2008

by Marlon Crump/PoorNewsNetwork

"I've been working on the Eastern Neighborhood's plans for 7 1/2 years. I'm also a resident of SOMA. (South of Market Area), they've really butchered the community input and translated it into the developer's language" , testified Jazzie Collins, staff member and resident advocate for South of Market Community Action Network, (SOMCAN) during the People's Rally on July 10th, 2008 at San Francisco City Hall.

Brief testimony by Residents, community organizers, activists, and POOR Magazine rallied against the zoning proposals, and plans for numerous neighborhoods by outside developers, the San Francisco Planning Department, and the San Francisco Planning Commission.

These words from Jazzie also presented a haunting picture of what this "plan" may really mean for those who are of low-income working class and poor families living in affordable housing, (including yours truly) within certain neighborhoods of San Francisco, CA targeted for zoning/owning!

I attended the June 12th hearing of the zoning proposals presented by the Eastern Neighborhoods Program, to the San Francisco Planning Commission. Many San Franciscans from the Mission District, South of Market, Potrero Hill, and Chinatown were rallying on July 10th with verbal resistance against these "plans" by land developers to the San Francisco Planning Commission.

I took my place alongside my mentor and POOR Magazine co-founder Lisa Gray-Garcia (AKA Tiny), and fellow POOR comrades Bruce Allison, and Jennifer Fogg. Carrying my black leather satchel briefcase on one arm, and the POOR banner on the other, we resisted the growing wind and the grey clouds that met us, as we approached S.F City Hall to represent our resistance of gentrification for the People's Rally.

We were all here in our total opposition against the City of San Francisco's zoning plans for the Mission District, South of Market, Potrero Hill, and Chinatown Districts from outside developers hell-bent into systematically condominium- colonizing affordable housing.

"The Mission has a lot going on. What's been happening over the past 10-20 years is that people and offices are moving in. We proposed two kinds of zoning: P.D.R (Production Distribution Repair) and U.M.U (Urban Mixed Use)."

Eastern Neighborhoods Program Senior Planner, of the San Francisco Planning Department, Ken Rich briefly stated this to me, during a brief interview on a June 12th zoning proposal hearing, before the San Francisco Planning Commission, at San Francisco City Hall.

The department had submitted a highly anticipated area plan of zoning proposals to the Planning Commission for approvals of this project.

History was somewhat repeating its course. About eight years ago on Thursday July 13, 2000, in the Dot.Com Boom era, an estimated 500 people, many who were Mission District residents, activists, and POOR Magazine staff, stormed the steps of S.F City Hall to lash out at the entire Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission. At the time, the City of San Francisco was held strictly accountable by the residents, for their role in giving approvals to develop in the Mission District, knowing the devastating displacement effect it would have on an entire community of small businesses, artists and residents. Old habits still die hard.

Among those present for the protest, were numerous residents, and community organizations from various San Francisco neighborhoods, the Council of Community Housing Organizations, St. Peter's Housing Committee, Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition (MAC) South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN) Healthcare Action Team, Youth Making a Change (YMAC) and POOR Magazine.

"First off, I think that its dis-empowering that they are not including the community's ideas. I feel that the city really needs to listen and include the community's ideas to make sure that they won't get displaced!" exclaimed Angelica Cabande of South of Market Community Action Network.

Eric Quezada, a longtime community and housing activist in the Mission and Bernal Heights, District 9 Supervisor Candidate for the upcoming election, and Co-Founder of the Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition; was also on hand to support those that objected the city's plans for the targeted neighborhoods in its zoning proposals influenced by outside developers.

"We won't let them make our neighborhoods into a Corporate America!" yelled a speaker on S.F City Hall Steps, as I continued to re-port for my comrades of POOR, and su-pport those fighting for the cause by the residents, community members, and activists of San Francisco, at the July 10th People's Rally.

"I'm just a concerned citizen that here will be more displacement." said Peter Neils Sherburnzimmer, a resident of San Francisco. "I went down there to Hunter's Point and talked with the people. They were concerned that they would get more promises, and not housing!"

South of Market has been a San Francisco neighborhood, for the low-income, and immigrant families, since the 1840's. In an effort to compromise and combat possible gentrification techniques of the city, a "People's Plan" has been drafted from the people, themselves. One of these proposals that stood out to me, (after viewing the map myself of the People's Plan) was a people's proposal to raise the inclusionary housing bar to provide 30% moderate-income units, in every market-rate development, throughout all re-zoned areas of the Mission District. In addition, S.R.O (Single Room Occupancy) Units would be allowed only for 100% affordable developments.

The Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition (MAC) disagrees with the Planning Department's affordable housing incentives in UMU zones. (Urban Mixed Use) MAC also viewed the Planning Department's own map of "affordable housing tiers" has very few plans of including affordable housing in the Mission District.

" This should benefit the people that are already living in our neighborhood." said Nick Pagoulatos, Director of Community Planning and Development, coordinator of Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition. "What we see instead is that the plan is geared toward creating new housing that serves people with money!"

"I feel really strong about this, they have no right to kick people out from their own communities", said Salah Alnaif, a youth from Youth Making a Change (YMAC).

"They need to prioritize families, seniors, and people with disabilities. There is a long history of working class resistance in SOMA. The San Francisco Planning Commission needs to recognize that!" James Chiosini, a fellow comrade of mine during our years as volunteers for the San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness.

The only prioritization that seems to be zoning towards owning people's lands and livelihoods. The right to not be deprived of life and liberty, no longer exists. As far as the interest of the community is concerned, none of it seems to matter.......except in the eyes of "corporate interest" by the City of San Francisco.

by Joseph Bolden

Finally, A Bike!

There are times when what you want isn’t what you need or get so you deal with it,reacess, and move on.

Most folks learn this lesson early,a few learn it late,and then there are those for whom this lesson doesn’t come up at all.

I may have learned my lesson late but finally it is learned.

I missed the platonic girls-as-friend dynamic, had male bonding,block buddy
though no gang initiation process,saw the flash-cash-car-girl of the inner city but after I began playing craps it seemed
mama,me,and my kid brother,moved far from New York,City landing in Oakland/Berkeleley, California.

Won’t bore folks on houseless/jobless G.A. [General Assistance/Work fare blues].

A young woman struggles to save herself an others who’ve survived abuse by the hands of current,ex bf’s,husbands,or strangers.

My mental state is wary of females not feeling worthy of their attention.

Working for/with two, surrounded by many,a current lover across the bay,and one chose to be a constant friend in my life.

She's the main reason humor,sanity,shown me the emotional joy and pain love brings.

The expression of "Holding a torch"is no longer meaningless words.

"Let Go,Let God." Someone once told me,I have,hearts heal,it remembers,gains strenghth and
toughens is armored against suffering again or stays wounded unable to heal from past hurts.

Recently,had some financial set backs which prevented me from buying a bike.

I remember riding one in New York even to the point of out racing some other kids bent on taking my bike from me.

If they were bigger than me I’ve forgotten but quickly I leared how to hide and out race them through Marion Avenue,the park and all over Fordham Road.

It was tense,scary,and exsileration at the same time knowing if I could be hit by a car,truck,bus,or cut off from escaping if those who are chasing me trapped and found me!

Fortunately is was maybe 9 or 10am,warm summer and I had light shirt on and was able to pump my peddles for all with its worth and made it home safe.

I never saw those kids again but always kept a wary eye out from then on. Not riding a bike in over a decade also can make one rusty and scared to try it out again.

But its time and just wnen I though I’d never ride a bike again someone gave me another chance for less than $50 bucks!

Washing my clothes, ready to buy cheese for a rice and chicken meal.

