Valentines from VINE: Addresses of Prisoners

We’ve encouraged you to write to vegan prisoners on Valentine’s Day. We’ve given instructions for formatting letters and tips on what to write. Now, all that remains is to introduce you to some prisoners to whom you might write. (You’ll find links to lists of other prisoners at the bottom of this post.)

Marie Mason

Marie Mason is serving the longest sentence (almost 22 years) of any Green Scare prisoner.  Even though no person was injured in the acts of property destruction to which she admitted as part of her plea agreement, this sentence is similar in length to that given to killers. (Equivalent, but non-political, property damage would typically result in a much lower sentence.) Marie has just turned 51 and is a mother of two. In addition to environmental activism, she was also active in the labor movement.

Address:

Marie Mason #04672-061
FMC Carswell
Federal Medical Center
P.O. Box 27137
Fort Worth, TX 76127

For more information: supportmariemason.org

Manuel Salas

Manuel Salas is a 25 year-old vegan animal rights activist who is imprisoned for acts unrelated to his activism. In prison, he has had to fight for vegan food and has suffered penalties as a result of that activism. From behind bars, he has started the National Animal Rights and Anarchist Network (NARAN) and also has been active in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS.

Address:

Manuel C. Salas #504212
Columbia Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 900
Portage, WI 53901

For more information: supportmanuel.com

Matthew Duran

According to the Support Grand Jury Resisters website, Matthew Duran “is a 24 year old Chicano anarchist currently being held in FDC SeaTac for refusing to testify at a Grand Jury investigating anarchists in the Pacific Northwest. Matt has worked on various projects, mostly around supporting survivors and popular education. He has given numerous free workshops on computer maintenance, positive masculinity, and feminism. Matt also helped start and participated in a feminist support group for people wanting to deconstruct masculinity. Matt spends most of his time working on computers, reading science fiction, riding his bike, working out, and making vegan food with his loved ones.” He has had to struggle for vegan food in prison.

Address:

Matthew Kyle Duran #42565-086
FDC SeaTac
P.O. Box 13900
Seattle, WA 98198

For more information: supportresist.net

Eric McDavid

As stated by his support website, “Eric McDavid is a political prisoner, currently serving a 20 year sentence in federal prison for ‘thought crime.’ He was arrested in January 2006 (as part of the government’s ongoing ‘Green Scare’ campaign against environmental and animal rights activists) after being targeted by an undercover informant who formulated a crime and entrapped Eric in it.” In a recent letter from prison, he wrote, “w/N this cultural climate the Path is not easy or simple by any means – making it all the more important 2 find those unique, ever changing, beautiful & sustainable ways 2 aid & nurture each other.”

Address:

Eric McDavid 16209-097
FCI Terminal Island
Federal Correctional Institution
PO Box 3007
San Pedro, CA 90731

For more information: supporteric.org

You can find addresses for other prisoners here (eco prisoners), here (AR prisoners), and here (right-hand sidebar has list of all known political prisoners in the USA).

Please review our instructions and tips for writing letters before beginning to write. If you will be writing at a coffee shop or somewhere else without a computer or internet access, we have made this handout for you to print. It has the information above on one side and our instructions and tips on the other.

And, Happy Valentines… from VINE!