27 years is a long time.  I should know, I’m almost 27 years old.  When I think about my entire life it is almost unfathomable to imagine spending all of that time in prison, let alone on death row.  Unfortunately for Mumia Abu-Jamal it isn’t something he can just imagine, it’s something he has been living.   On December 9, 1981, Mumia was arrested for killing a Philadelphia police officer.  He was then sentenced to die and has been on death row ever since.

During his time on death row, Mumia has gained the support of people like Nelson Mandela and groups like Amnesty International.  He has written about his experiences and made radio broadcasts about his situation.  He has spoken up about his innocence and become the “voice of the voiceless.” And one day William Francome heard Mumia’s call. Will was born on the day that Mumia was arrested and Mumia’s story inspired Will to make a film about him, the prison system and the ongoing struggle many face for equality and justice.

The film, called In Prison My Whole Life is airing on the Sundance Channel the day before Will’s 27th birthday and the 27th anniversary of Mumia’s arrest, Monday December 8th.  It will be on at 9pm, so don’t miss it.  It’s a story that is holds truth for many but is uniquely inspiring.

The trailer is below, so please watch and also be sure to takepart to learn about the issues in the film. The more we know, the more we can do.

*photo from dubnars’ flickr stream (creative commons)