“All The Way Alive!”

ELF Eco-prisoner speaks about support and her coming release

This block print was made by sadie while in prison, inspired by Coast Salish native art

The following letter from eco-prisoner Joyanna Zacher (“Sadie”) was sent to the Earth First! Journal in response to an effort at renewed correspondence after several years of non-communication, at her request.

Along with desire to share the value and insight she offered us here on the EF! Journal collective, we also decided to post her words and art on the EF! Newswire to encourage you all write letters of support to Sadie, who is on her home stretch from a 7-year prison sentence for ELF actions. On May 1^st she will be released to a halfway house. Until then, send letters to:

Joyanna Zacher #36360-086, FCI Dublin, Federal Correctional Institution, 5701 8^th Street, Camps Park, Unit F, Dublin, CA 94568

3-2-12

hello. thank you so much for writing. about a year ago i had actually wanted to see a journal again but no longer had an address to write in order to request one, so it was nice to hear from y’all. i haven’t received the brigid issue however and fear it may’ve been rejected as most decent publications tend to be, but i thank you for trying all the same, and who knows? maybe it’ll show up after all. although i have done my time pretty independently i still do feel a responsibility of sorts to stay a part of the movement that so inspired me at one point. i still have 3 years of probation where i have to be careful but i hope to become more involved in certain circles when i am truly free again. i leave here on may 1^st for the halfway house in tacoma, washington. exile gets there the day after me and we will likely have to stay there the full six months before we’re able to return all the way home to olympia again. it has been a very long and winding road and doubtless there will be more turns along the way, but the worst is over and i’m feeling very positive about my free future.

the support i’ve received over the years has waned greatly and  have grave concerns about others that are in need of strong support for many years to come: marie mason, eric mcdavid, and my co-defendant justin solondz is also just  starting his sentence. i have felt lonely and forsaken at times and i hope that these others may be spared the added agony and stress during the remainder of their time inside. not everyone gets a lot of support from family and this is where pen pals and prisoner support must step in to fill the void, not to mention that we need financial support in order to eat as healthy as possible from the commissary and buy stamps and supplies.

please don’t forget the warriors—the battle does not end when caged, it only intensifies. and the only weapons we wield in here are honed through the shared strength of others.

All The Way Alive!

—sadie

On 3-27-12 the EF! Journal collective received a letter confirming that the Journals we sent did eventually arrive, and that we were welcome to publish her letter and art. We are awaiting confirmation on whether she wants to continue receiving mail at the halfway house, and we may publish that address at her request.