Maybe, I wasn’t meant to by the artery clogging cheese!

In City College the swimming and body building classes had to let go because of reccent job loss
and housing problem now I have a bike and may not have a place to store it.

Having the bike proves its time to ride,just as I had let go of a torch to keep a sacred friendship I was given a second chance at Bicycling.

There never was a first chance for me of the first but life continues and one moves on.

What’s needed is a helmet with rear mirror, lights,clips for pants, bike gloves,chain & locks, kickstand,also water, air pump,and finally to join a little biking exercise called "Critical Mass"

I maybe way behind of the pack but will be riding again and moving
on is what counts.
Any comments,especially frugal bike clubs,associations that I can join or would have me please email me at poormagazine.org or jsph_bldn@yahoo.com.

by Leroy Moore/PNN

Staff Benda Bilili is a band of six disabled musicians from the Congo. In 2004, French filmmakers Renaud Barret and Florent de La Tullaye began filming the band to create a documentary about their music and struggle. Leroy Moore interviewed the filmmakers and two of the band’s creators about music, the upcoming film and life in the Congo for disabled musicians and artists.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: Where are you from and where do you do most of your work?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye: We live in Paris and used to work as photographers and graphic designers. We discovered Kinshasa in 2003 and decided to work there, shooting movies and producing bands

Leroy\Krip-Hop: I found the story about Staff Benda Bilili on the internet. They are disabled musicians who live on the streets of Kinshasa. Please tell us more about this group and their message.

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye: Staff Benda Bilili is an orchestra of six disabled (all have polio) musicians and two street kids, who they fostered years ago and taught music. SBB is a true musical oddity, whose musical style lays somewhere between James Brown and Buena Vista Social club. The lyrics of their songs are like advice they give to all the people who live in the streets like them. They are like the godfathers of all the street kids and very respected personalities of the ghetto. The thousands of [disabled] of Kinshasa have created an underground syndicate called Platform: Man like you and the SBB are like their spokesmen…Yet their message hasn't got anything to do with their [disabilities] as they don't consider themselves as [disabled]. They're married, have kids and apart from music they're gifted electricians, sewers and hairdressers… Their message to the people is all about survival… How can one survive in such a city, if I can do it [living with a disability] so can you.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: How did the band’s members meet each other?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullay: The two leaders Ricky and Coco met in a care center for handicapped 30 years ago and started to jam together. They met the other members in the streets and little by little they created the orchestra. They also played in Papa Wemba's Raka-Raka in the late 80's. When the country exploded in, the late 90's they managed to stay united and always playing music. They met the street kid Roger (who is now their soloist) at The Kinshasa central market in 2004 and decided to adopt him although at that time they were themselves living in the street.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: How is life for people with disabilities in the Congo?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye: Hellish life for an occidental person (disabled or not)… There is no transportation, no proper roads, no health care system, no schooling system, no electricity, no state policy, nothing. The [disabled], like the valid people, are completely abandoned. Quite logically, they are not considered handicapped because like everybody else they must struggle [to figure] things out.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: How did you meet the group?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye: We met them in 2004 while shooting our first movie in Congo Jupiter's dance

Leroy\Krip-Hop: How long has the group been together?

Staff Benda Bilili: As Staff Benda Bilili about 10 years

Leroy\Krip-Hop: Can each member say something about his or her mission and life?

Staff Benda Bilili: Coco: We the SBB are like journalist; in our songs we are the true press. We talk about street life, the street kids and their dreams of happiness, we talk about corruption. The press here is a slave to the power. I consider myself as a journalist…[it’s] my duty as a member of the SBB, to say things as they are. Ricky: The SBB has a vocation to give shelter to any gifted people from the street, handicapped or not. If the album is a success, we would build an art center of our own, to teach music and other things to the street kids. If we don't do anything for them, it's like a time bomb. That's a major goal in my life. I have to share my experience, because I'm great, and God made me a rock star.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: Tell us about the UN of Africa and their relationship with the group?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye: The UN hired the group to sing a song to incite people to register for the 2006 election. (the first democratic election in thirty years) The SBB did the song Let's vote and were paid $300 for the whole process. In the end the song was on each radio station [and] each TV channel at least ten times a day and the group got nothing. In the meantime the local ndombolo star who sang praises for candidates got $50,000… That's about it.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: I read that you got only a little bit of money from the UN is there any more news on this?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye: The situation hasn't changed so far. The SBB was infuriated and sued the UN for $100,000… Imagine that.
It's like David against Goliath. But hey who knows?

Leroy\Krip-Hop: Tell us about the movie. What is the title? Why and what are you trying to display to the world?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye:
The story of this band we are following since 2004 had to be told somehow. Benda Bilili in Lingala means beyond appearances. It's a modern tale of courage and dignity; a universal story that touches everyone, it's about people who never give up.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: You say the group fights for the rights of disabled homeless people. How do they do this?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye: With the release of the film and the album, the SBB are going to start something of their own (a center for the disabled). We are not into charity business; we are dealing with professional musicians (the SBB) that's all. But the movie is going to have a great impact and we hope it will help the [cause].

Leroy\Krip-Hop: I have read that you took in two kids. Are there a lot of street kids and what are your goals for the two kids and other street kids in Kinshasa?

Staff Benda Bilili: There are thousands and thousands of them…Some are [kicked out of] homes because they're accused of being witches by fake reverends…many come to Kinshasa because they flee war in the east of Congo. The government arrests them, deports them sometimes kills them. The power is made of utterly incompetent people who'd rather cure the effects than seek the causes of such situations. All those kids are like a time bomb. They are all the SBB’s children.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: Tell us about how your government is or is not dealing with poverty.

Staff Benda Bilili: The government is a bunch of avid, cynical puppets in the hand of the western nations. You can be corrupted but how can you starve your own people ???

Leroy\Krip-Hop: How would you describe your music?

Staff Benda Bilili: Rumba-blues… tribal-salsa

Leroy\Krip-Hop: You make your own instruments, tell us about them.

Staff Benda Bilili: Home made guitars plus you have The Sdoloiste Roger who plays with a single stringed guitar of his own. It's made of a can of milk a wooden stick and a metal string, it sounds amazing check that on www.myspace.com/staffbendabilili

Leroy\Krip-Hop: Now you are planning to buy a house with your kids. How and when will this happen?

Staff Benda Bilili: If the album sells…

Leroy\Krip-Hop: As a filmmaker, why did you choose to make a film about Staff Benda Bilili?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye: We didn't choose it. It was an emergency to us, for the beauty and the poetry of it and plus to help those people. But if they wouldn't have been brilliant musicians we wouldn't have done anything.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: You've been filming for seven years, what were the ups and downs in those years?

Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye: The group lost everything in a fire that ravaged their center in 2005 so they had to sleep outside with their families. Some musicians disappeared or died… Normal everyday life in Kinshasa

Leroy\Krip-Hop: Did you as a group felt comfortable being filmed?

Staff Benda Bilili: We felt we could pass our message to the world. With that film our kids will be proud and maybe wealthy

Leroy\Krip-Hop: Tells how media there treats people in poverty and people with disabilities.

Staff Benda Bilili: In Congo the media equals the government. It's treated in a highly self-satisfied tone. Like they give a poor guy a bag of peanuts [just before the election] and make a whole ceremony about it.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: You said that Staff would be going on tour. Will this be the first time that the group will be traveling?

Staff Benda Bilili\Florent de La Tullaye: Yes in 2009; it's going to be the first time.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: As a person living in America I'm used to seeing small shiny wheelchairs. On your myspace page I saw your video and I noticed your wheelchairs are big. How do you get your wheelchairs?

