We understand that this is a continuation of struggles that have been going on much longer than Free Alabama Movement has been in existence.”

These recordings were made by co-founders of Free Alabama Movement while in solitary confinement. They were played over loudspeakers at various stops during the prison strike solidarity march in Oakland, Calif., on September 10, 2016.

We always keep the same thing in mind: that Attica was one prison, and the spirit in the demonstration that took place in Attica prison, it changed the entire country.”

Transcript:

Hey what’s up Oakland, all the people out there around the country, this is Bennu Hannibal for Free Alabama Movement, also known as Melvin Ray. We’re down here organizing in the south, glad to be a part of this national demonstration. We understand that this is a continuation of struggles that have been going on much longer than Free Alabama Movement has been in existence. So we ain’t taking no credit for nothing, we’re just assuming our responsibility in the struggle. And we’re glad that so many other people have embraced this nationwide call for a work strike, and we appreciate all the help from all the great people around the country.

Down here in Alabama, you know, we’ve been up against a lot of repression. They’ve been moving several of us around, solitary confinement, moving us from block to block, all different types of things, you know. They put a few of us on isolation where we’re not allowed to access anyone. But you know it has not killed the spirit of what we’re doing. We always keep the same thing in mind: that Attica was one prison, and the spirit in the demonstration that took place in Attica prison, it changed the entire country. So we understand that it doesn’t have to be in Alabama, it doesn’t have to be in Texas, it doesn’t have to be in Florida. It can be at any one prison around the country where the demonstration and the spirit is strong enough to carry the rest of the people. This is what we’re going to do once here we get these issues resolved, alter the 13^th Amendment, prison slavery, mass incarceration as a whole, whatever you want to call it. We’re in this fight until the end.