The problems here in the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) are endemic to a failing system. The fight for the human rights of the Latino/Indigenous prisoners here in the MDOC is far from over. The system refuses to recognize any Indigenous tribe from any Spanish speaking country as being Indigenous peoples, or the descendants of Indigenous peoples of this hemisphere. They have gone so far as to criminalize our native spirituality and culture.
Latinos who have reclaimed our Indigenous birthright are being labeled gang members and placed on Security Threat Group (STG) status. These blatantly racist measures include: labeling such cultural terms as "Viva la Raza," "Aztlan," and "La Lucha" as gang terminology, placing prisoners in high and maximum security prisons, denying parole, restricting family visits, and many other non-rehabilitative measures.
Even such obviously Indigenous tribes as the Azteca, Maya, Taino, and Inca are categorized as STGs and stigmatized as gangs. Therefore, any MDOC prisoner of so-called Latino heritage is a gang member according to the MDOC. What's more, any such prisoner caught showing an interest in his/her heritage, or caught with books, magazines or internet material pertaining to his/her Indigenous heritage is place on STG status. Such is the case with two of my comrades.
Both of these Chicano prisoners were placed on STG status for studying the ways of their Mexican ancestors, and teaching those same ways to younger Chicano prisoners. It is because of the work of brothers like these, who have a true heart for the people, that the gangbanging and infighting between Latinos here in prison has come fully to a halt. We now stand united as "a people." Because of the work of brothers like these we also stand united with out "Northern Brothers" (the tribes from what is now the so- called "USA"), and we take a step closer to Tecumseh's vision.
A clear message needs to be sent to the MDOC prison administration. This racist categorizing of Indigenous Tribes as gangs, the oppression of Indigenous Prisoners for practicing their native spiritual ways will not be tolerated! Not now, not ever!
I must ask for your help. I am asking that you join the struggle to force the MDOC to: 1) remove our Chicano comrades from STG status; 2) recognize all Indigenous Tribes of Central and South America as being the Indigenous peoples of these lands, with Native American spiritual beliefs; 3) issue a public apology for classifying Taino, Mexica/Aztec, Maya, and Inca prisoners as STG members for practicing their traditional spiritual ways; 4) remove the names Boricua, Taino, Mexica/Aztec, Maya and Inca from the list of STG labels, and various phrases in Spanish such as "Aztlan," "Viva la Raza," "La Causa," and "La Lucha" as STG terminology.
Please send your letters of outrage to the MDOC Director:
Director Patricia Caruso
206 E. Michigan Ave Grandview Plaza
P.O. Box 30003
Lansing, MI 48909
You can also send email from www.michigan.gov/corrections/ or call Director Overton at 517-373-0720.
Divide and conquer is one of their most ugly stratagems, and we cannot allow it to continue. So I make the call once again to bring the system to its knees with a fist full of stamps!
--a Michigan prisoner, June 2003
MIM adds: Send us a copy of your letter or email to Director Caruso and we will print it here in Under Lock & Key.