August 2026, New York, NY..., Churches and leaders of faith‑based organizations have long maintained a presence in jails and prisons, offering spiritual guidance and support to incarcerated individuals. Pastors often serve as chaplains and community liaisons. What distinguishes Mother A.M.E. Zion Church is its Bail Fund & Prison Outreach Program, created to help raise bail money for individuals who would otherwise remain incarcerated simply because they cannot afford to pay.
In April 2026, Rev. Dr. Malcolm J. Byrd and Ms. Takeasha Newton visited Rikers Island and spoke with several young men awaiting trial. Rikers Island—New York City’s largest jail complex—is located on a 413‑acre island in the East River. It houses approximately 8,000 people daily, and 85% of detainees are pretrial defendants held without bail. The island is named after Abraham Rycken, who took possession of it in 1664.
(Aerial View of Rikers Island)
Rev. Byrd has been the Senior Pastor of Mother A.M.E. Zion Church for eight years. Ms. Newton is the Director of the Mother Zion Bail Fund Program and the Lead Community Organizer with The Legal Aid Society’s Community Justice Unit (CJU). She is also Lead Volunteer Coordinator of the “Vote in Jails Coalition,” and has led this initiative at Rikers Island since 2020, offering voting access to community members. “No polling site on Rikers Island is silent violence,” said Ms. Newton. As a leader directly impacted by generational incarceration, Ms. Newton is committed to empowering the communities she serves. She works with several coalitions advancing legislative reforms benefiting Black and brown communities, including the recently enacted Clean Slate Act. “My purpose is to heal, restore and ignite all communities through grace, love and compassion,” Ms. Newton said.
Mother Zion’s prison outreach has deep roots. In 2011, Mrs. Amelia Montgomery and her husband, the late Dabney Montgomery, were invited to visit Rikers Island. In a recent interview with Rev. Byrd, Mrs. Montgomery reflected on that experience. She recalled speaking to a group of mostly young Black and Latino men. Her husband introduced himself simply as Dabney—Tuskegee Airman, civil rights activist, and longtime member of Mother Zion Church.
Mr. Montgomery told the young men he was not there to judge them. “I am your brother in Christ. I am here to encourage you and help you improve your lives. We have all sinned—some of us got caught—and have come short of the glory of God.”
He spoke about growing up in segregated Selma, Alabama, and about his service as a Tuskegee Airman during World War II and his tour of duty in Europe. “I’m not here to tell you I was a pilot,” he said. “No—I was a private first class.” Mrs. Montgomery noted, “He had a way of speaking to people without making them feel he was better than them. He spoke to them as human beings.” The young men listened intently and felt comfortable with him.
Before leaving, he offered a brief “sermonette” about keeping God at the center of one’s life, striving to do better, serving humanity, and—above all—“not coming back here.” Afterward, the Correction Officers expressed astonishment. “That was amazing and unusual,” they said. “You were sitting in a room full of Crips and Bloods. No fights broke out. No one threatened anyone.”
Rev. Byrd asked Mrs. Montgomery what she was thinking as she sat and listened. She said she saw good‑looking, intelligent young men and wanted to ask them, “Why are you here, and why did you choose this above freedom?”
BAIL REFORM
Approximately 85% of detainees at Rikers Island are held because they cannot afford bail. Bail reform seeks to reduce reliance on cash bail so that pretrial release decisions are based on risk—not wealth—while balancing public safety and fairness.
Traditional cash bail often results in wealth‑based detention, where individuals with financial means can secure release while poorer defendants remain incarcerated, regardless of their actual risk level. Bail reform efforts aim to replace cash bail with risk‑based assessments and non‑monetary conditions for release, ensuring that decisions prioritize public safety and court appearance rather than financial resources.
RIKERS ISLAND CLOSURE
For years, there have been calls to close Rikers Island. New York City’s legally mandated closure deadline for Rikers Island is August 2027, set by Local Law 16 of 2021 as part of the Renewable Rikers Act (Hip-Hop Wired). However, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has already announced that the city will not meet that deadline.
While the closing date for Rikers Island has yet to be confirmed, Mother Zion will nonetheless continue its Bail Fund and Prison Outreach Program and Ministry.
For More Information and to donate to the Mother A.M.E. Zion Church Bail Fund & Outreach Program, please contact: Takeasha Lashone Newton; Cell: 929-600-1207 or Email: Mrs.tnewton1@gmail.com
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