Everyone deserves dignity and justice. But in the United States, 2.3 million people are locked away in prisons, jails, and detention centers, where they are subject to civil and human rights violations and a lack of access to adequate health care.
This Mother’s Day, the #FreeThemAll campaign will highlight the strength and resilience of mothers and caregivers forced to parent their children across walls–mothers in immigration detention who are separated from their children, mothers whose loved ones are in jail, and the incredible labor of all the mothers and caregivers who are leaders in the struggle for a more just world.
Immigration activists, prison abolitionists, and those calling to defund the police are organizing across the country under the call to #FreeThemAll. Together, we're calling for the immediate release of people from behind bars as we continue to work for a future without incarceration.
Here is a listing of #FreeThemAll May Day to Mother's Day's of action events by state. You can find out what's happening, both online and in-person (socially distanced and COVID-19 safe), near you. Visit afsc.org/FreeThemAll/host to create your own event.
See our guide "How to stay safer at a protest."
national
Care Across the Walls
Thursday, May 6 (Virtual)
7:00 p.m. ET // 6:00 p.m. CT // 5:00 p.m. MST // 4:00 p.m. PST
This Mother’s Day join us to honor mothers and caregivers raising children across prison walls–and call for their release.
Everyone deserves dignity and justice. But in the United States, 2.3 million people are locked away in prisons, jails, and detention centers, where they are subject to civil and human rights violations and a lack of access to adequate health care.
On May 6, join us online for a virtual teach-in featuring learnings and calls to action from those of us confronting the unique challenges of trying to maintain the mother-child bond while separated by walls of incarceration. We will also learn from community-based activists and advocates about how we can join efforts to overcome and dismantle these injustices as we work to #FreeThemAll. Register here to participate.
Write Mother's Day Cards for Incarcerated Loved Ones
Now until Saturday, May 8
It's always a good time to send cards to loved ones on the inside. Mother's Day can bring special forms of pain and grief to those separated from their mothers, caregivers, and families, and especially to incarcerated mothers separated from their children. Take a few minutes to send a card to someone in prison, jail, or a detention center this Mother's Day to let them know we're fighting for care, not cages!
Want to organize your own card writing event? Here's how!
California
SAN DIEGO: INTERNATIONAL WORKER'S DAY CAR CARAVAN
Saturday, May 1
10 a.m. - Program Begins at Chicano Park (San Diego)
colorado
#FreeThemAll Vigil at GEO Immigrant Detention Center
Monday, May 3
6:00 - 8:00 p.m. MT (In-person)
In front of GEO // 3130 Oakland St. // Aurora, CO 80010-1502
The American Friends Service Committee partners with others to offer a vigil and protest on Monday, May 3 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the ICE Detention Center at 3130 Oakland St. in Aurora, CO.
We believe that All Families Belong Together and we must Free Them All from detention! In recognition of Mother's Day, we stand in solidarity with the families separated by this unjust system and commend the parents who fight for family unification! Register here.
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El Comité de Servicio de American Friends se asocia con otros para ofrecer una vigilia y protesta el lunes 3 de mayo de 6: 00 - 7: 00 p.m. en el Centro de Detención de ICE en 3130 Oakland St. en Aurora, CO.
¡Creemos que todas las familias pertenecen juntas y debemos liberarlos a todos de la detención! ¡En reconocimiento al Día de la Madre, nos solidarizamos con las familias separadas por este sistema injusto y felicitamos a los padres que luchan por la unificación familiar!
Florida
MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Friday, May 7
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (In-person)
ILLINOIS
'Come on JB, Set Our Loved Ones Free!'
Friday, May 7
11:00 a.m. (In-person)
Location shared with RSVP
For more information, contact Debbie at DSouthorn@afsc.org.
Please sign the petition to end prison lockdown!
New HAMPSHIRE
Communities Not Cages Car Caravan & Rally
Friday, May 14
2:30 p.m. (In-person and online)
Meet at Blessed Sacrament Parish
14 Elm St.
Manchester, NH 03103
Join the AFSC, impacted community members and community partners for a car rally in Manchester to uplift the strength and resilience of mothers separated from their children and loved ones; and the incredible labor of all the mothers and caregivers leading the struggle for a more just world.
Together with local community partners including directly impacted community members, join us for a caravan around the Valley Street Jail and virtual rally to show solidarity with incarcerated loved ones and demand an end to cages as the solution to our communities' needs.
Register here: bit.ly/NHMAYFTA and spread the word on our Facebook event page!
New JERSEY
Saturday, May 8 (In-person)
12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women
30 County Rte. 513
Clinton, NJ 08809
For more information contact Bonnie at Bkerness@afsc.org.
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MOMS SPEAK OUT! - Demanding Humane Immigration Policy
12:00 p.m. Saturday, May 8 (In-person)
NEWARK ICE HQ
970 Broad St. #904
Newark, NJ 07102
#defundhate, #abolishice, #FreeThemAll, #CitizenshipforAll
OREGON & WASHINGTON
CLICK HERE TO WRITE LETTERS* OR JOIN ONE OF THE CARAVANS!
***Can write and send letters from anywhere in the world***
EIGHT CARAVANS TO TAKOMA, WASHINGTON NORTHWEST DETENTION CENTER!
On Saturday, May 8, 2021, the day before Mother's Day, hundreds of people will depart from at least eight different parts of Oregon and Washington and converge at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) in Tacoma, WA with a call to Gov. Jay Inslee to shut it down. Run by the for-profit multi-national GEO Group, the NWDC holds nearly 1,600 people. For years, detainees have suffered from abuse by guards and inadequate medical care and food. While Gov. Inslee took the powerful step to end new contracts with for-profit prisons and detention centers by recently signing HB1090 into law, the NWDC needs to be shut down now.