Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison 3.8.23

At a time when it can be difficult to find a silver lining in Alabama we were encouraged and excited to be contacted by Dawson Hicks of College Democrats of Troy University who feels it is time for young people’s voices to be heard. We couldn’t agree more as after all they are the future and so we want to give him the word. Under a banner which reads: SINCE WE CANNOT TRUST THE STATE TO INVESTIGATE ITSELF IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DEMAND TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY and he continues: Join us March 24th at 4:00 p.m. Central time to protest the continuation of the death penalty in Alabama. We are demanding an EXTERNAL investigation into the capital punishment system in Alabama to stall and move to abolish the death penalty in the state of Alabama.” Indeed as we like to say, pull back the curtain!

We were aware of yesterday’s Vigil for the Victims of the DOC but for obvious reasons due to the agreement made by our founders with the DOC to focus only on death penalty related issues, watched only from the side lines.

We appreciate that although the Rev. Cathy Hoop left Tuscaloosa, Grace Presbyterian Church and Tuscaloosa will remain supportive and continue with vigils on days of execution. We thank them!

And yes, once more we are working on a new edition of our quarterly newsletter Wings of Hope and are pleased on how it is coming together.

As always in closing, we thank all our generous donors who either gave by going to our website and using the “donate” button or who gave directly. Thank you also to all who took the time to read our notes, commented, liked and shared them on Facebook. You encourage us and make all the difference. Stay safe!

                                                            Esther