Important Legal Victory Won By Prisons Foundation

[Courtesy of the Prisons Foundation] Last fall, the Prisons Foundation attempted to do outreach work and raise funds on the streets of Washington by showing and selling prison art and other items related to our work. We were stopped by the police who said we needed a vendor's license to continue. We contested this and spoke to the local ACLU who agreed to handle the matter. The ACLU contacted the law firm of Reed Smith who provided two outstanding attorneys to represent us, Michael Raibman and Cassia M. McCamon. This week the city issued a notice giving us permission to do what we set out to do, specifying that no permit is required (permits are expensive and difficult to obtain). The city acknowledged that we are protected in our work by the First Amendment and city statute. Please take the time to read the city's notice at the end of this email, since it is a victory for all of us. Also, if you are in downtown Washington on Tuesday morning (and any day thereafter, weather permitting), please stop by our street exhibit at the corner of K Street and Connecticut Ave. (Washington's busiest intersection). Not only will we have for display and sale many items from our Prison Art Gallery (just two blocks away), but we will have free literature from the more than 25 justice advocacy organizations that participated in our Taste of Justice Fair last September. Mark your calendar for the next Justice Sunday on April 29 at 2pm for live music (including a song about the Attica massacre from Don Zientara's new CD, which he will perform) and featured speaker Phillip Fornaci, director of D.C. Prisoners' Project of the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. Mr. Fornaci will answer your questions about the rights of DC prisoners and what is being done by him and his top-notch legal team to fully secure those rights. You won't want to miss this event if you have a loved one in jail or prison, or care about the men and women there. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES We are seeking volunteers in Washington, DC who are available to help respond to prisoner letters, prepare prison art for display, and greet visitors at the Prison Art Gallery. We have volunteer opportunities on Thursday evenings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Have fun while making a difference in the lives of incarcerated men and women across America. Please call Carolyn 202-544-3819. NOTICE from the Metropolitan Police Department and the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Re: The Prisons Foundation & First Amendment Activities To Whom It May Concern: The purpose of this notice is to inform Members of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Vending Enforcement Unit of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs of the government of the District of Columbia that Mr. Dennis Sobin, when engaged in the specific activities described below, is engaging in protected First Amendment activities on the sidewalks of the District of Columbia pursuant to provisions of the First Amendment Rights and Police Standards Act of 2004, D.C. Law 15-352, effective April 13, 2005 (D.C. Official Code § 5-331.01, et seq. (2001)) (the “Act”). As a result, no enforcement action should be taken against him, or against any other representatives of the Prisons Foundation, while engaged in these protected activities for “Selling Goods without a Vendor’s License” pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 47-2834, 24 DCMR §502. The Prisons Foundation is a nonprofit corporation organized for educational and charitable purposes that advocates the reform of prisons, with a focus on allowing prisoners to participate in the arts. For purposes of this notice, the protected activities include the distribution and/or sale of a newsletter or other printed materials related to the dissemination of the Prison Foundation’s message, the discussion of prison reform with passers-by, and the display or sale of items related to the organization’s message on a table that does not obstruct the safety and free passage of pedestrians, including books relating to prison reform, prisoner music CDs and prints of artwork by prisoners. The protection afforded by this notice is intended to be coextensive with the protection afforded to participants in First Amendment assemblies under the Act and First Amendment activities generally under the Constitution, including any subsequent modifications or amendments to the Act or its implementing regulations that become effective after the date of this notice. Should any Members of the Metropolitan Police Department or Vending Enforcement Unit of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs need further assistance concerning this matter, please telephone Terrence D. Ryan, General Counsel, Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-4129, or Jill A. Stern, General Counsel, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs at 202-442-8404. Luncsford Prison Art Gallery 1600 K Street NW Suite 501 Washington, DC Hours are Mon. to Fri. 9:30AM to 5:30PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 12:30 to 5:30 PM (also evenings by appointment) To the left is one of many prison art prints that you can purchase at our Saturday-Sunday sale at a special discount. They come from talented men and women in prison from across America. Located three blocks from the White House, the Prison Art Gallery is served by two Metro stations (Farragut North on the Red Line, and Farragut West on the Orange and Blue Lines). Note that the entrance is on 16th Street, at the corner of K Street. Open Mon to Fri, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 12:30 to 5:30 PM (also open evenings by appointment - groups welcome - admission is always free)