On Feb. 2, a group of women incarcerated at the Perryville state prison in Arizona went on a hunger strike following an alleged assault by a prison guard. A young woman in the Santa Cruz Unit, Sherry Shadle-Fryer, reported being violently held down on her bed during a cell search by the officer.

The alleged assault was a tipping point for those of us in the Santa Cruz Unit who felt that poor staff behavior and deteriorating conditions at Perryville had been repeatedly ignored by prison officials. 

In an email to a Prison Journalism Project editor, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry said there was no hunger strike in February. 

The following account is based on my experience and what I witnessed, and the experiences and observations of others who participated in the strike. Multiple women incarcerated at Perryville independently confirmed to PJP that they participated in or witnessed the strike.

I and other organizers planned the hunger strike, hoping that a nonviolent protest against institutional violence would lead to meaningful change. Together, we drafted a list of what we called “Polite Requests” aimed at increasing our access to resources and redress.

The hunger strike lasted 18 days, during which time the prison’s administration tried to break the strike by separating me from the other hunger strikers. I was moved first to security watch and then to a mental health unit. 

Meanwhile, on the yard of Santa Cruz Unit, hunger strikers Crystal Carimbocas, Shayla Brattin, Anesha Bright, Ty Reed and Sherry Shadle-Fryer continued to interact with people outside the prison and fight for our Polite Requests to be met. Staff ignored their demonstrations and denied the strike’s existence, both to the outside world and to me.

On Day 18 of the hunger strike, Feb. 19, 2026, I asked to meet with Warden Kathleen Reyes for negotiations, fearing I would soon lose consciousness and my ability to make sound decisions. The prison administration agreed, but didn’t allow anyone else who participated in the strike to be part of the negotiations.

The warden committed to me that the prison would make changes in line with some of the Polite Requests, but said that systemic changes, such as reworkings of disciplinary policies or a raise to the minimum wage of 10 cents per hour, could only be made by the state Legislature. 

A state corrections agency spokesperson, who declined to identify themselves, told PJP that staff communicated with me about “specific needs and concerns” through administrative channels, and that this “has unfortunately led to unfounded rumors regarding the facility’s operations.” The spokesperson did not elaborate on the alleged rumors. 

We ended the hunger strike at sunset Feb. 19. 

Lasting results have been mixed.

For example, we gained access to over 18,000 academic articles about abolition on our JSTOR app and were put in touch with Arizona State Sen. Analise Ortiz, who is helping us work to get an increase to the prison minimum wage. 

Newly incarcerated women are also now immediately getting essentials such as a sheet, blanket, and clothes that fit, per policy, when they arrive at the yard. Before the strike, people were frequently given ill-fitting clothing and were going days without sheets and blankets. We had tried to hide some around the yard, but that was difficult. 

I and fellow hunger striker Brattin, who is a paralegal, were also permitted to advise new women on their cases during orientation without having to take a job with the institution. However, after only three weeks in the role, Brattin and I were barred from speaking at orientation on March 19. An officer told us that only incarcerated people who officially work for the corrections department were allowed to give advice to new arrivals, directly contradicting the warden’s promise. 

I have reached out to the warden to see if this will be corrected; as of July 2026, nothing has changed. We have reverted to handing out cards with the numbers of our cells, where women can visit us outside the class in case they want extra help. 

Meanwhile, the offense at the center of the strike remains unaddressed, leaving the women at Perryville vulnerable to continued abuse. In the month after the strike ended, a second assault allegation circulated against the same officer. A fellow incarcerated woman said the officer pushed her down the stairs in the administration area. She said she declined to file a report because she is being released soon and “didn’t want that smoke.”

I asked some of the women of Santa Cruz Unit how they felt about the strike since it ended.

They focused on the collective power and clarity they gained by participating in the demonstration, but noted that it was frustrating that they had to go so far to be heard. Here’s what some of the participants and supporters of the strike had to say. Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Crystal Carimbocas: “The hunger strike we all participated in accomplished a lot and we are very proud of each other for being strong. We are honored to stand up for those who have not yet found their voice.”

Mama Joyce Lynch: “The strike served many purposes. It got across that we stand for each other, that we can fight injustice, and that we can make changes.”

Ebony Wilson: “We accomplished something wonderful.”

Maria Burboa: “It was very nice to experience a group peacefully making a difference in a place that can be so dark.”

Michelle Ware: “These changes were a long time coming. [The officials] force us to do things like the hunger strike to get simple things accomplished.”

Shayla Brattin: “Administration turned the hunger strike into a way to violate policy and human rights and used it to retaliate and cover up the abuses of a disgraced corrections officer.”

Juanica Land: “We shouldn’t have had to go through all this for such basic things to be noticed.”

Alexis: “We were successful as far as impact. Hopefully this will reach more people’s hearts and move more people to help us outside because we are all somebody.”

Anesha Bright: “I am happy to have been a part of something so powerful and I am excited to see the changes happening already.” 

Frankie: “It takes unity to make a change. So if more people come together, more change can happen.”

Kelly Randolf: “I believe that the hunger strike accomplished many things that we need in prison, and I’m thankful so many acted to do what was right.”

Sherry Shadle-Fryer: “The way I saw the whole world changed after I was assaulted … and I understood what my elders already knew: that no one is safe when cops are in control.”