UPDATE on the San Quentin rebrand:

Last week, our incredible CURB community stood up at the Public Works Hearing, the body tasked with green-lighting the funds to take down building 38 at San Quentin State Prison.

Thanks to your efforts, we flooded the board with 500 letters advocating against the misuse of funds for San Quentin. Our organizers brought in testimony directly from people incarcerated at San Quentin demanding a wiser use of funds.

BIG NEWS - the initial $360 million budget for construction was slashed by ⅓ to $240 million, as recommended by the San Quentin Advisory Council. This spending cut reflects the power of our collective voice and commitment to justice.

Despite our pushback, the Public Works Board acted as a rubber stamp for the Newsom Administration and moved forward with the funding for demolition. This decision highlights the limited chances for community input but remember – it’s vital we monitor and challenge this project and others like it, which would cost taxpayers more than $20 billion if expanded to every open prison! 

Check out this clip where Timothy Peoples, an organizer in San Quentin, sheds light on why we stand against the wasteful $240 million infrastructure spending. We are advocating instead for those funds to support reentry programs and the demands of currently incarcerated organizers like The People in Blue. Visit CURB's Instagram @curbprisons to hear the voices of more inside advocates. 

The battle for a California that prioritizes its people over prison expansion is far from over. Stay engaged for updates and actions.