By Bronx Anti-War Coalition
August 21, 2025

The following statement was issued by the Bronx Anti-War Coalition on Aug. 8, 2025, in recognition of Black August. The letter-writing campaign events took place on Aug. 14 in Franz Sigel Park in the Bronx, New York, and Another World in Brooklyn, New York. Go to bronxantiwar.org.

What is a political prisoner?

Political prisoners are people jailed on charges related to their resistance to oppression, targeted by the state for their political beliefs and/or actions. They are not imprisoned for actual crimes, but for challenging a system built on invalid, racist laws designed to silence revolutionary efforts.

The importance of letter writing

Letter writing matters because it ensures our comrades are not forgotten. Movement work must stay connected with incarcerated folk who have been at the forefront of every struggle. While infographics raise awareness, a handwritten letter or message makes an immeasurable difference. By writing, we defy the state’s goal of making revolutionaries disappear. Every letter is a tangible act of resistance — a declaration that the movement will always be with our comrades, whether they are behind bars or on the frontlines of the revolution.

Our incarcerated comrades

Kamau Sadiki
Kamau Sadiki is a Muslim, a loving father of two daughters, a grandfather of five and a veteran of the Black Panther Party. Joining the Party at the age of 16 in Queens, New York, he dedicated his life to his community before being arrested on trumped-up charges. Now serving life plus 10 years, Kamau endures severe prison medical neglect. Every letter we write is a reminder that his struggle is not forgotten.

Rodney Hinton Jr.
After the brutal killing of his young son Ryan — shot in the back by Cincinnati police — Rodney now faces charges for a response born of deep grief and rage. His continued incarceration, held without bail, exposes a system that silences dissent and punishes the very act of grieving.

Jaia Cruz
A trans woman of color from New York City, Jaia Cruz has long faced hate, violence and harassment. After a vicious beating on the streets and an altercation in a Harlem deli in January 2025 —during which she defended herself by stabbing her attacker — she now endures a 15-year sentence. Criminalized merely for protecting herself in broad daylight, her case is a powerful indictment of a system that devalues the lives of trans and Black people.

Elias Rodriguez
Elias Rodriguez’s targeted attack on two zionist diplomatic staff in May 2025 was a direct act of resistance against a zionist state perpetrating a genocidal campaign in Gaza. After nearly two years of relentless violence and legal repression, his act was a resounding declaration of “ENOUGH!” His struggle demands our international solidarity, challenging state violence both here at home and abroad. (needs information on charges, etc.  [Rodriguez has been indicted in a federal court in Washington, D.C. and faces severe punishment, including a possible death penalty sentence.]

Rev. Joy Powell
A dedicated pastor and community activist against police brutality, Rev. Joy Powell was warned by authorities that she was a target for speaking out against corruption. Convicted on charges of first-degree burglary and assault, she has now spent 16 years behind bars. Even in incarceration, her commitment to uplifting marginalized communities — especially incarcerated women — ignites hope and fuels our fight for justice.

Tarek Bazrouk
Tarek Bazrouk is a 20-year-old Palestinian student from New York City, targeted by the United States government for his activism. His family’s home was unjustly raided by the FBI in May 2025, and he was later arrested and denied bail on the absurd claim that he is a “danger to the community.” Now confined at the notorious and inhumane Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, his struggle is a stark reminder of the extreme measures used to silence dissent.

Jakhi McCray
Jakhi McCray is facing federal charges for allegedly setting fire to 10 police vehicles of the 83rd Precinct in Brooklyn in June 2025. He turned himself in on July 21, 2025, and was released the following day in a small but significant win for the movement. Now awaiting trial under house arrest, Jakhi’s case underscores the high stakes of resistance and the price many pay for challenging state power.