Evie Litwok

Evie Litwok is the Founder and Director of Witness to Mass Incarceration. Witness is a digital library of first-hand in-depth interviews with formerly incarcerated women and men. America’s history of mass incarceration is detailed through those who were inside prisons, jails and detention centers.

Traveling to prison on the real Con Air, Litwok was incarcerated in two Federal Women’s prisons. Her unapologetic voice as not only an open lesbian but also an advocate made her a target for irreparable consequences. While in prison she wrote an article that brought unwanted attention to the death of a fellow incarcerated woman due to lack of medical care. As a result, she was shackled and put into solitary confinement. She is a witness to mass incarceration.

Litwok walked out of prison homeless and penniless but her advocacy continued. She became a member of the Federal Criminal Justice LGBT Working Group, was invited to the 2015 inaugural class of JustLeadershipUSA Leading with Conviction Leader, and became an active member of NYC Jail Action Coalition (JAC), whose mission is to eliminate solitary confinement in New York City jails.

Litwok quickly became a respected speaker on the subject of criminal justice. She introduces herself as a “Formerly Incarcerated Aging New York Jewish Lesbian Feminist”. Her story has touched audiences at Georgetown University, University of Delaware, CUNY, John Jay College, Hunter College and the LA LGBT Center.

Litwok has written articles concerning surviving solitary confinement, in addition to aging and being queer in prison. These articles have been published in TheNation.com, talkpoverty.org, forward.com and ravishly.com.

Litwok has spoken at the White House for the White House Panel on LGBTQ Criminalization, appeared on CCTV, NY1 as well as radio interviews with Behind The Wall @blogtalkradio, Sheena Metal Experience LA Talk Radio.

Litwok has a MA in psychology.