Joshua "Hamza" Berrios

My name is Joshua Berrios, but I go by "Hamza." Currently, I'm serving a second degree life sentence (15 years to life) at MCI-Norfolk. I have been down since 2009 and recently just went in front of the parole board hoping to receive my emancipation, inshaAllah. I was 19 years old at the time of the offense, making me a juvenile under the newly decided case, Commonwealth vs. Mattis. While being incarcerated I've attended, participated and facilitated various programs, such as Restorative Justice. Also, I was able to earn a Bachelor's degree from the Boston University Prison Education Program and graduate with magna cum laude. My aspirations are to stay connected to the work (helping other brothers earn their freedom, education, etc.) while making the community aware of the various issues that exist within the prison system. I hope to continue my education so that I may be of service to the people, while assisting grassroot organizations, such as H.T.P., to emancipate brothers and sisters locked down.

 

I have been a member of A.A.C.C. for approximately 7 years and have frequently participated in The Harriet Tubman Project for close to a year. Since I began attending and participating in the H.T.P., I have gained further insight into systemic harms and structural/systemic racism that exist within and outside of the D.O.C. and engulf many Black and Brown bodies. I'm appreciative of the work that brothers do to keep this project moving and interesting, but most importantly I appreciate the activism that goes into liberating and emancipating people incarcerated, and mobilizing other individuals incarcerated to become leaders and civically engaged in their communities.

 

At the moment I'm working with other members from the A.A.C.C. and Democracy Behind Bars Coalition to reinstitute the right to vote to all incarcerated people. I feel most passionate about this initiative because it will help in resolving some of the existing issues that plague the prison environment and go unnoticed. In addition, this will make people incarcerated feel politically empowered and have a stake in their respected communities. Furthermore, re-enfranchisement will help in the process of  rehabilitation, and re-enfranchisement will hold political officials accountable when they propose prison reforms and allocate funding to reentry programs to assist in curtailing recidivism.

 

Peace, Love & In Solidarity,

Hamza