Staff Benda Bilili: We do it ourselves, it's all recycled materials we, the SBB know how to craft those chairs, we can teach you one day, when we come to America.

Leroy\Krip-Hop: How can we, as Americans support your work?

Staff Benda Bilili: We'd love to do a concert in America… we need to be connected to some associations [for the disabled] down there

by RAM and Theodora Mays/NPRRR

"I was a formerly homeless mother who once lived in an abandoned building". This was my introduction to Cheri Honkala, Executive Director of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC), a coalition of organizations from across the country united in the mission to "Abolish poverty everywhere and forever".

As Cheri's words came through the phone I felt an instant connection to her. Having grown up with a Mother battling addiction -- evictions, hunger and instability were my constant companions.

Cheri and the PPEHRC foster that same connection in poor people across color lines and across the country. She has been organizing with other poor folks for the last twenty-five years, and on September 2nd, the second day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in St. Paul Minnesota, over a year of Cheri's full time efforts will come to fruition as the PPEHRC embarks on "The March For Our Lives", one of the largest poor people's marches to ever take place.

PPEHRC describes the march as, " A powerful, peaceful demonstration for the right to healthcare, housing, and all economic human rights. We will march because as poverty, hunger, unemployment, and homelessness grow throughout this country, political leaders from both major parties have abandoned us. We cannot afford to be silent. We cannot afford to be disappeared from the public eye and the political debate as our families suffer".

And our families do suffer - I can attest to that - with each member of my family effected by the insidious ramifications of poverty, barely surviving the daily fight for a bed, a meal, a little peace; and my Father not surviving at all - sent to an all too early grave before he had the chance to learn what I've learned", that like Cheri says "We cannot afford to be silent". I found my voice at POOR Magazine, sharing my experiences, my story--making it heard, finding the power that comes when voices combine together and fight as one.

But that fight doesn't come easy. Having lived through many police raids on my home as a child, it is no surprise to me that according to Cheri, "There are expected to be as many police officers as protesters at the march". Where ever there are poor people gathered there will undoubtedly be police. Cheri and the PPEHRC have already had to face the "cow-boy mentality" of the St. Paul police department. On July 3rd Cheri was even contacted by the Federal Justice Department regarding their concern for violence towards Cheri and other marchers. They claim to want to offer protection to the marchers. The PPEHRC declined the offer.

As with the PPEHRC's other marches, their experience with the media, even the so-called progressive media has been that of a complete "white-out" of what is really happening leading up to the march, a setting up of it as a violent event, and then having them get it wrong in the end.

Like POOR Magazine PPEHRC is very clear that we as poor folks must tell our own story. Thanks to the hard work of PPEHRC folks and Cheri – there will be thousands of poor folks truly being heard at Minneapolis this year.

For more information on getting involved with the march go on-line to http://www.economichumanrights.org/index.shtml

by Staff Writer

Fourteen year old POOR Magazine youth scholar Jasmine Hain, a survivor of homelessness and class and economic struggle, is a true young leader. She has spoken out on social justice issues from homelessness, child nutrition, saving public libraries and funding public schools to funding for community college welfare-to-work education, from the CA State Capital to Washington D.C. Jasmine is the author of the POOR Press publication My Life x 4 a book she wrote at the age of twelve of storytelling, art and poetry about her life experience of living without a home for four years in Oakland, CA.

Currently, Jasmine is a 4.0 honor student at Willard Middle School in Berkeley, is on the Hunger Action Coalition with the Alameda County Community Food Bank, a Youth Leader with LIFETIME (Low-Income Families’ Empowerment Through Education) and a Youth Elder scholar with POOR Magazine and the F.A.M.I.L.Y. Project.

Recently, Jasmine received the first POOR Magazine Youth Skolah Award for her excellence in family support of mama and sistas, arts excellence, multi-generational leadership and for earning straight A’s in her mastery of formal institutions of learning. Jasmine will be attending Berkeley High School’s International Small School’s Program. Her goal is to attend University someday, studying public policy and becoming a leader who will make positive social change. Jasmine’s other aspiration is to continue her work with POOR Magazine’s Race, Poverty and Media Justice Institute as a youth scholar and would like to travel the world, empowering youth to become social justice leaders in their communities.

by Marlon Crump/PNN

What do we want?

JUSTICE!

Who do we want it for?

Poor mamas struggling!

With?

A bias judge!

When do we want it?

NOW!

Led by POOR Magazine co-founder and advocate for single mothers Tiny Gray-Garcia, these chants boomed into the air outside San Francisco's Superior Courthouse on the morning of Monday May 12. She was joined by single mamas and poverty scholars, June Strohlin (a.k.a. Jewnbug), Kim Swan (a.k.a Queenandi), Sandra Thomsen, Maria Brosas and others to protest the blatant bias and corruption of San Francisco Judge Marjorie A. Slabach.

As a revolutionary legal advocate for POOR Magazine, I was there to re-port and sup-port these poor mamaz in their struggle for justice in San Francisco's family court system. As I walked up to join my POOR Magazine family, Tiny's voice was already blasting through the bullhorn, my POOR comrades yelling alongside of her.

On this Monday morning, the day after Mother's Day, most mothers in the Bay Area were still glowing after family celebrations, but these single moms found it difficult to celebrate this traditional holiday when an unjust judge has stolen their children and civil rights.

Since 1997, Judge Slabach has presided over family law of child dependency cases in the Unified Family Court Division, at the San Francisco Superior Courthouse. Since that time, single moms that have appeared before her have had their rights ignored and have been mistreated and belittled in her courtroom. She has consistently and biasedly ruled against mothers, ignoring their parental and constitutional rights.

Some of the moms that were in protest had past cases involving temporary restraining orders and some were currently involved in cases that were issues of child visitation and parental custody rights.

Kim Swan, Jewnbug, Sandra Thomsen (who's son was unjustly taken from her by Slabach) and Maria Brosas shared their own struggles in Judge Slabach's courthouse. Each had experienced her cruel behavior and unjust rulings.

As I listened to each mama speak into the bullhorn, I waved my handmade sign, reading EX-PARTE MOTIONS ARE UN-JUST AND WRONG. Ex-parte motions are motions filed by one party, without advance notice to the opposing side. They are decided by a judge, without requiring all of the parties to the controversy to be present.

Ex-parte motions are sharply limited by the U.S Constitution’s 5th and 14th Amendment, because they violate a U.S Citizen's Right to Due Process of Law; however Judge Slabach has repeatedly and unwarrantedly used ex-parte motions in her rulings against single moms.

"I demand that the judicial commission hold a hearing regarding the conduct of Judge Marjorie A. Slabach for her to be held accountable, by her resignation from the bench!" exclaimed Jewnbug into the bullhorn.

"I would like to see this judge investigated by her highest superiors. I would like to see her prosecuted for her injustice and the fraudulent crimes she has committed against single mothers!" Sandra Thomsen yelled in agreement. (Despite all of the evidence that Sandra has provided to the courts, nothing has ever been done about Slabach's behavior in her son's custody case, a case that Slabach continues to preside over.)

Two San Francisco Sheriff Department Deputies stood grimly by at the entrance of the San Francisco Superior Courthouse, as they smugly eyed our protest. The presence of single moms fighting for their rights in front of the San Francisco Superior Courthouse was quickly capturing the eyes of numerous pedestrians, drivers, spectators, as well as lawyers and litigants who entered the courthouse.

POOR Magazine po' poet, Ruyata McGlothin recited a special poem in honor of mothers and I shared my poem, Callous Custody Corruption, which describes Judge Slabach’s unjust behavior:

"You took away my child like a landlord to a tenant's lease...Ohhh your honor, you heinous beast!

