hiii. introducing myself here via a 4-part 🧵. I’m a former professional athlete (cyclocross, iykyk) who believes in the power of dance, poetry, and prison reform.

I entered the decentralized world last fall and have been swimming in its deep end ever since.

I run Babe—a future-culture newsletter exploring alt perspectives across tech, art, and society. 💀 

babe.beehiiv.com

How do you feel about the Prison Abolishment movement and the work of Angela Davis?

Hi, I’m Jack.🤷‍♂️ chronically unserious, cautiously cynical.

Customer/User Experience Specialist/Consultant

Yes! v cool to hear your background. thank you for sharing. you have a unique pov thru this. 

and yeah, I don’t think full abolition of prisons or police is an option either. but as you know the prison abolition movement can be reduction, not just abolishment. I also co-chair a police chief advisory council, so I’m v into creating bridges not binaries. and I hear a LOT about the reasons for needing better policing (namely related to children…). So: abolish ICE,
reform prisons and policing. mostly, offer alternatives and create empowerment within our current systems, and as you said, de-privatize. 

and that mindset IS crazy to break. I can’t even imagine.

As someone who managed a sober living that also functioned as a halfway house for many former prisoners I was somewhat radicalized against the prison system and how it creates an institutionalized mindset. I saw men trying hard to break that mindset, and many failed bc society would not accept them and they went to their default programming from being incarcerated. I also despise the profiteering of private prisons.Abolishment is  not entirely possible in my opinion, but many prisoners would be better off in institutions similar to rehabs that can provide the treatment and mental health resources they desperately need. Even violent offenders could use this in combo with restorative justice to reintegrate into society. I love her work but I am not entirely aligned. I also see that modern day slavery is legal in these institutions and I think it’s shameful that we carved that out to continue the institution of slavery and persecution of black people in this country.

Angela Davis is 👑, esp her work in Women, Race & Class. v aligned w the prison abolition movement aiming to reduce/eliminate prisons and replace with restorative spaces, programs, and opportunities. while we still have prisons, tho, I’m all for creating things inside of them that heal and empower—I helped start a creative writing program at a men’s prison. I’m also part of a restorative justice program—so, helping divert away from the pipeline as it currently exists is important too. You?