Report Back: Shut Down Stewart Action!
On Friday, November 21st, DWN staff traveled to Columbus, Georgia to take part in the SOA Watch Conference and 8th annual vigil to shut down the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia. Organized by the ACLU of Georgia, Georgia Detention Watch, Alterna, SOA Watch, Detention Watch Network and others, this year's vigil was the largest ever to call for the closure of Stewart, which was named one of the worst detention facilities in the U.S. by DWN in 2012.  
Anton Flores-Maisonet kicking off the Vigil.
"We will never get that year and a half back," said Emily Guzman, referring to the time her husband Pedro was detained at Stewart.
SOA Watch conference attendees participating in the Stewart Vigil.
Memorable Moments:
  • Over 1,000 people participated in the Stewart Vigil, chanting, singing and marching to the entrance of the detention center.
  • Civil disobedience at Stewart that resulted in five arrests.
  • Pedro and Emily Guzman's moving words on their experiences with Stewart Detention Center.
  • Detention workshop at the SOA Watch Conference co-facilitated by Alterna's Anton Flores-Maisonet and DWN's Aurea Martinez.
  • Stewart detention center visit, thanks to El Refugio. 
  • Connecting and building relationships with Georgia members and allies.
DWN Member Benefits at Work! How DWN Supported:
As a DWN member, we want to support your actions and strengthen the overall community working towards a world without detention.
Here's what we did to support the Stewart Vigil: 
OUTREACH. DWN sent an action alert in advance of the Vigil, with resources and ways to support from afar to our lists reaching over 2,000 people via email and over 1,000 via the DWN listserve.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT: DWN provided transportation support for participants traveling from Columbus to Lumpkin, Georgia.
MEDIA SUPPORT: DWN created talking points and drafted the press release and media advisory which garnered the following coverage:
SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT. DWN live tweeted to DWN's over 12,000 followers.
ON THE GROUND SUPPORT. Aurea Martinez, DWN's Organizer, and Ana Carrion, DWN's Co-Director, presented at the SOA Watch Conference and spoke at the Vigil.
http://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/
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