You addressed the many in attendance with a plastic smile...All the while you plotted with the other side to seize my child."

As I read my poem, I looked at the faces of the single mamaz in the crowd, and thought about how their children and rights were being stolen from them everyday. I thought about the words of Gaylynn Burroughs, staff attorney of the Bronx Defender in New York City, as she was quoted in a recent San Francisco Bayview article, "Too poor to be a parent."

"Until this country comes to terms with it's culpability in allowing widespread poverty-related issues to exist, poor single mothers will continue to lose their children to the state. And we will continue to label these women as "bad mothers" to usage of our own guilt."

by Jack Hirschman

Double the pesos of the thousands
of teachers of the children of Oaxaca,
and for URO a one-way ticket
out of the State
with his bags stuffed
with corruption, repression and blood.

The Mexico that’s arriving,
that’s knocking

on the door of tomorrow,
whose Viva! Has been appearing
once more on the lips
of peoples the world over---

this Mexico, of Oaxacan defiance
and Chiapas poetry armed
with justice and dignity
worthy of those who seed
the future in the minds and hearts
of Mexico’s kids,

is the lava of molten hope
flowing to all who are

corporately imprisoned,
is the red paint of resistance
flung at the felonious
masters of greed.

by Joseph Bolden

Murals And Orgasms.

The S.F. Print Collective and The Coalition On Homelessness

are the folks inviting me to this gig.

Today from 12-4 pm between 17th+18th Streets and Mission and Valencia

"We Are All San Franciscan’s": Mural Unveiling.

I was relearning to swim and body building at the time so my name is nowhere on the wall.

I was also in Atlanta and later Hawaii with family and friends.

I’ll get right to it, which is the first thing that’s wrong.

One must never rush onto or into one it’s a delicate balance of body,mind, spirit,and soul.

Even minus love it
sex
is still
beautiful when care, desire,and respect are evenly matched.

Murals is ancient old art form.[I don’t know how old it is you[look it up].

Its so ephemeral [look that up too].

(This interactive enough for you)?

Murals can take years to make but painted over, torn down in seconds after being created.

An Orgasm,usually thought of as a woman’s sexual mental/physical,all out quiet to noisy,to brain/body numbing ecstasy.

Men have ‘em too only its not as invisible as women’s are though men can feel surges of warmth to hot boiling heat as women begin to feel pleasure mount.

For the first few years post first coitus I had no idea who,what,when,where,or how long it took for any women's sexual arousal time
began or ends.

all of you fem's vary slightly,each unique from each other;ahh,variety spice-a life Got that guys?

Same advice for Women all men aren't the same,similar package tho our interior drives vary.

In time patience,humor,listening, and plain luck taught the lessons until...

They wordlessly told me by their heat and actions how I was fairing.

If she's not gettin' off
its no fun for me.

That’s when one holds on until she,thrashing about,cursing,screaming, grabbing at your head demands for us to stay on point until she’s… completely “over the the mountain,flying,or otherwise in bliss mode.

Trouble its most guys think warm as hot,let go which really piss women off when actually women are just starting.

And like a surfer must ride the wave both mutually created until both have had a good to great ride.

Together supposedly the ideal however if women get off first that’s deemed the best.

Better to have her floating in her bliss than trying balanced Wow act much easier for most men to achieve.

If men get off first without satisfying the woman he may never be given a second chance or thought afterward.

Always better to err in the woman’s favor chances are other chances will occur.

Sneaky how I’ve weave political stuff into this but next month June 3, Proposition 98 (Ending Rent Control in San Francisco)

That’s what its about from developers who’ve used eminent domain to take property from owners and renters taken over by private sector.

Worded as something who’s time has come and that it won’t hurt just be a small hicup.

Let me tell you losing your housing whether it’s a shelter,transitional, or if you’ve made enough to buy your home.

Prop. 98 will create more houseless folk, some of you with homes will become dispossessed of your homes.

Read Prop. 99 [Yes, people look it up,read carefully] and stay to vote on June 3rd don’t pull our before feeling a flush of sun on your face.

Stay until your whole body is burning…

Only then will you know how much better you’ve done.

I’m such a tease but would you really read my work if I talked in straight politilese?
I didn’t think
so.

Send comments to Poormagazine.org or jsph_bldn@yahoo.com

by Leroy Moore/PNN

Ronnie Ooh a.k.a Muwanga Ronald is Ugandan, an experienced Journalist by profession and one of the most promising disabled singers in Uganda. Below is an excerpt from his book "The Struggle of becoming a SuperStar,” which he shared with Leroy Moore in his column Illin-n-Chillin

Ronnie was a lonely child born to Mr. Kaboggoza Joseph, a Muganda, and a retired carpenter now a resident of Lubaga and the late Margaret Kuwebwa, who was a Musoga and a business woman, who died on 29th November 1990 after one week of sitting my Primary Leaving Examinations(P.L.E) rather standard seven exams at Namalemba Mixed Day and Boarding Primary School

Many people may and might take it for granted that my success to come (if it happens as planned) would arrive on a silver platter, a life without struggle.

I also must point out for those who may wish to stand by me and support my efforts in all my endeavors, that I plan on using my music career to reach out to the world with educative and richly informed messages.

I was born a normal bouncing baby boy in 1977 in Jinja Hospital but at the age of three years according to the information available with my father, I got a boot of malaria which led my parents to seek advice from my aunt, the late Theresa Najjemba who was by then working as a senior midwife at Busesa Dispensary in Iganga District.

She advised my parents to take me to Busesa Dispensary where my lower right limb was treated with a Chroloquine injection on the nerve. Although we were staying at Namasoga we by-passed Iganga Referal Hospital where I could get proper treatment.

Before my mother died in November 1990, she had told me that before the physicality of my affected lower right limb got worse, I did not take much time to start walking as a baby and used to run fast and play with my peers as a child. But when I got the injection, I lost a lot of weight and the physical appearance of my lower right limb was alarming as it was growing thinner and thinner compared to my lower left limb. She said I could no longer play, support myself to stand nor walk but only could sit and cry. I become a baby once gain thus it was a hard learning moment and time for my parents.

Before she finished telling me the whole story, my eyes had become wet with tears. I tried to hold them back, but could not help crying as I thought about the physical life experience I went through at such an early age and about the chances and opportunities I was denied due to my disability.

This was a time of temptation and forgiveness for me, something I had never taken time to think about even though I am a strong catholic believer. It took both of my parents’ strength to make me believe that what went wrong with my lower right limb was only because of malaria and irresponsible medical personnel.

It was such a moment of tension, I cursed myself immediately when I started thinking of children I used to play with in the neighborhoods and schoolmates that used to give me hard time. They used to imitate me by limping around and calling me "akalema", meaning a small lame person, "Katonda kyava yakukuba omugo n' olemala", meaning that is why God made you lame.

Up to now I have failed to understand this world and I will never understand the level of discrimination that exists in it. I do not experience this alone but know that other disabled people experience it too.

In 1997, I lived in Bugembe in the Jinja District with one of my long time schoolmates; a friend by the name of Joseph. We had attended Nakanyonyi Primary School as classmates in Primary one (Standard one). He knew I had a problem with my eyes as they are squinted (not straight), and openly told me "Wenna omubiri gw' oli mulema", meaning all my body parts are disabled. It took me a long time to realize that the only reason he had said that was because of a dispute we had earlier.

One time in 2001, my brother-in-law and I escorted my fiancé to the Park Yard of St. Balikuddembe Market (the former Owino market to get shoes) one vendor around where we had opted to buy the shoes shouted to my fiancé that "omulema taba namukazi", meaning a disabled person is not worthy to have a fiancé or wife. I felt uncomfortable, so embarrassed and felt too small in front of my brother-in-law and fiancé and regretted going to the market.

