Past Proceeds

2021 PROCEEDS

RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison)

The RAPP Campaign mobilizes currently and formerly incarcerated people, their families, and other concerned community members. From this united base and through the RAPP Coalition, we work alongside other prison justice advocates to (1) raise public awareness about the destructiveness of mass incarceration and the benefits to society in releasing aging people, including those convicted of violent crimes who do not threaten public safety; and (2) promote the use of key mechanisms for releasing elderly people, such as parole, compassionate release, and policy changes.

Barton Prisoner Solidarity
BAPSOP is an abolition group that aims to reduce the isolation that prison walls create through various projects. They are based in Hamilton, Ontario. facebook.com/bartonsolidarityproject

2020 PROCEEDS

Certain Days is a fundraiser. The proceeds from Certain Days 2020 were divided among these groups:

RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison)

The RAPP Campaign mobilizes currently and formerly incarcerated people, their families, and other concerned community members. From this united base and through the RAPP Coalition, we work alongside other prison justice advocates to (1) raise public awareness about the destructiveness of mass incarceration and the benefits to society in releasing aging people, including those convicted of violent crimes who do not threaten public safety; and (2) promote the use of key mechanisms for releasing elderly people, such as parole, compassionate release, and policy changes.

Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association  

A Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

Certain Days is a fundraiser. The proceeds from Certain Days 2019 were divided among these groups:

RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison)

The RAPP Campaign mobilizes currently and formerly incarcerated people, their families, and other concerned community members. From this united base and through the RAPP Coalition, we work alongside other prison justice advocates to (1) raise public awareness about the destructiveness of mass incarceration and the benefits to society in releasing aging people, including those convicted of violent crimes who do not threaten public safety; and (2) promote the use of key mechanisms for releasing elderly people, such as parole, compassionate release, and policy changes.

Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association

A Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

Women’s Wellness Within (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

Women’s Wellness Within is an non-profit organization that provides support to criminalized women and trans individuals who are pregnant or parenting young children in Nova Scotia.

2018 PROCEEDS

RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison)

The RAPP Campaign mobilizes currently and formerly incarcerated people, their families, and other concerned community members. From this united base and through the RAPP Coalition, we work alongside other prison justice advocates to (1) raise public awareness about the destructiveness of mass incarceration and the benefits to society in releasing aging people, including those convicted of violent crimes who do not threaten public safety; and (2) promote the use of key mechanisms for releasing elderly people, such as parole, compassionate release, and policy changes.

Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association

A Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

Abolitionist Law Center

The Abolitionist Law Center is a public interest law firm inspired by the struggle of political and politicized prisoners, and organized for the purpose of abolishing class and race based mass incarceration in the United States.  To accomplish this goal, the Abolitionist Law Center engages in litigation on behalf of people whose human rights have been violated in prison, produces educational programs to inform the general public about the evils of mass incarceration, and works to develop a mass movement against the American penal system by building alliances and nurturing solidarity across social divisions

2017 PROCEEDS

Certain Days is a fundraiser. The proceeds from Certain Days 2017 were divided among these groups:

RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison)

The RAPP Campaign mobilizes currently and formerly incarcerated people, their families, and other concerned community members. From this united base and through the RAPP Coalition, we work alongside other prison justice advocates to (1) raise public awareness about the destructiveness of mass incarceration and the benefits to society in releasing aging people, including those convicted of violent crimes who do not threaten public safety; and (2) promote the use of key mechanisms for releasing elderly people, such as parole, compassionate release, and policy changes.

Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association

A Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

Unist’ot’en Camp

A non-violent homestead created with authority of the traditional Hereditary Chiefs of the Unist’ot’en people. Freda Huson, who is Unist’ot’en along with her partner Toghestiy have been occupying Unist’ot’en traditional lands for the past six years to protect it from industrial destruction. We have many visitors that have come in to assist in protecting our homelands through preparing meals for occupants, and building various projects. Most recent project we are raising funds for is a healing centre which is being done in three phases. The healing centre will be used to bring healing to our people from many traumas, from residential schools and child apprehensions. These entities were set up to take the Indian out of the child. Our holistic healing of restoring culture, spiritual, mental and physical healing to our people and many others. Heal the people and we will heal the land.

2016 PROCEEDS

Certain Days is a fundraiser. The proceeds from Certain Days 2016 were divided among these groups:

The New York State Task Force on Political Prisoners is dedicated to winning the release of political prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent 30+ years years in prison. It includes former political prisoners, lawyers, and representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement.

