PHILADELPHIA, PA — The #EndTheException coalition today announced it will launch its new #ExceptForMe activation series on Labor Day to spotlight the destructive, real-life impact of prison slavery. Through captivating original video stories, wild postings, art installations, film screenings, petition deliveries, and undisclosed direct actions, the initiative will showcase the narratives of currently and formerly incarcerated people who have been forced to labor under the exception in the 13th Amendment. #ExceptForMe is part of the coalition’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness about the exception in the 13th Amendment that still allows slavery to be used as punishment for a crime and rally support for the Abolition Amendment (SJR 21 and HJR 53), which would end the exception and abolish slavery for all.
The #EndTheException coalition is comprised of more than 80 advocacy organizations and state allies including Worth Rises, Mural Art Philadelphia, Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), Vera Institute of Justice, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), LatinoJustice PRLDEF, and Civil Rights Corps. The coalition is part of the Abolish Slavery National Network.
At the heart of the activation series are the powerful and heart-wrenching labor stories of 13 formerly incarcerated people. One video will drop every day starting Labor Day (September 5) on the social media channels of Worth Rises (Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook) and other coalition members. The 13-day digital series will culminate on Constitution Day (September 17) with a live activation in Philadelphia — the unveiling of an interactive 20-foot wall covered in postcards with their images that attendees can use to listen to their stories and send to their Congressmembers to urge support for the Abolition Amendment. Throughout the activation series, the coalition will also host a series of in-person events — from film screenings to petition deliveries.
“As the country celebrates Labor Day and Constitution Day this month, we must not forget that many still lack the labor and constitutional rights that many of us hold sacred, namely our protection from slavery. There are currently hundreds of thousands of incarcerated people across the country — disproportionately Black and brown — who are forced to work inside prisons and jails for little to no pay under the constant threat of torturous punishment due to the exception in the 13th Amendment that still allows slavery to be used as punishment for crime,” said Worth Rises Executive Director Bianca Tylek. “This exception clause has enabled the criminalization, incarceration, and re-enslavement of Black people throughout history. And today, it still allows those who work in our nation’s prisons and jails to be exploited by a rigged system — one that was designed to prioritize profit over people. I hope that people pay attention to the stories of those who have suffered under the exception and that lawmakers move urgently to pass the Abolition Amendment. It’s way past due that our nation’s leaders put an unequivocal end to slavery for all. Slavery is wrong, all the time.”
The full #ExceptForMe activation series includes:
Digital Campaign - Sept 5-17 Starting on Labor Day and ending on Constitution Day, Worth Rises will release the labor story of one formerly incarcerated advocate every day. Watch the video stories as they’re released by following @WorthRises or the hashtags #ExceptForMe and #EndtheException on Twitter or Instagram, or by visiting endtheexception.com/exceptforme.
Labor Day Launch Party - Sept 5, 12-3pm ET (New York City) Hosted by the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, the launch party at Habana Outpost will honor the labor of incarcerated workers, amplify their struggle for workers’ rights, and demand their protection from slavery. The event will feature artwork and fun activities like mural painting and T-shirt making.
#EndTheException Art Exhibition Opening - Sept 9, 5-6:30pm ET (Philadelphia) Mural Arts Philadelphia will open a temporary exhibit at Independence National Historical Park featuring work by incarcerated artists. Their art will be accompanied by a diagrammatic mural about prison labor and phone booths through which visitors will be able to listen to audio recordings of incarcerated people.
Congressional Petition Delivery - Sept 15 (Washington, DC) Led by MoveOn, the coalition will deliver a petition with 215,000 signatures demanding that both the U.S. Senate and House move to vote and pass the Abolition Amendment (SJR 21 and HJR 53) to end the exception and abolish slavery for all.
Film Screening: Angola Do you Hear Us - Sept 16, 5:30-7:30pm ET (Philadelphia) Aubin Pictures and Mural Arts Philadelphia will host a film screening at the Independence Historic National Park Visitor Center. The film tells the story of playwright Liza Jessie Peterson whose acclaimed play "The Peculiar Patriot" was shut down mid-performance at Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly known as Angola Prison. The screening will be followed by a Q&A and an opportunity to view the #EndTheException Art Exhibit.
Constitution Day Activation - Sept 17, 11am-2pm ET (Philadelphia) Mural Arts Philadelphia and Worth Rises will host a full day of activities and speakers at Independence National Historical Park, marking the culmination of the #ExceptForMe activation series. Worth Rises will unveil a one-day only interactive, multimedia installation showcasing the labor stories and reflections of 13 formerly incarcerated people and invite attendees to take action.
To learn more about the #ExceptForMe activation series, visit endtheexception.com/exceptforme. To learn more about the #EndTheException campaign and the Abolition Amendment, visit endtheexception.com.
ADDITIONAL COALITION MEMBER QUOTES:
"Bound people have for centuries provided the labor that has catapulted the development of this country. From slavery to the prison industrial complex, we have displaced, devalued, and used a captive force to build the wealth of this country,” said artist Akeil Robertson-Jowers, coordinator of the Mural Arts Restorative Justice Guild Program. “Mural Arts Philadelphia and national partners stand in recognition of this and are working to bring this underrepresented labor into the light by coordinating with incarcerated people and artists to celebrate their labor, which silently underpin our system. We advocate to advance legislation that pays incarcerated workers equitably, and hope that this project will begin a new conversation about how we compensate the people we charge with some of the most undervalued in our society. Mural Arts is fully committed to this reckoning in the names of the communities decimated by their absence.”
“Coerced or compelled labor can only foster abuse, dehumanization and discrimination, none of which is conducive to rehabilitation and reentry," said Celina Chapin, Manager of Policy and Advocacy at Anti-Recidivism Coalition, "this Labor Day we should affirm the dignity of labor by ensuring workers in the US are treated fairly and with dignity, including those who are incarcerated. This Constitution Day we must affirm the wisdom and justice of our Constitution by removing from it the exception that allows slavery to flourish in this land and in this time, more than 150 years after the passage of the 13th Amendment.”
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About Worth Rises
Worth Rises is a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to dismantling the prison industry and ending the exploitation of those it targets. Follow @WorthRises on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
About Mural Arts Philadelphia
Mural Arts Philadelphia is the nation's largest public art program, dedicated to the belief that art ignites change. Mural Arts aims to empower people, stimulate dialogue, and build bridges to understanding with projects that attract artists from Philadelphia and around the world and programs that focus on youth education, restorative justice, mental health and wellness, and public art and its preservation. Follow @muralarts on Twitter and Instagram, @MuralArtsPhiladelphia on Facebook, and phillymuralarts on YouTube.
About Anti-Recidivism Coalition
The Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) works to end mass incarceration in California. To ensure our communities are safe, healthy, and whole, ARC empowers formerly and currently incarcerated people to thrive by providing a support network, comprehensive reentry services, and opportunities to advocate for policy change. Through our grassroots policy advocacy, we are dedicated to transforming the criminal justice system so that it is more just and equitable for all people. Follow @antirecidivism on Twitter, and @antirecidivismcoalition on Instagram and Facebook.