Evie Litwok: Jewish in Jail, and Jail in Judaism

Take a gripping glimpse behind the bars of the American criminal prison system from a Jewish social activist who’s done time on the inside.

Evie Litwok is the Founder and Executive Director of Witness to Mass Incarceration (WMI). WMI’s mission is to end mass incarceration by placing formerly incarcerated women and LGBTQIA+ experiences at the center of the fight for alternatives to mass incarceration. Evie works to change the narrative from invisibility and victimization to empowerment through documentation, leadership training, organizing and advocacy. Litwok walked out of prison homeless, jobless, and penniless. Despite the lack of resources, she began speaking about her experiences in prison and formed WMI. She has added the goals of eliminating sexual violence, pushing for emergency evacuation of incarcerated people during times of national disaster and her newest initiative, the Suitcase Project, gives newly released people a suitcase filled with much needed items and a potential community.

Her hard work has led to a growing network. Litwok is a part of the National LGBT/HIV Criminal Justice Working Group who meets regularly with the Bureau of Prisons to discuss increasing safety and dignity for LGBTQ prisoners. WMI is also apart of the Raising the Bar Coalition and attends regular meetings with the Justice Department’s PREA Management Office.

In 2016, Evie discussed greater participation by formerly incarcerated people in the Justice Department’s PREA implementation efforts with then- Assistant Attorney General Karol Mason. Evie continues to interview formerly incarcerated women and LGBTQIA+ people on their experiences. It is her hope that educating the public and developing initiatives will result in policy reform, a radical change in conditions of confinement, and provide meaningful re-entry.