National Volunteer Guide
Reflection Questions
Are you engaging in this work for personal reasons or for collective liberation?
The most important thing to remember is that there are no right or wrong answers here! Folx will volunteer with us for a number of reasons all with varying levels of exposure to the prison industrial system. We encourage volunteers to think about the “why?” before engaging with the work to ensure our inside members get to experience true, meaningful connections through our programming. Whether your “why” is to learn more about the carceral system because you want to or because you want to learn how to support folx as they re-enter society, keeping that in mind can better prepare you for the experience with us!
Building a relationship with folks inside can be challenging for a number of reasons. Do you have the capacity and time to navigate boundaries and difficult conversations? We have support systems in place but you’ll have to manage your individual relationships.
For individuals interested in PenPal communications, folx can experience some difficult conversations and may have to exercise some boundaries to maintain a relationship. Some of our members rarely have connection with the outside world, which can lead to an eagerness or excitement that will require an understanding and communication with your penpal of your boundaries.
If dealing with conflict is challenging for you, you might consider supporting other forms of volunteering like mail processing or donations, which can be made here. We also have the Holiday Card Campaign which is an anonymous letter-writing campaign that we host from November through January of every year!
Do you have the capacity to support and communicate with someone on the inside for 2 hours a month?
Most of the inside members seeking connection have no other form of contact to correspond with. With that in mind, we ask that folx do their best to maintain a consistent line of communication with their penpal if they decide to match with one. Again, if this poses a challenge for you, you may consider other forms of volunteering like mail processing or donations, which can be made here.
What are you hoping to get from volunteering?
Black and Pink, National volunteering offers community individuals the ability to connect with queer and trans folx from all over the US. We offer the opportunity for personal connections with our PenPal program, the chance to grow with community connections at local volunteering and mail processing, and a chance to support larger programs through donations.
Types of Support
In Person Volunteering
The in person event will be hosted on the first Saturday of every month for Omaha locals where community members will have the opportunity to read and categorize the over 300 letters we receive every month. Register for dates using this link.
PenPal Corral
This will be a space held on the last Thursday of every month for people to learn all about penpals. Roundin’ up all of our rootin tootin writers who love connecting with their larger community to come support us and learn all about what it means to connect with one of our inside members. People can ask questions, find resources, talk about any highs and lows, and anything else that comes up! We see this as a “study hall” where you can have dedicated time for your individual relationships in a community setting. Register for dates using this link.
Holiday Card Campaign
An annually hosted campaign where we offer individuals the opportunity to write one-time letters of love and support for the holiday seasons! We encourage volunteers to gather some friends and collectively randomly select a few names from our database to anonymously write to. This program is only offered from November through January <3
Advocacy Support
Work may vary: For larger organizations who are looking to support us we have specific volunteering opportunities available. Reach out to the advocacy team at advocacy@blackandpink.org to learn more!
Contacts and Questions
Please know that we can cater volunteering events for larger organizations toward their work week as long as it aligns with our capacity and their needs. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to the Advocacy Team at advocacy@blackandpink.org. Thank you again for being willing to take the time and energy for our loved ones inside!