The Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign is calling for action during the week of February 10-16th to build support for the freedom of Marissa Alexander, an African American mother and survivor of domestic violence from Jacksonville, FL. Alexander is being prosecuted again for defending her life from her abusive estranged husband. In 2012, Alexander was denied a Stand Your Ground defense and sentenced to 20 years in prison, despite causing no injuries.
Supported by an international grassroots movement, Alexander won an appeal of her conviction last September and is currently under house detention until her new trial begins on March 31, 2014. The cost for her legal defense is expected to be over $250,000. February 10th is the third anniversary of the day Alexander entered prison. On February 14-16, thousands of activists around the world are expected to raise awareness about violence against women.
“It is critical that we keep the momentum of support and love going to free Marissa,” said Sumayya Coleman, a Free Marissa Now lead organizer. “Florida must hear from us that the world is watching this case, that women have the right to defend themselves from violence, and that black women’s lives matter.”
On Feb. 10, Free Marissa Now will launch the Free Marissa DJ project which invites supporters to dedicate a song to the mission of freeing Alexander, supporting survivors, and ending domestic violence and mass incarceration. To be a Free Marissa DJ, donate at http://igg.me/at/freemarissa2, then post a link to the music video, a quote from the song, or a video of you singing the song to facebook.com/FreeMarissaNow. More info about the week of action can be found at freemarissanow.org.
People all over the world are invited to take action to free Alexander on February 10-16. Campaign organizers urge supporters to continue to spark rallies and forums, fundraise for Alexander’s legal defense fund, send cards to Alexander and other survivors of violence who are isolated, create art that highlights the issues impacting Alexander’s case, and use social networking to help get the word out.
Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign is an international grassroots campaign led by a core of organizers representing the African American/Black Women’s Cultural Alliance, New Jim Crow Movement – Jacksonville, Radical Women, INCITE!, and the Pacific Northwest Alliance to Free Marissa Alexander.
For more information, see www.FreeMarissaNow.org.
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