Life behind bars is no joke. It’s hard enough having to serve a short or indefinite sentence. However, living behind bars pregnant at the age of 26 for protecting your family without killing anyone, that raises an entirely new argument on the double standard of law against Black people in America.
Jacque Reid goes Inside Her Story with activist and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement Patrisse Cullors about the case of Siwatu Salama Ra, a woman who was not protected by the stand your ground law in Michigan.
“When we say stand your ground we don’t mean for Black people and Black women in particular,” explained Cullors. “She deserves to be home right now but instead she’s in prison while she’s pregnant.”
Siwatu is serving a 2 year sentence after protecting her family from a neighbor who’s repeatedly tried to harm them.
“She should have been able to stand her ground she should have been able to protect her family without the possibility of facing a conviction,” said Cullors. “Not all hope is lost she can still appeal we can still technically get her out early but the fact that she has a conviction on her record is not only unfortunate it’s racist.”
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