How conscious brothers survive behind the walls

How conscious brothers survive behind the walls.

Prior to the opening of Corcoran and pelican bay S.H.U.'s, akina sisi had a system that allowed it to provide for conscious brothers. No brother within it's sphere of influence went without the basics. If a brother smoked, he had tobacco, if he drank coffee, he had coffee. If a conscious brother needed soap, toothpaste, deodorant, stamps, paper or envelopes, he had it. Most received the basics and more. If a conscious brother was hungry, he was fed. Through this system akina sisi purchased meat, eggs, cheese, tuna, peanut butter, jelly, bread, and other items available on the prison black market. We purchased tennis shoes, sweat pants, gym shorts, sox, etc. for brothers without exercise gear. akina sisi made sure that every conscious brother had a TV, radio or both. We even sponsored events such as black august celebration spreads, provided packages and a host of other extras, all of which was possible because akina sisi had an economic plan we believed in and followed. The plan worked partly because of belief, partly because of merit. It's mention here is important in that it met the need for which it was called forth, because it produced a surplus which exceeded the need, because it provided a sense of what is possible and because it provided akina sisi a sense of how to go about it.
The system that allowed akina sisi to meet the needs of conscious brothers was a 10 to 20 % draw tax, a percentage split on ventures it initiated or where brothers were involved and whatever contributions relatives, friends and supporters gave. The system as far as it went worked fine, but there were flaws inherent in it and over time the flaws became cracks and the cracks became gaps. Inevitably we were unable to bridge the divide. This slice of history and economy was pretty much the same from kamp to kamp as regards the draw tax. The taxes were not overseen with any specific control, authority or interest. It was sectional. Each month a conscious brother was required to donate from his canteen draw. Change being ever with us, the system collapsed, in part because it did not have an over reaching central authority which promulgated a centralized economic regimen. It collapsed because no serious consideration or effort was directed towards centrally collecting, holding, disseminating as needed the funds taken in. Conscious brothers changed over the past 15 years, from two to three buildings within a kamp with concentrations of conscious brothers sufficient to cover the basic needs of akina sisi, to lockup kamps with twenty buildings and the intent of isolating conscious brothers.