We Do This ‘Til We Free Us

Comprehension

Before applying Kaba’s concepts in your abolitionist organizing or further researching prison abolition, you must ensure you understand some key concepts. Take the following questions and answer them in your own words and to your understanding. Come up with examples or case studies from your own life or in the media to ground the information you’ve learned. To double-check your work, you may visit the summary sections that address the question.

• What is the purpose of prisons and jails as they currently operate?*

• What role does hope play in the abolitionist movement? What does Kaba mean when she says “hope isn’t an emotion”? 

• What is the problem with calling the prison and policing systems “broken?” 

• What does Kaba mean when she says Black women have “no selves to protect”?

• What is the STPP? What tools are used to uphold this pipeline? 

• What are some abolitionist organizational practices? 

• What did the package passed by Chicago City Council for the Burge victims include? Why is this an example of victim focused justice?

• What is the difference between transformative justice and restorative justice?*

• What is the difference between an activist and an organizer?* 

• What constitutes a “criminalized survivor”? 

*Some of the above questions are from a study guide written by Rachael Zafer with Haymarket Books. Access her study guide here under “Reading & Discussion Guide for We Do This ‘Til We Free Us.”