Our co-chairs in the name of the party signed a petition organized by the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls demanding transparency from the Bureau of Prisons following the death of Starsha Silva due to medical neglect:

Dear President Biden, Director Peters & Senators Klobuchar & Ossoff:

The following organizations are demanding accountability from the Bureau of Prisons for the death of Starsha Silva on May 24th, 2023 at FCI Waseca. Ms. Silva's passing due to medical neglect came weeks after the Inspector General published a report from a surprise inspection of Waseca declaring the prison “well-run” and days after Director Peters visited the facility.

The following information has been provided by the family and friends of Ms. Silva. Please let us know if Demand Transparency and Action from the BOP on the Death of Starsha Silva any of it is incorrect.

- Starsha Silva was incarcerated at FCI Waseca serving a 14-year sentence for a drug-related transgression. She had a history of heart disease. On or about May 2, 2023, she was at the hospital for a consultation when the doctor told her she needed “emergency heart surgery” to replace her tricuspid and aortic valves.

- Ms. Silva, reported to other incarcerated women that the doctor specifically said she should not return to the prison because she could die. Ms. Silva was accompanied by her case manager, Ms. Koziolek, who allegedly overrode the doctor because BOP policy requires two officers to stay at the hospital during an operation. Ms. Koziolek did not consult with her superiors but removed Ms. Silva from the hospital against all medical advice.

- Immediately upon her return to the prison, Ms. Silva requested a Compassionate Release from Warden Starr, who never replied to her written request.

- The medical staff at FCI Waseca was supposed to schedule the emergency surgery for Ms. Silva but did not do so in a timely way.

- Three weeks later, Ms. Silva was told to pack her things and prepare for a medical procedure. On May 24th, the day she was supposed to return to the hospital, she was found in her cell, blue, and unable to breathe. The guards administered NORCAN and CPR, causing blood to pour out of her nose and mouth before she died.

- Ms. Silva's mother, Stephanie Taylor was informed by phone with the blunt statement that her daughter had died and there was “no foul play.” For some reason, the call was not made by the Chaplain, as is customary, but the BOP staffer stated that Ms. Silva would have to be cremated because the BOP did not have enough money to send Ms. Silva home to be laid to rest. This was false information. The family refused cremation, and a lawyer had to intervene to preserve Ms. Silva's body.

- The Ramsey County Medical Examiner conducted an independent autopsy. Ms. Silva's body was returned to her family at BOP expense.

The organizations and concerned individuals listed below require a full and transparent investigation by the Office of the Inspector General into Ms. Silva's death. In order to restore BOP credibility, we ask that a family member, or their designee, be included on the investigation team.

For over three years, we have been assured that changes in BOP culture will be forthcoming, especially under the leadership of Director Peters. The BOP's “New Mission and Vision Statement” promises to operate “through principles of humanity and normalcy” and that the BOP will be “responsible and transparent to the public, ourselves, and those in our care and custody . . . .” We are waiting for words to be translated into action. Contact Information

In spite of this rhetoric, little, if anything, has changed. Starsha Silva was 36 years old when she died because a case manager was allowed to make medical decisions and the FCI Waseca medical staff did not follow up to make sure Ms. Silva got the emergency medical care she needed. Our loved ones still suffer – and die – at the hands of callous staff, in unlivable environments, with primitive medical care. Sexual abuse is rampant.

The time for listening sessions is over! We have expressed our concerns and offered solutions, which have resulted in no meaningful change. We can no longer accept staff shortages, over-crowding, budget cuts, and security needs as excuses for failing to keep our incarcerated loved ones alive and well. If the BOP can't provide basic housing conditions, medical care, and food – which it manifestly cannot – then the only solution is to decarcerate.

To honor Starsha Silva's life and to assure her devastated family that she did not die in vain, we ask that you release 37 incarcerated people who are aged, ill, incarcerated for fighting back against domestic abuse, or who are long-timers – one person for each year she lived. We ask that you do this by July 22, 2023, which would have been Ms. Silva's 37th birthday. The time has come for this Administration to prove it cares about racial justice and repairing the harm caused by the War on Drugs.

Respectfully, CAN-DO Foundation

The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls

Statement Condemning the Passage of Florida Senate Bill 254

The Maine Green Independent Party (MGIP) strongly condemns the passage of Florida Senate Bill 254, which bans gender-affirming care for transgender youth and adults in the state of Florida. This bill is a blatant attack on the human rights and dignity of transgender people, who deserve respect and support for their identity and expression. It is also a violation of medical ethics and contradicts the scientific consensus and best practices of professional associations such as the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which endorse gender-affirming care as safe and effective.

We stand in solidarity with the transgender community in Florida and across the country, who are facing an unprecedented wave of discriminatory legislation that seeks to erase their existence and deny them access to essential health care. The MGIP affirms the right of every person to selfdetermination and bodily integrity, regardless of their gender identity or expression.

People across the the country are seeking care out of state because of extreme laws that criminalize health care. We call upon the state of Maine to enact a shield law that protects the recipients and providers of medical treatment against civil or criminal charges from states where health care is banned.

Sincerely,

Lyn Maravell, MGIP Co-Chair

Fred McCann, MGIP Co-Chair

Statement in support of protests occurring in July, August, and September in Maine:

U.S. proxy war in Ukraine against Russia - $120 billion so far - No War with China

The Maine Green Independent Party is deeply concerned about the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has caused immense suffering and devastation. We urge all parties to stop the continuing escalation of hostilities and to seek a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict.

We are also alarmed by the rising tensions between the U.S. and China over various issues, such as Taiwan, the South China Sea, human rights, trade, and technology. We believe that a war would be disastrous for humanity and the planet, and would threaten the security and stability of the entire world.

We believe that peace is possible and necessary, and that war is not inevitable or acceptable. We stand in solidarity with all those who work for peace and justice, and who oppose violence and aggression.

Sincerely, Lyn Maravell, MGIP Co-Chair

Fred McCann, MGIP Co-Chair

Saturday July 22 at 1:30pm Augusta (Civic Center intersection on Route 27 at I-95)

Saturday August 19 at 1:30pm Ellsworth (Route 1 intersection with Main St.)

Saturday September (exact date TBD) Skowhegan (Margaret Chase Smith bridge at confluence of Routes 2 & 201)

The Maine Green Independent Party (MGIP) strongly condemns the recent passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda, which criminalizes same-sex relations and imposes harsh penalties, including the death penalty, for those who support LGBTQ rights. This law is a blatant violation of human dignity and fundamental freedoms, and it goes against our shared values of of social justice, diversity, and respect for all life.

We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community in Uganda and around the world, who face discrimination, violence, and persecution for their sexual orientation and gender identity. We call on the U.S. government and the international community to take action to pressure the Ugandan government to repeal this draconian law and protect the human rights of all its citizens. We also urge our fellow Mainers to support organizations that are working to provide aid and advocacy for LGBTQ people in Uganda and other countries where they are oppressed.

The MGIP believes that love is love, and that no one should be denied the right to love and be loved because of who they are. We will continue to work for a more peaceful, just, and inclusive world, where diversity is celebrated and everyone can live freely and authentically.