About 30 people filled the Braddock Carnegie Libraries transformed space to honor Charmaine Pfender and the unjust length of time Char has had to spend incarcerated for defending herself from rape. Life without parole is death by incarceration.
While the evening was warm and sweet it was also very sad. Thinking of Char and all the women who are criminalized for defending themselves is heartbreaking. Here we are celebrating Char, her family and friends gathered round the tables with – her seat empty. Charmaine has been punished for 30 years for surviving and to this sentence we resist!
Donna Hill read a profound statement by Charmaine to the audience and Bret Grote updated us on the legal specifics of Charmaines case. We need to hire experts to help uncover new evidence to get Char back into court. So if you would like to make a donation it would be greatly appreciated.
We toasted to many things last Sunday, ending each toast with “Let’s Get Free”
Thank you so much for all who attended and shared their hearts! The night was lovely. We had quite a spread of food and different activities. Collectively we wrote a typewriter poem and created over 25 post cards and letters to be sent one at a time over the next month.
Click an image below to scroll through pictures of our beautiful event at the Braddock Carnegie Library! Below the photos is a poem written by Charmaine.
The following poem was written by Char for Mother’s Day years ago.
One Night
What happened one night ended lives,
What became of his mother?
I can’t begin to imagine
What became of my mother?
With such pain and disappointment,
It can’t compare.
Two mother losing children,
Two mothers in agony,
Both asking, “What went wrong?”
With my mother’s tears as a gauge,
I still can’t imagine the multiplier of
..his mother’s pain.
I am still alive; although lost in walls,
She can still see my face.
His mother has that, no more.
What would he have become?
How would he have changed the world?
What became of his brothers and sisters
…without his love?
What would have become of me?
I can’t go back and change time,
I can only begin by being responsible.
A burden so heavy, I am willing to carry.
To change all I was, to dispose of the “old” me,
Could never be enough,
Yet it is all I can do….
To hope to honor our mothers.
Charmaine Pfender (OO7423)
SCI-Muncy