Anthony Papa is an artist

Informal
High Res Download
300 dpi .jpg

ANTHONY PAPA

Anthony Papa is an artist, writer, noted advocate against the war on drugs and co-founder of the Mothers of the New York Disappeared. Mr. Papa’s stinging opinion pieces about the drug war have appeared in news sources across the country. He is a frequent public speaker and college lecturer on his art and criminal justice issues. Currently he is a communications specialist for Drug Policy Alliance in NYC.

Mr. Papa is the author of 15 to Life: How I Painted My Way to Freedom (2004), a memoir about his experience of being sentenced to state prison for a first-time, nonviolent drug offense under New York’s draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws. He has been interviewed by a wide range of national print and broadcast media, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, National Public Radio, “Democracy Now,” Court TV, “Extra,” C-Span, RNN among others. His art has been exhibited widely from the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York to many cultural centers and he has appeared on nationally syndicated talk shows such as “Charles Grodin,” “Geraldo Rivera,” and “Catherine Crier Live.”

Introduction

Juan Gonzalez of the New York Daily News has said "Papa is practically a Ph.D. on the Rockefeller Drug Laws". http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98/n523/a13.html?1778 By using knowledge gained from his experience and acclaim as an artist as vehicles of protest Mr. Papa has been able to bring drug war reform to main stream America by reaching out to others and getting them involved like Def Jam Founder "Russell Simmons" http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/simmons%20attacked%20over%20drug%20law

The name Anthony Papa might sound familiar. He has been profiled in hundreds of stories. Recently he appeared on Regional Network News (RNN) to talk about the latest plan to change the Rockefeller Drug Laws (RDLs) http://videos.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.channel&ChannelID=64858487

Maybe you were one of the millions of New Yorkers who saw him in a political television commercial about the Rockefeller Drug laws for billioner Tom Golisano in his race for governor of New York (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjTbkRdEYw0) You could have read The New York Times’ moving profile of Papa after he was granted clemency by Governor George Pataki in 1997 http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9504E0DF1130F935A35754C0A961958260 (Click Here to See the Authentic Clemency Document that Set Mr. Papa Free) Or perhaps you saw him speak as the keynote speaker at the largest Rockefeller Drug Law (RDL) reform rally ever held in Albany NY or in NYC where 50,000 people turned out for "Countdown for Fairness", a unprecedented national coalition to repeal the RDLs.

You might also have seen Papa on national television smacking down America’s toughest sheriff (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH5G659vETs) or heard him on "Democracy Now" talking about injustice of the RDLs. and his book "15 to Life" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZo8JzmK8eg)

Maybe you saw his celebrated painting, "15 Years to Life: Self Portrait," exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art or saw his political art installations or his body cavity search series which depicts the dehumanizing nature of the prison experience http://www.15yearstolife.com/contraband.htm .

Whether you’re art lover or not, chances are you’ve heard of Anthony Papa. In the 11 years since Anthony Papa received clemency, he has become one of the most sought after speakers on drug law and prison reform. Anthony Papa’s powerful message comes from the twelve years he spent in a maximum-security prison for passing an envelope containing 4 ½ ounces of cocaine. His story is all too familiar to the 16,000 New Yorkers in prison today for drug offenses and to the million plus Americans in federal prisons for drug-related crimes. His articulate advocacy for drug law reform has informed countless journalists about America’s war on drugs and the country’s burgeoning prison population. Papa’s story speaks the message of the blockbuster movie, Traffic, and award-winning prison dramas such as Dead Man Walking that reveal the injustices of America’s criminal justice system. His story has been optioned and a film deal is sure to come in the immediate future.

More info about Anthony Papa can be found at : www.myspace.com/anthonypapaart or www.facebook.com/people/Anthony_Papa/1291939541

Endorsements for "15 To Life" : How I Painted My Way To Freedom

"Anthony Papa has written a riveting account of how he courageously painted his way to freedom from prison after unnecessarily serving twelve years. His story puts a human face on the nearly one million nonviolent drug offenders confined in prisons throughout the country" --Susan Sarandon -Actor/Activist

"A powerful memoir of one man's struggle for freedom, 15 To Life tells in vivid prose the story of Anthony Papa, a painter and a casualty of the War on Drugs. This journey of a soul shows the power of art to transcend the violence of prison, and all that is possible when the human spirit refuses to be contained. Papa's account should be required reading for New York lawmakers and all Americans who care about civil liberties."
--Sister Helen Prejean - Author of Dead Man Walking

"Papa's story gives me the chills. He's been through so much you won't believe it 'till you read it." Jack Black -Actor (School of Rock)

"Anthony Papa's "15 To Life" tells of a heroic escape from a brutal system by a man who refused to give up. A thrilling, unforgettable read! -- Tim Robbins - Actor (Mystic River)

"Anthony Papa's "15 To Life" is a must read for the hip-hop community. Over 94% of the 17,000 people locked up under New York's drug laws, the harshest drug laws in the country, are black or Hispanic. Like Papa, I am trying to end these racist laws. We need your voice. You can start by reading this book -- Russell Simmons - Chairman Hip-Hop Summit Action Network"

" "Papa is a true American hero whose ingenuity and never say die attiude conquered frightful adversity " -- Jason Flom -President Atlantic/Lava Records

"Anthony Papa's "15 To Life" is a gripping story of justice gone wrong and an inspiring tale of personal triumph. It is a scathing indictment of the antiquated Rockefeller drug laws that have imprisoned thousands of nonviolent offenders and wasted billions of dollars of taxpayer money" --Former US HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo--author of Crossroads

"There have been a lot of books over the years about men in prison, but Anthony Papa's "15 To Life" is unique. This is a wrenching, compelling, and darkly ironic story of a man discovering his artistic soul behind bars and using his talent to gain his freedom. It will provoke you, it might enrage you, and it could even inspire you. But it won't easily let you forget it." Peter Blauner --Best selling Author of the Intruder and The Last Good Day

"The Rockefeller Drug Laws must change and Papa's "15 To Life" is a good reason why!" -- Frank Serpico Legionary Former NYC Police Officer

"15 To Life" is an unbelievable story about one man's journey through a living hell and how he survived and now is fighting to change the most racist drug laws in America. Read this book - learn something! -- Al "Grandpa Munster" Lewis - Actor/Activist