iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

#TDCJ & other state systems use digital mail policies to limit our efforts toward community across #prison walls. Read “Abandon All Connection, Ye Who Enter Here: Digitized Prison Mail as Repression & Surveillance” by Casper Cendre @scalawagmagazine.bsky.social scalawagmagazine.org/2026/08/aban...

scalawagmagazine.org

Abandon All Connection, Ye Who Enter Here: Digitized Prison Mail as Repression and Surveillance – Scalawag

Suddenly, prison mail is expensive, typed, mass-surveilled by private corporations, and held indefinitely by the carceral state.

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Abolition is more than advocacy. It’s more than fighting for policy changes and system upheavals. Abolition is connection, conviction, and living according to the unshakable belief that no one is disposable. (1/2) #Abolition #Letters4Liberation #PenPal #PenPals #PrisonPenPals #prison

A gold background with pale gold sparkles and a pale gold starburst in the center. Dark-green and white text reads “Over 1,700 people in prison are waiting to connect with an outside pen pal through Letters for Liberation.”

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

"The Warehouse showcases the #abolition futures being crafted from the inside as people resist through direct action and artistic expression. This book is designed to inform, enrage, and ultimately inspire the same radical hope propelling incarcerated underminers of the carceral state." #BookRecs 📚

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Perks of being a gardener: Welcoming the new neighbors and sharing the best spots to eat 🦋

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Today, for the first time in my life, I ate string cheese in bites instead of in strings. I have to say, I now understand the appeal.

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Get back to compassion this season by becoming a pen pal with Letters for Liberation! We’ve got three September orientations to get you started: 💌 Sat 9/12 @ 2pm ET / 1pm CT / 12pm MT / 11am PT 💌 Tue 9/15 @ 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 6pm MT / 5pm PT 💌 Sun 9/27 @ 6pm ET / 5pm CT / 4pm MT / 3pm PT 🔗 ⤵️

A dark green background with scattered gold, orange, and brown books faded across the. Gradient yellow and orange header text with white subhead text reads “September New Pen Pal Orientations." Three different textbook graphics of orange, brown, and pale green take up most of the frame, with text centered on each book cover that gives the date of an upcoming orientation: “Saturday, September 12 @ 2pm ET/11am PT. Tuesday, September 15 @ 8pm ET/5pm PT. Sunday, September 27 @ 6pm ET/3pm PT.“

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Study, fast, train, fight. The month is almost over, but we can carry the intention and discipline of Black August with us all year. Want to learn more about the origins of #BlackAugust? Check out the @pslnational.bsky.social piece titled “Study, fast, train, fight: The roots of Black August.”

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Karissa says picture books are art-for-everyone and I agree

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

The message at the beginning of this newsletter was one that I needed. Strongly encourage anyone who wants some hope to give it a read!

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Did you know sunflowers will swivel to face the sun as they grow? Seeking warmth and light is so natural, it goes beyond human instinct. When you join Letters for #Liberation, you can be a light in someone’s life and welcome their light into yours. 🔗 ⤵️

A dark green background with a golden light shining from the center. Gradient yellow and orange header text with white subhead text reads “August New Pen Pal Orientations." Three different sunflower graphics of various shades of orange and yellow take up most of the frame, with text centered on each sunflower that gives the date of an upcoming orientation: “Saturday, August 8 @ 2pm ET/11am PT. Tuesday, August 11 @ 8pm ET/5pm PT. Sunday, August 30 @ 6pm ET/3pm PT.“

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Reaching out to @schumer.senate.gov's office via contact form means 6 months later you'll get an email saying "Thank you for reaching out with your concerns! Here's a list of legislation I've introduced in the past that's sort of like what you were talking about. Anyway, we cool?"

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

the irony of AI companies getting mad when someone steals their shit

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

"Affirmations from the Universe and the Revolution from Within" will be my debut #poetry collection. You can find previews of its contents scattered across my page. #poems #poet #PoetSeeksAgent

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Why should you become a #PenPal with Letters for Liberation? Here are our top 5 reasons! Check out our upcoming orientation schedule (🔗 ⤵️) and commit to joining our pen pal collective!

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Last night I dreamed of a massive wolf that was at the top of a staircase in a wooded area. I needed something from up there, but I was afraid to risk it. I backed away to safety and the wolf didn't follow. 🧵

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

SNEAK PEEK 👀 Ever wonder what a #Letters4Liberation orientation entails? In just 60 minutes, you’ll learn how #abolition and #PenPal initiatives are related and get tips for starting a new friendship with someone inside the U.S. prison system. Within a few days, you’ll be matched with your pen pal!

A pale green background with text in various cut-out styles that reads “Letters for Liberation Orientation. Welcome!”

