Session #1 Discussion Board

[aramirezzarate]

I enjoyed reading all materials, but there were a couple of things that made me really stop and think. Some of those aha! moments for me were in the PPI reading. Although I had some idea about what contributes to mass incarceration, I did not know the data behind it. I did not know that 9% of all incarcerated persons are jailed in private prisons. The data opened my eyes to be able to visualize the bigger picture of mass incarceration. The data also proves that some of what we hear be blown out of proportion is really made possible in part due to the narrative building around some of these topics.

I deeply appreciated the perspective offered about the victim’s perspective and how it arrives at the point that it is really others who are invested in a system of punishment and policing that push forth punitive responses. Victims want the violence to stop and they want more resources and all of that is true, I wish we as a society really had deep and critical conversations about addressing harm without having to rely on the carceral state.

I understand that data collected by various agencies is not perfect, but hopefully, in the future, there are ways that PPI is able to also share an analysis on the impact of the carceral state on LGBTQ+ people.

The reading/audio about Hope is a Discipline (Mariame Kaba) left me speechless, it made me think about why is it that legislators and other powerholders continue passing legislation that does not address the root causes of incarceration, racism, police violence, and ultimately the death of our people. It is really a failed system that through attempts and failed responses continues to take a part in the killing of Black and Brown people without any regard. I was able to clearly understand how procedural reforms really do nothing for our people. I am at a point where I want to continue to engage in these conversations so that we can get to a stage of continuing to imagine and building new futures.

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