A letter to the editor from Virgil Hawks, incarcerated at Red Onion, regarding the very difficult conditions there.
The Virginia Defender
Established in 2005 as The Richmond Defender, The Virginia Defender is a free community newspaper, published quarterly for the Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality. Print distribution is currently 12,000 and statewide. The online publication launched in Summer 2020.
A message to our incarcerated sisters & brothers regarding legal help
We always look forward to hearing from our sisters and brothers in Virginia’s prisons, jails and detention centers. But we don’t have attorneys, we’re not paralegals and we’re not able to provide legal advice. Here are some organizations that may be able to help with legal matters.
In Our Opinion: And then they came…
Reflections on Martin Niemöller’s famous poem and the vital importance of solidarity.
At Red Onion: The struggle continues
Last October, long-time prisoner-activist Kevin “Rashid” Johnson broke the story that men held at the notorious Red Onion Supermax prison in southwestern Virginia were setting themselves on fire in a desperate attempt to get transferred out of that hellhole.
Mali, Niger & Burkina Faso
Between 2022 and 2024, three West African nations, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, finally broke military and economic ties with their former colonial power, France. They now work with their neighbors to address security concerns on their borders and northern areas.
International solidarity with Cuba
The Defenders attended the 2025 International U.S.-Cuba Normalization Conference held March 15–16 in New York City.
Art as Resistance: Solidarity with Palestine
More than 100 people turned out Nov. 29 at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture for an evening of art held in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.
The Virginia Defender 