So, what would an alternative transformative and restorative justice-focused system look like? Kaba challenges punitive impulses and instead argues for a shift to healing and repair. In a case like Nassar’s, healing and repair would mean:

Kaba uses the rest of this section of the book to challenge some of the common critiques or comments on prison abolition.Mariame has the rarest of gifts: the ability to imagine a better future, the skills to help construct it, and the courage to demand it. For years, Mariame has been thinking through some of the toughest questions about society's addiction to punishment, and We Do This Til We Free Us showcases the extraordinary depths of her knowledge about our criminal legal system. This book could not arrive at a better time –as more people become familiar with abolition, Mariame's words are especially critical.But it is not just a book about systems. It's a book about people, the powerful and the struggling. And, ultimately it is a book about each of us— the values we possess and the choices we make. Mariame has the uncanny ability to illuminate the murky and complicated elements of who we are and give them voice. As an abolitionist, Mariame is not just calling for the destruction of old systems, but the creation of a new world. This book will change the way you think about your community, your relationships, and yourself.” — Josie Duffy Rice, writer She promotes and facilitates transformative and restorative justice processes and helps lead campaigns for people who face criminal punishment tied to actions like self defense from abusive partners — also known as criminalized survivors — all while doing research and publishing toolkits, zines and other resources to educate the public. But as beloved an organizer as she is, Kaba consistently refuses to center herself in the spotlight — she often chooses not to be photographed or to appear in videos. For a long time, she even refused to put her name on her writings and resources. Despite being well known, Kaba is a deeply private person.

Abolition is about building and experimenting. We have to try things, knowing that many experiments will fail. We can build containers for collective action, and trust in the collective to figure it out and learn important lessons as we go. We’re not trying to find the solution, but rather a constellation of solutions. Beautiful and timely, We Do This 'Til We Free Us is more than a book. It is a gathering: a conversation, a coming together, a call to be not only our best selves, but together in struggle. It is a how-to gift for all who believe in freedom from violence. In a wide ranging series of essays, interviews, and speeches, inveterate organizer Mariame Kaba shares strategic wisdom from the abolitionist frontlines. Read it, pass it on, and get to work!” — Dan Berger, author, Rethinking the American Prison Movement

Other books of interest

Mariame has the rarest of gifts: the ability to imagine a better future, the skills to help construct it, and the courage to demand it. For years, Mariame has been thinking through some of the toughest questions about society's addiction to punishment, and We Do This Til We Free Us showcases the extraordinary depths of her knowledge about our criminal legal system. This book could not arrive at a better time –as more people become familiar with abolition, Mariame's words are especially critical. But it is not just a book about systems. It's a book about people, the powerful and the struggling. And, ultimately it is a book about each of us— the values we possess and the choices we make. Mariame has the uncanny ability to illuminate the murky and complicated elements of who we are and give them voice. As an abolitionist, Mariame is not just calling for the destruction of old systems, but the creation of a new world. This book will change the way you think about your community, your relationships, and yourself.” — Josie Duffy Rice, writer I want to say this is a ‘generation-defining’ book, but that feels wrong because I know it will be shaping political imaginations for a century or more. It's generations-defining. This is a classic in the vein of Sister Outsider, a book that will spark countless radical imaginations.” — Eve L. Ewing, author, 1919 The intertwined analysis and collective organizing archived in this invaluable collection provides crucial entry points in the everyday work of abolition. Engaging the most pressing questions of our time with clarity and commitment, as always, Mariame makes abolition irresistible, and as imperatively, doable.” — Erica R. Meiners, author, For the Children: Protecting Innocence in a Carceral State

Even as broader conversations about PIC abolition began, Kaba turned down TV appearances and speaking engagements. Instead, she compiled the learnings from her life's work into a book: "We Do This 'Til We Free Us." Abolition is rooted in imagination and experimentation. We must transform our imaginations to envision and build our way out of oppressive systems. Our work should “create the conditions for dismantling prisons, police, and surveillance” (110). All of a sudden, people had a real interest in abolitionist thinking and abolitionist organizing," Kaba said. She said she believed abolishing the prison-industrial complex, sometimes known as the PIC, "would be popular eventually. It was my belief that more people would want to engage an abolitionist vision and practice. I've always believed that. But I still think PIC abolition is an unpopular view … and we have a lot of work to do to bring more people in."Summary, part 5, 6, & 7 Part 5: We Must Practice and Experiment: Abolitionist Organizing and Theory This long-awaited collection of the works of Mariame Kaba is what the movement for abolition needs right now. Kaba blends radical critique, historical analysis, ground theory and practical application to help guide organizers building an abolitionist future. There are very few scholars and/or organizers who are able to seamlessly bring abolitionist and transformative justice theory with practical organizing strategies as Kaba so successfully does. Kaba’s essays