I am the new director of the Prisoners Revolutionary Literature Fund (PRLF). Normally, I would introduce myself here. But I would really like you to meet the prisoners who write us every week. If you have not done so already, take a few minutes to read even just one of these letters from a prisoner. No matter what you think you already know, you WILL be surprised:

"Atheism is Feminism on Steroids" 

"Our revolutionary spirit can flourish in even the most draconian deprivation tanks..." 

"We must fight this ban on all fronts: in the streets, in the courts, and in the media" 

When you read these letters from prisoners, you will see why PRLF is announcing the suite of major initiatives to overturn the bans on Revolution newspaper here. Today, for almost 800 prisoners across the country. Tomorrow, add the 300 more prisoners who have already asked for complementary subscriptions, but are on a waiting list because of a lack of funding.

45 of those prisoner-subscribers are in the hellish supermax Pelican Bay State Prison in California. In February 2010, Revolution newspaper was officially banned at California's Pelican Bay State Prison and Chuckawalla State Prison. It has also been banned in Menard and other state prisons in Illinois.

As a newly circulating statement to overturn the ban puts it, "The banning of any newspaper, especially alternative voices that challenge and expose the status quo, is chilling and intolerable. It is even more so when censorship is done by officials and agencies of the government. We see the banning of Revolution newspaper from California's prisons (or any other prison) as an immediate and serious threat to freedom of speech and of the press. We strongly oppose the attempt by prison authorities to enforce 'mind control' and conformity with officially-approved thinking."

In response to the bans, PRLF has launched a multi-faceted legal and political effort to overturn the ban on Revolution newspaper. Volunteers are needed for every facet of our efforts.

• PRLF is urgently involved with legal counsel, including First Amendment and prison law attorneys, to craft a legal strategy to respond to the bans. Due to the fact that this situation is a significant test of prisoner and publications' First Amendment rights, the groundwork for a legal case takes meticulous attention. We will keep you posted as our legal challenge to the bans takes shape.

• The beating heart of PRLF's efforts is the letters that Revolution and PRLF get from prisoners, which give voice to their aspirations for a different world. PRLF will be posting new prisoners' letters to our website weekly. In response to the revolutionary literature we send them, prisoners engage with world events and key political, cultural, and philosophical questions of the day, including discussions of morality, religion, science, and the arts. Every week prisoners delve into the urgent and lively news and debate about unfolding political and social struggles, and can critically think about and dissect the current state of society as well as search for an alternative.

• Widespread fundraising is essential to all of PRLF's work. It's the thing that everyone can do. Prisoners Revolutionary Literature Fund needs to raise $15,000 by the end of May. After reaching that goal, we are aiming to double those funds, reaching our goal of over $30,000 by the end of June.

Funds are urgently needed for the following expenses:

• Legal costs ($2,000 in escrow for legal expenses in Illinois alone)
• Seed money for public campaign to overturn the bans, also to cover additional mailing costs to prisoners, expanded book orders during the bans ($10,000)
• Renew some of the 800 current Revolution subscriptions, due May 22 ($6,000)
• Retire the current waiting list for subscriptions to Revolution - over 300 prisoners are without a subscription ($10,500)
• PRLF's cost for a 400-hour summer intern ($900)
• PRLF office - up and running before June 1st ($2500 startup expense)

"I was just about to set up a vacation to New York City for this August when one of your fund raisers called me with some urgent news. It seems you need about fifteen thousand dollars by the end of this month to renew a lot of prisoner's subscriptions. I can't give you that much, but I can give you the two thousand dollars I was willing to spend on the vacation. In all good conscience I just couldn't disregard the call. New York will be there next year and these subscriptions are a lifeline to people to whom the system wants to deny all hope. 

Hopefully this size of contribution will inspire others who are able to give generously also. This is important to bring hope and light into a seemingly impossible situation. I urge others to give generously too."

We already have one lead gift of $2,000 and smaller donations that together are 1/2 way to matching it. Let's finish matching it right away. And this week we need 4 more lead gifts of $1,000 to $2,000 each. Please donate generously.

Your gift can be earmarked for a specific purpose. If you only want your gift to go to fighting the censorship and overturning the ban, then please specify this on your check or when you make your online donation, and we will honor your request.

Theatrical presentations of prisoners' letters will be one of the ways that people can hear the power of these letters. A new "script" based on letters is in development, and professional actors and musicians are being enlisted to bring these letters to life. At least one pilot event in a major city will springboard a movement of readings, both professional and amateur, in theaters, college campuses and high schools. Think Vagina Monologues. (The seed of this began in 2009 with fundraising benefits for PRLF centered on dramatic readings. To see accounts of some of these and an earlier script, click here.)

PRLF is pleased to announce that people are giving voice to their opposition to the ban through a powerful statement now circulating for signatures. We urge you to add your name. Voices of conscience who speak out both spread the word in society and also give heart to the prisoners to know their lifeline to the world cannot be cut without an outcry. We understand that this statement is being circulated for wide endorsement and possible future publication in print media.

PRLF has heard from people who formed committees specifically to overturn the ban. We know there are people who, on principle, will want to be part of overturning the ban, even as they are learning more about PRLF's mission (and whether they eventually support PRLF or not). The committee in northern California can be reached at OverturnTheBan.NorCal@gmail.com, (ph: 510.926.5207, fax: 510.295.2567). In southern California, contact overturntheban@gmail.com.

PRLF's infrastructure is undergoing renovation to support our expanding work. As I mentioned earlier, I have taken on the volunteer role of Executive Director. A volunteer director of fundraising is also coming on board.

We have completed the process to have a very bright summer intern in Chicago, who will spend 400 hours with PRLF this summer. We need to raise $900 to pay our portion of her salary. If you can underwrite all or part of her stipend, click here, and write "intern" in the notes section.

We are setting up a PRLF office in Chicago. If you might have 150 - 300 square feet or more of good office space in Chicago to donate please let me know right away.

Our website is being overhauled by a volunteer, to be more interactive and frequently updated. If you have graphic artist, design (especially Drupal) or Facebook, Twitter or YouTube skills that you want to contribute, contact me.

Again, we are looking for volunteers to help with all of these initiatives. If you have other ideas, let me know.

I still remember what one African-American woman said after she witnessed the dramatic readings of prisoners' letters by actors in Evanston, IL last fall, "This is amazing. The prisoners are so smart and thoughtful and write so well. These are our people saying these beautiful things. It gives me hope." 

If you see the urgency of overturning the ban on Revolution in prisons, there are many ways you can help. Start by making a donation to make everything you have read here possible.

Donating funds... Signing the statement... spreading the word... volunteering your time and skills (online volunteers are welcome from anywhere in the country).

For more information about the ban or about Prisoners Revolutionary Literature Fund, you can reach PRLF at contact@PRLF.org or 773.960.6952, and you can reach me at Mike@PRLF.org.

Mike Holman

P.S. This is the first of regular newsletters from the Executive Director. If you have news to share, questions to ask, or suggestions to make, contact PRLF or me.