Each spring, EBC’s Stamps Campaign reminds us that maintaining connections and building community across walls drives our collective work toward liberation. Beyond a symbol of the generosity of those inside, stamps symbolize hope, resilience, and mutual care. Stamps amplify the voices, struggles, and humanity of those incarcerated, fostering connection and visibility to the world.
When people inside are able to get their vision out, it gives our movement power — the power to advocate for change, demand justice, and uphold the dignity of every individual.
Stamps help carry vital resources like our Resentencing Toolkit and Racial Justice Act Implementation Guide into every prison across the state – resources that support people in leading their own journey to freedom. Stamps help folks inside maintain relationships with their loved ones back home. They are a way to send care to a loved one or share warmth with a grieving family member. Stamps can also spur new friendships and growth as folks mail letters back and forth.
Stamps fuel EBC’s Prison Mail program, which has grown from roughly 2,000 incarcerated individuals in 2020 to now over 10,000 people inside. Our quarterly Mail Nights become a fertile ground for people on both sides of the wall to learn from each other as EBC volunteers dedicate their time to support our incarcerated community.
Every year as we prepare for Ella Baker Center’s Stamps Campaign, we connect with incarcerated comrades who have donated stamps to EBC asking, “What does a stamp mean to you?” Every year there is an outpouring of responses that leaves us with chills.
Last year, Gary G wrote to us and shared what donating a stamp means to him:
Stamps connect loved ones to one another, they connect resources to those that need them, and in Gary’s case, they are a connection to comrades they have never met and a way to help others in their journey. And they come at a cost. The time, energy, and money invested in the stamps and the letters and resources their letters carry is a heavy burden for loved ones inside and out. It makes a gift like Gary’s so much more meaningful.
Now and always, we must move with strength together in community. Will you support EBC with a gift today?