Find a March For Our Lives event near you (6/11):
Find more MFOL events across the U.S. this Saturday.
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Twin Cities Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee have shared a Call to Action…
This April 13th, 2022, Department of Corrections officer Christopher Wendover sexually assaulted Angela Jackson, in solitary confinement, groping her breasts and vaginal area while she was in handcuffs, and threatening her with violence not to tell. Another male guard was present, and while he didn’t directly intervene he did press the panic button, which ended the assault. Angela Jackson reported the information to the people at Shakopee prison and the police. The entire incident should be captured on prison video.
The Department of Corrections has closed this investigation without firing the officer, and until another incarcerated person complained, had officer Wendover staring at Mrs. Jackson every day in the cafeteria. Shakopee Prison has a history of sexual and other abuse, particularly after adding male staff in 1992, including lack of accountability for white officers. Just a few years ago, Sergeant Boegeman was fired from Shakopee for similar misconduct but was rehired in arbitration, so he continues to work at the facility, as well as others implicated.
These are also Department of Corrections wide issues, from failing to stop sexual assault or violence, to holding the mentally ill to solitary confinement, to policy 301.083 which allows the use of segregation for “overflow”, to holding people who are suicidal or a 'threat' naked in "wet cells". Shakopee prison also has bought but refuses to use an airport style body scanner to prevent the regular strip searching of incarcerated people, a procedure many consider sexual assault. Note that a majority of incarcerated women are survivors of sexual violence.
Angela Jackson needs your help via phone call and email --
Call the Scott County Attorney 952-496-8240 and tell them you believe it's important that they prosecute officer Christopher Wendover, Police Case Number 22007875.
Call or email the Commissioner of Corrections paul.schnell@state.mn.us 651-361-7226 and tell him to fire officer Wendover and ensure Angela Jackson is not retaliated against in her job, treatment, and work release placement. Also:
Ask him what he will do to end this pattern of abuse against vulnerable adults in his care
Tell him to start using the body scanner at Shakopee Prison to prevent strip searches which many consider to be sexual assaults, and to invest in them at all facilities
Tell him to medically release the mentally ill instead of sending them to solitary confinement
Finally, call the Attorney General’s office and ask them to investigate the pattern of abuse of in the Department of Corrections and Shakopee Prison in particular: 651-296-3353 -- they can contact us at tc.iwoc@gmail.com.
We will do our best to update the list – but things are happening quickly.
Minnesota
Eagan, Protect Reproductive Rights 5/14, 10-11am
St. Cloud - Bans Off Our Bodies March - 10-12pm
Duluth - Rally to Protect Rights for Abortion Access - 12pm
St. Paul - Rally for Abortion Access - 12-1pm
Brainerd - Bans Off Our Bodies - 12-2pm
Just outside MN
Dubuque, IA - 11am
Cedar Rapids, IA - 11am-1pm
Grand Forks, ND - 10-12noon
Fargo, ND 5.45-7.30pm
For all the events happening across the US
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Thanks to those who joined us for Time to Act Monday night (May 9). It was a great crowd.
In less than an hour we were able to make a difference. We share our notes for those who can take a minute join the effort after the fact using the instruction sheets below to make it easy for you to know who to contact and what to say. If you can personalize the message, even better, but the following will get your started:
· Women's Health Protection Act
Thank you for your activism on these important issues
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Now is a good time to tell our legislators what we want. Here are Actions from the MN-Leg Action team to make a difference. Click on an Action to get to the full instruction sheet on how to take the action - the background to the bill and issue, who to contact and what to say. If you can personalize the message, even better.
Thank you for your activism!
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The Minnesota Legislature returns from spring break this week. It’s a good time to help them focus on what we want to see happen. So we will be meeting online Tuesday evening to go through actions and scripts to contact legislators on several bills. Please join us, especially if contacting legislators is new to you.
April 19 - 6pm
Calls for Tuesday:
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There’s still time to join us tonight (March 29) at 6pm or use the information below to act in your own time.
We’re going try to get through an ambitious five actions:
Still ready to act? Check out this longer list of Calls to Action on important legislation at the Capitol right now. This list is put together weekly by the MN Legislative Action team that we are part of. Pls share as you want.
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