Hosted by California Coalition for Women Prisoners, Young Women’s Freedom Center, and Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition
Please take action: Staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at both CCWF & CIW. We need you to call/email to demand officials #LetThemGo and #SaveLives before it’s too late.

Staff at California’s two targets women’s prisons, Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) and California Institution for Women (CIW) have tested positive for COVID-19. CDCR’s Response to this escalating situation has been inadequate and disorganized, producing reasonable panic among incarcerated people. Releasing medically vulnerable people to save lives and to reduce overcrowding is the most effective solution. Additional protective actions are urgently needed to prevent another prison health catastrophe. The conditions in these prisons are life-threatening.

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URGENT ACTION for COVID-19 Prevention at Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) & California Institution for Women (CIW)
Monday, April 6th from 9:00-5:00PM

Here’s how it works:

• As soon as possible, post the graphics below on all social media platforms (organizations & individuals) — Twitter, Facebook, Instagram using the hashtags #LetThemGo, #SaveLives
• All day April 6th, from 9:00am-5:00pm — call & email all three targets using the script provided and ask your networks to do the same

Contacts: 

• J. Clark Kelso, Federal Medical Receiver
  • (916) 739-7000
  • ckelso@pacific.edu
• Ralph Diaz, Secretary for CDCR
  • (916) 324-7308 — press 4 and leave message for Ralph Diaz
  • ralph.diaz@cdcr.ca.gov
• Diana Toche, Undersecretary – Health Care Services
  • diana.toche@cdcr.ca.gov

Copy & paste this script and email to each official:

To Whom It May Concern:

I am reaching out with grave concern for people incarcerated at CCWF & CIW women’s prisons. At least one staff member at both prisons has tested positive for COVID-19. To prevent an uncontrollable outbreak, CDCR must immediately provide unrestricted access to cleaning and disinfecting supplies, follow the Center for Disease Control’s recommendations, and take protective steps to save lives as outlined by the California Coalition for Women Prisoners, the Young Women’s Freedom Center, and Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Most importantly, CDCR must immediately release all elderly and medically high-risk people. We cannot protect public health without protecting all incarcerated people.

I strongly support the following demands:

1. Release all elderly (50+) and medically high-risk people.
2. Immediately and freely distribute non-diluted cleaning and disinfecting supplies.
3. Permit incarcerated people to wear cloth or other masks at all times & mandate the use of personal protective equipment for incarcerated and non-incarcerated medical workers.
4. Immediately end staff movement between prisons, such as between CIW & CIM and CCWF & VSP.
5. CDCR must ensure that incarcerated people & the public have rapid access to information as pandemic conditions continue to change.
6. Ensure continued access to medication & all healthcare services, telephone, JPay, and mail. During a lockdown, extend WiFi access and provide personal tablets & cellphones to all people.

CDCR’s response to this escalating situation has been inadequate and disorganized, producing reasonable panic among incarcerated people. The conditions in these prisons are life-threatening and we are counting on you to prevent this public health nightmare from escalating further. Releasing medically vulnerable people is necessary to save lives, in addition to taking immediate protective actions to prevent another prison health catastrophe. This is a matter of life and death for thousands of people and demands swift action.

Thank you.

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Please reach out with questions and to let us know what response you received: info@womenprisoners.org