Victoria Elena Valenzuela
@vevalenz.bsky.social
Just trying to help good people expose shitty systems! Independent journalist based in LA! I cover immigrant justice, prison issues, and activism. Words in the LA Times, BuzzFeed News, USA Today, The Guardian,The Appeal, Documented, Bolts, and more.
scheerpost.com/2026/09/11/o...
On Suicide Prevention Day, Reflecting On The Crisis Inside Prisons And Jails
Victoria Valenzuela Substack Suicide is a leading cause of death in prisons and jails. Advocates say most people experience trauma, substance abuse or mental illness prior to prison, and conditions…
scheerpost.com
On Suicide Prevention Day, Reflecting On The Crisis Inside Prisons And Jails scheerpost.com/2026/09/11/o...
On Suicide Prevention Day, Reflecting On The Crisis Inside Prisons And Jails
Victoria Valenzuela Substack Suicide is a leading cause of death in prisons and jails. Advocates say most people experience trauma, substance abuse or mental illness prior to prison, and conditions…
scheerpost.com
US Communities are Organizing to end Complicity with the Gaza Genocide in their Backyards www.juancole.com/2026/09/comm...
US Communities are Organizing to end Complicity with the Gaza Genocide in their Backyards
Victoria Valenzuela (
juancole.com
Many incarcerated people who self-harm or commit suicide often feel ignored, powerless, or isolated, and for some, it becomes the only way to be heard. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/on-suicide...
On Suicide Prevention Day, Reflecting on the Crisis Inside Prisons and Jails
Suicide is a leading cause of death in prisons and jails. Advocates say most people experience trauma, substance abuse or mental illness prior to prison, and conditions only exacerbate it.
victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com
The California City Detention Facility has banned loved ones from hugging those who are facing possible deportation. People go months without being able to hug their loved ones while they fight their cases and face possible deportation. truthout.org/articles/fam...
Families Are Fighting Draconian No-Contact-Visit Policy at California ICE Jail
The California City Detention Facility has banned loved ones from hugging those who are facing possible deportation.
truthout.org
“There are similar campaigns at major ports in California, Louisiana, New Jersey and more. In New Jersey, activists used their own bodies and cars to block a port from delivering weapons to Israel in May.” @wagingnonviolence.org @vevalenz.bsky.social wagingnonviolence.org/2026/09/us-c...
US communities are organizing to end complicity with genocide in their backyards
As the genocide in Gaza nears its fourth year, communities across the U.S. are pressuring local governments to break the supply chain of weapons to Israel.
wagingnonviolence.org
The California City Detention Facility has banned loved ones from hugging those who are facing possible deportation. People go months without being able to hug their loved ones while they fight their cases and face possible deportation. truthout.org/articles/fam...
Families Are Fighting Draconian No-Contact-Visit Policy at California ICE Jail
The California City Detention Facility has banned loved ones from hugging those who are facing possible deportation.
truthout.org
“The campaign for a weapons embargo is part of a larger international movement to stop global manufacturing and shipment of weapons to Israel.” @wagingnonviolence.org @vevalenz.bsky.social wagingnonviolence.org/2026/09/us-c...
US communities are organizing to end complicity with genocide in their backyards
As the genocide in Gaza nears its fourth year, communities across the U.S. are pressuring local governments to break the supply chain of weapons to Israel.
wagingnonviolence.org
Many incarcerated people who self-harm or commit suicide often feel ignored, powerless, or isolated, and for some, it becomes the only way to be heard. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/on-suicide...
On Suicide Prevention Day, Reflecting on the Crisis Inside Prisons and Jails
Suicide is a leading cause of death in prisons and jails. Advocates say most people experience trauma, substance abuse or mental illness prior to prison, and conditions only exacerbate it.
victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com
Suicide is a leading cause of death in prisons and jails. Advocates say most people experience trauma, substance abuse or mental illness prior to prison, and restrictive conditions and lack of agency/control only exacerbate it. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/on-suicide...
On Suicide Prevention Day, Reflecting on the Crisis Inside Prisons and Jails
Suicide is a leading cause of death in prisons and jails. Advocates say most people experience trauma, substance abuse or mental illness prior to prison, and conditions only exacerbate it.
victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com
Having vetoed some criminal justice reform bills and passed others in the past, how will Governor Newsom’s decision play out as this legislative session comes to an end? victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/will-gover...
Will Governor Newsom Sign Criminal Justice Reform Laws This Session? His Track Record Makes It Hard to Tell
Having vetoed some justice bills and signed others, it is unclear how Governor Newsom’s decisions will play out as this legislative session comes to an end.
victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com
In so many ways, people with criminal convictions are not actually free even after exiting incarceration. Here’s a very good @vevalenz.bsky.social piece on one example of this: state-ordered separation of babies and parents. The first paragraph alone is heartbreaking. boltsmag.org/california-c...
‘We were literally slaves': Incarcerated men expose conditions at Arkansas prison & former plantation, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports. Prisons often frame agricultural labor as “rehabilitation,” but incarcerated people say their working conditions are dangerous & dehumanizing.
Incarcerated men expose forced labor conditions at Arkansas prison
Prisons often frame agricultural forced labor as “rehabilitation,” but incarcerated people say their working conditions are dehumanizing
prismreports.org
“I looked up & the only thing that I could see was white men on horses with shotguns & as I looked around me, all I could see in my mind were Black men on their knees planting onions. We were literally slaves.” Incarcerated men expose conditions at the Cummins Unit, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports.
