about.

Welcome to the Breaking Point Project (BPP)! Whether you are intimately familiar with the connection between Disability Justice and the rights of incarcerated people, or this is your first introduction to the topic, we are delighted to share this project with you.

 

BPP developed from our personal interests in disability justice and prison abolition, conversations with abolitionist attorneys and advocates, and the practically non-existent medical care within carceral systems across the country – which gained some acknowledgment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prisons and jails are intentionally shrouded in secrecy, and we envision this project as part of countless efforts to bring those secrets to light and hopefully create meaningful change. As two Disabled recent law school graduates, we find ourselves uniquely positioned to have these conversations by drawing on both our legal and personal backgrounds. For us, the personal is very much political.

 

This website contains disabled folks’ stories about their experiences with incarceration, particularly in light of their disability or chronic illness. These stories are either written by the individual and submitted to us as-is or written by us in collaboration with the individual after an interview — whatever feels more comfortable to the storyteller. We then reach out to disabled, neurodivergent, and/or chronically ill artists to collaborate with us on this project by bringing the narratives to life through visual media. 

 

You will no doubt notice that in these narratives, we have not included the individuals’ names, the medications they take, the location of the jail, and other potentially identifying information. We made this decision in conjunction with the interviewees to protect their privacy and shield them from potential retaliation by jail staff. 

 

We are continuously grateful to everyone who chooses to share this story with us. Further, we cannot thank the artists enough for being not only willing but excited to contribute their time and talents to this project. Please take some time to read through the experiences of those we interviewed, learn more about the artists who generously contributed to this project at the bottom of each narrative, and share these stories with others. 

 

Change can only happen if each of us educates ourselves and those around us about the inhumane treatment of incarcerated people – including those who are disabled or chronically ill – and commits to doing something about it. Here are some action items to get you started:

 

1. Donate. Nearly three-quarters of people in jail are being held pretrial; consider donating to a local bail fund to help get folks home as soon as possible. 

2. Learn. Check out Abolition and Disability Justice to learn more about how carceral systems, from jails to mental health facilities to policing, subject disabled people to violence and strip them of their agency. You can also browse our news page for current stories and action items.

3. Take Action. Support movements to pass important local legislation, like the Human Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act in New York. You can find more information on your state legislature here; then, call your legislators and urge them to support bills that advocate for the welfare of incarcerated people or create opportunities for decarceration.

 

Change requires those in positions of relative privilege to leverage their power in support of our collective community. Disability justice and abolition are inextricably intertwined. Donate, learn, and take action in furtherance of this common goal.