Did you know the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to seek $80 million in state funding to expand the James L. Musick jail between Irvine and Lake Forest? My name is Jennifer Alvarez and I am a senior at the University of California Irvine, studying Public Health Science with a focus on the health disparities of youth in low income communities.
I have lived in Orange County my entire life and have seen the changes throughout different growing communities with new shopping centers replacing the family-owned businesses, budget cuts to schools needing the most resources, and the increase of police brutality and harassment in schools and in communities of color. It is important to me to stop the jail expansion here is Orange County (as well as across the state), because we cannot continue to take away from the youth that need books, after school programs and sports in their schools to keep them motivated.
The Sheriff’s expansion plan would add over 384 new cages to our jail. Irvine Mayor Steven Choi told supervisors that he and his City Council colleagues are “troubled” by the expansion plans. Help us organize today!
Here are 3 things you can do to help stop jail expansion:
1. Come to our community meeting!
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 Orange County to sign this petition.
Education NOT incarceration! We must build stronger communities NOT jails!
As a community member of Orange County, I look forward to fighting for a stronger community and a future with no more jails and detention centers!
Please share this email with friends, family and organizations and help us build an even larger voice of opposition to prison and jail expansion throughout the Orange County.
Ya basta,
Jennifer Alvarez
UC Irvine Student, Community Organizer and member of Californians United for a Responsible Budget
