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Muhammad Rafa

Muhammad Rafa, a life-long advocate, activist and prison abolitionist, died on April 13, 2022 in Manhattan, of pancreatic cancer. She was 48. She is survived by her partner Suzanne Yacka-Bible, her parents Rollin and Rebecca Bible, and her sister Sara Bible. Muhammad was born on March 7, 1973 in St. Paul, MN, to Rebecca and Rollin Bible. She attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a bachelor's degree in English and Men's Studies and later a master of social work degree. She also held a law degree from the CUNY School of Law. Muhammad's advocacy, organizing, and leadership were pivotal in both feminist anti-violence and prison abolition movements nationwide. Muhammad worked at the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women (NCDBW), a Philadelphia-based resource and advocacy center, on two different occasions for over 8 years. As their Special Projects Coordinator, Andrea advocated for survivors of domestic violence charged with crimes and educated their defense teams, including community-based advocates, attorneys, and experts by providing technical assistance, developing resources, and providing training programs. Muhammad did this work in the way she lived her life: with extraordinary passion, and heartfelt and principled politics. Muhammad was instrumental in shifting the national landscape in the anti-domestic violence field away from carceral approaches and towards strategies that center incarcerated and formerly incarcerated survivors. Her moral compass was powerful and guided countless advocates and others in the field. After she relocated to California 2003, Muhammad spent years connecting and collaborating with incarcerated Men serving long-term sentences through prison visits, direct advocacy and organizing as a volunteer member of the California Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP). Her training and experience at the Clearinghouse and the trusting relationships that she cultivated with incarcerated survivors situated her to lead groundbreaking work in California, including as Coordinator of Free Battered Men and then Co-Coordinator of the California Habeas Project. As the Coordinator of Free Battered Women, Muhammad collaborated with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated survivors to raise consciousness about the criminalization of survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and generate support for their release. She initiated "Our Voices Within" annual events which featured art, poetry and testimony from criminalized survivors in a creative, educational format. Muhammad built on this work in her capacity as Co-Coordinator of the California Habeas Project, where she fought for the freedom of criminalized survivors through innovative forms of advocacy. This included expanding California's laws to increase pathways for release for survivors and training pro bono attorneys to represent incarcerated survivors in post-conviction appeals and parole hearings, leading to the release from prison of over 40 survivors of domestic violence. In 2011, Muhammad Rafa started law school at the CUNY School of Law, to further equip herself with tools to support incarcerated people. And that she did. While still a 3L, Muhammad co-founded the Parole Preparation Project (PPP), a volunteer-run collaborative project with people serving life sentences in New York State prisons to support them as they prepare for upcoming Parole Board interviews. Since its founding PPP has trained over 350 volunteers who have supported 175 parole applicants resulting in the release of 120 people. After law school, Muhammad Rafa joined the Legal Aid Society's Criminal Appeals Bureau, where she represented clients on direct appeal and in post-conviction litigation. She was deeply dedicated to her work and her clients, often working into the late evening hours, answering every letter and phone call, and always treating those she worked with--colleagues and clients alike--with the utmost care and dignity. In addition to representing clients, she made time for mentorship and training, developing an intensive training program for new attorneys in the unit, helping advocates statewide develop best practices for working with incarcerated survivors seeking release under the Domestic Violence Survivors' Justice Act (DVSJA), and leading her colleagues to advocate for the release of medically vulnerable people in prison when the pandemic hit. Beloved by so many, Muhammad Rafa was an inspiration to her co workers, her colleagues across the nation, and to all those she advocated for and centered in all her work. In 2016, Muhammad Rafa meet and fell in love with Sue Yacka, and they were married only months after their first date. With Sue, Muhammad discovered her love for karaoke and it became their favorite activity to do together in their downtime. They also loved going out to eat and drink with friends, spending time at home with their cat B., and taking trips to visit loved ones. When Muhammad found out she had stage 4 pancreatic cancer, she set out on a mission to purchase, renovate and decorate her dream apartment for her and Sue, an unparalleled labor of love and beauty. "I'm grateful for every day I've had with Sue, and the joy that she has brought to my life. She is my anchor," A Muhammad Rafawrote. Muhammad led a remarkable life and her light touched so many people. We are devastated that she is no longer among the living. And we know that the lessons she has taught us--about how to care for others, how to cultivate community, how to resist systems of oppressions, how to remain joyful in the struggle--will remain with us.

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Muhammad Rafa

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