The Feminist on Cellblock Y Documentary Film Screening and Fundraiser

Join SURJ Bay Area’s Queer and Trans Committee for a film screening of The Feminist on Cellblock Y, a documentary about the transformative work of Initiate Justice co-founder Richie Reseda, who built a feminist movement from behind bars at an all-male prison in Soledad, California.

The Feminist on Cellblock Y tells the story of IJ’s program Success Stories which connects the personal stories of men caught in the prison system to the larger ideas of toxic masculinity and patriarchal expectations of society. Through personal sharing and feminist theory, participants are given tools to end cycles of violence and harm they are caught in and move towards their goals. Initiate Justice’s mission is to end mass incarceration by activating the power of the people it directly impacts. They organize their members, both inside and outside of prisons, to advocate for their freedom and change the criminal justice policy in California.   We’ll also be focusing on and amplifying Initiate Justice’s call to support Prop 17, which is on the California ballot this November and would return the vote to over 50,000 people on parole from a felony in the state.  
You can watch the trailer to The Feminist on Cellblock Y here. And learn more about Prop 17 on the FreetheVote website.
This virtual event is free to attend, and we will also be fundraising for Initiate Justice! If you can’t make the film but wish to support Initiate Justice’s efforts, you can donate on their website.
About event hosts: SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice). Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability. SURJ supports Initiate Justice in their work to end mass incarceration in California and implement just reforms, uplifting the insights of people who have been directly impacted by the current system, who know where it fails and what they need to be safe and treated fairly. Initiate Justice is 100% led by people directly impacted by incarceration.
Access Considerations:
This film screening will be hosted over zoom. As well as verbal communication, we will use the chat. There will be closed captioning during the film and depending on capacity, during the whole event. This screening will be offered only in English; we have not yet built capacity for translation to other languages. There will be a 5-10 min break halfway through the film. Please contact us at: queertrans@surjbayarea.org if your access needs are not currently being met in this event. We are learning in this emergent time to engage with zoom and welcome your feedback and requests.
Please RSVP here to receive the Zoom link. Hope to see you on Wednesday October 21st for our film screening of The Feminist on Cellblock Y.