The League of Direct Action: Old Problems, New Solutions

Originally published in the Autumn 2019 edition of the Virginia Defender, issue 60, printed October 28. Reproduced here for accessibility and archival purposes. To find other stories in the Autumn 2019 issue or to download the full PDF, see this post. For the full web catalog, see our Full Issues page.

By Hassan Shabazz

The League of Direct Action is an alliance which evolved out of a congruous relationship between organizations founded by prisoners who are residents in the Augusta Pre-Reentry Self-Governing Community to address deficiencies in our communities.

With a focus on the issues of literacy/ education, physical and mental health care, poverty and prison and criminal justice reform, “Kids Doin’ Bids,” “Healing Hearts,” “Trillionaire Academy” and “Virginia Prisoner of Conscience” (VAPOC) have come together in a conglomerative effort to link with other organizations to serve the community through creative direct action by providing grassroots solutions to problems which have largely gone unaddressed, thereby fostering positive change where there once was none.

The first project to be spearheaded by LDA is called “Read to L.E.A.D.” L.E.A.D. is an acronym that stands for Learn, Explore, Advance and Discovery.

The “Read to L.E.A.D.” initiative was founded upon the principle of promoting literacy in the communities of those who have been disproportionately affected by the social ills of mass incarceration and poverty.

This literacy program will provide free books to children that they can check out and then return to their local community recreation center. After writing a short essay about the book that they have read, they will receive a raffle ticket. Raffles will be done at a certain time of the month for prizes and this will provide an incentive for their participation in the “Read to L.E.A.D.” program.

As a part of this mission, leading up to the “Read to Lead” launch the LDA will be at the “Harvest Fest” October 31, 2019 in Richmond, VA, 900 Decatur St. We will be there to show community support, introduce ourselves and distribute books to the children as a precursor to our own event.

We are inviting all organizations that are about the work of direct action to join the league and come out to participate in this event. If you are a vender, tables are $25. If you are a nonprofit, tables are free.

If interested contact: Shabe Scott at 804- 629-0746.

The LDA is also a part of the “Virginia Prison Justice Network” (VAPJN)

For more information on LDA organizations and updates for the date and time of events, please go to Facebook:

Virginia Prison Justice Network

Kids Doin’ Bids

Trillionaire Academy

Healing Hearts Incorporated and the websites:

vapjn.wordpress.com

thevapoc.wixsite.com