A life goal I didn’t realize I had. Publishing a journal entry for a day in my life—from art projects w/ my son in the morning to arguing for release & negotiating, to preparing for trial & yes, Tweeting—in @TeenVogue. Get into a lot of issues here. bit.ly/2r7nmeE
“Most people think of jail/prison as sole form of “punishment.” But the process is the punishment. Miss work; pay unaffordable $5.50 round trip; bring children because no childcare; & then sit for hours and hours, not allowed to read, talk, or use phones. It’s a grind.”
“In court, you can’t miss shocking racial disparity in whos prosecuted. Almost all those I represent & others in courtrooms are Black or Brown. I often tell people that if they don’t believe there is racism in the legal system, just come to any courtroom on any day in Brooklyn.”
“Justice” moves extraordinarily slow, even when detained pre-trial. Kalief Browder spent 3.5 years on Rikers on $3,500 bail, not convicted, before dismissal. To court, a week is a relatively short time. Yet for people jailed, a single minute let alone a day, week — is eternity.”
“11 a.m. My young client is brought up. I walk through a metal door into the cells in the back — sterilized white painted brick walls, & white painted metal bars, the only color provided by the stainless-steel toilet and, I notice, my client’s bright red jumpsuit.” More:
“The red jumpsuit either means hes in protective custody or in solitary. He says he’s been “in the box” (i.e. solitary). He seems different. I make a note to follow up w/ “jail services team,” social workers who spend a significant time in jail visiting & advocating for clients.”
Critical note: “Brooklyn Defender Services (@BklynDefender) is blessed with resources most other indigent defense offices don’t have. Significant swaths of the country don’t even have public defender systems at all.” And those w systems are vastly underfunded.
On importance of trying to decrompress: “On the commute home I try to decompress. I listen to music, or call family and friends. Sometimes I just walk in silence, focusing forward so I can always walk in the door with a smile.” I get a “Daddy! & a hug. Change, eat and read.
Book: The Sloth Who Slowed Us Down. About a family thats busy & moves fast until the little girl finds a sloth in the park, who slows them down: conversation, making art, looking at sky, playing, music. It’s aspirational for sure. But I think it’s somehow within reach.”
For those confused about why @TeenVogue: They’ve produced some of the hardest hitting, deep dive, journalism & commentary on a range of social issues—criminal, immigration, LGBTQ, women, political. Long been impressed with their work. On their evolution: abcnews.go.com/Business/teen-…
Also big shout out to editor @allegrakirkland for having the vision & simply for reaching out.
