ISSUE ONE
FALL 2020
R&R:
RECOVERY & RESILIENCE
Social Distancing!
By Donnell “Saadiq” Palmer
“Parent’s Oversized Shoes” by Ishaq Adekunle
The first time I heard that phrase, I wondered how it would look in a prison setting. This was in late January or early February when things were still in question — when the faces on the screen were making assumptions and bold predictions. Some real, some fake, the President of the United States was talking out of his ass, as usual. People were getting colds, catching the flu, and experiencing viral infections. At least, at this time, that’s what we thought it was.
As February quickly came to an end, things began to rapidly change in this country and around the world. What was initially thought of as something we could easily explain away, became unexplainable. Fingers started being pointed as deaths began to rise, “The Russians did it!” No, “It came from China,” the President Chump declared!!! What was once being brushed off as a 24-hour virus or a new strain of the flu, became more than just your average common cold.
By early March, “wash your hands” and “use hand sanitizer” became a rallying cry. As we watched all of this unfold on TV, the internet, and in publications, little did we know so many had already suffered and some even perished from what they thought was a virus or a cold. As the infection numbers began to rise in society, in prisons across America the numbers increased as well. By the end of March, the protocol was:
“Wash your hands.”
“Use hand sanitizer.”
“Wear as mask!”
“Wear gloves.”
“Social distance, stay at least 6 feet apart…”
“What! At least 6 feet apart? How?”
I’ve been incarcerated for 25 unfortunate years, and outside of occupying a single man cell, it is virtually impossible to social distance in prison! IMPOSSIBLE! White-cloth washable masks were given to us. The Governor of Pennsylvania put the Department of Corrections’ entire prison system on a modified lock down in late March. All contact with anyone other than staff was nonexistent.
For the first week, we were locked down while they figured out what to do next. Then came the death of Rudolph Sutton. K-taan is what we called him. He passed away in early April, one of the first reported coronavirus-related deaths in the PA DOC. We immediately began to get our temperatures checked twice a day. The only time we could come out the cell was for virtual visits for the first week, then for 40 minutes a day.
I will never forget, going around to collect commissary order slips on March 29th. A guy named Mel was lying in the bed with his mask on. I thought that was peculiar, especially since his celly wasn’t wearing one. The next day I asked him, “What was that about?” He said his “celly stinked.” I said, “Well what did you do before we got the mask?”
On April 4th, Mel was taken off the block with a 104-degree temperature and later tested positive. However, his celly never showed any symptoms or signs of infection. Imagine that, Mel sitting in there masked up and he’s the one who’s sick and his celly never caught anything. Mel was the only positive case on my block.
Although, the DOC took early precautionary measures to keep everyone as safe from infection as possible, there were at least 50-plus inmates and 80-plus staff who tested positive. The problem is, as the months rolled on and we had the chance to see people from other blocks, I learned that there were far more people infected than we were told. These men were sick back in late December, early January, February, and March. They all thought they had the flu or a virus. Right 2 Redemption members, Vern And Lil Charlie, told me how they were sick for days in the cell. Tarik and Karl told me how one week, Karl was sick and the next week Tarik was sick. All with the same stories. I believe I had a mild case of coronavirus at the end of January or beginning of February when I was infected with a crazy ass cough for two weeks. The last couple of days, some weird-colored phlegm started coming out. So many of us could have perished if it wasn’t for the fact that many of the brothers I know who were infected and never reported were in good physical shape, which may have contributed to their survival.
As April came to an end and we moved into the month of May, more stories of infection began to come to light throughout the country and the world. So many women and men incarcerated across this nation were contracting this plague, dying from this thing called COVID-19.
Dying in Illinois.
Dying in Georgia.
Dying in Louisiana.
Dying in Pennsylvania.
Why? Because it is impossible to effectively social distance in prison unless you are in a cell by yourself.
Yes, they’ve released thousands across the country, reducing the population in order to limit the amount of incarcerated men and women affected by the plague. They are non-violent offenders and parole violators. But what about the men and women serving Death by Incarceration sentences? Those with 20 years served and no longer pose a threat to society because most are nonviolent offenders, too! Yes, a person convicted of murder and serving a life sentence can be considered a nonviolent offender, or in my opinion, they should be.
In order to effectively protect everyone, we must give everyone incarcerated a chance to be released, especially in these unprecedented times. The more released, the easier it will be to social distance in the prison system. Single cells, one-man cells, will save lives! Or, just do away with prisons altogether, but we all know that isn’t gonna happen! You have people out there running around recklessly, increasing their chances of infecting others, especially the elderly and vulnerable. We, too, have the same issues. The one difference? We are expected to social distance while confined to cells no bigger than your average bathroom.
Donnell “Saadiq” Palmer
Ishaq Adekunle
Ishaq Adekunle is a Writer and photographer who lives in the outskirt of Ibadan, Nigeria.
He is trying to learn about the state of well being and reasoning among the African children and to lend a louder voice.
To this effect, he has learnt to tell their stories in his poetries and photographs which some has appeared on EyeEm photography NYC, New Creatives Horizon, GetlitNaija, and elsewhere. You can contact Ishaq Adekunle on +2348137396919 or reach him on Twitter.
About This Photograph:
In picture : Khadija, Salma
Photo Title : “Parent’s oversized shoes”
Location : Orita Challenge, Old Lagos Road, Ibadan.
Date of creation : 9th July, 2020.
This portrait is intended to illustrate the courage and no willingness to allow the depressing thought of being “orphans” deprive them of life and happiness, portraying the eagerness and readiness to prevent a call to blurry vision, obscure thinking, strains and overburdened mindset that later negates their optimism for Life and mostly leads to self suicide.
