Our Plan to LIBERATE Compton’s

The building at 111 Taylor Street—the site of the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot—is currently operated by GEO Group, a private prison corporation with a long record of abuse, labor violations, and human rights concerns.

But change is within reach.
GEO Group’s contract with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is set to expire on June 30, 2025.

We have a once in ever 3-5 year opportunity to:

  • Remove GEO

  • Liberate this historic site

Transform it into a trans-centered community based vision that is trans-centered and intersectional

Why Now?

We’re fighting for a future where Compton’s legacy reflects liberation—not incarceration.
That means removing GEO Group, securing full historic landmark protection, and ensuring the site is community-stewarded and serves the people who’ve always defended it.

Our Vision

We’ve developed a five-phase strategy that brings together legal tools, public pressure, and community power:

Phase 1: Legal & Political Foundation

→ File public records requests, challenge zoning, engage legislators, and build legal grounds for removal.
Deadline: April 30, 2025

Phase 2: Pressure Campaign Launch

→ Petition, press, direct actions, teach-ins, and coalition-building to escalate public demand.
Deadline: May 30, 2025

Phase 3: Contract Expiration Leverage

→ Maximize pressure on CDCR and city agencies ahead of GEO’s contract end date.
Deadline: June 29, 2025

Phase 4: Transition & Interim Protection

→ Secure interim lease, line up funding, and prepare for permanent community stewardship.
Deadline: July 31, 2025

Phase 5: Community Ownership & Restoration

→ Transfer long-term ownership, launch programming, and restore the site’s legacy.
Deadline: August 25, 2025

How We’ll Win

Our Strategy: 6 Pillars of Action

Legal & Policy Action

  • Challenge GEO Group’s zoning and land use.

  • Enforce California’s private prison ban (AB32).

  • File lawsuits.

Government & Political Advocacy

  • Pressure CDCR and elected officials to end GEO Group’s contract.

  • Request zoning investigations and historic landmark status.

Financial Pressure & Divestment

  • Expose GEO Group’s funding sources.

  • Pressure banks, pension funds, and agencies to cut ties.

  • Leverage philanthropic and community investments.

Public Awareness & Direct Action

  • Launch media campaigns and petitions.

  • Organize direct actions at 111 Taylor and beyond.

  • Hold teach-ins and public forums.

Stewardship & Site Transformation

  • Conduct feasibility study for stewardship & site transformation.

  • Collaborate with trans-centered and tenderloin based organizations to guide visioning.

  • Build a space that holds the broadest vision of justice possible, rooted at the intersection of mutual aid, housing justice, and care.

Interim Site Protection

  • Secure a trusted nonprofit or fiscal sponsor to hold the site post-GEO Group.

  • Work with the City to prevent sale or redevelopment.

  • Use transition time for due diligence and fundraising.

What’s at Stake

If we don’t act, GEO Group could renew its contract and stay in this historic site for years to come.
We won’t let that happen.
We’re building power to make sure Compton’s is liberated forever.