A statement from our sister organization Sister Warriors.
While I was incarcerated at CCWF, the largest women’s prison in the world, I was a lead firefighter and engineer at Station 5, Madera County. I was good at my job and proud to serve during some of the most devastating fires in California. It is not the work that we object to but the indignity of forced labor that we are fighting to eradicate.
All workers must have dignity and the freedom to make decisions about their work. That is what Labor Day is about—the recognition of the profound contributions workers have made to our country’s strength and prosperity.
This November, we can do just that by correcting an injustice that has lingered in our constitution for far too long. By voting YES on Proposition 6, we can put California back on the right track and abolish slavery in all its forms, once and for all.
It’s The Right Thing to Do
Proposition 6 will amend the California Constitution by removing the slavery clause that currently allows involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime. This clause means that incarcerated people are forced to work and sometimes under unsafe and inhumane conditions. This is simply unacceptable in a state that prides itself on leading the way in social justice and human rights. Voting YES on Prop 6 is not just a moral imperative; it is the California way.
Our Freedom is at Stake
The essence of freedom lies in the ability to choose one’s own path, free from coercion and exploitation. By maintaining this clause in our constitution, we undermine the very foundations of freedom that our state—and our nation—stands for. Voting YES on Prop 6 is a necessary step to fix our constitution and abolish slavery forever. Our collective freedom and integrity depend on it.
We Must Say NO to Corporate Greed
Many incarcerated people in the United States produce everything from rice to soda, often for mere pennies an hour. Meanwhile, greedy corporations and their executives enrich themselves off this slave labor. By voting YES on Prop 6, we stand against these unethical practices and affirm that no one should profit from exploiting others.
As we head to the polls this November, let’s take a stand for incarcerated workers. Vote YES on Proposition 6 to ensure that our state constitution aligns with our values and our commitment to human rights. It’s time to abolish slavery once and for all and lead California to a brighter, more just future.
Thank you for your commitment to justice and equity.
In community,
Amika Mota, Executive Director, SWAF
About Sister Warriors Action Fund
The Sister Warriors Action Fund is a project of Tides Advocacy, and is led by systems-impacted and formerly or currently incarcerated women and trans people of all genders. Their work centers shifting power through organizing, advocacy, and policy and electoral work.
SWAF uplifts the leadership of those who have experienced and continue to experience the devastating and intergenerational effects of incarceration, poverty, and gender-based violence in the work to end the criminalization of our communities. This means that they are committed to ending the violence of the criminal legal system, as well as undoing the harms of foster care, welfare, and other institutions that participate in criminalizing and controlling us. The Sister Warriors Action Fund’s mission is to build a transformative movement that secures justice, opportunity, and self-determination for all.
Learn more about Sister Warriors Action Fund.