Aala Abdullahi

2 months ago | themarshallproject.org | Aala Abdullahi

While serving a 57-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter at California’s San Quentin prison, Tommy Wickerd found purpose in an unexpected way: teaching fellow incarcerated people and corrections officers American Sign Language. Growing up with a deaf older brother, Wickerd witnessed the isolation of a world without proper accommodations. So when legal advocates won a 2019 petition to move a group of deaf men from underresourced prisons to program-rich San Quentin, Wickerd created his class.

Dec 15, 2024 | themarshallproject.org | Aala Abdullahi

The Marshall Project receives about 3,000 letters a year from people who are incarcerated, their families and their support networks. For the past year, I’ve been part of a team opening the mail and reading through their stories. Some letters are deeply emotional — like one from a man in Florida, newly diagnosed with liver cancer, pleading for the medical treatment he’s been denied.

Oct 29, 2024 | themarshallproject.org | Aala Abdullahi |Donald Washington

Photos by Kholood Eid for The Marshall Project. Last Thursday, Sing Sing Correctional Facility held its first-ever film festival. It stood out not just for its setting but also for its jury: incarcerated men who share a deep love for movies.

Oct 16, 2024 | slate.com | Aala Abdullahi

Skip to the content Scrappy, Inspiring, Under-Loved, Perfect Jurisprudence By This article was published in partnership with the Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for their newsletters, and follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Sep 18, 2024 | themarshallproject.org | Aala Abdullahi

By Prison Journalism Project Contributors and Aala Abdullahi Perspectives from those who work and live in the criminal justice system. Sign up to receive “Life Inside” emailed to you every week. After a summer of record-breaking temperatures, scientists predict that 2024 could end up being the hottest year on record.