In the United States prison system, Black youth are more likely to be incarcerated than their white counterparts. But they have not lost their ability to dream.
Dr. Subini Ancy Annamma is an educator who specializes in disability studies and critical race theory. Through her work, she's had the chance to interact with formerly incarcerated young people during an abolition lab. She used the opportunity to ask the group what they dreamed of. In a Twitter thread, she shared their responses, and, needless to say, their answers were incredibly eye-opening. While their dreams were simple, the responses were a scathing criticism of the carceral system that marginalizes thousands of people in the United States. Dr. Annamma affirmed that their responses highlighted how formerly incarcerated youth are simply "seeking basic humanity from society."
New Law Review (My first) with the homie @JameliaNMorgan is out! "Youth Incarceration and Abolition". This is a law article and is so different than anything I've ever written. Thanks to Jamelia for teaching me while we were writing! Loved the experience. https://t.co/BvdBJ5oSHV
— Septima P. Snark (@DrSubini) June 9, 2022
"In our abolition lab with formerly incarcerated young people, I asked what they dreamed of," she explained. "Here [are] a few responses to remind us of what we are fighting for in increasingly violent times." One young person shared, "I want to see a place where young people are invested in and listened to and shown that people love them and care about them, especially young people who have been in the system." According to the ACLU, nearly 60,000 youth under the age of 18 are incarcerated in juvenile jails and prisons in the United States on any given day.
We begin with the story of Grace, the 15-year-old girl who was incarcerated during the pandemic for not doing her homework. Grace's story was reported here: https://t.co/VyU5zSCUZO
— Septima P. Snark (@DrSubini) June 10, 2022
"Society degrades women, demands things from them, [there are] expectations formed around them that no one can fulfill," another young person answered. "It crushes them. I would like women and people to be free to be who they want to be and not have to put [on] a front." The United States prison system can be particularly hard on women and young girls. Again, the ACLU estimates that there are currently more than 14,000 girls incarcerated in the United States, a number that has been rapidly increasing in recent decades. Most of these girls are arrested for minor, nonviolent offenses and probation violations.
Despite these conditions-we found a lack of releases among incarcerated youth. What we didn’t know at the time was that the releases that did occur were focused on releases of white incarcerated kids while Black and Brown kids languished in covid hotspots of youth prisons 4/ pic.twitter.com/VKwkKY6kld
— Septima P. Snark (@DrSubini) June 10, 2022
The last youth responded, "We DO fall short on our young people. Especially when we need to say what we mean and mean what we say. We need to expand opportunities for young people in society and the world." The prison system also specifically disenfranchises youth of color. The Sentencing Project finds that Black youth are more than four times as likely to be detained or committed in juvenile facilities as their white peers. Around 41% of youths in placement are Black, even though Black Americans comprise only 15% of all youth across the country.
It’s important to consider who is most likely to be subjected to this violence: data shows Black & Brown youth-specifically disabled, queer, trans, and gender non-conforming, youth from foster care, and medically vulnerable Black & Brown kids are most likely to be incarcerated 7/
— Septima P. Snark (@DrSubini) June 10, 2022
In this context, Dr. Annamma reiterated the need for radical ways to achieve liberation during these difficult times. "These answers are such a reminder that formerly incarcerated young people are seeking basic humanity from society," she affirmed. "And they refuse to take the bullsh*t they are being handed. They are already fighting to build a better world. [I] hope this contributes to radicalizing you today." If you would like to learn more about the abolition movement in the United States, you can do so by clicking the link here.
When terrible things happen because we are locked in system's jaws fueled by white supremacy, anti-Blackness, ableism, cis-heteropatriarchy, I turn to my community & ancestors. Sitting with Audre Lorde's "Uses of Anger". Hope this provides comfort to folks with uteruses today. pic.twitter.com/KBieJHXLWP
— Septima P. Snark (@DrSubini) June 24, 2022