Out the system
Welcome to the Out The System Advocacy Council.
We are a group of moms and aunties that are ready to stand up for our sons and nephews and cousins in our communities, ages 18 to 35, who have found themselves in the system. "The system" refers to poverty court issues like lapsed car insurance and subsequent fines or recreational drug use, or being in the wrong place with the wrong ones at the wrong time. Regardless of the origin story, once our young men find themselves in the system, they are vulnerable to homelessness, unemployment, and behavioral health issues. What's worse is they are in this position often without resources or access to getting back on track. That includes the sons and nephews we incubated into the proverbial womb of church, community, and public school supports. We are not asking for legal favors or special treatment. We ARE asking for fairness and access and a way OUT of this system or cycle. All it takes is one slip or life event and he will be tracked for life. There are two major goals of this of this grassroots group:
1. To help young men that have landed in the system, whether by accident or poor decisions, to create a blueprint of getting and staying out of the system.
2. To really OUT the system. By that we mean shedding a light on what happens to our young men every day in and out of the courts and county jail as well as the realities young black men are facing in Washtenaw County and across Michigan.
VISION AND MISSION
VisionTo connect young black men with resources and shame-free guidance back into positive networks and communityMissionMy world was turned upside down last December when my son was served a warrant, picked up, and then held on $500,000 cash bail. After 10 months, five judges, and many delays... we are still awaiting a pretrial for him to prove his innocence. During this time he has lost his home, housing benefits, and in danger of losing other resources we helped him put in place over the last nine years. This group was born out of equal parts frustration and hope for Marc and others who are in similar situations with little to no oversight on how they are being treated. has assembled to advocate for my son, Marc, and his treatment since becoming an inmate at the Lenawee County Jail. While he sits bound by an archaic cash bail system, he is losing access to key opportunities that we have worked so hard for him to access over the past nine years.In the meantime, I have renewed my commitment to push for a fairer system in Michigan. I have supported the work of Michigan Liberation, and am a member of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (ICPJ), MI Join Together and Protectors of Equality in Government (PEG).
How this all came about
Our first task is personal. After nearly nine years of clumsily bumping into support and resources for my son Marc's mental and behavioral health, me and my mom were finally able to connect him to responsive health care and advocacy, dental care, housing, and other benefits to help him in his journey.This group has centered our story in love, hope, and solutions. Outside of our individual skills, degrees, and resources, these nine women bring almost 200 years of experience as mamas and aunties. We are ready.Our Family's Story
I cannot tell all Marc's story because it is not my life or testimony. However, I can share our experience as a family attempting to support him. We have had a challenging health and behavior journey over the last 10 years. After a relatively normal childhood raised with family and a loving community that I helped to bring together, Marc began exhibiting major mood and behavioral swings in middle school.After a tumultuous journey and a dangerous psychotic break in 2017, I found help for him through local health systems. The relief would be short-lived, however, because the next hurdle would be for him to accept his diagnosis, differences, and stay committed to his health regimen. In November, 2019, I received a call from St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. A staff member asked me if I was related to Marc. I said, "yes, that's my son." My son had checked himself into the emergency room for multiple wounds after being brutally beaten and then accidentally breaking his hand through some glass. They were going to release him, since they had treated his physical issues, even though he was exhibiting major mental health issues and needed security to corner his room. When I arrived, I could tell he was ill. I tried to get them to keep him for a mental evaluation, but the area social worker and doctor on staff sat me in a room and said that they felt was he was dealing with was more "criminal" than medical and there was nothing that they could do. Then the social worker told me that if he kept it up he would end up in jail anyway and that "jail really has all the resources. A year in jail could do wonders for someone like him." Then the doctor said "we wish we could help" before leaning over and telling me "Mom, you're doing a good job" while patting my knee. We didn't even make it to the car before he created a scene and refused to go home with me.The more I have listened and read stories from families over the years, I have come to realize that our story is not unique nor is it connected to race or class. The only difference is access.However, his treatment in the jail and how he is losing access to his life as he knew it IS connected to race and class.Each day, I rise and set with more questions than I had the previous day. I am raising a first grader, working, and I always find reasons to hope and smile...but this whole ordeal feels like a large boulder anchoring my spirit. I have been extremely hesitant on saying anything publicly but I am tired of me and other family members of incarcerated peoples being bullied and silenced while trying to live and advocate for their loved ones.I endeavor to shed light on these issues more intentionally and find ways to support the families of incarcerated persons through this process.The system seems to be designed to break the spirit of the inmate. In the course of breaking men, it is also breaking many innocent hearts on the outside. Any support you give is a push for hope and a fairer world.
Contact
If you would like to know more about the cause, either now or in the future, please contact us.