July 2016 at 7:42 amBK/NY – Tuesday, July 5th – Letter Writing Dinner for Eric King | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
15 July 2016 at 9:18 amBK/NY – Tuesday, July 19th – Send Cards to Anti-fascist Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
15 July 2016 at 2:42 pmNYC: Tuesday, July 19th – Letter-Writing for the Day of Solidarity With Anti-fascist Prisoners | NYC ANTIFA
-
30 July 2016 at 8:07 amBK/NY – Tuesday, August 2nd – Letter Writing Dinner for Ronald Reed | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
12 August 2016 at 7:05 pmBK/NY – Tuesday, August 16th – Black August Card Writing Dinner | NYC Anarchist Black Cross
-
27 August 2016 at 3:07 amBK/NY – Tuesday, August 30th – Solidarity With International Anarchist Political Prisoners | NYC Anarchist Black Cross