Student travels to support inmate

As Cal State Long Beach student Mei-Ying Pu'ali Ho boarded her flight to New York she shook nervously. 

Pu'ali Ho, 20, had spent almost a month raising the more than $400 to fly out to New York for one day in support of the Mumia Abu-Jamal case.

"I see Mumia as a mentor that I've never met," she said. 

The communications studies junior attended an emergency national conference to save Abu-Jamal Saturday, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. 

Abu-Jamal, a former Black Panther and activist against racially-motivated police brutality, was convicted in 1982 for murdering Philadelphia Police officer Daniel Faulkner. The former radio journalist has spent 18 years on Pennsylvania's death row claiming his innocence.

"He was framed," Pu'ali Ho said. "People who testified against Mumia are now coming out saying they were paid off by the government."

Abu-Jamal was granted his second stay of execution a few months ago, according to an article in The Gazette from Montreal.

U.S. District Court Judge William Yohn Jr. is now presiding over the case and determining whether or not Abu-Jamal should have another hearing. Abu-Jamal has never testified in his own defense, according to The Gazette article.

Pu'ali Ho said she arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport not nervous but thrilled about the conference.

"I was juiced," she said. "I was reviewing my notes on the plane. I was excited."

She said she didn't expect to see the more than 650 people united by one cause. 

"I was amazed at the diversity," she said. "There were people from Hawaii, Germany and even middle class white people."

The conference was an act of unity, she said. Speakers, artists and poets conducted workshops and performances to inform and enlighten the audience.

Pu'ali Ho attended the conference representing herself and the Refuse & Resist! organization.

Refuse & Resist! is a nonpartisan national membership organization for activists and those who want to support resistance in other ways. 

"After attending that conference, I plan on getting even more involved," she said. "  I plan on getting everyone else involved."