Funds donated via the New York State Task Force on Political Prisoners were given to RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison)

The RAPP Campaign mobilizes currently and formerly incarcerated people, their families, and other concerned community members. From this united base and through the RAPP Coalition, we work alongside other prison justice advocates to (1) raise public awareness about the destructiveness of mass incarceration and the benefits to society in releasing aging people, including those convicted of violent crimes who do not threaten public safety; and (2) promote the use of key mechanisms for releasing elderly people, such as parole, compassionate release, and policy changes.

Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

2015 PROCEEDS

• The New York State Task Force on Political Prisoners
• Addameer
• 4strugglemagThe New York State Task Force on Political Prisonersis dedicated to winning the release of political prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement and Resistance in Brooklyn

  .Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

  For 10 years, 4strugglemag.org has been a voice for prisoners and their supporters, edited by anti-imperialist political prisoner Jaan Laaman.Over the course of 23 issues, our online and print magazine has covered many issues, from struggles against war and imperialism, to conscious hip-hop, to reflections on global uprisings, to resisting sexism, homophobia and transphobia. We feature letters, articles and art from prisoners and activists around the world.We send free copies of each issue to 800+ prisoners across North America, and reach many hundreds more through shared copies. It costs us $2000 each issue to print and mail free copies to our prison readers
  4strugglemag.org

  2014 PROCEEDS 

  • The New York State Task Force on Political Prisoners
  • Addameer
  • TGI Justice ProjectThe New York State Task Force on Political Prisoners is dedicated to winning the release of political prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement and Resistance in Brooklyn

    .Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

    TGI Justice Project is a group of transgender people—inside and outside of prison—creating a united family in the struggle for survival and freedom.
    We work in collaboration with others to forge a culture of resistance and resilience to strengthen us for the fight against imprisonment, police violence, racism, poverty, and societal pressures. We seek to create a world rooted in self determination, freedom of expression, and gender justice.

    2013 PROCEEDS

    The New York State Task Force on Political Prisoners is dedicated to winning the release of political prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement and Resistance in Brooklyn.

    Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

    Six Nations Land Defenders Legal Defence Fund provides support to front line Haudenosaunee land defenders who have been criminalized and targeted by the state. At Six Nations, the last six years have seen harsh criminalization of Haudenosaunee Land Defenders. Dozens of people have faced criminal charges and several have served substantial time in jail. The fund fund is administered and coordinated by the April 28 Coalition which includes organisers from Six Nations as well as established allies from various unions and activist organisations.

    “Since 2006 there has been a particularly insidious wave of criminalisation and demonisation aimed at Haudenosaunee people who are asserting the sovereignty of the Six Nations Confederacy and defending the land. The tactics used in everyday policing operations against Six Nations, like with other Indigenous nations, are exactly the type of oppressive state security that the rest of the southern Ontario “activist community” got a taste of around the G20.” – Alex Hundert, G20 political prisoner

    2012 PROCEEDS

    THE NEW YORK STATE TASK FORCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS is dedicated to winning the release of political prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement and Resistance in Brooklyn.

    ADDAMEER Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

    THE FREEDOM ARCHIVES is a vital resource for documenting, preserving and promoting the history of radical movements. The archives contains over 10,000 hours of audio and video tapes chronicling the progressive history of the Bay Area, the United States, and international solidarity movements from the late 1960s to the mid-1990s.

    The collection includes weekly news/poetry/music programs broadcast on several educational radio stations; in-depth interviews and reports on social and cultural issues; diverse activist voices; original and recorded music, poetry, original sound collages; and an extensive La Raza collection. The Archives features speeches of movement leaders and community activists, protests and demonstrations, cultural currents of rebellion and resistance. This oral history is available in a searchable database and the public can download programs and clips. The Freedom Archives is also committed to producing media to educate about the injustices of mass and political imprisonment as well as shedding light on the long history of resistance and liberation.

    2011 PROCEEDS

    THE NEW YORK STATE TASK FORCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS is dedicated to winning the release of political prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement and Resistance in Brooklyn.

    ADDAMEER Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

    THE G20 LEGAL DEFENCE FUND needs donations to support those arrested at the G20. You can support the detainees’ legal costs and help alleviate some of the other costs of navigating the court system, and help us keep organizing. The fund will be distributing the funds to those with the most need, prioritizing those still in custody on serious charges. The MDC is not organizing or administering this fund, but we hope that you will dig deep to support the continued fight against the criminalization of dissent!

    2010 PROCEEDS

    THE NEW YORK STATE TASK FORCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS is dedicated to winning the release of political prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement and Resistance in Brooklyn.

