By Hassan Shabazz, Augusta Correctional Center
The League of Direct Action is an alliance which evolved out of a congruous relationship between organizations founded by prisoners who are residents in the Augusta Pre-Reentry Self-Governing Community to address deficiencies in our communities. With a focus on the issues of literacy/education, physical & mental healthcare, poverty, and prison & criminal justice reform, "Kids Doin' Bids," "Healing Hearts," "Trillionaire Academy," and "Virginia Prisoner of Conscience (VAPOC)" have come together in a conglomerate effort to link with other organizations to serve the community through creative direct action by providing grassroots solutions to problems which have largely gone unaddressed thereby fostering positive change where there once was none.
Our first project is called "Read to L.E.A.D." L.E.A.D. is an acronym that stands for Learn, Explore, Advance and Discovery. The "Read to L.E.A.D." initiative was founded upon the principle of promoting literacy in the communities of those who have been disproportionately affected by the social ills of mass incarceration and poverty. This literacy program will provide free books to the children that they can check out and then return to their local recreation center. After writing a short essay about the book that they have read they will receive a raffle ticket. Raffles will be done at a certain time of the month for prizes and this will provide an incentive for their participation.
This inaugural event has been organized in historic Jackson Ward at the Calhoun Center on August. We will be providing free food and beverages as well as fun and games for the children, information from various organizations and voter registration for parents, and an opportunity to form grassroots alliances.
This is is just the first event to be sponsored by the LDA but not the last as we are determined to travel to every region of the Commonwealth to galvanize the people towards making changes in their communities.
We are inviting all organizations that are about the work of direct action to join the league and come out to participate in this event. For more information on LDA organizations please go to:
Facebook: "Virginia Prison Justice Network" "Kids Doin' Bids" "Healing Hearts Incorporated"