The men are scattered across 14 Texas prison units across the state and all are in what used to be known as solitary confinement.
The hunger strike started Tuesday, January 10th. They are, for the most part, gang members. The strikers want the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to stop putting inmates in solitary because they have a gang affiliation.
Activist Brittney Robertson says there has been a rise in suicides in solitary confinement. "It's basically the lack of rehabilitation combined with a shortage of staff, as well as the policies and procedures put in place to maintain the unit are not being followed due to a shortage of staffers."
She says officers who work in those units are also struggling.
She says once an inmate is a confirmed gang member and placed in restrictive housing, their ability to access education and practice their religion is completely restricted. She says 80 percent of these men will one day be released. They aren't asking for that to happen early, they do want help so they'll be better equipped to re-enter life outside of prison by building skill sets and correcting core causes of behavior.
She has been in contact with 58 inmates in solitary confinement who have been organizing amongst themselves, filling out grievances and studying case law. Some yell to each other between cells and some meet while being transferred.
The inmates made their intentions to go on a hunger strike known 90 days ago. Robertson says this could go on for some time. "These men are dedicated and determined. When you live with such a lack of hope, connection and support, when the system makes every relationship you have in the free world more difficult, from the mailroom being backed up or your visits being cancelled, these men already feel they don't have much to lose but they are intelligent to know this has to be peaceful. They will go until they are recognized and the administration understands it is about what's best for everybody, including the employees."
A two month hunger strike in California in 2013 led to that state agreeing to not keep inmates in solitary because they had been in a gang.
Over 500 Texas inmates have been in solitary for more than ten years. Robertson says at least one has been there for more than 25 years.
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