Cree poet and prisoner justice advocate, Cory Charles Cardinal, was incarcerated at the Sakatoon Correctional Centre in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Motivated by a passion for justice, Cory was committed to speaking truth and resisting the oppression of his brothers and sisters during the pandemic. He co-organized three major hunger strikes to highlight the inhumane conditions inside and demand change. This zine is a selection of writing, poetry and visual art about his individual and the collective experiences inside during COVID-19. Following his release, he entrusted his journals and other collected papers to Free Lands Free Peoples and asked us to assemble a zine that would raise awareness.

Cory once said, "The COVID-19 virus is the virus of truth." We continue to stand in solidarity and remain committed to truth and justice for Indigenous peoples and our incarcerated relatives.

Click here to read the Prison Pandemic Papers Zine

Welcome to the first volume of The Conditional Release!
This newsletter was created by students in Native Studies 450/550 (Practicum in Indigenous Studies), a Walls to Bridges class held at the Edmonton Institution for Women from January to April 2023. A group of thirty “inside” and “outside” students came together over the course of thirteen weeks to learn about the rich history of prison newsletters and the role of the Native Sisterhood and Brotherhood in these publications.

Click here to read The Conditional Release Volume 1

The second volume of The Conditional Release newsletter was created by students in NS 450/550, a Walls to Bridges class held at the Edmonton Institution for Women from January to April 2025. A group of "inside" (EIFW-based) and "outside" (campus-based) students came together over the course of the semester to learn about the history of Indigenous prison newsletters and to continue the creation of The Conditional Release newsletter. 

Click here to read The Conditional Release Volume 2