I have also been denied opprotunities to work with different non-governmental organizations and companies due to the physical nature of my disability. Although some of these jobs require a physically fit candidate and I believe that I posses the necessary qualifications, I have been denied jobs because of my disability.

With such life experiences, I realized that I was born to have a hard life in a harsh and rude society. In 1985 and 1988 I was a pupil at Namalembe Boarding Primary School. One day in 1989, I had to convince my mother to get me a doctor's letter of health concern to be addressed to the school administration to protect me from hard work.

She got me the letter and it indeed helped me alot since it was my security that guarded me from rude teachers who used to punish me with harsh activities. In January 1989 when we were going to take a taxi at Bugembe, my father showed me the Doctor who injected me on the nerve. (I still don’t know if this was necessary or an accident.)

He was old enough and had retired. I did not ask any question but just looked at the doctor as he boarded another taxi. It took me sometime to talk to my father about the doctor. While at home in December 1990 after the death of my lovely mother, I approached my father with two questions. One was why they decided to take the advice of my late Aunt Theresa to take me to Busesa Dispensary and by-passed Iganga Referral Hospital? The second was if he knew where the doctor was residing.

Before he could answer any question he looked at me while asking why I had asked him such questions. I told him am that I was not angry any more but just wanted to know. He took time thinking about it but later said the doctor died in August 1989. I did not wait for the answer to the second question but immediately told my father to let his soul rest in eternal peace. I told my father that if he had told me the doctor was still alive, I was going to request him to take me to his home, and talk to him about the difficulties I had so far faced with the society due to being disabled. I was ready to forgive him but I forgave him and asked the Almighty God to judge him with mercy.

He said they tried so much to do whatever was possible with the little resources they had to rescue my worrying situation by visiting different professional doctors in Jinja and Iganga Hospitals but nothing was positive but only left to pray to the ALMIGHTY for his mercy. He said my mother entrusted her prayers to Mary the virgin mother, and she got answered. I slowly started leaning on tables, chairs and could support myself but with a lot of difficulties until my lower right limb become strong enough to lift and support body.

Part II My career in Journalism

Before completing my Journalism course in 2000 as a requirement for a diploma, I was required to do an internship with any media organization, which many refer to as "Industrial training." I did my internship, with Radio Sanyu where I was promised by the News Editor that if any of my articles were used, I would be paid 3,000 Uganda shillings (about 1 and 1/2 dollar).

To my surprise after a month, Richard asked me to go to the company accountant to pick my money. I was paid only 3,000 Shillings implying only one article was used, but in reality all of articles about 30 of them were used.

After my internship, I stopped reporting to the station and kept on wondering how I could continue working with such exploitation and left thinking about the difficulties I had been going through including climbing up to the sixth floor.

With a lot of struggle through January 2002, I decided to switch to the television section. I was assigned to report for WBS television station as a correspondent based in Iganga, then in April 2002 assigned to cover the 1st Africa Military Games in Nairobi without any facilitation but also paid per story used. Unfortunately, with my sweat in Nairobi, I did not get any money for the stories although the Sport Editor acknowledged using the articles and footages.

Although my career had grown steadily with the Television station management accepting my application to report from the East African Community Seretariate in Arusha, Tanzania, my attempts to get my name on the staff list and be paid per month as a staff did not bear any fruit.

In 2003, I decided to discover my gifted natural talent and shared about my idea of starting to sing to my fiancé. At first she could not believe until I started writing and shown her one song entitled " Omukyala w' Africa." She encouraged me then and there.

So far I have written more than 70 songs in Luganda, Swahili, English and French with genres of Reggae, dancehall, Worship, Hip Hop and Contemporary. But have only recorded four songs due to lack of resources.

Currently, I am working as a broadcaster with TV WA, a northern region based television station and have acquired some resources that have enabled me work on my two music videos and set up a video studio.

by Jack Hirschman

Peace you want? Then go to war for the rest of your days. Not to the wars of
the killers of life, those who are bombing and godding, godding and bombing
in interchangeable attacks of mortal lies. Stand for once at the precipice of your-
self and leap into the new class war. They’ve tried killing that child of the poor,
the homeless and oppressed; they’ve tried erasing class war from the blackboard
of the mind. To no avail. It is invincibly alive. Sentence yourself to it, O prisoner
of cybernetic banalities, self-delusional hedonisms of futile ruts, and the surplus
of dead bread they’ve thrown to you in your atomized cell. The only way out of
the prison of their making is the new class war, the struggle for the dignity of all
human and animal natures against their death-rattling fascisms that are poisoning
the earth with desolation’s power. The only way to peace is in the struggle where
feelings and ideas transfigure themselves and organize the tomorrow that belongs
to all good men, women and children as the inextinguishable radiance of the peace

that puts death’s wars away forever.

by Joseph Bolden

Early Trick On Voters

It is I,the apolitical guy formally of Poor Magazine/PNN and a certain radio show in Berkeley.

Po' Poet plus sometime spoken word artist and have been known to try stand-up comedy too.

I've talked to my mother,friends,and worry about a few besides the housing I may lose partly do to me and the way stuff are stack where organizations don't speak to each other but has the slub in the middle as go between.

June 3rd Tuesday,yeah, the Consolidated,Statewide Direct Primary Election City and County of San Francisco.

Poles will be open from 7am. To 8pm.

Its really underhanded sneaky the way the powers that are have set this crud up.

Its so most of us voters won't be thinking about voting only of partying, boys/girls,men/women, men/men or women/women the whole of San Francisco in good time mode no thoughts of anything ominous looming until November.

Wrong fellow citizens of this so called republic of democracy.

I don't know where to begin so here goes.



1.3 New Power Plants or Not
Up to you folks.


2.Prop. E On Pet Projects is it Yay or Nay

on the Board of Supervisors rasing rates.

Check www.Don'tRaiseOurRates.com.



3.Next S.F. Judge. Is it Thomas Mellon, Jr.

or Mr. Geraldo Sandoval.

S.F. Voters do your stuff.


4.Prop. A. For S.F. Schools.

Seismic Safety,

Disability Access,
Updated Computer Labs,
New School Bathrooms.

Again all on us to vote yes or no.


5. Prop.G/Prop.F About clean up of The Hunter's Point Shipyard.

All I know is its been 20 years and the place is still a mess,all kinds of
carcinogens and other types deadly critters.

It is a chemical cancer death trap!



6. Last is what I call; a sly,underhanded,though legal? slick,sneaky trick.

Having a primary this early with another in November.

This by Developers, Speculators,Multi Corp business types plus both suspecting and unsuspecting homeowners.

Going through private housing issues as I write this its difficult not to gag.

Prop 98 which uses Eminent Domain (though is says limits on Government Authority)

Have You Folks Seen Limits On Our Freedoms being broadened and not taken away?

Homeland Insecurty tapped phones,even tried to get librarians see what were reading!

Is that still happening?

Looks to me that 98 will cause mass houseless-ness for everyone with or without homes and if homeowner believe their safe.

Wait til' your Government wants your land,house(s) moved for high end profit making.

Its no longer stealing land now its

Eminent Domain.

Inflated or Balloon payments tent to cause your home to fall into foreclosure proceedings.

While Prop. 99 Sets Limits on Government Acquisition of Owner-Occupied Residence.

All the above is an Initiative Constitutional Amendment

That's it for me,soon as I'm finished writing this column I'll be mailing my vote today or Monday.

After reading up on it a bit.

So read,think,before you vote on June 3,2008.

