b'POLITICSNAACP SaysBlack Women are Yes on Propsthe Fastest Growing 125 & 126 Prison Populationwith Joyce ArnoldNAACP Rocky Mountain Area "P risondoesn\'tloveyou,\'\'says Joyce Arnold, "Nobody in Prison loves you. Once you get behind those T heRockyMountainStatebars, you are on your own." Statistics ConferenceoftheNationalshowthatAfricanAmericanwomen Association for the Advancement ofare the fastest growing group of those Colored People (NAACP) endorsedbeing incarcerated. Here is the story of Propositions125and126,pro- one who has been there. posed constitutional amendmentsJoyce Arnold spent ten years in the that would permit the sale of winefederal penal system for possession of ingrocerystoresandsupporta firearm. She was pulled over by the Coloradoslocalbusinessesandpolice while driving her son\'s car, and deliveryworkersbyallowingthethey found a firearm in the car. The third-partydeliveryofalcoholiccar was paid for by and registered in beverages.her mother\'s name. The gun had the Creatingthisopportunityforfingerprints of three people, and Joyce local business owners would gen- refused to say to whom it belonged, so erateeconomicbenefitsforcom- she was charged, even though the gunJoyce Arnoldmunities across the state. Ordershad not been used in any crime.with alcohol are of higher value onPortia Prescott Shehadapreviousfelonyofpos- vyou, And if you are a black woman, average than orders without it.session of a controlled substance, thetoo, she says you can just forget about That means Prop 126 would openresultofdrugsbeingdeliveredtoait! You are really at the mercy of your relativeatherhouse,duringastingemployer. newopportunitiesforincreaseders. Many merchants and deliveryoperationin1995.Shereceiveda revenueforlocalbusinessesandworkersinColoradocomefromsix-yearcommunityservicesentence,So,howdidJoyceovercomethose higher earnings potential for work- communitiesofcolor,andPropandlaterwenttotheDepartmentofobstacles,Shesaid"Withalotof 126wouldprovidethemwithCorrections for a violation.prayer.Godhasreallybeengood greateropportunitiestoincreaseto me and He has opened up a lot of their earning potential.On the gun charge, they wanted todoors for me. I knew from the begin-plea bargain a 15 - year sentence, Ifning of my sentence that it was all for Prop 126 ensures that third-par- she took the case to trial, they said shenaught. Prop 126 ensuresty alcohol delivery, already in placewould face 42 years to life.Joyce wasIt was hard, but I endured it, by the inmorethan30states,wouldsentenced to ten years. that third-partybedoneforthesafetyofcon- She served one year in Colorado atgraceofGod.NowIspendmydays sumers and communities. Deliverythinkingabouthowwecanmake theWomen\'sCenter.Shewasdiag- thesituationbetterforfelons,andI alcohol delivery,platformswouldbestrictlyregu- nosed with a thyroid disease, and herthink it should be a part of the Equal latedbytheLiquorEnforcementdoctor decided to do radiation therapyOpportunityProgram,thatitshould already in placeDivision(LED)andrequiredtowhileshewasinGeorgetown,await- be mandatory that large corporations certify drivers with alcohol deliveryingtransfertoafederalprisoninhave to hire a certain number of fel-in more than 30education that meets LEDs stan- California.Instead,theysenthertoons."dards.CompanieswouldalsobetheTexasWomen\'sFederalMedical states, would berequiredtoverifycustomeriden- Center,wherehermedicalconditionJoycecontinued"Ihaveseengirls tificationbeforeanydeliverycanwas not treated.coming into the prison system at the age of 16 with 20 to 30 year sentences. done for the safetybecompletedtoensurealcoholAftertwoyears,shebeganhemor- Theyenduphavinghysterectomies, deliveries are only made to adultsrhaging,andinsteadoftreatingherand getting raped by the guards, while of consumers21 or over.disease, they gave her a hysterectomy,theotherguardswatchoutforeach Portia Prescott, president of thewhich she said is common, especiallyother instead of protecting the them.and communities.NAACP Rocky Mountain State Areawith black women.Some of the girls have gotten infect-Conference,said,Ourdecision Delivery platformstoendorseProps125and126Joyce says,"When you are in the sys- ed with HIV by the prison guards, or inColoradowasonewherewetem you do have rights, however, youimpregnated,andtheyaresoangry have to learn about them by chance. would be strictlybalancedthedesiretoimproveI was a fighter, so I wrote grievances,thattheyhavetospendtherestof ouraccesstoeconomicimprove- theirlifeinprison,theyengagein even up to Washington, D.C. however,hoosexual activities and get abused in regulated by thement with our moral obligation toin some ways that worked against me,those situations too. support our community. We wantasIexperiencedretaliationfromthe Liquor EnforcementtoprovideallColoradansequalofficers, medical staff and administra- Theyarejustlookingforlove,but opportunitytogrowandprospertion."they won\'t find it. Prison doesn\'t love Division (LED) andwhile ensuring that our communi- Trying to assimilate into society asyou. Nobody in prison loves you. Once ties are not harmed.you get behind those bars you are on a felon, Joyce has found that it is dif-required to certifyThese proposals, with their built- ficult to get a job. She says if you doyour own.""Please,younggirls, in safety objectives, would advanceget a minimal job, and live in a halfwayJoycepleads, drivers with alcoholthatgoal.Prescottadded,Ourhouse,manyoftheemployerstakerealize education is a beautiful thing. businessesarestillreboundingadvantage of the fact that you have toIncreaseyourknowledge,andtryto delivery educationfromthetollCOVID-19tookonkeep a job in order to not break yourget your own business."the economy, and we believe thisparoleandreturntoprisontofinish that meets LEDswillprovidethemtheboosttheyout all of your sentences. Today,morethan10years needwhileensuringstrictsafetyafterthisarticlewaswritten, standards. enforcement. Many times the women will give in toblack woman are still the fast-continued sexual harassment in orderestgrowingprisonpopulation to keep their jobs. In addition to that,in America. They are still being if your job application shows a felony,mistreated.Wemustfightfor andonlyaGED(nocollegedegree)change!youalreadyhavetwostrikesagainst 20 NOVEMBER 2022 BOCNEWS.com'