Director’s Update: August 2023
Operations: July operations are on track.
MPAC staff size of 11 individuals remains unchanged. Joseph Jackson, Jan Collins, Peter Lehman, Joelle Jackson, Daniel Fortune, Brandon Brown, Wendy Allen, Andre Hicks, Antonio Jackson, Linda Dolloff and Kathy Elliot,.
MPAC has 6 volunteer Coordinators leading projects. Doug Dunbar, Jon Courtney, Jamie Peloquin & Leslie Manning. Whitney Parrish, and Cheryl Mills. Special appreciation to them for their dedication to the work.
MPAC - Recognition and special appreciation to volunteers Adriane Herman, Olivia Hochstadt, Lani Graham, Isabelle H., Marion Anderson, Daria Cullen: Janet Drew for their volunteer work and commitment to the cause.
Our Mission is to support and advocate for Maine’s incarcerated citizens, their families and friends.
Our Purpose is to reduce Maine’s use of incarceration by advocating for a legal system that is ethical, humane and restorative.
Our Vision is of a justice system that is restorative. It supports humanity in every person, and reflects and creates transformation and accountability.
MPAC Staff and Volunteer Coordinators meet as regularly as a full team to update on our projects and programming. We resolve tensions and barriers that arise in the work.
MPAC staff members are in regular communications with incarcerated residents and formerly incarcerated individuals via written correspondence, phone, text, and email.
MPAC staff meet regularly in-person with incarcerated residents at MSP, Bolduc, MCC, SMWRC.
MPAC has created new structures to implement organizational strategy to build our capacity.
MPAC Development Structure - meets regularly to collaborate on grants and other fundraising activities.
MPAC Foundation Strategy - regular meetings to plan, implement and debrief grant writing activities.
MPAC Administrative Assistant Joelle Jackson picks up the mail, responds and directs incoming correspondence to staff. This role new accountabilities are to receive and respond to advocacy requests from website contacts.
Website Management- creating a structure to manage Squarespace. Possible re-design of the webpage? Update content and external messaging.
MPAC- created a ways of working committee to evaluate our HR policies. Focus on job descriptions, roles and accountabilities.
MPAC - held its 3rd annual board and staff retreat! The retreat included a workshop by Elise Derosa to support those in roles of donor engagement.
On-going: Advocacy, correspondence, and Direct Dialogue.
MPAC Strategy Meeting - was canceled in favor of the board / staff retreat and workshop.
MPAC -Jan continues to lead the Legislative Strategy Weekly Meeting every Tuesday at 6pm. The group is focus has shifted to strategy for 2024 legislative session.
MPAC - is a member of a Coalition table and meets Thursday mornings with other organizations to work in partnership on legislative efforts.
MPRN - four week training for reentry coaches in the fall. Hybrid.
Name change to MERN - Maine Reentry Network.
MPAC - Our work on legislative Advocacy and strategy involves in-depth engagement with incarcerated residents.
MPAC - meets regularly with the Maine Department of Corrections. Our dialogue embodies aspects of policy and practice reviews and other barriers and issues raised by incarcerated individuals, their families or our partners!
MCC Female Longtimers - Meet with MPAC the first Monday of each month. Cheryl and Leslie facilitate in-person monthly meetings with the women.
MCC Reentry Center- MPAC Coordinator Wendy Allen, Linda Dolloff, and Brandon Brown are approved to go into the Reentry facility.
MPAC- relations with MDOC continue to be strong. Favorable outcomes on many requests.
Penobscot county jail - jails disciplinary practices are all over the place. MPAC is working in the legislature to address this issue.
Longcreek - MPAC Coordinators are meeting with youth individually and in groups. We have expanded our programming by facilitating circles for committed and detained youth. We are working in partnership with USM and Opportunity Scholars to increase access to higher education for youth. Our Coordinators are working with 17 youth that have transferred to the community. We offer mentoring and leadership development. Our community meetings often include food.
Projects
MPAC - 5 formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry received mutual aid this month.
MPAC - Book Project. Jon Courtney leading! Oversees books requested by Maine Prisons and Jails.
MPAC Film Series- Jon Courtney leads this project.
MSP-NAACP - some activities have been curtailed, reentry work, unable to access a printer … Lifers have been misinformed they do not qualify for Pell Grants.
