My name is Susan Thorton-Zetino, as an educator in the San Diego community, I have seen cuts to education at all levels. From academic and vocational classes at our community colleges and adult schools, cuts in programs in our elementary school districts, community centers closing, and hours of operation at our local libraries being reduced. I have seen the lack of investment in our our communities and in education and the continued prioritization towards prisons and jails. 
I am now working with a broad group of advocates, educators, and community members to stop the building of thousands of new prison beds at Donovan State Prison in Chula Vista. This prison construction proposal will cost the state $810 million to construction and millions more to operate. It needs to stop and we need you to help us continue the fight.
Today, I want to share with you a few upcoming opportunities so you can join the fight here in San Diego.
Here are 4 things you can do to help stop prison & jail expansion:
1. Come learn more about the fight against prison expansion in San Diego!
Thursday, October 17th from 6:30pm-8pm. If you are interested in attending please contact Diana@curbprisonspending.org.
2. RSVP for our “How to Fight a Jail in Your Town” Webinar
Tuesday, October 15th at 12:00pm (PST).
Join CURB & Nation Inside for a special webinar on fighting jail expansion in your community. Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB) has created a resource guide “How to stop a jail in your town,” for local organizing against jail expansion.
The interactive webinar will cover local organizing techniques through case studies that focus on environmental strategies, community alternatives, and will specifically look at the impact of jail expansion on women. Join experts from across the country as we share experiences, lessons learned, and hear your stories about this issue.
3. Sign our “Statewide Petition against Prison and Jail Expansion”
Help us reach our goal of getting 200 people from San Diego to sign this petition.
4. Attend the Prison Nation: Posters on the Prison Industrial Complex
Exhibition date and location at UCSD coming soon. Contact info@curbprisonspending.org for more details.
Public safety is created by having people’s basic needs met and giving them opportunities to be successful and thrive, not by locking them up. These issues not only plague San Diego, there are troubling expansion projects throughout our state. Please share this message with friends, family and organizations and help us build an even larger voice of opposition to prison and jail expansion throughout the San Diego area.
In solidarity,
Susan Thornton-Zetino
A New PATH, Families to Amend California’s Three Strikes and member of Californians United for a Responsible Budget
