The Poussey Memorial Community Library

In this touching scene from the popular TV series Orange is the New Black, Brook Soso (played by actress Kimiko Glenn) unveils a new form of library in memory of her late girlfriend Poussey Washington (Samira Wiley), who had been the prison librarian. At this point in the story the inmates have taken over control of Litchfield Prison and so have far more license to express themselves – for good and ill – than under normal circumstances.

The final season of the series saw the launch of the Poussey Washington Fund, both in the fictional OitNB universe and also in real life. The fund is an ongoing campaign contributing to eight non-profit organizations advocating for criminal justice reform, including A New Way of Life: Reentry Project, Anti Recidivism Coalition, College & Community Fellowship, Freedom for Immigrants, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Woman and Girls, unPrison Project and the Women’s Prison Association.

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