VERA Panel Discussion- Linda took psrt in the discussion. She made contacts with the Department of Justice.
MSP - MPAC is partnering with the Maine Humanities Council to hold art workshops.
MSP - Gallery Exhibit Project - There are three exhibits planned
Watts Hall in Thomaston. Opening Night July 21 2023.
University of Maine Farmington, Emery Arts. Opening Reception: Thursday, October 5th, 5-7pm.
L/A Arts Gallery, Lisbon St, Lewiston. Opening tbd!
Inside Vision Exhibit - great opening for the art exhibit. Great performances by Jake Weiss and Brandon. The fantastic poetry was displayed with the art. Some Attendees expressed interest in volunteering. Appreciation to MPAC Volunteer Olivia Hochstadt for helping make this project a reality.
MDOC- Art based film series also approved. Film series tentatively scheduled 2 Mondays a month.
MCC Reentry Center- many medical complaints have been resolved. Residents are in direct dialogue with decision makers. Medical problems persist.
Reentry House - progress had slowed. In the process of signing an agreement for a building on 61 Winthrop Street in Augusta.
Freedom And Captivity - pilot workshops coming to a close at the end of the month. Facilitator training of residents has been approved by the MDOC.
Justice Radio - project is going well. Linda is doing an amazing job. Justice Radio is now on two stations. WMPG 90.9 1pm Sundays and WERU 89.9 5pm Thursday
Links to podcasts: https://www.wmpg.org/podcasts/justice-radio/
Facebook Justice Radio
Instagram Justice Radio
Behind the Door Podcast- MPAC Coordinator Brandon Brown and Jeremy Hiltz host. The cell door was donated by the MDOC and is the cell door that held Jeremy Hiltz and countless others. The Podcast is now on Apple Music, Spotify, and other social platforms. The podcast is being uploaded to residents within the MDOC. T-shirts are available with 50 percent of the proceeds going to MPAC.
MPAC Logo and short essay Contest- MPAC is holding a contest with incarcerated residents to create a logo and a short essay? The essay question is why are organizations like MPAC important to you? 250 dollars to the winner.
2023 Sustainer Learning Circle - MPAC is part of the cohort this year! MPAC ED, and Board member Craig Williams are attending meetings.
Communications:
MPAC's brochures. MPAC Brochure
MPAC - planning a quarterly newsletter. Template created, worked on content aspect.
MPAC- implementation of a external messaging structure to manage our website.
Public outreach
Opioid Summit - Peter attended … an accomplishment that it was even happening
USM interview Juneteenth event (Cuba) for university radio.
RACE Commission - held a community conversation in Lewiston. MPAC Coordinator Antonio Jackson attended.
Legislative:
Among the many legislative disappointments we had this year, We have had a couple of wins.
The legislature passed a bill that strengthened Jail and Prison Boards of Visitors.
It renewed the sentencing study commission.
It allocated funding to the Department of Health and Human Services to apply for a federal waiver to allow medicaid to cover prison and jail medical costs for eligible residents of jails and prisons at least 30 days prior to release. We are hoping expanded Medicare coverage will increase the chances that residents will receive adequate medical care as it relieves some of the financial burden on counties.
The Violence in Prisons and Jails study bill did not receive funding, but it is not dead. There is a chance that it will be funded in 2024.
The fall we will discuss future initiatives, building on the achievements of this session, supporting carry over bills regarding reentry and drug decriminalization and others.
Strategic Partnerships:
Ongoing - MaineTransnet, GLADD, Portland Outright, MIO, MYJ, Maine Law School, Disability Rights, Maine Equal Justice, ACLU, Muskie, Recovery Connections, Recovery Housing, REST Center, Roses Room, Bates College, JJAG, Women’s League of Voters, MPRN, MPDA, MSP-NAACP, Colby College, Bates College, UMA, RJIM, Maine Immigrants, Maine Family Planning, Maine Humanities Council, Consumer Council of Maine, Maine Council of Churches
New Partners - Pubic Health Committee for Maine Medical Association, Knox-Waldo Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women. No Penobscot County Jail Expansion , ME-RAP, Southern Maine SURJ(Standing Up for Racial Justice), Amistad, Maine CDC, Vera Institute,FAMM, NRCAT, Unlock the Box, Curative, Augusta Recovery Center, Reform Alliance, College Guild, Project Home, Third Place.
