Prisoners’ Justice Day 2024
Date: August 10, 2024
Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Room 215D, Jock Turcotte University Centre, 85 University Private (University of Ottawa), Ottawa
Date: August 10, 2024
Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Room 215D, Jock Turcotte University Centre, 85 University Private (University of Ottawa), Ottawa
This year CPEP, the Millhaven Lifers’ Liaison Group, Mothers Offering Mutual Support, and OPIRG/GRIPO have come together to commemorate Prisoners’ Justice Day (PJD) with a teach-in about its history, how it has evolved, and how the demands could be met today.
We invite all members of the Ottawa communities to come and talk, share stories, experiences, and learn from each other.
PJD has always been a day of mourning and somber reflection for some, and a day of action and inspiration for others. It is in this spirit that we invite everyone to come together with us, on this particular day.
PJD has always been a day of mourning and somber reflection for some, and a day of action and inspiration for others. It is in this spirit that we invite everyone to come together with us, on this particular day.
Background:
On August 10th, 1974, Eddie Nalon, a prisoner and advocate, died in the segregation unit at the Millhaven Institution (a maximum security prison built in 1971 just outside of Kingston, Ontario). His death sparked outrage among the prisoners at the penitentiary, as well as hunger strikes, and prison reform initiatives. On the one year anniversary of his death, the first Prisoners’ Justice Day was organized, sparking what has become an international day of condemnation and commemoration of deaths in custody and segregation, as well as national campaigns for prisoners’ rights across prisons. Many people around the world have been inspired by the political action of these prisoners and organized for a better world.
On August 10th, 1974, Eddie Nalon, a prisoner and advocate, died in the segregation unit at the Millhaven Institution (a maximum security prison built in 1971 just outside of Kingston, Ontario). His death sparked outrage among the prisoners at the penitentiary, as well as hunger strikes, and prison reform initiatives. On the one year anniversary of his death, the first Prisoners’ Justice Day was organized, sparking what has become an international day of condemnation and commemoration of deaths in custody and segregation, as well as national campaigns for prisoners’ rights across prisons. Many people around the world have been inspired by the political action of these prisoners and organized for a better world.
On August 10, 2024, we plan to commemorate and reinvigorate the struggle for prisoners’ rights inside and outside prisons, by talking about the history of PJD and what it meant for people then, how it has evolved over the years, what it means for people now, and what we want it to be moving forward. We also hope that this event can also serve as the first planning meeting for the 50th anniversary of PJD in 2025. If you are someone who thinks deeply about the carceral/police state, or are interested in how to get involved and explore alternatives to caging humans, we invite you to join us for a thoughtful discussion amongst community members.
We gratefully acknowledge that this event is happening on the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Anishinaabe and Algonquin people. We also acknowledge the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island in the criminal justice system. This system also disproprotionately affects many marginalized individuals and negatively impacts all communities.
ACCESSIBILITY INFO:
Location: Room 215D, Jock Turcott University Centre (UCU).
85 University Private (University of Ottawa), Ottawa, ON.
85 University Private (University of Ottawa), Ottawa, ON.
There is a ramp entrance at the University Private side of the building. Enter the building through the door on your right (RBC entrance) – there is an accessibility push button for the door. There are elevators on your right which you can take up to the 2nd floor. Enter the open space/’Terminus’ and follow the signs to Room 215.
There are multi-stall male and female washrooms, as well as a breastfeeding/quiet room on the second floor. There are non-gendered washrooms on floor zero of the building.
Visit https://www.uottawa.ca/…/adminis…/facilities/campus-maps for maps of the University of Ottawa campus, including accessibility, parking and transportation, and non-gendered single washrooms.
