This update was written by Austin, a member of the P4H learning community at the Southeastern Correctional Institution (SCI) in Lancaster, OH.
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“Evolution”
Forever guided by intersectionality, community, and transformation, the dedication of Philosophy for Humans to free minds trapped behind barriers placed by societal fears and greed is unwavering. The perpetual mission we’ve committed to can create a perception among some that our goal is simply “getting rid of prisons”. This update is more than an update, it serves as a reminder. Abolitionist? Yes, but more importantly, we are humans.
Recently, I’ve wanted to quit, not just P4H but everything. Sometimes the noise in your head becomes too loud and the only solution you see is giving up. Awakening on those loud days is rough and pushing through seems impossible. The steps I take along that push become easier as I approach our community, not because it’s “something to do” but because of the energy cultivated within. Our culture is one that says “see you later” to long term members with the same love and care we greet near members with. We share tears the same way our smiles are shared. We express our disagreements as we do our agreements. We speak our minds while listening to each other’s hearts, respecting one another’s individuality while moving as a cohesive community. Some chapters in our story become closed: this month, we said a bittersweet goodbye to founding member Myke, whose request to transfer to another ODRC facility after decades at SCI was approved. Other chapters are continuously worked on, each leaving their own seed to grow and flourish in the community’s care.
Characteristics of our community such as these are just some of the reasons why those loud days quiet just enough for the impossible to become possible. This community is so much more than a group trying to “get rid of prisons”. We are a group of humans who care about one another, who want to see each other heal, grow, and succeed. When you walk through the door to our meeting room, you don’t just sense a need for humanization inside and outside prison walls, you see it established. Constantly reexploring, maintaining, and building from this need has helped us recognize the deficits inside the justice system that subsequently flows into the prison system. Every meeting that takes place moves us closer to a collective transformation of this deficit.
Asking P4H for an update on our work is understandable but isn’t something you can fully grasp without experiencing our community. We are all about business when it comes to our mission but, to accomplish that mission, we must build a state of mind between one another of light and love. We seek to extend and expand that mindset to other communities and society at large, creating something sustainable, better, and healing.
Our community has been evolving—from abolitionists of a failed system to abolitionists of a failed consciousness.