Call for Clemency

“The most disrespected, unprotected, neglected person in America is the Black woman.”- Malcom X. Women in a California prison have requested clemency from President Biden after being sexually abused by prison guards. Last week, Biden pardoned 39 people, making that the largest act of presidential clemency in a day. For centuries the U.S. prison system has negatively impacted underrepresented communities, especially Black people.  & These women endured physical abuse but were also retaliated against for exposing the misconduct of those in power. The prison, Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Dublin was where one of the largest US prison abuse scandals happened. Workers and inmates refer to it as the “rape club.”  & Several staff members, including the chaplain have been convicted of sexual crimes. The US justice department announced that the prison will close permanently. Black women have faced criminal injustice for decades, and this scandal reflects systemic oppression. Black women are one of the fastest growing groups in prisons, they are jailed at almost twice the rate of White women, and they also receive harsher sentences. Once inside, they are left to face difficult challenges including no access to good healthcare or programs and they have a higher chance of...