    ADDAMEER Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues (Addameer is Arabic for conscience). Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

    OLYMPIC RESISTANCE NETWORK – LEGAL DEFENSE

    Anti Olympics organizing through the Olympic Resistance Network is largely being done under the primary slogan and understanding of “No Olympics on Stolen Native Land”, although this is an opportunity for a large convergence of groups, issues, and sectors – anti capitalist, Indigenous, anti poverty, labour, migrant justice, housing, environmental justice, civil libertarian, anti war, and anti colonial – to come together.

    The ORN supports the international resolution passed by over 1500 Indigenous delegates at the Intercontinental Indigenous Peoples Gathering in Sonora, Mexico to “boycott the 2010 Olympic Games” based on Resolution #2 of the Gathering which states “We reject the 2010 Winter Olympics on sacred and stolen territory of Turtle Island–Vancouver, Canada”. Based on this, we are working towards a global anti-capitalist and anti-colonial convergence from February 10-15 2010.

    2009 PROCEEDS

    THE NEW YORK STATE TASK FORCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS prisoners, attorneys, and activists dedicated to winning the release of political prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement and Resistance in Brooklyn. Please send donations or correspondence to:

    The proceeds from 2008 were divided among these groups:

    ADDAMEER (Arabic for conscience) Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues. Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns. Addameer is a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian NGO Network, the Palestinian Council of Human Rights Organizations, and works closely with international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, OMCT and FIDH to provide regular information on the situation of Palestinian political detainees. Addameer believes in the internationality of human rights based on the respect of human dignity as a priority, the totality of which is constructed upon international laws and conviction. Addameer also believes in the importance of building a free and democratic Palestinian society based on justice, equality, rule of law and respect for human rights within the larger framework of the right to self-determination. www.addameer.org

    THE SAN FRANCISCO 8 Eight former Black Panthers were arrested January 23rd, 2007, in California, New York and Florida on charges related to the 1971 killing of a San Francisco police officer. Similar charges were thrown out after it was revealed that police used torture to extract confessions when some of these same men were arrested in New Orleans in 1973. Over 35 years have passed since the movements and events that gave rise to these charges occurred. Today, the men charged are all community elders—fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers ranging in age from 56 to 72.

    In essence the case is an indictment of the Black Liberation Movement in the historic period when it was the major target of COINTELPRO (Counterintelligence Program). This was an institutional campaign by the FBI and local police to murderously dismantle resistance to racism and police brutality in Black communities. Under COINTELPRO, members of a number of movements (Blacks, Puerto Ricans, Native Americans, Chicanos, and progressive whites)—and especially the Black Panther Party and other leading Black militants—were targeted for assassination, framing and imprisonment, infiltration and disruption. These government actions were revealed to be illegal and ordered halted after Senate COINTELPRO hearings held in the early 1970s. And yet, none of the agents or agencies responsible for the illegal wars against the progressive movements 30 years ago were ever fully investigated or held accountable.

    Today, under the Patriot Act, and in the name of fighting domestic terrorism, cases are being re-opened, with unrivaled resources applied to them, to re-target survivors of the COINTELPRO repression and to discourage the re-emergence and politicization of resistance to the racist and genocidal decimation of communities of colour. The recriminalization of the Black Panther Party and the attempt to discredit its historic role in organizing for self-determination and Black Liberation, has an ideological intent—to convey that the cost of resistance is great and is life-long. It is within this context that the case of the SF8 and scores of others in the past several years have sought to create the appearance of a sensational “domestic terrorism offensive” by the very forces responsible for illegal pre-emptive wars, for mercenary, CIA, and military torturers in secret prisons and the Abu Ghraibs and Guantanamos of the world. It is these same forces that are attempting to prosecute the case against the
    San Francisco 8, a case based on torture. These torturers will be exposed for these crimes and violations of human rights; they will ultimately be defeated.

    SF8 text written by Claude Marks: www.freedomarchives.org

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    2007 PROCEEDS

    THE NEW YORK STATE TASK FORCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS is an ad hoc group of former Political Prisoners, attorneys, and activists dedicated to winning the release of Political Prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement and Resistance in Brooklyn. Please send donations or correspondence to: NY State Task Force on Political Prisoners, c/o Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, 1195 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11216, USA (all cheques should be made to Malcolm X Grassroots Movement with NYSTFPP in the subject line).

    NO ONE IS ILLEGAL – KINGSTON opposes immigration controls used by states to control the movements of people because we believe there can be no ‘just’ or ‘reasonable’ measures of exclusion. The Canadian state is a settler-state whose immigration policies have been established on stolen land and therefore have no claim to justice. NOII-K acts in solidarity with immigrants, refugees and migrants who are currently under attack by state through “direct action casework”, campaigning, protest, and popular education. Recently, our work has focused on the Canadian government’s “security certificates”, which it uses to detain non-citizens it suspects of ‘terrorism’ indefinitely, without charge, on secret evidence, and by secret trial. Those detained face deportation to torture and death. These men – all Arab Muslims – are held prisoner near Kingston. We work to draw public attention to their struggles, support their families, and campaign to end this flagrant injustice. Contact us at noii-k@email.com.

