by John Cannon, LSPC Outreach Coordinator
When I put on the Retired Slave shirt, people stopped. They asked questions. Some were uncomfortable. Some were curious. That was the point. The shirt forced a conversation about something this system works hard to hide.
I’ve lived involuntary servitude. I worked in the prison kitchen, on yard labor, and on fire crew. Long hours. Real work. Almost no pay. We were told it was rehabilitation, but it felt like survival. The labor kept the system running while we stayed stuck inside it.
In California, forced prison labor is still legal. It creates incentives to keep prisons full and people working. That reality isn’t history. It’s now. Wearing that shirt was my way of saying I see it clearly, and I refuse to pretend it’s normal.
Even though the proposition to end involuntary servitude didn’t pass, the fight didn’t end. Change starts when we name the truth. For me, Retired Slave is not about the past. It’s about choosing dignity, even in a system built to take it. It’s about honoring everyone inside who has worked, survived, and is still standing.
This shirt is for you.
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