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My name is Jamilia Land Land. I am the co-founder of the Anti-Violence Safety and Accountability Project, as well as the Abolish Slavery National Network. We are a national coalition that has successfully removed involuntary servitude from several states' constitutions, including those of Colorado, Alabama, and Vermont.
I am very proud to say that, in addition to California, we also have our sister state of Nevada on the ballot. So, if you can hear my voice in Nevada, please make sure to vote yes to remove involuntary servitude from Nevada as well.
I want to give a big shout-out to our California Assembly member, Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, who undertook the Herculean effort of bringing this piece of legislation forward. I also want to recognize now United States Congresswoman Senator Sydney Kamlager, who authored the original bill back in 2020.
To all of the amazing men and women standing here today, you represent hundreds of years of incarceration. We are talking about exploitation of the greatest magnitude. Many of us would like to believe, due to social indoctrination, that slavery ended with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Both California's Constitution and the United States Constitution permit involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. This is one of the most dehumanizing realities we could ever confront.
I will keep this brief. I want to thank you all for your hard work. Please get out and vote yes on California's Proposition 6.
My name is Jamilia Land. I am the co-founder of the Abolish Slavery National Network. We are a national coalition working tirelessly to remove involuntary servitude from state constitutions.
To date, we have successfully removed this language in Alabama, Tennessee, Vermont, Oregon, and are proud to announce that this year, both California and Nevada are on the ballot. Four years ago, I walked the halls of this building searching for a legislator to take up the proposal my ex-husband and I had drafted, which became ACA III. At the height of COVID, I realized something had to be done. As progressive as California claims to be, we have allowed constitutional slavery to persist through the use of involuntary servitude. We even codified it in our penal code. California Penal Code Section 2700 states that every able-bodied incarcerated person in a California prison must perform as many hours of labor as prescribed by the director of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. If that doesn’t sound like legalized slavery, I don’t know what does. I want to take a moment to thank the incredible men and women standing behind us today, representing hundreds of years of people forced into involuntary servitude. It is time for California to get on the right track and declare that we will no longer prioritize forced labor over rehabilitation. This is a monumental effort. Beyond California and Nevada being on the ballot this year, we also have Senate Joint Resolution 33, which aims to close the loophole left by the Thirteenth Amendment. It is time for this state and this country to say no more. Vote yes on Proposition 6.
I cannot stress enough how important this election is—it is one of the most critical of our lifetime. On the ballot, we have the first African-American woman running for president of the United States. We also have the opportunity to get on the right side of history by eliminating involuntary servitude from our state constitution.
I urge you to spread the word, educate your communities, and make it known that California is a progressive state. We will no longer stand for forced labor in our prisons or anywhere else.
Prisoners are people too, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
While chattel slavery may have ended long ago, its remnants persist today in the form of forced labor within our carceral system.
Looking at the incredible individuals standing behind me—representing hundreds of years of combined incarceration and forced labor—I cannot help but emphasize the urgency of this moment. These individuals were denied the ability to provide for their families because the state of California forced them to work.
We are not doing this anymore.
Vote yes on Proposition 6.
My name is Jamilia Land. I am the co-founder of the Anti-Violence Safety and Accountability Project and the Co-Director of State Operations for the Abolish Slavery National Network. We are part of a national coalition that has successfully worked to remove unjust clauses from state constitutions. Let me start with a question: How many of you have ever stepped inside a prison? How many of you have a loved one or community member who has been incarcerated and needed support? These questions highlight the myths we need to address, and I want to thank Jay for shedding light on some of them. We have been socially indoctrinated to believe that work is equivalent to rehabilitation. It is not. We live in a state that prides itself on being one of the most progressive in the country and entered the Union as a free state. Yet, our laws do not reflect that reality. Our Constitution still permits involuntary servitude as a form of punishment, and we have codified this practice in our Penal Code. Penal Code Section 2700 mandates that every able-bodied person incarcerated in California prisons must perform as many hours of faithful labor as prescribed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. If this isn’t legalized constitutional slavery, I don’t know what is. Are you aware of an agency called CalPIA, the California Prison Industry Authority? CalPIA produces a wide array of goods, including this podium I’m standing at, the chairs in this room, and even the desks in your offices. This system goes beyond wages; it’s about humanizing a population that has been relegated to the darkest corners of subhumanity since this country’s founding. We live in a nation whose Constitution once declared that people who look like me and many of us in this room were only 3/5 of a human being for purposes of representation. This socially constructed notion has long devalued our lives. Let’s be clear: this issue isn’t just about wages. It’s about dignity and humanity. California has an opportunity to right these wrongs, to humanize the men and women behind carceral walls, and to show the world that we are truly a progressive state. It’s time to put an end to legalized constitutional slavery once and for all. Thank you.