Incarcerated men expose forced labor conditions at Arkansas prison
Prisons often frame agricultural forced labor as “rehabilitation,” but incarcerated people say their working conditions are dehumanizing
prismreports.org
“All the cards were stacked against me & I broke the cycle.” Children of incarcerated parents find community at California summer camp, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports. Project Avary has brought together hundreds of children of incarcerated parents to feel less alone.
Children of incarcerated parents find community at summer camp
Project Avary’s summer camp in California has brought together hundreds of children of incarcerated parents to feel less alone
prismreports.org
“I’m 75 years old, but I still can’t get out of my mind when those people were telling me I wasn’t fit to live.” On death row in CA, Shujaa Graham recalled his despair before he was found innocent & exonerated. Calls to commute death sentences loom over Gov. Newsom, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports.
Calls grow for Gov. Gavin Newsom to commute death sentences
Exonerees, victims’ families, and international coalitions are calling on Newsom to commute California’s remaining 578 death sentences
prismreports.org
@vevalenz.bsky.social covers California governors' long history of vetoing prison media access bills. "We're trying to do things better, and we're not going to be able to do things better if we can't face the truth." buff.ly/YH0RAjz
The uphill fight for media access in California's prisons
Newsom is the latest California governor to consistently veto prison media access bills. California incarcerates the second-most people in state prisons.
buff.ly
Immigrants complain of poor conditions in notorious unit at Louisiana’s ‘Angola’ prison, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports. Gov. Jeff Landry re-opened “Camp 57” in September at the site of former “Camp J,” the notorious solitary confinement unit that was built on a slave plantation.
Immigrants complain of poor conditions in notorious unit at Louisiana’s ‘Angola’ prison
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry re-opened “Camp 57” in September at the site of former “Camp J,” the notorious solitary confinement unit at the Louisiana State Penitentiary that was built on a slave plantation
prismreports.org
From the 1970s to 2018, Louisiana’s ‘Angola’ prison was notorious for suicides, fighting, extreme heat & isolation. After its closure, it served as housing for incarcerated individuals infected with COVID-19, then Gov. Jeff Landry reopened the unit to hold immigrants, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports.
Immigrants complain of poor conditions in notorious unit at Louisiana’s ‘Angola’ prison
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry re-opened “Camp 57” in September at the site of former “Camp J,” the notorious solitary confinement unit at the Louisiana State Penitentiary that was built on a slave planta...
prismreports.org
Check out this about what Easter means to and looks like for people in prison.
Victoria Elena Valenzuela@vevalenz.bsky.social · 6mo agoEaster is hard for people in prison who are away from their families. This group helps incarcerated people find liberation, freedom and connection in the holiday. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/prison-fel...
Easter is hard for people in prison who are away from their families. This group helps incarcerated people find liberation, freedom and connection in the holiday. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/prison-fel...
Prison Fellowship Brings Hope to Incarcerated People This Easter
Easter is hard for people in prison who are away from their families. This group helps incarcerated people find liberation, freedom and connection in the holiday.
victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com
Dolores Huerta, Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas made an enormous sacrifice for the farmworker movement, but it was the kind of sacrifice no one should ever have to make.
My experience in the farmworker movement helps me understand Dolores' silence
Dolores Huerta, Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas made a sacrifice, but it was the kind of sacrifice no one should ever have to make.
wagingnonviolence.org
Across the country, high school students are organizing walkouts, coalitions and days of action to protest ICE and show solidarity with immigrants. #AbolishICE #iceout
How 17-year-olds are organizing walkouts against ICE
Across the country, high school students are organizing walkouts and days of action to protest ICE and show solidarity with immigrants.
wagingnonviolence.org
“When we would do a video call when we were at Adams, my son would be like, ‘I just really wish I could be there.’” Some families are suing jails for banning in-person visits as they're forced to turn to costly calls to stay in touch with loved ones inside, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports.
Families are suing jails for banning in-person visits
Jail policies against in-person visits are forcing families with loved ones inside to turn to costly phone or video calls
prismreports.org
“The students at Overfelt High School are among thousands across the country, from California to Iowa, Texas and Maryland, who have walked out to protest ICE and show solidarity with immigrants in their communities.” @vevalenz.bsky.social @wagingnonviolence.org wagingnonviolence.org/2026/02/high...
How high school students are organizing walkouts against ICE
Across the country, high school students are organizing walkouts and days of action to protest ICE and show solidarity with immigrants.
wagingnonviolence.org
"St. Clair County Jail is one of the thousands of jails around the country that have banned in-person visiting." "If the court rules in the plaintiffs' favor, the families hope the cases could make it unconstitutional to permanently ban in-person jail visits." #Michigan #USA #Incarceration
Families are suing jails for banning in-person visits
Jail policies against in-person visits are forcing families with loved ones inside to turn to costly phone or video calls
prismreports.org
Victoria Valenzuela: @vevalenz.bsky.social ——————————————— Prism: @prismreports.org Subscribe to Their Newsletter: prismreports.org Donate to Prism: secure.actblue.com/donate/prism
“Sometimes we’d get off the phone & my son would just cry because either the time would cut off or it would cut out & he just wouldn’t get to say goodbye properly.” Families are suing jails for banning in-person visits & forcing them to turn to high-cost calls, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports.
Families are suing jails for banning in-person visits
Jail policies against in-person visits are forcing families with loved ones inside to turn to costly phone or video calls
prismreports.org
From tap dance to partner lifts, people in prison are working with advocates to find freedom, expression and storytelling. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/a-radical-...
“A Radical Act”: Incarcerated People Are Transforming Prisons Through Dance
From tap dance to partner lifts, people in prison are working with advocates to find freedom, expression and storytelling.
victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com
