Initiative seeks to free Black women, caregivers and trans women who can't afford bail

The 7th annual Black Mama's Bail Out (BMBO) is underway in honor of Mother's Day.

The Philadelphia Community Bail Fund leads this initiative to reunite families and prioritizes Black pregnant people, mothers, caregivers and transgender people who are incarcerated and cannot afford bail.

For 2024, the goal is to raise $175,000 for this year's bail out and has already received a $75,000 grant from the National Bail Out.

BMBO has partnered with People's Paper Co-op to sell original artwork created by an international group of artists inspired by the words and stories of formerly incarcerated women, printed on criminal record paper. All proceeds go toward BMBO and it is the last year to get prints, shirts and posters. After 10 years, the women-led, women-focused, women-powered art and advocacy project is closing.

According to their website, the mission of the Philly Community Bail Fund is to end cash bail and pretrial incarceration.

"Until that day, we post bail for our neighbors," organizers wrote.

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Cash bail disproportionately impacts the poor, Black, Brown and Native people. People held pretrial are four times more likely to be sentenced to prison and those held on bail are nine times more likely to plead guilty.