Security for queer hard of hearing prisoner
Donation protected
I am seeking support for my pen-pal who became a friend then a brother, Jery. Jery is a queer white man who is doing a federal sentence for robbery. I met him in 2012 through Black and Pink, an organization that creates pen-pal relationships between incarcerated people who are LGBTQI+ or living with HIV and since then we have become incredibly close as we have supported one another for nearly a decade. Jery is a smart, caring, and creative man who has experienced significant violence in prison because he is gay. We need to give him a cushion until his belongings arrive, and help he purchase an adaptive device for his hearing.
Federal prisons are run by white supremacist gangs . White gangs do not tolerate fellow white prisoners being gay , and while complicated hierarchies of organized white supremacist leadership in federal prisons mean that gang members need permission from a shot caller to assault most people, queer people like Jery are always allowed to be "smashed" or assaulted, without any provocation other than their identities. The alternative presented by gangs to queer prisoners is to check into the Secure Housing Unit, SHU, the Federal system's solitary. Queer people like Jery have to choose between constant isolation in the SHU or the constant threat of violence in gen pop.
Jery has good reason to be afraid. Jery has been seriously injured in more than a half-dozen attacks over the 8-9 years I have known him, an almost yearly ritual of stitches and broken bones. In 2019, following a beating, Jery's depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicidal ideation were so profound he was reclassified to a medical facility (an FMC) and while he was there he did a lot to stabilize, but still suffers significantly from his mental illnesses in combination with the daily trauma of incarceration. Additionally, Jery, who is hard of hearing (55% hearing loss left, 67% right) struggles to understand others, especially while mask-wearing makes lipreading impossible and no one else can sign with him. Being less aware of his surroundings because of his hearing makes gen pop even more dangerous. He recently was reclassified back to a Medium prison, the designation where most of his beatings occured.
Federal prisons are run by white supremacist gangs . White gangs do not tolerate fellow white prisoners being gay , and while complicated hierarchies of organized white supremacist leadership in federal prisons mean that gang members need permission from a shot caller to assault most people, queer people like Jery are always allowed to be "smashed" or assaulted, without any provocation other than their identities. The alternative presented by gangs to queer prisoners is to check into the Secure Housing Unit, SHU, the Federal system's solitary. Queer people like Jery have to choose between constant isolation in the SHU or the constant threat of violence in gen pop.
Jery has good reason to be afraid. Jery has been seriously injured in more than a half-dozen attacks over the 8-9 years I have known him, an almost yearly ritual of stitches and broken bones. In 2019, following a beating, Jery's depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicidal ideation were so profound he was reclassified to a medical facility (an FMC) and while he was there he did a lot to stabilize, but still suffers significantly from his mental illnesses in combination with the daily trauma of incarceration. Additionally, Jery, who is hard of hearing (55% hearing loss left, 67% right) struggles to understand others, especially while mask-wearing makes lipreading impossible and no one else can sign with him. Being less aware of his surroundings because of his hearing makes gen pop even more dangerous. He recently was reclassified back to a Medium prison, the designation where most of his beatings occured.
When Jery learned of this transfer from the FMC, he was prepared to end his life because he knows the fed gang politics for white gay men put him at danger of yet another attack and he can't face it. He was told by a doctor after his last beating that if he is punched in the face again, his cheek will cave in. Jery and his support system are desperately afraid for him, who has bravely decided to give the new prison a chance.
We need to provide Jery with a financial cushion so he is not dependent upon others during his transfer and while he waits 2-3 months for his property to arrive from his current prison. Commissary funds mean a full stomach on nights prison meals are truly inedible. Vitally, they mean stationary and stamps so he can communicate with his support system. Commissary means soap that doesn't cause rashes, a sweatshirt, and everyone knowing he has a connection to the outside world who cares about him enough to send money in. Perhaps most importantly, it gives Jery the independence not to have to rely on other prisoners buying things for him, which can result in extortion.
Finally, Jery knows he still has a long bid ahead of him. He is interested in getting a speech-to-text device to assist him with understanding others in his prison. Despite being medical in nature, the prison will not pay for it: if Jery wants to understand people better, he has to pay. He doesn't know yet how expensive this will be, as it will be a special medical order. We are reaching out to prisoners' rights groups and organizations for disabled prisoners to learn if the prison can be made to provide this adaptive device.
Finally, Jery knows he still has a long bid ahead of him. He is interested in getting a speech-to-text device to assist him with understanding others in his prison. Despite being medical in nature, the prison will not pay for it: if Jery wants to understand people better, he has to pay. He doesn't know yet how expensive this will be, as it will be a special medical order. We are reaching out to prisoners' rights groups and organizations for disabled prisoners to learn if the prison can be made to provide this adaptive device.
Organizer
Elijah Patterson
Organizer
Boston, MA