Jennifer Meeropol is the granddaughter of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg and the daughter of RFC Founder, Robert Meeropol. Jenn became the Executive Director of the RFC on September 1, 2013. Prior posts on this page were written by Robert (unless otherwise noted), and represent his opinions, which are not necessarily shared by the RFC.
(Guest blog by former RFC beneficiary Davíd Morales)
I remember the exact moment I received the email from school admin, a couple of days before my high school graduation, notifying me that I would not be participating in the commencement ceremony. My heart raced while reading it and then sank at the thought of my immigrant parents, who had sacrificed so much, not being able to see their first child walk across the stage.
The RFC turns 30 next year. Many of our supporters have been with us for most, if not all, of the past three decades but I bet even some of them may not know about a small but vital grant program: our group grants. The RFC has awarded over $7 million in our history. Of that, significant amounts went to support prison visits, young activists targeted for their own organizing efforts and Gathering programs.
30 March, 2010
"I'm in the hole down here in Coleman (USP#1) Florida, Hoping to be let out into general population soon, after being dragged through the SHU's (holes) of several prisons over the past few months. At my age, I don't travel as well, physically, as I once did. And it wears on one mentally and spiritually as well. So it was a nice surprise, and affirmation just now when the screw passed your 20th anniversary Carry it Forward, part 1, newsletter through the food port into this cell.
It reminds me that there are struggles happening on so many fronts, at so many levels, by so many people, all of whom are united by a common thread of humanity that, even when stretched as thin as a cobweb at times, it still binds us together with the strength of a steel cable."
It was just over a year ago that images of small children in cages on U.S. soil, crying for their parents, caused widespread outrage and disgust towards those responsible for creating the situation and those complicit in its execution. At the time, I added my voice to the chorus of those expressing their anger and sadness at this atrocity. More than 365 days later, the crisis has grown and it's time to speak up once again.
I’ve been thinking a lot about family in the lead up to the 66th anniversary of the execution of my grandparents, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. In part, that’s because my first emotional connection to the case was trying to imagine what it was like for my dad and uncle when their parents were arrested, convicted, and executed.