Fri 5/22 @ 7-9PM
Ohio prisons and jails are the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. In Marion County, nearly 80% of the prison’s population has tested positive for Covid-19. What’s more, lockdowns, lack of personal protective equipment and decreased food services have made life inside the prison even more dangerous and inhumane. In fact, the men of Marion County Correctional Facility have organized a food strike to bring attention to the worsening treatment of the incarcerated community there.
Governor DeWine has only released 205 individuals from state prisons, which incarcerate 51,000 people in total. He commends the state’s local jails for reducing their population by 311 of the 19,000 held in jails across Ohio. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has identified over 15,500 people who are nonviolent and have low-to-no risk if released. There are also 5,000 people serving time for the lowest levels of felonies. Despite this, Dewine has only chosen to release 205 people, showing a complete disregard for the safety and health of incarcerated men and women.
The activist groups The Ohio Student Association and The Coalition to Stop the Inhumanity at the Cuyahoga County Jail have organized a concert benefit to support our incarcerated neighbors, friends and family, as well as our local artist-activists.
Join from wherever you are on Facebook Live on Friday, May 22nd from 7-9pm to hear the music of:
Kyle Kidd & Pete Saudek
Collin Miller
and Teezy From The Clair
By purchasing your ticket here, a link to the private event will be sent to you via email. A standard ticket is just $7, but additional donations are gladly accepted.
The groups are working in collaboration with Cleveland’s chapter of the The Bail Project to redirect your donations to people incarcerated pretrial and to aid returning citizens during this difficult time. If you can, please consider purchasing tickets at a higher level and get us closer to bringing loved ones home. Covid-19 diagnoses in jails and prisons account for 20% of all Ohio’s cases. We need to let them go.