The Campaign to End the Death Penalty’s 12th Annual Convention
Texas Abolition Weekend!
November 2-4 in Austin, Texas
Register now at nodeathpenalty.org
Once again this November, the Campaign to End the Death Penalty is headed straight to the belly of the beast – Texas – for a weekend of struggle and organizing!
This year’s convention will take place the same weekend as the 13th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty – an event that will be at the heart of the weekend on Saturday November 3, at 2PM at the Texas State Capitol.
And of course, we will be taking the time to talk about questions on how to build a movement that combats racism in the criminal justice system, supports resistance behind bars, aims to end mass incarceration and harsh punishment and makes the death penalty history.
Our convention is always a place for family members of prisoners, former prisoners, and activists to gather, share our stories and experiences, and strategize next steps forward for our organization and the cases we work on.
We hope you will join us November 2-4 in Austin, Texas for our 12th annual national convention!
REGISTRATION:
This year’s registration includes a special Saturday morning breakfast. Regular registration is $40 including the dinner, and $20 for family members, former prisoners and students. There will be a Friday evening event which is free to all convention attendees and others. Register now for the convention!
Or you can mail in your registration to: CEDP, P.O. Box 25730, Chicago, IL 60647, and make your check out to the CEDP.
BOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOM
We have reserved a block of rooms at the Clarion Inn at a special rate of $113.85 (includes tax). To make reservations, call 800-434-7378 and mention the Campaign to End the Death Penalty. The hotel offers a free breakfast and is within walking distance of the convention site.
Check out the Clarion website to view pictures or get more information.
For a map of the hotel and convention site click here.
CONVENTION SITE: VENTANA DEL SOUL
The Campaign to End the Death Penalty is excited to be hosting our annual convention in Austin at Ventana Del Soul. Ventana is a charitable organization that provides food service and culinary arts training to young people and adults who are undermployed – with a emphasis on reentry support for the formerly incarcerated.
The Ventana Del Soul facility hosts a kitchen and café that is open daily, as well as catering services. The folks working at the venue are part of Ventana’s various training programs, often through scholarships provided by the organization.
No outside food and drinks should be brought into Ventana Del Soul.
This is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with a charitable mission the meshes nicely with the CEDP’s commitment to fighting against the injustices in the system. We should do whatever we can over the weekend to talk with and support the folks at Ventana Del Soul.
For more information check out Ventana’s website.
DONATE TO THE COSTELLA CANNON FUND
Every year, because of contributions like yours, we are able to fly family members and former prisoners to this annual gathering where they are able to participate, speak, share their story their pain and their hope. The fund is named after Costella Cannon, our dear friend and a fellow Campaigner who died in 2003. Her son was wrongfully incarcerated and a victim of torture and died while incarcerated.
The voices of family members and former prisoners are so important to the movement for justice. Politicians want us to think that the men and women behind bars are monsters. We know that this is not true. Family members and former prisoners put a human face on the criminal justice system. Their contributions to the movement are invaluable. As Lawrence Foster, grandfather of former death row prisoner Kenneth Foster once said, convention is a place where activists become family members and family members become activists.
Please donate what you are able to make sure that we have funds to get these important voices to our convention. We are so grateful for any support folks can give. Make a donation online here.
Checks made out to the CEDP can be mailed to P.O. Box 25730 Chicago, IL 60625
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Featured Speakers will include:
FORMER PRISONERS:
Lawrence Hayes – Former New York death row prisoner
Mark Clements – Former Illinois juvenile life without parole prisoner and police torture victim
Darby Tillis – Former death row prisoner in Illinois
*Also invited to call in from prison are California death row prisoner Kevin Cooper
FAMILY MEMBERS:
Sandra Reed – mother of Texas death row prisoner Rodney Reed
Jack Bryson – Whose son was on the platform with Oscar Grant when Oscar was shot and killed by Oakland transit police
Barbara Lewis – Mother of Delaware death row prisoner Robert Gattis
Delia Perez Meyer – Sister of Texas death row prisoner Louis Castro Perez
Terri Been – Sister of Texas death row prisoner Jeff Wood who was convicted under the Texas Law of Parties
Jeannine Scott – Wife of Michael Scott who was freed in the Yogurt Shop case in Austin, Texas
Derrel Myers – a member of Murder Victims Families for Human Rights and a long-time civil rights and antiwar activist
Lawrence Foster, Sr. – Grandfather of former Texas death row prisoner Kenneth Foster, Jr. whose sentence was commuted to life in 2007
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Among the sessions:
The shameful record of the Texas death penalty: From Shaka Sankofa to Rodney Reed
Abolition breakfast: Why we march!
One struggle: The Campaign to End the Death Penalty and the new movement for racial justice.
Our vision for winning abolition: How we fight matters!
Register now for the convention!