Honoring and celebrating Yvonne Newkirk as a pillar of her community for her relentless work to improve the lives and protect the dignity of people who are incarcerated across Pennsylvania, on the occasion of Black History Month.

Honoring and celebrating Yvonne Newkirk as a pillar of her community for her relentless work to improve the lives and protect the dignity of people who are incarcerated across Pennsylvania, on the occasion of Black History Month. WHEREAS, Yvonne Newkirk was born here in Philadelphia, the middle child of five children. She has an older sister and brother and a younger sister and brother, and she grew up in Mt. Holly, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. She graduated from high school, trade school at The National school of Health Technology, and community college here in Philadelphia. She worked at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital for 31.5 years, starting phlebotomy before moving to kidney transplants, and prior to that at Hahnemann for 2 years and St. Agnes briefly; and WHEREAS, She got into her work because of her brother, Edward Ball, who was incarcerated at Dallas Prison for 5-10 years for possession of a firearm. Edward had sent her a notice several years ago of an event for former District Attorney Seth Williams entitled “Get a Heart,” occurring during the resentencing of Anthony Wright; and WHEREAS, Edward served 8 years of his sentence before dying of COVID in 2020. She had to tell the news to her daughter Stacey, who is incarcerated with a life sentence at SCI Muncy; when her daughter refused to room with a COVID-positive roommate, she was sent to the hole; and WHEREAS, When her daughter was incarcerated on State Road, she told Yvonne about a program called Books Thro…