    ADDAMEER(Arabic for conscience) Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues. Established in 1992 by a group of activists interested in human rights, the center’s activities focus on offering support for Palestinian prisoners, advocating the rights of political prisoners, and working to end torture through monitoring, legal procedures and solidarity campaigns.

    Addameer is a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian NGO Network, the Palestinian Council of Human Rights Organizations, and works closely with international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, OMCT and FIDH to provide regular information on the situation of Palestinian political detainees.

    Addameer believes in the internationality of human rights based on the respect of human dignity as a priority, the totality of which is constructed upon international laws and conviction. Addameer also believes in the importance of building a free and democratic Palestinian society based on justice, equality, rule of law and respect for human rights within the larger framework of the right to self-determination.
    www.addameer.org

    Read about past recipients.

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    2006 PROCEEDS

    CRITICAL RESISTANCE HURRICANE KATRINA REBUILDING AND RELIEF As we all know, the communities most severely impacted by government neglect following Hurricane Katrina are those same communities that have been struggling for years against social, economic, and racial injustice. One such group is incarcerated individuals and their family members. In light of these circumstances, Certain Days has decided to dedicate a portion of this year’s proceeds to the Critical Resistance efforts in New Orleans. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Critical Resistance is working on a coordinated, multi-pronged response that includes: Fact Finding Delegation on the Status of Prisoners; Media campaign; Rebuilding and Reunification; Direct support for their members; and Rebuilding their Southern Regional office and infrastructure. Learn more at criticalresistance.org/index.php?name=crno_home and criticalresistance.org/index.php?name=New-Orleans
    Critical Resistance New Orleans, 504-488-2994, crnocriticalresistance.org

    THE NEW YORK STATE TASK FORCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS is an ad hoc group of former Political Prisoners, attorneys, and activists dedicated to winning the release of Political Prisoners in New York prisons. All but one of these seven prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement and Resistance in Brooklyn. Please send donations or correspondence to: NY State Task Force on Political Prisoners, c/o Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, 1195 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11216, USA (all cheques should be made to Malcolm X Grassroots Movement with NYSTFPP in the subject line).

    ALL OF US OR NONE is a (U.S.)national organizing initiative of prisoners, former prisoners and felons, to combat the many forms of discrimination that we face as the result of felony convictions. After serving time in torturous conditions, we were met at the gate with prejudice and discrimination that made our re-entry into society difficult and in some cases impossible. Many of us recognize that our prison sentence never ends as longs as the discrimination against us continues. All of Us or None will also strengthen the voices of people currently incarcerated so they can speak about the horrendous conditions that we face while we are in custody of juveniles jails, INS detention centers, and prisons. For more info check out the website: www.allofusornone.org or email
    infoallofusornone.org

    NO ONE IS ILLEGAL-MONTREAL The No One Is Illegal campaign of Montreal is part of a worldwide movement of resistance, struggling collectively for the self-determination of migrants, refugees and indigenous peoples. We are in active confrontation with a colonial system built on the dispossession and genocide of indigenous peoples, as well as racist anti-immigrant laws. We maintain that there are no illegal human beings, only inhumane laws and illegal states. We recognize that struggles for self-determination, and for the free movement of people against colonial exploitation, are led by the communities who fight on the frontlines. The No One Is Illegal campaign lends tangible support to these struggles in our capacity as allies. In doing so, we seek to contribute to building a global movement for justice and dignity, while building links between communities of resistance locally and worldwide.
    Tel: 514-859-9023; E-mail: noii-montrealresist.ca

    MIDWINTER HARVEST FOOD PROGRAM Midwinter Harvest Food Program Overview from ocap.ca/1stnations/midwinterharvest:
    It almost goes without saying that hunger, malnourishment, diabetes, substandard housing and suicide disproportionately affect First Nations communities. It is the children of these communities that bear the brunt of these issues and are at substantially greater risk than those of the general population. Suicide is the leading cause of death for Aboriginals in Canada between the ages of 10 and 44. The chances that a 16 year old treaty Indian boy will wind up in prison at least once by age 25 is 70%, while likelihood of the same for a non-native youth is 8%. In 2001 the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority put out an emergency request for food for 2,100 people – including 1,900 children – who they said would face imminent peril without intervention. Child welfare legislation introduced under Mike Harris has translated into the removal of literally thousands of children, many ending up in foster homes thousands of miles from their families, communities and culture. New definitions have meant that in most First Nations communities, all children can now be declared at risk and are subject to removal. It is not uncommon to have entire families of children scooped from their beds at four of five o’clock in the morning and many Northern communities are left to exist, virtually childless. The pain and havoc such legislation leaves in its wake cannot even begin to be quantified.

