#FreeBlackMamasDMV is a collective of organizations including Harriet's Wildest Dreams, Life After Release, and many others organizing an annual Free Black Mama’s Day. These bailouts and post release wrap around services across the DC and Baltimore metro areas have taken place since 2017 to raise the advocacy and amplification of dismantling, pre-trial detention and to end these systemic injustices that keep our people caged once and for all.

“We are our ancestors wildest dreams.”

#FreeBlackMamasDMV began as an answer for the call to action from Southerners on New Ground’s (SONG) in 2017 to bail out Black mamas and caretakers to raise public consciousness about the inhumanity of money bail.

Since our collective 2017 inception, we have:

Bailed out over 50+ community loved ones and counting;
Provided access and pathways to addressing social determinants of health including transitional housing, clothing, transportation and cell phones to mamas and caretakers we’ve bailed out.
Launched an eight (8) week paid fellowship at the Liberation and Justice Institute.
For the past six consecutive years, we've provided emergency assistance for mamas and caretakers bailed out through #FreeBlackMamasDMV in collaborative conjunction with other local organizers.

#FreeBlackMamasDMV is a member of National Bail Out Collective’s #FreeBlackMamas campaign, a formation of over a dozen community based organizations that is responsible for the Black Mama’s Bail Out along with subsequent bail out actions and strategies to end money bail and pretrial detention.

Free Black Mamas DMV

“The only weapon we have is our bodies and we need to tuck them in places so wheels don’t turn.” -Bayard Rustin

Team Members