Studer Community Institute

Activist icon Angela Davis partners with Open Books to help prisoners

March 3, 2015
/ Joe Vinson
/ community-dashboard

Angela Davis, the feminist writer and professor known for her civil rights activism and political imprisonment, will be the keynote speaker at this month’s Women’s Studies Conference at the University of West Florida on March 16. The conference, sponsored by the UWF Women’s and Gender Studies Program, is now in its 14th year. This year’s conference was organized by the Women’s Studies Collective, a student-run organization dedicated to the promotion of women’s and gender studies at UWF. “The exposure of students to a diversity of ideas spanning the political spectrum is what the university is really all about,” said Dr. Katherine Romack, newly appointed coordinator of the Women's and Gender Studies Program. “It is my hope that we can continue to bring in interesting, thought-provoking and nationally visible feminist scholars — such as Dr. Davis — each and every year.” Conference co-organizers Taylor Willbanks and Becca Namniek shared that enthusiasm. “Pensacola has a history of supporting Dr. Davis, and our student body could not be more delighted to hear her speak at our conference this month,” they said. “We feel that, considering the extent of her contributions to both feminist and cultural theories, Dr. Davis will inspire and enlighten students who are invested in effecting positive social changes on campus.” In advance of the conference, Davis has partnered with Open Books to raise money for the Prison Book Project. Open Books is a nonprofit bookstore that operates out of the Longhollow Neighborhood Community Center at 1040 N. Guillemard St. The store uses its proceeds and other donations to fund the Prison Book Project, which sends free books to indigent prisoners to improve their lives and provide educational resources during their imprisonment. Studies have shown that prisoners who have access to these resources have improved job prospects after their release, which in turn reduces recidivism. Now celebrating its 15th year of operation, the Prison Book Project sends about 6,000 books to prisoners annually. When WSC contacted Open Books about raising money to help secure Davis as keynote speaker, the organization wanted to help. “Angela Davis has been a strong advocate for the imprisoned for most of her adult life, and we very much wanted to support her visit to Pensacola,” said Scott Satterwhite, an organizer with the Prison Book Project. “However, we could not justify taking our limited funds and using that money, which otherwise goes to pay to send books to prisoners, to help pay Angela Davis's honorarium, no matter how much we support her work.” They asked Davis if they could instead raise money for the Prison Book Project in her name, to be applied to her honorarium. “Not surprisingly, she agreed,” said Satterwhite. As a result, Open Books has launched a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $2,000. All of the funds raised will be applied to the cost of buying and shipping books to prisoners. When prisoners receive their book packages, they will also see a card that says, “The cost of mailing this package of books was donated by Dr. Angela Davis.” “From our perspective, everyone wins,” said Satterwhite. “Angela Davis is so generous to help us with this project. We really cannot thank her and the Women's Studies Collective enough this opportunity.” Visit the "Prison Books Angela Davis Fund" at GoFundMe.com to make a donation. The 14 Annual Women’s Studies Conference will be held from 8am to 7pm on Monday, March 16 at the UWF Conference Center. The conference is free and open to the public but registration is mandatory and seating is limited. Those interested in attending the conference should register online or email [email protected]. Dr. Davis will also address the larger Pensacola community in a second talk at Pensacola State College on March 17, at 6pm in the Hagler Auditorium of Pensacola State College’s main campus.

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Activist icon Angela Davis partners with Open Books to help prisoners

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