Prison Hallucinations Losing Yourself Behind Bars

Five Mualimm-ak is a nationally recognized human rights advocate, prison reform leader, and the founder of the Jails Action Coalition (JAC) — a grassroots organization that fights for dignity, transparency, and justice inside New York City's jails, including the notorious Rikers Island. 🧑🏿‍⚖️ Who is Five Mualimm-ak? Survivor of Solitary Confinement: Five spent nearly 5 years in prison, with more than 1,850 consecutive days in solitary confinement in New York state facilities. He was later found innocent and released. Credible Messenger: He is a trauma-informed expert and lived-experience advocate who uses his own survival to push for systemic change. Black Panther Party Cub: As the child of a former Black Panther, Five continues the legacy of liberation, organizing, and community empowerment. 🏛️ Founder of the Jails Action Coalition (JAC) The Jails Action Coalition is a New York City-based alliance of: Formerly incarcerated people Family members of people in jail Advocates Medical and legal professionals JAC’s Mission: “To expose and end the abusive conditions in NYC jails, hold the Department of Correction accountable, and demand community-centered alternatives to incarceration.” 🔧 JAC Works On: Ending solitary confinement Fighting for medical and mental health care for detainees Testifying at Board of Correction hearings Campaigning to close Rikers Island Demanding oversight and transparency from jail officials 🧠 Five’s Broader Work & Impact Founder of Incarcerated Nation Network (INN): A collective of over 25 organizations led by formerly incarcerated people working to end mass incarceration. Public Speaker and Educator: He’s spoken at: The United Nations Columbia, Yale, and NYU National conferences on prison reform, trauma, and justice Advisor and Consultant: Works with institutions and agencies to implement trauma-informed, decarceral policies. Featured in Media: PBS’s Rikers: An American Jail (with Bill Moyers & Bryan Stevenson) NY Times, The Guardian, Vice, and more 🗽 Legacy and Vision Five Mualimm-ak’s work through JAC and INN represents a powerful shift toward: Centering the voices of people directly impacted by incarceration Creating non-carceral, community-based solutions to harm Transforming justice from punishment to healing