Calvin Alonzo Coleman's story is a heartbreaking testament to the deep flaws in our justice system. Wrongfully convicted in a 10-2 Jim Crow jury verdict, he has languished behind bars for over 22 years for a crime he did not commit. The U.S. Supreme Court has deemed the trial scheme unconstitutional, yet Calvin's pursuit of justice remains elusive. The evidence supporting his innocence is staggering—eyewitnesses initially excluded him during the 9-1-1 call, and the State allowed these witnesses to later falsely testify against him. Crucial exonerating details were deliberately kept from Calvin and his defense, perpetuating an egregious miscarriage of justice. Louisiana's State History of railroading individuals has earned international condemnation, leaving countless lives shattered by unfathomable injustice. Calvin, a lifelong Freedom Fighter, epitomizes resilience and dedication in the face of an unjust system. His voice, amplified through platforms like Abolition Today and abolitionist conferences, echoes the urgent need for reform. Calvin's enduring struggle serves as a stark reminder that our fight against wrongful convictions is not just for him but for all those who have suffered unjustly. It's time to rectify the profound injustice inflicted upon our brother Calvin—a man who has endured far too long for a crime he did not commit. #JusticeForCalvinColeman #EndWrongfulConvictions #WrongfullyConvicted #EndNonUnanimousJuries
August 14, 2023 the California Legislative Black Caucus, the Recording Industry Association of America @riaa_awards the Bring the Peace Movement, and a host of others came together to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop Culture at the California State Capitol. I was honored to present certificates of recognition
Every Mother’s Day since 2017, @essie4justice has been on the frontlines of bailouts in partnership with National Bail Out to free Black Mamas in California and welcome them into a loving and powerful community. This year is no different. We always come for ours!
With a median bail amount of $50,000, California bail amounts are five times that of the national average. It takes an incredible amount of resourcing and care to have this outcome in a state with notoriously egregious systems that break our families apart.
On Friday, May 7, 2021, Essie Justice Group members directly intervened in America’s legacy of child separation, the disruption of Black motherhood, and the caging and control of Black bodies with our biggest Black Mama’s Bail Out to date.
With the help of the National Bail Out collective, community partners and elected officials, we spent $808,000 to secure the freedom of three Black mamas in two counties in California!
#essie #blackmamabailout
Monday August 14, 2023 the Bring The Peace Movement, The California Legislative Black Caucus, the Recording Industry Association of America and a host of partners celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop at the California State Capitol with a resolution presentation and certificates of recognition. I've organized a lot of events over the course of my life, but this one takes the cake as my grandmother would say. It is such a humbled honor to work with so many amazing people to recognize the contributions of so many to the West Coast Hip Hop Culture.
I had the honor of spending this past weekend with some of the most amazing people, any of whom I hold dear to my heart, and I am blessed to call family, friends, and colleagues. I'd like to give a special shout out to the weekends host Michael Latt @michaellatt and Molly Watson @mollz427 for continuing to lead with love in all you do!
Amazing day spent with family at the capitol introducing my niece and nephews....MRB - Magical Rock Band @magicalrockband to legislators and my amazingly creative friend Jesse Delgado @iamjessedelgado Special shout out to my beautiful sista and warrior for the people, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price @pamelapricecares
Senator Anthony Portantino @portantino thank you for always taking the time to talk with me and spending some time engaging with the youth. Your words of encouragement mean a lot. Thank you to Assemblymember Mia Bonta @asmmiabonta and her staff for talking with our youth and allowing them the opportunity to share their musical talent in office.
Assembly member Mike Gipson's @gipson_mike staff were equally as gracious in engaging the youth and talking about solutions to gun violence in our communities. And never least, shout out to my HipHopTV family, Shawn Granberry and my nephew Hayón Hay-Own founder of Edutainment Pros and The Young Moguls. #BringThePeace #stoptheviolence
Special shout out to my Oakland born and raised brother Russell Hornsby @russoulhornsby for an amazing night of conversations and celebration. Thank you for your genuine kindness, embracement, and support for my cousin Ricky. We're calling it "The Love You Give" ❤️
Ricky Godfrey @rickygodfrey44 is an INNOCENT MAN who had 31 years of his life stolen at the age of 18 years old. The state of California put him on trial and attempted to give him the death penalty, FOR A CRIME HE DID NOT COMMIT, under California’s felony murder law. Instead, they sentenced him to death by incarceration, also known as LWOP, Life Without the Possibility of Parole.
Oh, but God! God will have the final say! Ricky was released on April 21, 2023, and the journey to full exoneration is in full bloom. If yall know how my cousin Anesia Patrice Godfrey and I move then you know silence is our best practice until it's time for the reveal. Just know this.......you ain't seen nothing yet! It's all gas, no brakes!
I love you sooooooooo much cousin @nishap_50 It has been and continues to be one of the greatest blessings of my life to stand and fight with you against all the odds life has thrown at us. Im so Incredibly proud of you Ricky @rickygodfrey44 for how despite the trials of life you NEVER LET GO OF GODS HANDS! #RickyGodfrey #wrongfulconviction #EndFelonyMurder #droplwop
"We envision a United States where all people, without exception, are free from slavery and involuntary servitude and where all people are protected by their state and federal constitution."
jamilialand.com
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