If you are a Spanish and English-speaking Texan and believe you are the right person to be a part of the limited paid staff on this effort, send a note to texasdpaorganizing@gmail.com with the subject line in ALL CAPS: “I’M THE RIGHT PERSON!” In that message, tell us why you are the right person, a bit about your organizing background and Texas connections, your experience managing volunteers, your actual availability starting from now until April 30th, and your compensation requirements. Be real about your time commitments and availability. This is a temporary CONSULTANT position and will pay a flat fee. You must have a dependable vehicle and be licensed to drive it. You must be a legal resident. You will be on your own for taxes, insurance, etc., as a sole proprietor. We are led by a diverse team of human rights activists who treat people fairly, and we don’t care what you call yourself, what color your skin is, how you dress, who you sleep with or what bathroom you use, so long as you are deeply committed to justice and human rights, you are a nice person, and you can take direction, work collaboratively and see the bigger picture.
We’re not flush with cash, yet. We’re not perfect. We believe in justice, AND, we believe we can win this one. The more money we raise, the more people we can hire and the more things we can do together. Are you with us? (Campaign page here: https://freemelissalucio.org)
Here’s a message from John Lucio, Melissa’s son, last week:
I’m John Lucio.
Melissa Lucio is my mom.
I love her so much, and I am doing everything I can to keep her from being executed, and to bring her home alive.
I want to thank YOU for signing her petition and for making the follow up calls. We were all shocked when we heard she got an execution date.
I still can’t believe this is happening. And if I am being completely honest, some days it is hard enough just to live my life when I know my mom is being tortured on death row every minute.
Yes, death row is torture for her, and for all of us who love her. I need to ask for your help. My family and I, we have been wanting to build a campaign for my mom for a long time, but we didn’t know what to do or how to do it.
Now, there is not a minute to lose. She is scheduled to be killed in less than 14 weeks. When Abe Bonowitz at Death Penalty Action contacted me to be on a zoom program around Christmas, I wasn’t sure. But then he sent me the message he had from my mom. I realized he and his organization had been helping her for over a year, and I am so glad that I participated in the program.
When my mom got her execution date, Abe texted me almost immediately and asked if he could help. This was last Friday night, and even while he was organizing a big demonstration in Washington, DC on Martin Luther King Day, he was also organizing for my mom. On Tuesday, we had a zoom meeting with the Death Penalty Action team, and this photo shows just some of them. They already have a web site up, www.FreeMelissaLucio.org, and we are planning a massive campaign to save my mom. I know it is a long shot, but now my family and I have hope.
Here is my invitation to you. We need money for travel, organizing, advertising, printing signs, t-shirts, masks and other materials. What if we could put up billboards? And Abe needs to pay his staff and hire more people if he is to do this right. We need all of the things that go into a campaign, and we need it now. Whatever we raise will be used to help save my mom, so today I am inviting you to help.
There is no time to waste. DONATE HERE.
Thank you,
–John Lucio
PS: I want to thank everyone who chipped in to the GoFundMe Sabrina set up. More than $5,000 was raised in three days this past weekend to help me and my family make repeated two-day round trips to visit my mom. That money was for the family and Melissa. Now I need your help that will allow Death Penalty Action to do the work we must do to save her life. Thank you.
PPS: Checks may be sent to Death Penalty Action, PO Box 89, Ghent, NY 12075. Include a note that it is to help #FreeMelissaLucio