Remember why they rushed the primary so early

(Not wanting lots of us to vote and end up losing shelters,transitional housing,or homes some of us own.)

The Republic of Democracy has gone crazy and its up to all of us to do a reboot-rid ourselves multi corp 21st century Robber Barons or living spaces everywhere are up for grabs when ever they want.


Write Poor Magazine.org or jsph_bldn@yahoo.com for any comments.

Besides the errors in the writing that's minor compared what's about to down on Tues. June 3, 2008!

by Bruce Allison/PNN

"Single payer now! Insurance companies no!"

"Hey, hey¦ ho, ho¦ healthcare greed has got to go!"

The voices of over 3,000 community members boomed into the sticky, humid air over San Francisco's Moscone Center last Thursday. The large crowd gathered to urge government support on House Resolution 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act, which would give universal healthcare free of charge to all Californians. The plan, if passed, would cover all community members with only a 1% tax on the working population.

I stood in the crowd, feeling dizzy from the heat, and listened as community members shared their own experiences of living without healthcare in the United States. Currently, 6.5 million residents in California don't have insurance. Supervisor Tom Ammiano spoke in support of the resolution and a jazz band performed while the crowd danced. The Ragin' Grannies sang and performed while the crowd clapped and cheered.

In 21 cities across the country, similar rallies took place, as community members came together to fight for universal healthcare. Hundreds of community-based organizations support the resolution in California, including the California Alliance for Retired Americans, the United Educators of San Francisco, the California Nurses Association and more.

The day's rally ended with a memorial procession exemplifying how the insurance companies are killing us. The large crowd continued chanted and clapping in hopes of healthcare for all.

Call your state assembly member and senator and demand that they vote yes on SB 840.

by Joseph Bolden

Wymyn/Men’s Social Contract

Ever hear of a book entitled:Why Men Earn More?

No,haven’t read it but might after this column is done.

I heard on a radio show from a man and woman that statistics can be

reconfigured to fit anyones analysis at the time.

Wymyn always bring up economic disparity,glass ceiling text book argument mean while a few male friendly websites and organizations.

From what I know is more males are dropping out of high school,less going to college,universities,and headed into prison.

As for women they make up most of the new small business created and entering,graduating from colleges and universities.

I said once to a female pal once “How come there’s no men-get-in-free and free drinks in club bars?”

“Because bar owners wouldn’t make money,bring women free and men follow.” Or words to that effect.

“We didn’t make the rules” she added.

“But you take advantage of the social set up.” I said.

As for the 'Why Men Earn More book [You look up author]

Men take the most dangerous jobs,go to wars recently women have too,and our testosterone tends to have us do
stupid daredevil stuff like skateboarding,drink too much and commit suicide with guns rather than with pills-alcohol,drugs as women do which saves some from the act.

Plus betrayal of the bumbling,fumbling,male in tv commercials.

As for Battered women’s syndrome Battered Men isn’t seen as real even though statistics have risen steady.

Also if laws are closely examined their is a built in bias against males in favor of women.

Women have more choices from having a career, motherhood,going back to the work force.

Few Single or rare Nuclear families with fathers at home are given
choices to leave work for paternity leave though that is slowly changing.

Of course the sport analogy of boxing still holds.

Two equally matched fighters in ability, strength,experience face each other in the ring.

No matter the equal footing if male beats woman fairly he loses in society for beating up a girl.
notice how the woman is reduced to girl.
Yet when she beats the male in the arena she’s haled,held up as proof of superiority over all men not just a contest of athletic prowess.

Yes,some women think and project that way like men.

Think Bobby Riggs and
Billy Jean King

Mismatch of the century with older experienced tennis pro Bobby Riggs and younger experienced Billy Jean King.

Bobby bragged being a womanizer of beating the "little girl"

His testosterone got the better of him,it really wasn't a fair match between equals.

So much was place on which sex was better.

Bobby lost Billy won.

Billy went on to found a magazine,get endorsements while Billy who'd been through that faded out of the public eye.

I wish today's tennis champs men and women truly of equal caliber had a match what would happen.

I’ve seen women hit men in public, been playfully hit in public myself for looking at other women when with on a date.

Men do that so do women, women are less obvious about it.

Women know they can go off (act out,do and say crazy things in public and get away with but for men it isn’t tolerated.)

Don't shake your heads ladies you know its true.

All you need do is check out
[Ball Busting video or movies of women getting their jollies out of hurting men’s floaters Even if it is only an actresses talking there is a note of glee, joy,maniacal fun the way the main one says
“Come On,I Dare You.”

By the way I commend the actress she gets the point across clearly.

I'll probably not ever see her in real life since I'm a bit of a marred frog with a lazy left eye.

I give all women respect that avoids getting my nut sack racked in pain.

About approaching women inappropriately by touch,talk, or even the too long ogle or stare.

No guy should be mistreated unless you really act or are a jerk.
Women we now know will go there,aim for our tender testes if we are dumb sticks in our so called superiority.

Its all about humiliating pain and as for the idiotic guys who are paid for hits to their groin.

There will never be enough money to place my family jewels in such a precarious predicament.

Placing my junk in harms way!

Some things are not worth the humiliation let alone some "accidental” permanent damage inflicted.

Though some guys will do anything for money.

The Social Contract is broken,bent,twisted,not worth seeking if has tilted all the way to one side even if it works for the so called suffering side.

Now men are victims but we’ve been raised to be strong,silent,and if we say enough!

Wimp,wuss,chicken,or worse names starting with C or P will be called out.

I for one have seen the other side of the curtain.

Socially men and women aren't living up to our social contracts.

So I’m opting out of the masculine straight jacket we,society has put us in that may make me a slight loner outlaw of sorts. [Imagine me,non drinker/drug/non sexist- racist,religious zealot -homophobic guy out of step because have I have the balls to refuse following a social norm that women have found ways to use while still calling themselves oppressed & superior simultaneously.]

You’ve tried awfully hard over the decades but you cannot have it both ways


of being downtrodden and have small businesses,be more educated than ever as men fall behind.

If that's your victory over males then its just as unequal and you've lost the very purpose of equality.

Women! Why aren’t you voting for Ms. Hillary Clinton or placing more women drowning men with candidates?

Want to gain power! Use your numbers,money, that so called superior emotional/ intellectual IQ and experience.

Use that cell phone for important stuff than getting out of the odd awkward blind date.

Use the freakin’ technology,infrastructure at hand.

Unless,when it really comes down to you'd rather sit back and let your beloved,son’s,brother’s, uncle’s,hubby’s,fathers.

I mean the good men; you all know there are many more than you let on continue to die!

You know what you have to do!
Take it from men,then recreate a true and equal contract only then can you say we are the superior species.
Hey, I’m just a testosterone driven guy raised by a strong black woman with lessons taught from a few strong,courageous younger rainbow women. What do I know?

Send comments to Poormagazine.org or jsph_bldn@yahoo.com

by Byron Gafford/POOR Magazine Poverty Scholar

As well as honoring Shirley as a Poverty Hero POOR Magazine is launching an investigation into the wrongful death by corporate negligence of Shirley Weston.The following series of poetry journalism by poverty scholar and family member Byron Gafford is the beginning of that effort.

How Can PG&Evil Say That They're Open 24 Hours a Day?

How can PG&Evil

say that they're

open 24 hours

a day?

When PG&Evil

didn't give a

shit about my

sick girlfriend's

health where she

live.

So when PG&Evil

refuse to send

someone out to

turn her power

back on.

like they sent

someone out to

cut it off

at 180 Westpoint

Rd. on 6/19/2008.

My girlfriend would

have still been

alive today helping

me with our

son.

