Jarvis & David Sheff in Conversation on Facebook Live event with Norwegian Publisher; Jarvis Remains on Hunger Strike

Jarvis will join David Sheff, author of “The Buddhist on Death Row” at a Facebook Live event here on Tues. October 19 at 10am PST. The event is hosted by Norwegian publisher Flux Forlag, who released the Norwegian translation of David’s book in July; it will be moderated by the book’s translator, Ingela T. Flatin.

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Jarvis Journal: "Next Stop: Drop LWOP-the Other Death Sentence" (Full Essay)

Today, the 19th annual World Day Against the Death Penalty, Jarvis would like to share a new essay he has penned about death by incarceration, otherwise known as Life Without Parole. Over 200,000 people are serving life sentences in prison, or 1 in 7 incarcerated individuals according to this Sentencing Project study. Two-thirds of those serving life sentences are people of color. He urges the death penalty abolition movement to look ahead, be more responsive to those most directly affected by injustice, and organize against all forms of extreme sentencing.

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Jarvis Journal: Faced with a Twenty-Dollar Bill (Full Essay)

In light of the current U.S. government’s efforts to place Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, Jarvis now wishes to share his unpublished essay, “Faced with a Twenty-Dollar Bill,” in full. Written several years ago, an excerpt was most recently posted on this website in June 2019. Jarvis urges readers to weigh the fundamental contradiction of placing an icon of freedom on American currency—an ongoing source of brutal oppression for communities of color—and joins a growing chorus of Black voices in strong disapproval of the effort.

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Update: San Quentin to Adjust GTL Phone Use Policy, Jarvis Ends Hunger Strike

From September 18-October 7, 2020, Jarvis Jay Masters had been on a hunger strike to raise awareness of a new wave of phone restrictions at San Quentin State Prison. The prison’s management team is now developing plans for the maximum and equal use of GTL phone time. Friends and supporters are still asked to contact authorities to ensure the new policies are enacted.

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