What's Prison Got To Do With It? Project UNSHACKLE Hits the Road!

By Laura McTighe & James Learned

This fall, Project UNSHACKLE hit the road, hosting two workshops and a day-long institute for our cross-movement effort to develop advocacy campaigns at the intersection of HIV and mass imprisonment. We engaged over 120 service providers, researchers, community advocates and people who were formerly imprisoned, each of whom lent their expertise to the emerging Project UNSHACKLE vision. Here's where we've been…

Working with the AIDS Community to Develop an HIV and Imprisonment Policy Agenda

At the United States Conference on AIDS (USCA), we hosted a workshop for over 50 conference attendees. Beginning with a discussion about the complex reasons that the communities most affected by mass imprisonment also have the highest rates of HIV infection, participants offered personal experiences that spoke to the many ways that imprisonment and HIV intersect, damaging not only the individuals who are locked up but also entire communities.

Then, working in small groups, participants mapped out the goals, tactics and messaging they'd use if they were working at an AIDS service organization that decided to join a sentencing reform coalition.

Using Research as an Advocacy Tool to Confront HIV and Imprisonment

A few days later, we were in Oakland hosting a daylong Institute before Critical Resistance's 10th Anniversary Conference (CR10). The Institute brought together more than 40 participants – a great mix of researchers, academics, community advocates, people who were formerly imprisoned, and public health representatives.

Presentations included:

• The historical link between mass imprisonment and HIV;
• Research at the intersection of HIV and imprisonment;
• The effects of imprisonment on individuals, families and communities;
• Structural interventions to reduce mass imprisonment;
• Strategies to support organizations that take on advocacy campaigns; and
• Advocates' powerful descriptions of work they're doing in the community.

The day closed with a discussion of future directions for advocacy work around HIV and imprisonment. Click here for the Institute agenda, speaker bios and PowerPoint presentations: Laura McTighe - Sharif Sawires - Walt Senterfitt

Working with Prison Activists to Develop an HIV and Imprisonment Policy Agenda

We wrapped up our time at CR10 with an interactive workshop drawing over 30 prison activists. Participants began by discussing connections between the forces fueling the expansion of the prison system and those fueling the AIDS epidemic. We also offered a presentation of UNSHACKLE's framing of imprisonment as an HIV prevention justice issue to further flesh out the participants' lists.

Participants then moved to break-out discussions. They thought through the challenges of doing HIV prevention work inside prisons in ways that don't support the expansion of the prison system. And they discussed strategies for advancing systemic work around imprisonment as HIV prevention work, and for building alliances between activist organizations and service providers.

Expanding the Project UNSHACKLE Network

Project UNSHACKLE is continuing to bring more people into this growing network. Next, we'll be reaching out to harm reduction activists at the 7th National Harm Reduction Conference in November. And on Wednesday, December 10th, CHAMP will offer a free community forum about UNSHACKLE work in New York City as part of our monthly series, “The Politics of HIV Prevention.”

Get Involved!

If you have any questions or suggestions about Project UNSHACKLE, please contact:
Laura McTighe, Project UNSHACKLE Director
lmctighe@champnetwork.org
(212) 937-7955, Ext. 20.

We look forward to hearing from you!