But since PG&Evil

didn't want to

send someone out

on 6/9/2008 to

cut my girlfriend's

power back on

that they cut off.

Her brother went

out and got

a gas generator

and brought it

into her house

in order to

watch TV.

And when I got

the call from

my girlfriend about

what PG&Evil did

to her I ran

over to her apartment and the

brother and shirley

and his wife

were all together

in the living room

with the generator

on.

And when the next

day came my girl

friend was found

dead on the

floor bleeding out

of her head.

In the living room

where she sleep

everyday.

When shirley's brother

came to town

the devil also

came in town

too.

To rob, steal,

an kill the

good like shirley

weston in order

to claim the

neighborhood of

death for his

own.

With the help

from PG&Evil.

#2

How can the medical examiner lie on Shirley Weston?

How can the medical examiner

lie on shirley weston

on how she died

when they wasn't

there that night

when she was

alive but I was there�

How is shirley

weston's death an

accident especially

if PG&Evil and

shirley's brother both

are at fault.

If PG&E would

not have sent

out one of

their workers to

cut off the

wrong power and

put a different lock

on her box.

Shirley Weston would

still be here with

us today.

But she's not

here with us

and now

the medical examinder

want to rule

it as an accident

but it wasn't

an accident to me.

Because PG&Evil

didn't do their

job right, shirley

weston is dead

because of their

neglect to help

cut her power

back on.

Shirley Weston is

dead and PG&Evil

and her brother

both are the

very ones that

took her away

from us.

PG&Evil cut shirley

weston's power on

6/9/2008 and her

brother went to

get a gas generator

So he can

watch TV and

that was the

last time that

he saw shirley weston

alive after he went

to bed first.

by Joseph Bolden

A Picnic

Recently I was at a picnic for CHP[Community Housing Partnership] in gorgeous,lush greenery of the Little Hills Ranch in San Ramon.

Its a breezy Saturday morning.

It is one of those “Y’all Come"deal.

As people and organizations gathered to have fun,play games, and talk strategic politics.

The latter though a turn off for me is like glazed ham with all the fixing’s for those of that bent.

Really it played so little part that day.

Other organizations are designated colored bands on our wrists.

Yellow for C.H.P.,Green- Girl Scouts Of America,I think.

Forget what Red is for and there may have been other colors too.

In early fall I had relearned how to swim properly and body build correctly hat’s what I was my main reason because I’ve missed a few days of both but swimming was given at a picnic or so I hoped.

The bus trip is short.

A neighbor had given me a cheese and bologna sandwich.

I took cold water from home as a precaution against dehydration.

No worries about that with a pool,tents,food,and concession.

After some announcements,tug of war game I hurry into the men’s bathroom changing from street clothes to swim trunks.

It’s faded from chlorine from another pool but works for me.

I really wished my lady friend and mother had come also.

I invited both not by quickie,email but old fashioned face to face.

Mama’s taking a driving test,Ms. L. Bean’s collects a Graduate Degree.

Bean is cute, politically active, socially consciousness young woman with a curvy, shapely,hour glass figure I’ve told her she'd look great in a fish net or mesh bathing suit.

In a one piece less revealing outfit Ms. Bean would look just as spectacular!

Oh,well also said I’d have six pack abs by that time.

That didn’t plan out either.

The Garden Party song came to mind by Rick Nelson.
You see,ya can't please everyone

So ya got to Please yourself.

I’ll keep working on them and other body parts all summer just to see how clear and dense it can be since nearly nothing better to do.

Some bad table tennis, long food lines,short ice cream and soda lines it was a good fun day.

Yes,there were children that wined,cried,but most of the tots enjoyed themselves with or away from adults.

I didn’t ride a horse, or hike swimming was at the top of my list.

Bingo played I avoided that by getting ice cream.

Proudly I didn’t have two helpings of food.

By the time the bus arrives to take us home,I don’t waddle aboard with extra carry on food.

The trip home seems faster,by the time I home all I could do was watch a little TV before going to sleep in my own comfortable bed.

But it was a great outing.

by Angela Pena, Gloria Esteva, Teresa Molina, Patricia/ Voces de Immigrantes en Resistencia

For English, scroll down

Uno de los ejemplos mas brutales de los recientes I.C.E. ataques contra migrantes son las redadas de inmigracion que han ocurrido en la cadena de tacquerias populares, El Balazo.

En el dia viernes, segundo de Mayo 2008, ICE conducto una redada inmensa en once restaurantes de El Balazo en la ciudad de San Francisco y algunas ciudades en la bahia del este. Los agentes de ICE entraron a los restaurantes, y actuaron como que iban a tener almuerzo cuando de repente llamaron a otros agentes para que entreran al restaurante, bloquiaron las salidas, y empezaron a interrogar a los patrones y empliados del restaurante, violentamente buscando por sus documentos en sus bolsas. 63 empleados fueron detenidos ese dia sin los agentes explicandoles sus derechos, la razon porque los estaban deteniendo, o por cuanto tiempo iban a estar encarcelados.

Una mujer joven que fue detenida por los agentes de ICE, se nego a dar su nombre, pero dio este testimonio. "Ellos aparecieron derepente, apuntaron sus armas a nosotros, y nos amenazaron. Entonces, ellos nos ordenaron a entrar sus carros, violentamente busquaron documentos de identificacion en nuestros cuerpos y nuestras bolsas. Yo estaba aterrorizado. Luego nos hecharon en diferentes coches y no nos dijieron para donde ibamos. La barrera del idioma que se presenta entre los agentes de ICE y los trabajadores detenidos, crea un tipo especifico de abuso en cual los agentes de ICE se aprovechan. Los agentes gritan a sus victimas en ingles abusivamente, sabiendo bien que los detenidas no entienden el idioma. Todo el raite hasta las celdas, los agentes se estaban riendo y burlando de mi, diciendo que la unica cosa que los latinos son buenos es para hacer burritos. Finalmente llegamos a 630 Samson donde me arrojaron en una celda. Tomaron demaciadas photografias de mi. Mandaron a un interprete que grito para presionarme a hablar, me decian que tenia que responder sin informarme que tenia el derecho a permanecer en silencio o mi derecho a hablar con un abogado. Gritandome abusidamente, querian asustarme para firmar algunos documentos que yo no sabia lo que significaban. Creo que los documentos eran algo acerca de mi ser ilegal. Decidi solo firmar documentos que yo entendi que decian que un juez podria supervisar mi caso. Ellos me deteniern por ocho horas en las que solo me dieron un sandwich y una pequena botella de agua. Antes de que me liberaron, me pusieron un grillete electronico en mi tobio. "

Agentes de ICE tormentan nuestros lugares de negocios y propiedades privadas como si tubieran ordenes de corte para asaltar edificios llenos de delincuentes. Este es un completo abuso de poder. Los trabajadores inocentes son intimidados por los agentes y sus armas y corren, igual que cualquier persona haria. En los casos de el balazo, los clientes y los empleados corrieron a las salidas, pero ya era demasiado tarde, agentes de ICE habian rodeado el local y estaban esperando a todas las posibles salidas con aarmas apuntadas preparados para arrestar estas personas inocentes.

Las redadas de inmigracion estan aterrorizando a toda nuestra comunidad migrante raza. No solo afectan los individuales que detienen, afectan las familias de esta gente que es depedasada atra vez de las deportaciones. Las vicitmas inocentes que fueron injustamente detenidos, estan sujetos a grandes cantidades de estres a causa de estos actos de brutalidad. Agentes estan tratando a la gente de nuestra comunidad como animales.