A pale green background with a collage of images, including unidentifiable book excerpts on ripped pages, blue waves, a yellow sun, and the cover of Angela Y. Davis’ book “Are Prisons Obsolete?” White text on a dark green square with scalloped edges reads: “Pen-paling & Abolition. Relationship is central to abolition. Abolition asserts the dignity & belonging of all people and refuses to throw anyone away. Pen-paling can lead to other resource sharing & redistribution.” Yellow text within the same dark green square reads: “‘What I love about abolition… is the idea that you imagine a world without prisons, and then you work to try to build that world.’ - James Forman, Jr.”

A pale green background with a collage of images, including a scrap of lined paper, a yellow striped polygon, and blue asterisk stars. The upper left corner has the word “WHY?” written in black-outlined bubble letters. Written in green bubble letters is the word “REFLECT.” A red scalloped rectangle contains the white text: “Why do you want to become a penpal?”

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

All it takes is an hour, and then you’re ready to meet your new #PenPal! Join an L4L orientation to learn about becoming a pen pal with someone on the inside. Over 1,500 people in U.S. #prisons are waiting to be matched with an outside pen pal, and every new commitment makes that waitlist shorter.

A dark green background with pale gold vertical wavy stripes. Gold and white header text reads “July New Pen Pal Orientations.” Three suns in varying shades of yellow and orange display green text: “Saturday, July 11, 2pm ET/11am PT.” “Tuesday, July 14, 8pm ET/5pm PT.” “Sunday, July 26, 6pm ET/3pm PT.”

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Qasim Rashid, Esq. @qasimrashid.com · 28/06/2026

BREAKING: UAW becomes largest Union to divest from Israel. UAW has long stood at the forefront of demanding justice, notably condemning Israel’s genocide on Gaza during the Biden administration. This is a huge step to force Israel to stop its apartheid & genocidal actions—all unions should follow.

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

"Assata" was poetry. "The New Jim Crow" is next on my list.

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

DID YOU KNOW? The current waitlist for people in #prison who write to us to be matched is over 3 years long! We want to connect these folks with a #PenPal much sooner than that — and to do that, we need folks on the outside!

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

"Every one of us deserves to get as much joy out of this brief life as possible." I met @andreagibson.bsky.social soon after they died. I had never known that I had always known them. They've changed my life, my poetry, and my remaining time on this plane. andreagibson.substack.com/p/commencement

andreagibson.substack.com

Unpublished Andrea Gibson Speech: Do Not Rule Out What Scares You

A commencement address from one of the proudest moments of Andrea’s life

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Jails and prisons are not an alternative to mental health care. Thank you to @prisonpolicy.org for compiling the research, and to all those who advocate for #MentalHealth reforms in our society and systems. #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

A black background with gold and white block text that reads: “May is Mental Health Awareness Month.”

A black background with gold and white text that fills the image: “According to research compiled by the Prison Policy Initiative: 27% of people jailed 3+ times within a year report having a moderate or serious mental illness. 33% of people in state prisons with chronic mental illness have had no treatment since admission. 43-44% of people in state prisons and locally run jails have been diagnosed with a mental disorder. 66% of people in federal prisons report not receiving any mental health care while incarcerated.”

A black background with gold and white block text that reads: “Jails and prisons are not an alternative to mental health care.”

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Communication shouldn't be a commodity. When our loved ones can make and receive phone calls without worrying about the cost, they experience more connection, real financial relief, stronger families, improved mental and physical health, safer facilities, and better odds of coming—and staying—home.

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Who's ready to help #StampOutHunger? The annual #NALC food drive is THIS SATURDAY! All donations go to food banks in your community. In 2024, Buffalo collected 425,000 pounds of food! No matter where in the US you live, May 9 is the day to leave out nonperishable food items for your letter carrier.

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Yes I'm the one who puts together my band's newsletters, how could you tell? Follow @songbirdswny on FB, Insta, and TikTok 🕊️ #MayTheFourth #MayThe4th #IntergalacticStarWarsDay #FleetwoodMacTribute #SongbirdsWNY @songbirdswny

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

This spring and beyond, May you dedicate your energy to the things you wish to grow 🌷 There are over 1,500 people inside US #prisons who are waiting to be matched with an outside #PenPal through Letters for Liberation. If you’ve considered joining the L4L community, now's a great time to do it. 🧵⤵️

A dark green background with faded, multi-colored chalk drawings of spring flowers scattered throughout. A bright white header reads “May New Pen Pal Orientations." Four drawings of spring flowers in pink, yellow, blue, and purple take up most of the frame, each with the date of an upcoming orientation: “Saturday, May 9 @ 2pm ET/11am PT. Monday, May 11 @ 9pm ET/6pm PT. Tuesday, May 26 @ 9pm ET/6pm PT. Sunday, May 31 @ 6pm ET/3pm PT.“

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Every act of interruption contributes to the ongoing efforts toward structural change.

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

This month's #newsletter highlights #abolitionist publications, including an op-ed written by Jean Casella of @solitarywatch.bsky.social and Dr. David Cloud of The Bellwether Collaborative for Health Justice) cataloguing the harms of #SolitaryConfinement & urging #prisons to eliminate the practice.

