CADBI WEST CELBRATES ITS THIRD ANNIVERSARY TODAY!!!!
Let’s make it a day of action: Write, e-mail or call the governor to ask him to sign the commutations for those who were just commuted. WE WANT THEM HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!!
CADBI West Newsletter
We are looking for newsletter submissions and will be publishing soon. If you have something to submit, send it to our e-mail address at cadbiwest@gmail.com and our editing staff will consider it if we have space left. Once the newsletter is finalized, it will be accessible on this website.
CADBI West Meeting Schedule
ZOOM Meeting Dates and I.D. Info:
October 7, 2020
November 4, 2020
December 9, 2020
January 13, 2021
February 10, 2021
All meetings are at 6:30 – 8:30.
ZOOM I.D. Is: 86577592981
From Prison to Freedom
This Saturday members of the Coalition to Abolish Death by 
Incarceration-West are hosting a break out session at this years Summit for Racial Justice.
Saturday January 26th
at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
616 N Highland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Breakout session: 1 (10:25 am – 11:25 am)
Room: Long 204 (capacity 48)
From Prison to Freedom:
Building Pathways Home
The Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration (CADBI-West) invites you to join us in a workshop/skill share in supporting people transitioning home from prison. Topics covered include navigating homeplans, commutation applications, support letters, housing and employment on release. CADBI-West is comprised of returning citizens, family members of people in prison and community advocates.
There will be a brief panel then small group discussions to delve deeper into different areas of interest.
Carol Speaks – CADBI-West’s newly appointed community organizer shares overview of the work of Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration –
contact: ms.c.speaks[at]gmail.com
Alan Lewandowski – CABDI-West shares reflections on PA’s commutation process, one of the only pathways for peoples sentenced to death by incarceration to come home.
contact: alanlewandowski67[at]gmail.com
etta cetera Let’s Get Free shares tips on writing letters of support before people return home and help with commutation applications.
contact: letsgetfreepa[at]gmail.com
Ricky Olds from The Real Deal shares insights of returning home after 37 years.
Contact: ricky.olds[at]acd.ccac.edu Available for speaking engagements. Learn more about Ricky here.
Ronna Davis founder of Za’kiyah House – a recovery house for returning citizens in Homewood. contact: zakiyahhouse [at]gmail.com Facebook @ZakiyahHouse
Rachelle Quinn – Employment Specialist with East Side Neighborhood Employment Center: 412-362-8580 rachelle[at]enecpittsburgh.com
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CADBI-West is the Western PA arm of the Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration. Our founding meeting was September 25 of 2017. The founding organizations are Fight for Lifers West, The Abolitionist Law Center, Let’s Get Free, HRC-Fedup and POORLAW.
Rally for SB942 at Juneteenth Parade
Folks from CADBI-West will be participating in the Juneteenth parade and uplifting Senate Bill 942 alongside Senator Street, one of the bill’s cosponsors. Senate Bill 942 is an important piece of legislation that has the ability to end the life without parole sentence in Pennsylvania. Join CADBI – West at the Juneteenth Parade in Pittsburgh to raise awareness of and build support for this bill!
When: Saturday June 23rd, starts at 10:00 am
Where: The parade begins at Freedom Corner (Crawford Ave & Centre Ave), and will end at Point State Park.
Who, what, and why: CADBI – West will be at Senator Street’s tent in Point State Park. There will be an open mic there where families of incarcerated people can share their stories, and we will be raising awareness about SB942, HB135 and Death by Incarceration in Pennsylvania.
Video of Panel with Paulette Carrington, Sharif Boyd and Troy David
The Struggle to End Death by Incarceration This panel discussion took place on January 20, 2018 at the Summit Against Racism in Pittsburgh, PA. Tiffany Sizemore and Yusef Jones facilitated the afternoon, highlighting the stories of Sharif Boyd, Paulette Carrington and Troy David. All of whom have been released from prison within the last year […]
Join us for a Panel Discussion & Meet and Greet with 3 Returning Citizens
We are so excited to bring Paulette Carrington, Sharif Boyd and Troy David to Pittsburgh!! All three have been released from life sentences in the past year.
Join us Saturday January 20th, 2018
12:45pm – 2:15pm
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N. Highland, East Liberty
Room 204 in the Long Hall
Make sure to get the group rate by listing CADBI when you register. Pay what you can. Sliding Scale ($10 suggested)
The Struggle to End Death by Incarceration in PA
Over 5,300 Pennsylvanians are sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, otherwise known as death-by-incarceration (DBI). DBI sentences deny the basic humanity of those serving this sentence, permanently exclude people from their families and communities, exacerbate the trauma and effects of violence, and impact communities of color even more disproportionately than other aspects of the criminal legal system. This panel will consist of three formerly incarcerated people who were released in the last year. They have collectively served 106 years in prison. We will focus on the need to end DBI sentences, the panelists experiences serving DBI sentences and transitioning back to life outside of prison, as well as experiences with the criminal legal system.
Panelists: Paulette Carrington sentenced to DBI at 16, served 40 years, Troy David sentenced to DBI at 17, served 33 years, Sharif Boyd sentenced to DBI at 16, served 36 years.
Facilitators: Yusef Jones and Tiffany Sizemore Thompson Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration (CADBI-West)
Sunday January 21 – 1 – 3pm Meet & Greet at the Thelma Lovette YMCA in the Hill 2114 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Join us for casual conversation, connecting and breaking bread. Come meet Paulette, Troy, Sharif and the newly formed Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration
Let’s Build! There will be light food and refreshments.
