Testimonials from folx in prison
"I just want to thank y'all for all you do for prisoners everywhere. Your love and compassion and the assistance you provide, and the outlet you give us to express ourselves and make a lil money which everyone needs to survive in this world."
"It's good to hear that we still got some good folks out there that believe a person should have a second chance to prove that they are not the type of person that the Judicial System try to make us look like. It's good to know that we have somebody that have the time to create something that will bring people together to make our community stronger and one of the main ingredients is communication. On behalf of all the inmates that you help to connect people that want to communicate with inmates, thank you for all that you do."
"Thank you so much! Your cards made me smile. Brought a tear to my eye. Brought joy to my heart. And, most of all, made me feel not forgotten! You guys are great!"
"I'm very pleased and grateful to be a part of your family. I look forward to our future together - the possibilities are endless. So take heart - rest assured your efforts are not in vain. Your work is invaluable. If we can change just one life in our efforts, it's all worth it - so keep up the good work. Please never give up. We love you all."
"I just received your most welcomed letter late last night. It is 8:51AM now. I've been up almost an hour and now I'm sippin' on a hot cup of coffee & eating a honey bun because you guys at A.B.O. Comix made it possible for me to do so! Again. Thank you all so much for everything you've done for me. It may not seem like much to you but it does mean a lot to me. I look forward to our continued correspondence & growing friendship."
"A.B.O. Comix, the anthologies and you, my friend, help to keep my spirits up at my age (168, soon to be 169). Depression, hopelessness and life tend to keep me down. I thank you again for being there and doing what you do!"
"A.B.O. Comix was the first and only organization that wasn't just paying lip service. I've been suicidal where staff encouraged me to kill myself and couldn't afford to file my legal work. The quarterly donations, letters and amazing anthology gave and still give me strength."
"Thanks so much for the birthday card you sent me! Appreciated! It was the only one I received. I'm good though and used to life bein' like that in here."
"The ongoing efforts of A.B.O. Comix to the LGBT population is remarkable and commendable. I'm glad that someone really cares about our community and is willing to go the next step to help it. My past work with A.B.O. Comix is the best pleasure I ever had, and hope to continue to have."
"I got all your loving cards for my 66th year (next month will make 41 in prison - 35 of those in SHU [solitary housing unit]). Thanks to all the gang at A.B.O. Comix! Made my day - still got a big grin on my face."
"Thank you so much for giving us a platform to voice our experiences in our own unique way. In our own unique styles. In our own unique ideologies. And in our own unique perspectives. Without which our thoughts and our minds...would stagnate. I've found some purpose in my artwork and not to mention some inspiration to do better. Especially after seeing such creativity."
"Thank you so very much for the books. But most importantly to me, thank you for the love, support, inspiration, and confidence that you have given. It's been so long since anyone has given me such. I don't know what made you place so much in me but I will do my damndest to live up to it."
" A.B.O. Comix has been a great inspiration. Shown me that I am somebody. That I am important, loved and cared for!!"
"I'm not doin' too good mentally because of my hard prison time for the next 30 years. I will be locked down with no family, love, care or support system. A.B.O. Comix has really become my family. That's why I can't stop writing (thanking you) for your support, love and care for not only just for me but others around the U.S.A. You are the best person in my life. I'm so thankful for everything you've done for me. Thanks a lot friend!"
"I received the letter right after receiving the birthday card from you. It is great to be loved and I am so grateful for you. I've been in a very dark place since returning to general population. The only thing that was keeping me going was talking to [name redacted] on the phone and letters from you. Of course it's hard to see the love from deep in the abyss but you kept showing me and I am so grateful to have you as a friend."
"Dear A.B.O., My new Homo Thug Homies and their wifey boys love both books. Four gays came out the closet because the book inspired them."
"Personally I am very proud to be a part of the A.B.O. Comix team. They have not only enriched my life greatly, they have also given me hope for the future. Before, I never thought of being an artist outside of these concrete walls and razor wire fences - yet now, through partnership with A.B.O. Comix and other art collectives they they have introduced me to, I dream of being more than just a prison artist."
"I thank you all for lifting me up and helping me when I am down. You all are a blessing and a light so thank you for loving me always and forever."
"It get[s] really dark and frighten[ing] in here when someone don't have nobody out there in the free world to write them in prison. I am so thankful for your letters and support."
"I want to say thanks for inspiring me to at least try my hand at comics. ...I'd never think in a million years a company would give me an outlet and send money. You may never know how you all helped me. ...The whole thing was dope! I cried reading it and I don't cry ever...
"The content [of the anthology] is flawless. It shows A) our community is so brave and strongly unified that we support each others heart without judgment and B) our members are survivors. We are fuckin' human, we cry and we cower but we fight. ...before publication, I acted like someone else [made my comics] and the non-homophobic people said the drawing sucked. I was scared to submit them. But it was A.B.O. who encouraged me to try."
"The content [of the anthology] is flawless. It shows A) our community is so brave and strongly unified that we support each others heart without judgment and B) our members are survivors. We are fuckin' human, we cry and we cower but we fight. ...before publication, I acted like someone else [made my comics] and the non-homophobic people said the drawing sucked. I was scared to submit them. But it was A.B.O. who encouraged me to try."
"You guys have done an AMAZING job! I just saw your anthology for the first time and was floored. I wanted to thank you for amplifying our voices. I would also like to encourage you to keep up the fight. We are in this together. I know in my heart countless lives have been changed by your efforts. Dauntless we stand in solidarity - we will not be broken beyond repair because we have each other."
"From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you guys for all that you're doing and have done for the LGBTQ community and myself!!"
"I'm crying with tears of joy. ...I love the comix book. It's so real, so much love, that I'm so thankful to you all and cried like a big baby once I read front to back of all the hard work that was put into making this dream come to light for all the LGBTQ family. Thank you for helping me be a part of something so important. I love you with all my heart and soul - you're like my real family."
"Thank you for giving the unheard a voice in the manner Black & Pink has."
"I'd like to thank you all for giving us this opportunity. ...the possibility of being published just blows my mind."
"I am writing to commend you all on how awesome and splendid the comic book turned out. I must say my dearest friends at A.B.O. Comix, you guys are so magical and I send my love to you all and also to all of the artists who was so inspired and who helped create our first comic anthology. I was so impressed with it that I just couldn't seem to put it down."