    Midwinter Harvest emerged in response to this ongoing crisis. Using food, and the traditional practices around its harvesting and provision as a focal point, Midwinter Harvest extends its reach and influence into the wider social, political and economic needs of First Nations communities. As a grassroots initiative, we have demonstrated a capability of encouraging a sense of pride and purpose in our young people in communities across the province where there was none. We believe that hope, pride, purpose and the belief in one’s ability to exert control over his or her life are the cornerstones from which concrete strategies can develop to begin to restore health and balance to lives choked in grief and chaos. We are cognizant of the experiences of communities like Kahnawake who saw a marked turn around in suicide rates, depression and apathy immediately following the closure of the Mercier Bridge and battle with police in 1990. We operate under the same principle in Tyendinaga and resist outside intervention and incursion by Government, police and military on daily basis. Ultimately we strive for sovereignty and self-government, however we understand that First Nations self-government is so often spoken of in the abstract, it has lost much of its meaning. We understand it to mean both self-sustainability and self-determination on the social, economic and political issues that affect us as a people.

    On Tyendinaga, we have worked consciously for the cultural, social and political development of our people for the last 15 years. Midwinter Harvest is a part of that initiative that is ongoing. Our food stores have been drawn on to fill family freezers, for community gatherings, ceremonial purposes and school functions here on Tyendinaga, and elsewhere across the province. Our people take pride in our ability to reach out and assist other communities in need. However we make it a point to expand our operations beyond those of a strictly charitable model. We are ever cognizant of the fact that regardless how we may be able to increase our harvesting and distribution capabilities, the existing crisis is simply too large for us to handle. Nor do we believe such an approach is sustainable, or even helpful in the long run. It is from personal experience that we know fundamental and far-reaching positive change will not come from any charitable source, from Government grants or programs, nor will it come from any other outside body. Rather, transformation is dependent upon the engagement of the people affected at the grassroots. Further, Midwinter Harvest applies this concept beyond First Nations communities and forges links with non-natives organizations in an effort to support their struggles for justice. Many of the resistance movements, whether in the present, or the past, that have been able, with any degree of success to have impact on the systems that oppress them, understand the vital importance of developing components within their organizing that can deal with the daily hardship that is the result of poverty and injustice. Providing steaks, roasts, chops or fish serves not only as a means of alleviating some of that burden, but it also provides tangible evidence that the organization does more than just talk. It further serves to diminish the legitimacy of governments that have long since abdicated any real responsibility for feeding, clothing and housing such vast segments of the population, and offers a greater credibility to the organizations that would confront them.

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    2005 PROCEEDS

    1/3 of the funds went to The New York State Task Force on Political Prisoners. This is an ad hoc grouping of former Political Prisoners, attorneys, and activists dedicated to winning the release of Political Prisoners in New York prisons. All but 1 of these 7 prisoners are past members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army and have spent about 30 years in prison. The Task Force includes representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Afrikan Liberation Front, Jericho Movement, and Resistance in Brooklyn. Please send donations or correspondence to: NY State Task Force on Political Prisoners, c/o Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, 1195 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11216, USA (all cheques should be made out to Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, with NYSTFPP in the subject line).

    1/3 of the funds went to DRUM (Desis Rising Up and Moving), a community-based social justice organization of working class and poor South Asian immigrants and immigrant detainees and their families in New York City. Desi is a common term used by people of South Asian descent to identify as people from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Guyana, and Trinidad. Their mission is to organize low-income immigrant detainees and South Asian immigrant communities for racial justice, immigrant rights, and an end to detentions & deportations. DRUM’s organizing campaigns are accountable directly to low-income South Asian youth, undocumented families, and imprisoned immigrants. They are committed to building unity through joint work with progressive forces in other people of color and oppressed communities. The long-term vision of DRUM is to build a social justice movement amongst South Asian immigrants in the United States that is led by poor and working class South Asians, progressive and people of color identified, and rooted in global justice. Get Involved! More info at drumnation.org

    All remaining funds were divided in smaller amounts among our partner organisations, in particular those that do direct support work for Political Prisoners, refugees and immigrants facing detention and deportation, and prisoners rights groups. Priority will be given to groups working in the Montreal area.