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

I wrote this for my dear friend Macklin, who has been a beautiful example of living truly to one's self and one's values. Mack is the model, the photographer, and the inspiration, and she asked me to share this for #TransgenderDayOfVisibility. #poem #poetry #poet

A black and white closeup image of a nonbinary person with their eyes closed, their head tilted, and their hair pulled back tight, wearing a white collared shirt and dark vest and beginning to tighten a tie. The poem "Suit Up" by Julia Figliotti is written overtop: "It scrapes, the way it hangs on you / layer after careful layer fraying but starched / still staying thanks to the brittle mortar of expectation / fervently applied to a structure built for you / while your own was pressed aside with a / 'Don’t worry, darling, you’ll fit into this just fine.' // But those bones of yours, home-grown and pure / never quite settled into being quite sure of / pretending to fill out a framework procured by / those touting acceptance as some kind of cure / for acting the way that you think that you are / like you’ll hold to a mold once you’ve finally matured / yet your soul whispers, steady, 'I want something more.' // And so, slowly, you set out to find what that is / you seek other voices inviting you in / as your fingertips skate across fabrics to choose / and you shed the harsh garments you’ve long ached to lose / ‘til you’re naked and shaking and beautifully you. // And now you step forth in a casing that fits / embellishments hand-picked to show what’s within / the universe hums its relief in your skin / and your self gladly welcomes you home."

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

✨ CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS ✨ So many of our inside pen pals are #creators. Through writing, drawing, and a variety of artistic expressions, they bring color into a world desperate for glimmers of beauty. Here are two opportunities for folks on the inside to submit their work for publication ⤵️

A gold background with glowing white text across the top that says "calls for submissions." Evenly spaced beneath the header are two dark green banners spanning the width of the graphic. The text in the banners reads: "Keeley Schenwar Memorial Essay Prize" and "Better Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners 2027 Calendar."

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Dr. Norman C. Francis lived a long life devoted to the advancement of civil rights in our nation, with a notable impact on higher ed. He advanced U.S. history as a lawyer, a man of faith, and the longest-serving president of Xavier University. #BlackHistoryMonth

A gold and green background with dark green and black text along the top of the visual that reads: “Letters for Liberation honors Norman C. Francis.” Below this header is a black and white photograph of Dr. Norman C. Francis standing at a podium in a suit and tie in front of part of an American flag to his right and the fronds of a tall potted plant to his left. Overtop the photograph is a Norman C. Francis quote: “Change doesn’t take place just because you want it to take place. You can’t expect things to happen if you don’t become a part of it.” “#BlackHistoryMonth” is written in dark green at the bottom of the visual.

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Black women have a long history of powering the #abolitionist movement. 👀 5 women we're spotlighting for their advocacy in abolishing ongoing slavery in the US 🧵 “Prisons do not disappear social problems, they disappear human beings.” - Angela Davis #BlackHistoryMonth #PrisonAbolition #Abolition

A dark green background with bright yellow text along the top of the visual that reads: “Letters for Liberation Spotlight.” Below this header is a photograph of Angela Davis posing to show a grey t-shirt featuring visuals and language representing the Black Power movement. Beneath the photograph is an Angela Davis quote: “Prisons do not disappear social problems, they disappear human beings.” “#BlackHistoryMonth” is written in pale yellow at the bottom of the visual.

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Strong journalism is not de@d! Keep your eyes open. Major props to @lopatto.bsky.social for this piece.

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Looking to deepen your capacity to tangibly disrupt, intervene in, and transform harm and conflict? Outside pen pal and long-time L4L volunteer Nathalie is offering a season of Rehearsals in Defiance, and all are welcome! More info 🧵 ⤵️

A dark grey background with pale text that reads: "Rehearsals in Defiance. Lead from your values. Practice courage. Analyze conflict. Dream up interventions. Strengthen abolitionist muscles." In the lower-left corner is a cartoon orange speaking from a book. The words "register to join" are written in glowing orange above this character.

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

what are you trying to protect if not children from monsters?

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

"Relationships across are complicated, but they are also powerful. They teach us how to show up for each other in ways that are honest, sustainable, and rooted in mutual respect."

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Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her) @juliafigliotti.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

As we contemplate last night's #BuffaloBills loss, it's important to remember that the DOJ has released less than 1% of the #EpsteinFiles. #ReleaseTheEpsteinFiles

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Reposted by Julia Figliotti Riley (she/her)

Letters for Liberation @letters4liberation.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

This month's #newsletter puts the spotlight on @DriveChangeNYC, a team of change makers supporting young people who've been directly impacted by the American legal system by providing culinary & hospitality training, social support, & pathways to advance their economic mobility & overall well-being.

A green background with gold spotlights pointed at a food truck branded with "Drive Change" and "Food Trucks for Social Justice." Gold and white text reads: "Letters for Liberation Spotlight: Drive Change. Advancing the economic mobility of formerly incarcerated young New Yorkers through training, resources, and holistic care. @DriveChangeNYC."

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