i want to share something that happened today at a march i attended.

we often stop at a downtown detention center. narrow slit windows we can’t see through. always, people inside knock on the windows and wave laser pointers in solidarity.

today, i saw a white laser in a window, blinking and shaking. i raised my fist and watched them. i wanted them to know i saw them.

so i started copying what the laser did. when it shook back + forth in that narrow space, i shook my fist. when it went up i raised my arm higher. when it lowered i did the same. when it blinked i opened and closed my fist.

at a certain point, i was sure they saw me. so i moved first. i raised my fist high, and the light moved up. i shook back and forth. they did too. we were playing.

i made a heart sign with my hands. the light moved in a looping way. it took me a moment to realize that they were drawing a heart.

we played and communicated like this for 15 minutes. my arms hurt but i kept the fist up. shouted as loud as i could when we chanted “FREE THEM ALL”. it was hard to leave when the march moved on.

play is so important. we can all do it. even if we don’t know each other, can’t see each other, if all we have is a tiny light. play and send love and see each other.

free them all. we need each other.

donate

philadelphia bail fund https://www.phillybailfund.org/ 
philadelphia community bail fund @Phillybailout https://www.phillybailout.com/ 

this story means take action today to end prisons, not feel good about this and do nothing. fyi.