The Winter/Spring 2025 edition of The Virginia Defender was published March 26, 2025.
Winter/Spring 2025 Issue
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.
From life in prison to commutation
An editorial by conscious prisoner Uhuru Rowe, regarding his thoughts on what led to the commutation of his life sentence in 2022.
And mental health
A letter to the editor from Shaka Shakur, incarcerated at Buckingham, regarding mental health in the prison system.
Spotlight on Virginia’s Conscious Prisoners
While supporting all prisoners, the Defenders try to pay special attention to politically conscious prisoners. Here are four comrades who, at great personal risk, speak out strongly about social justice issues and so help others open their eyes to the true nature of the society we live in, whether inside or outside the walls.
Letters to the Editor: Wants to help
A letter to the editor from Madeline Ivey, a Richmond resident moved to help by accounts of the crisis at Red Onion.
Look out VADOC, here comes UPROAR
Last December, prisoner-activist Kevin “Rashid” Johnson put out a call “to create a prisoner support network composed of people who genuinely care about prisoners and the conditions we live under and abuses we suffer, namely our loved ones.”
Letters to the Editor: ‘So saddened by seeing others so beat down.’
A letter to the editor from Virgil Hawks, incarcerated at Red Onion, regarding the very difficult conditions there.
The Virginia Defender 