Madison Organizing in Strength, Equity, and Solidarity
for Criminal Legal System Reform
During the week of March 9th, stop by The Stream in the Theatre Arts building at Edgewood College in Madison WI to experience life in a solitary confinement cell. This experience is contemplative in nature and campus-wide participation is encouraged. The Solitary Cell can be reserved for an individual over a 30 or 60 minute time period. Please contact Tony Garcia, tgarcia@edgewood.edu, for group/classroom visits.
From WISDOM: “Rev. Jerry Hancock, president of our MOSES affiliate in Madison, has a very fine opinion piece in the Cap Times. You can emphasize the message by telling Governor Walker that you saw the piece and that you, also, want a response to ideas included in Rev. Hancock’s article.
These ideas would save as much as $210 million in the state budget over the next two years. As Rev. Hancock says, “due diligence demands that these realistic alternatives to the mindless increase in the cost of prisons in Wisconsin be seriously considered by the Legislature during the budget-making process”.
Click here and put your zip code in the top right box to find your state legislative representatives. Tell them the same message. It’s easy. Your message doesn’t have to be long or clever.
Plan to join us in Madison on April 29 to learn more about these proposals, found in our Blueprint to End Mass Incarceration in Wisconsin, and help bring them to reality.”
People of Faith United for Justice
Madison Action Day
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bethel Lutheran Church
312 Wisconsin Avenue, Madison, WI
Cost: $25 per person includes lunch, childcare and transportation. Registration deadline is April 15. Please download and complete this form and or email info to mosesorganizer@gmail.com to register.
All contributions are welcome! Scholarship requests will be honored on a first come-first served basis. Make checks payable to MOSES and deliver during a monthly meeting. You may also mail checks to: MOSES, PO Box 7031, Madison, WI 53707
Keynote Speakers:
Reverend Everett Mitchell, Director of Community Relations of UW-Madison and Pastor at Christ the Solid Rock Baptist Church in Madison.
Hannah Rosenthal: CEO and president, Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Agenda
Please indicate if you are:
For more information, email info@mosesmadison.org or call 608-622-2360.
CO-SPONSORS: Wisconsin Council of Churches, Faith Voices for Justice, Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, Lutheran Office for Public Policy, Madison Area Urban Ministry, Milwaukee Jewish Federation, Jewish Federation of Madison, Wisconsin Jewish Conference and WISDOM
Click here to read the MOSES February 2015 Newsletter.
(click here to download and print the newsletter)
Welcome to the New Executive Committee
On December 6, 2014 a new executive committee was elected for MOSES, effective immediately.
President: Rev. Jerry Hancock, First Congregational
Designated Vice President: Belinda Richardson, Breaking Barriers
Vice President: Bev Buhr, James Reeb UU Congregation
Vice President: Caliph Muab-El, Breaking Barriers
Vice President for Recruitment: Morris Waxler, First Unitarian Society
Secretary: Susan Millar, First Unitarian Society
Assistant Secretary: Nancy Kosseff, First Unitarian Society
Treasurer: Ann Lacy, Plymouth Congregational UCC
Financial Secretary: Pat Anderson, First Unitarian SocietyA blueprint for achieving 11×15 by 2015
MOSES has worked for 2 years with other state affiliates of WISDOM on the 11×15 campaign, with the goal of reducing the prison population in Wisconsin from 22,000 to 11,000 by the end of 2015. Now at the start of 2015 there is a clear blueprint to arrive at this goal. Can we do it? Yes we can!
On December 10, 2014, over 150 people representing the ten WISDOM affiliates gathered at the state capitol for a press conference at which WISDOM representatives—including MOSES members Na’Zeeya Bey, Judy Cooper, Kate Edwards, Jerry Hancock, and Carol Rubin—spoke passionately about each section of the plan, before delivering copies of the 11×15 Blueprint for ending Mass Incarceration in Wisconsin to the offices of senators and assembly members from around the state. In the afternoon, ten WISDOM work groups were formed to achieve the 23 Calls to Action specified in blueprint.
How can Wisconsin reduce the prison population by almost 10,000 in one year?
3,000 through TAD, or Treatment Alternatives and Diversions programs 2,800 potential parolees, who, though eligible, have not been paroled because they were sentenced before “truth in sentencing” became the law, and so their sentences presumed parole after requirements were met 4,000 through reducing revocations that are due to infractions of rules rather than new crimes = 9,800 people each year who aren’t in prison.
To learn more about how to advocate for justice in Wisconsin, download the blueprint at http://prayforjusticeinwi.org Contact the MOSES office at info@mosesmadison.org or (608) 622-2360 for a hard copy of the blueprint, or to learn how to get involved with a work group.
A Call for Reflections on Solitary Confinement Cell
A model of a solitary confinement cell has been traveling around Madison for the past several months. Anyone, who saw that exhibit in any of its locations, is invited to write the Communications Committee about their thoughts and reflections regarding the exhibit. Send your submissions to newsletter@mosesmadison.org!
Do you have an upcoming social justice event that you think MOSES members might be interested in? Do you have an article or item to submit to the Newsletter? Send all submissions with necessary information to the MOSES communications committee for inclusion on the official calendar and newsletter at calendar@mosesmadison.org!