LSPC Turns 25!

LSPC Honors Women Advocates

As part of our celebration, LSPC honored four women who in various capacities have tireless fought for the human rights of prisoners. Beverly “Chopper” Henry received the “Charisse Shumate Award to a Currently Incarcerated Prisoner”. Grace Ortega received the “Sherrie Chapman Award to a Family Member.” Harriette Davis received the “Patty Contreras Award to a Former Prisoner.” Ellen Barry received the “Virginia Blackburn Award” for outstanding dedication to women prisoners.

Charisse Shumate Award to a Currently Incarcerated Prisoner

BEVERLY HENRY, better known as Chopper, is currently incarcerated at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, California. In her own words, she describes herself as "an activist for my sisters behind these walls who are in need of better medical care". Since her decision nearly a decade ago to self-disclose her HIV status to her sisters inside, she has paved the way for other women in prison to come forward to demand decent medical treatment. She has worked intensively behind the walls as part of the prison's Peer Education Program. Her writings have been widely published in HIV education and research circles; she contributes to Positively Aware's monthly column for prisoners called "News Inside". Chopper is a recipient of POZ magazine's "Positive Partnership Award" as well as a LAMDA award for her activism. In October 2000, Chopper courageously spoke out at a legislative hearing held inside the prison walls about the horrible battles women face trying to receive humane health care. As she says, "Courage to speak out can change how you think and feel about you." LSPC would not be able to do our work with our her invaluable help and vision.

CHARISSE SHUMATE was a leader of women, a true hero to those of us who knew her, or who were affected by her actions. While serving a life term at Central California Women's Facility, she became the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit that stated that health care in California's women's prisons was so bad that it represented cruel and unusual punishment and was therefore, unconstitutional. With Charisse's leadership, this lawsuit, SHUMATE V. WILSON, brought exposure of women prison conditions to people all over the world. Charisse died in prison in 2001, but her spirit lives on in the hearts and lives of incarcerated women.

Sherrie Chapman Award to a Family Member

GRACE ORTEGA In November 2000, Grace Ortega's 27-year-old daughter Gina died from medical neglect in prison. When Gina was diagnosed with cervical cancer, Grace was her strongest advocate, pressuring the prison medical staff to give her appropriate care. When Gina was dying, Grace helped her win compassionate release, so she could die at home with the love and comfort of her family. Grace has turned her grief into action by working tirelessly for medical care for the women her daughter left behind in prison. As a mainstay of LSPC's Family Advocacy Network, Grace has given media interviews, testified before the state legislature, and spoken in many community settings to educate people about this issue, always, she says, "with her angel on her shoulder".

SHERRIE CHAPMAN lost her long battle against breast cancer on December 12, 2002 while serving out a life term at the California Institution for Women (CIW) Sherrie sued the California Department of Corrections for medical neglect and won a monetary settlement in 2000. She then used some of the money to help her sisters inside. She arranged for women to receive quarterly packages and sent money out to other families so they could visit their loved ones at CIW . In October 2000, she testified at legislative hearings at CIW even though she was recuperating from throat surgery and in great pain. Sherrie died in prison but will always be remembered for her tenacious battle against the CDC.

Virginia Blackburn Award for outstanding dedication to women prisoners

ELLEN BARRY, Founding Director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children. She has served as lead counsel or co-counsel on many lawsuits brought on behalf of incarcerated women, pregnant women prisoners, prisoners and parolees. She has written extensively on the unique issues faced by incarcerated women, including the challenges of parenting from behind bars and the struggle against the many human rights abuses occurring daily in women's prisons across the united states. Ellen remains a strong voice, consistently speaking out the against the continued growth of the prison industrial complex. She was the recipient of the 1990 Annual Legal Services Achievement Award. In 1997, she was awarded a Soros Senior Justice Fellowship and in 1998 she received a MacArthur "Genius" Grant. For 25 years now, Ellen has taught us all the importance of respecting our clients, learning from them, and responding to their needs and direction. Her mentorship, leadership and unfailing optimism have been an inspiration to us all and LSPC is honored to carry on her original vision of realizing justice for all prisoners.

VIRGINIA BLACKBURN will be remembered for her deep commitment to, and activism on behalf of, women in prison and women in recovery. For over 10 years, she served as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Network for Women in Prison, working with board members who had been incarcerated to develop the Leadership Training Institute for formerly incarcerated women. She worked on behalf of women returning from prison in her position as staff member for the Fort Wayne Women's Bureau, setting up a counseling and support program for women who were formerly incarcerated. While with the National Black Women's Health Collective, she developed an outreach program for young African American women in historically Black colleges, encouraging these young women to get involved in community advocacy, including work with women prisoners. She was trained in co-counseling, and touched many people with her compassion and empathy. Throughout her life, Virginia was a beacon of light for everyone who knew her, including the many hundreds of women who were in recovery from the scars of childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, drug and alcohol addition and incarceration.