• Community Without Conditions
  • BLACK LIVES MATTER
  • Community Without Conditions

Supporting LGBTQ Prisoners in the Pacific Northwest

Black Lives Matter Statement of Solidarity

Here at Beyond These Walls we work to support LGBTQ folks who are incarcerated. We have been hearing stories of police brutality and systemic violence for years, especially from our black members. Violence against black people extends far beyond police- it runs deep into the criminal “justice” system. The system is not broken – it was never intended to work for black people. Police and prisons are not the answer. They never will be. They cannot be fixed. We must rethink the ways in which we achieve justice. We have to rethink the idea of justice and what that means for our society.

Our organization is proud to stand with black folks everywhere in our fight for justice. Our liberation, your liberation, is inherently tied to black liberation. We fully support the movements happening all over our country, peaceful or not. We believe Black Lives Matter.

About Us

Beyond These Walls was founded in 2011 as a project of the National LGBTQ Task Force. We started as a project to send cards to LGBTQ prisoners during the holidays. We decided to try to extend community to our LGBTQ family living behind bars. We did not expect the overwhelming response from prisoners. We received hundreds of letters of thanks and cries for help. As our project grew, our understanding of what prisoners need and were asking for also grew. Over the years we have evolved into a robust community of people offering a number of programs to support LGBTQ prisoners.

We are a Trans led organization with an exclusively LGBTQ staff and advisory committee. We believe in an LGBTQ community without conditions, where we welcome and embrace people trying to be a part of our community, even if they’ve made mistakes. We believe the criminal justice system is inherently flawed and should be completely torn down. We also believe that if people who are locked up are asking us for help right now, we have to answer their calls.

Check out our programs to find out more about what we do.

Our Programs

We support LGBTQ prisoners in a variety of ways.
Contact us here with any questions about our programs.

Case Management

We work to connect prisoners with the resources they request, such as reentry referrals, housing, legal services, advocacy and more.

Reentry Program

Our reentry program provides case management, cash assistance, food and clothing to transgender people and BIPOC LGBTQ+ folks being released from prison.

Advocacy & Activism

We work in collaboration with our community partners to advocate for various changes. We do this through a few different coalitions as well as direct advoaccy.

Leadership Group

We hold several groups for LGBTQ+ people inside of select prisons in the Pacific Northwest.

Pen Pals

Our pen pal program connects free world volunteers with LGBTQ prisoners as pen pals, the old fashioned way: letter writing. If you are interested in being a pen pal, sign up here:

    Our Team

    Here are the people who make it happen.

    Jullian Rhodes

    Jullian Rhodes

    Jullian is the Resource Coordinator for Beyond These Walls. They provide case management and advocacy services to our LGBTQ+ members in prison.

    Cassie Brighter

    Cassie Brighter

    Cassie facilitates the transgender leadership program. She also manages communications for Beyond These Walls.

    Artemis Walker

    Artemis Walker

    Artemis is the pen pal program coordinator for Beyond These Walls. They connect people in prison with folks in the free world.

    Biff Chaplow

    Biff Chaplow

    Biff is responsible for most of the day-to-day operations of Beyond These Walls. They also handle administration, development and strategic planning.

    Advisory Committee and Board of Directors

    Advisory Committee and Board of Directors

    Our advisory committee is comprised of 8 LGBTQ people currently living in prison. The committee oversees and directs all of our work in conjunction with our board of directors.

    Contact Us

    Find us on Facebook or Instagram

    Beyond These Walls
    PO Box 13006
    Portland, OR 97213

    biff@beyondthesewallslgbt.org

    jullian@beyondthesewallslgbt.org

    artemis@beyondthesewallslgbt.org

     

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