We're Continuing Our Summer Reading of 94A6325—And You're Invited
If you haven’t started our summer reading selection yet, there’s still plenty of time to join us.
Over the past several weeks, our Toward Liberation community has been reading 94A6325: Coming of Age in the Era of Mass Incarceration by Dr. Kirk “Jae” James. And if there’s one book I hope you’ll make time for this summer, it’s this one.
Often, conversations about prisons and mass incarceration happen at a distance. We cite statistics, debate policies, and discuss theories of punishment and abolition. Those conversations matter—but they can never replace listening to the people who have lived inside the systems we’re trying to understand and transform.
94A6325 is that kind of book.
At the age of eighteen, Jae was sentenced to life under New York’s Rockefeller Drug Laws. The title of the book—94A6325—is the identification number the prison system assigned to him. In many ways, the memoir tells the story of the state’s attempt to reduce a human being to a number. But more importantly, it tells the story of resistance, survival, political awakening, and the enduring humanity that systems of punishment can never erase.
This is not simply a memoir about incarceration. It is a book about abolition.
It helps us understand how prisons function not only as places of confinement, but as institutions built upon the same logics of racial control, dehumanization, and state violence that shape policing, family policing, immigration detention, and so many other systems we confront in our work. At the same time, it reminds us that abolition is not merely about dismantling oppressive institutions. It is about cultivating humanity, relationships, dignity, and collective liberation—even under unimaginable conditions.
For me personally, this book carries special meaning.
Jae is not only an extraordinary scholar and organizer; he is also a friend, colleague, and someone who has influenced my own abolitionist journey. His wisdom, generosity, and unwavering commitment to liberation have challenged me to think differently about abolition, accountability, and what it means to build movements rooted in love and collective care. It is truly an honor to read his story together as a community.
And now I’m thrilled to share some exciting news.
Dr. Kirk “Jae” James will be joining the Toward Liberation community for a live virtual discussion of 94A6325 on Wednesday, July 22, at 6:00 PM Eastern.
This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from Jae about his life, his writing, and the ideas that have shaped his work as an abolitionist. Whether you’ve finished the book, are halfway through it, or are just beginning, I hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a thoughtful and inspiring conversation.
One of the things I’ve loved most about Toward Liberation is being a part of spaces where we don’t simply read about movements—we learn from the people who are helping to build them. This conversation will be exactly that.
If you haven’t picked up 94A6325 yet, there’s still plenty of time. Read what you can. Reflect on it. Bring your questions. And then join us on July 22 as we continue learning together.
I can’t wait to experience this conversation with all of you.
Alan