Our Approach

What would our movements look like if those on the outside took seriously the reality that many of the most important gender justice leaders today are in prison?​ That question led to ARC’s founding. Our work is our answer. 

• We would connect, share ideas, and strategize across prison walls. 
  • ARC connects gender justice advocates with each other through events, publications [link to publications page], and workshops [link to request speaker]. We facilitate inside-outside dialogue on topics like reproductive justice, trans health, censorship, and safety planning.
• Those outside would support, resource, and amplify the gender justice work inside leaders initiate and coordinate. 
  • ARC’s inside members initiate direct action campaigns on a range of issues, such as access to hormones, hijab, clean water, or legal materials. ARC’s outside members promote, amplify, and participate in these campaigns using tactics inside members recommend. Follow us on social media and join our mailing list to get action alerts [link to connect page].
  • ARC’s inside members also often start lawsuits, as a part of the long and radical tradition of jailhouse lawyering. Outside members support through getting inside members the legal information they need.  
  • ARC also shares money directly with incarcerated and systems-impacted gender justice leaders, covering costs for things like correspondence paralegal courses, court fees, books, and art supplies [link to get support page].
• Those inside would have abundant opportunities to participate in the gender justice work outside leaders initiate or coordinate. 
  • ARC publishes guides and manuals [link to publications page] on advocacy topics members vote on, allowing incarcerated leaders and outside allies to expand and sharpen skills and organize other inside comrades to develop campaigns, advocacy and strategy 
  • ARC educates other organizations and outside leaders on how to meaningfully include leadership and participation of incarcerated trans people, cis women, and survivors. [link to request speaker]
  • ARC’s outside members share campaigns with inside members and facilitate their participation. That can look like submitting a member’s artwork for a feminist zine that only takes submissions by web form or letting people inside know about an opportunity to oppose a dangerous new rule for trans people that they would not have learned about any other way.