Denver, CO: Mama's Day Bail Out 2018

Denver's 2018 Black Mama's Bail Out is part of a national movement to end cash bail in the United States. The Colorado action is coordinated by the Denver Justice Project and Black Lives Matter 5280, in solidarity with activists nationwide committed to collective liberation. Learn more about Denver Black Mama's Bail Out 2018: www.blackbailout.org and about the National Bail Out Collective: nomoremoneybail.org.

Our focus is on Black, Brown, and Indigenous women trapped in the unjust system of pay-to-play civil liberties. Women should have the opportunity to be free from jail and in the company of their families on Mother's Day, and everyday.

In years past, individuals in Denver rallied to free Black Mamas from jail; 2018 marks a coordinated collaboration among organizations to free as many Black Women as possible. We at DJP and BLM were inspired by Dr. Nita Mosby Tyler and Brother Jeff Fard, who bailed Black Mamas out of Denver jail in May 2017, and who were gracious enough to let us carry that work forward when we approached them for their blessing in 2018.

Our goal is to raise at least $20,000 and to free at least 20 women-potentially more, depending on who is in custody May 9-13, 2018 and what bond amounts are holding them. The bonds we will post range from $100 to $1,000 and will be paid in full in cash, not using bondsmen. When Women appear for their court dates, eventually their bonds are released, posted bonds will be returned to DJP/BLM and 100% of the returned bonds will then be reallocated to Black Dad's Bail Out in time for Father's Day, June 2018.

The Denver area jails all charge additional processing/booking fees ranging from $10 to $60, so a $500 bond will cost more than $500 to post. Fundly (4.9%) + Stripe/WePay (payment processor, 2.9-3%) receive 7.8-7.9% of each donation, so: for a woman to receive a full $500 towards her bond fees, we need to raise at least $544, an amount which reflects the ~ 8% surcharge.

We will post a full accounting of how all monies received are spent. While of course we will not identify women by name, we will share group demographics and situational statistics such as: number of women bonded out, dates bond posted, bond amounts, etc.

This Mother's Day we ask you to give what you can, in dollars or attention, to this campaign. Countless advocates in cities across the United States are working tirelessly to end the exploitative cash bail system. Join us! Download a toolkit to start a Bail Out in your city: National Bail Out / nomoremoneybail.org.

Thank you to the Brooklyn Bail Fund, SONG (Southerners on New Ground), and National Bail Out (Color of Change + Movement for Black Lives) for the inspiring images. Thank you to all who give of time or treasure for helping us all get and stay free!

In solidarity,

-Denver Justice Project + BLM 5280