Cuando la joven termino contando su historia, queria enviar un mensaje a su comunidad Raza. "No olviden las recomendaciones y advertencias que organizaciones como POOR nos dan en sus folletos de derechos civiles para nuestra comunidad migratoria raza. Usted podria quedar atrapada en una situacion en la que necesitaria saber sus derechos."

Como parte de la campaña de educación pública de derechos de inmigrantes No Corra / Don 't Run, el programa Voces de Inmigrantes en Resistencia patricionado por POOR magazine está publicando una serie de artículos para dar a luz a las atrocidades que se estan cometiendo contra los Comunidad Raza Migratoria en el Área de la Bahía. Estas redadas de I.C.E (Inmigración y Aduanas) son un ejemplo de los constantes intentos de destruir nuestra comunidad. Es muy importante que nos involucremos para apoyar y empoderar a esta comunidad. Si usted está interesado en apoyar a las víctimas de estos ataques injustos de Inmigración, aquí esta un enlace a información sobre la parillada para recaudar fondos para los trabajadores de El Balazo . Todas las donaciones iran directamente a las víctimas de las redadas de El Balazo y sus familias.

Volante(pdf)

In English

One of the most brutal examples of the recent I.C.E. attacks on migrant folks are the immigration raids that have happened at the popular chain of El Balazo tacquerias across the Bay Area.

On Friday, May 2 2008, ICE conducted a mass raid in several El Balazo taquerias in San Francisco and other Bay Area cities. ICE agents entered the restaurants and acted as if they were just ordinary customers there for lunch when suddenly they signaled to other agents to enter the restaurant, surround all possible exits, and aggressively interrogated not only the employees, but customers as well. Sixty-three employees were detained that day without the ICE agents ever explaining to them their rights, the reason they were being detained, or for how long they would be detained.

A young woman who was arrested by ICE, refused to give her name but gave this testimony. "They appeared out of nowhere, pointed their guns at us, and threatened us. Then, they ordered us to get inside the car, violently searched our bodies and snatched our bags away from us to get our identifications. By this time I was terrified. They then threw us into different cars and didn't tell us where we were going. The entire ride to the holding cells they were laughing and making fun of me saying that all we were good for was making burritos. We finally arrived at 630 Samson where they threw me in a cell. They took a lot of pictures of me. The interpreter pressured me into talking by yelling at me, telling me that I had to respond without telling me that I have the right to remain silent or my right to talk to an attorney. By yelling at me angrily, they wanted to scare me into signing some papers that I did not understand. I think the papers mentioned something about me being illegal. I decided only to sign papers that said that a judge could oversee my case. They detained me for eight hours in which they only gave me a sandwich and a small bottle of water. Before I was released, they attached an electronic tracking device to my ankle."

Immigration agents storm places of business and private property as if they are raiding a building full of criminals. Innocent, unsuspecting migrant workers get paranoid and run, just like anyone would. In the cases of the Balazo taquerias, restaurant customers and employees sprinted to the rear exits but it was too late, ICE agents had surrounded the premises and were waiting at all possible exits with guns drawn to arrest these innocent people

ICE agents are terrorizing the entire migrant Raza community. The innocent workers that they arrest are being subjected to massive amounts of stress because of these acts of brutality. Agents are treating arrestees like animals. The language barrier creates a specific kind of abuse that ICE agents take advantage of.

ICE agents have reportedly aimed their guns at the faces of their victims while yelling at them in English knowing that their victims don't understand what they are saying thus creating a heightened state of panic. Agents then violently grab the belongings of their victims, be it purse, bags, or wallets, as if they were mugging them. Once agents have some kind of identification of the detained workers, they slap cuffs on their wrists, throw them in different cars, and make fun of these poor, innocent people all the way to 630 Sansom street where arrestees are detained in cells without being read their Miranda rights, and without being told what they did wrong.

The scare tactics of ICE also unlawfully force detainees to sign papers that they don't understand. Agents yelled at the workers and threatened them with jail time in an attempt to get them to sign voluntary deportation papers. The detainees pleaded that they needed a lawyer present to explain what was going on, the agents laughed and told them that they would have access to a lawyer after they signed the paper.

These innocent people were detained for up to eight hours, in which they were only given a sandwich and a small bottle of water to supplement their bodies. It is for certain that when these people are finally released they will be emotionally scarred forever. Never would they forget that day that they were accosted and trapped like animals and stripped of their dignity. For each one of these victims there lies a tangible reminder of this horrific event strapped to their ankle in the form of an electronic tracking device.

When the young woman finished recapping her story, she wanted to send a message to her Raza community. "Don't take for granted the recommendations and warnings that organizations give us about informing ourselves on our rights. You could get caught in a situation where you need to know them."

As part of the No Correr/Don't Run Immigrant Rights Public Education Campaign, the Voces de Inmigrantes en Resistencia program at POOR magazine is publishing a series of articles giving light to the atrocities being committed against the Migrant Raza Community in the Bay Area. These I.C.E raids are an example of the constant attempts to destroy our community. It is imperative that we come together to support and empower Migrant Raza Folk. If you are interested in supporting the victims of these unjust Immigration attacks, here is a link to info on the El Balazo Fundraising BBQ. All donations will go directly to the victims of the El Balazo raids and their families.

Flyer(pdf)

by Leroy Moore/PNN

The Black Kripple is the only radio show that plays the music of musicians with disabilities from Blues to Hip-Hop and everything in between. We also play local and global artists and news reports from PoorNewsNetwork.

Other stations told me my voice was not right for radio because of my disability and others didn't see a market for disabled musicians but finally Black Blind Blues Krip-Hip-Hop has found a home on pirate radio, BLR 104.1FM. After dealing with White liberals and Black radicals, we are finally at home in a true collective. So tune in every Sunday morning from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. with hosts the Leroy Moore and Vivgurl.

We get music from all over the country and world. From as far away as the Motherland to right here in the states, we play the music of artists with disabilities, who are discriminated against by the music industry and mainstream radio stations. We don't play top ten hits. We play the artists with disabilities that have been looked over for years. We play more than the artists people already know about, like Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles. We get down n dirty in the streets with artists like H.U.S.H., Fezo, Cripple Crew, Rob DA Noize Temple, King Snyder, Dirty Wic, Miss Money, and MF GRIMM and others. We cover Metal, Hip-Hop, Blues, Jazz, Spoken Word, Country, Doo Whoop, Instrumental, R&B/Soul, World music and more, all by artists with disabilities. We also play the music of artists without disabilities, who have strong social justice themes like Immortal Technique, Paris and more.

Black Blind Blues Krip-Hip-Hop also brings you the news and interviews of musicians with disabilities focusing on new CDs, books, movies, clothing lines and music videos. So join us every Sunday in the morning from 8-10am on Berkeley Liberation Radio 104.1FM or online at www.berkeleyliberationradio.org

Your Hosts: The Black Kripple aka Leroy & Vivgurl Leroy
For more info: kriphopproject@yahoo.com, www.leroymoore.com, www.kriphop.com and www.poormagazine.org

by Jennifer Fogg/POOR Magazine Race, Poverty and Media Justice Intern

I fumble to take a seat, in the congested overflow room of San Francisco's City Hall. I focus on the commanding figure that fills the screen of the over sized television to my right. It is broadcasting the Board of Supervisor's hearing on Mayor Gavin Newsom's proposed Community Justice Center (CJC) from the packed room across the hall.

The figure dominating the screen, I learn is Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, from district 5. He is relaying his fears that the limited jurisdiction of the court, which ends near the border of his district, will cause what he called "crime creep" and that "serial inebriates" will slither over into the neighborhoods of his district if the court is put in place.

The CJC will handle non-violent, misdemeanor and felony cases, so called quality of life crimes, such as loitering and graffiti among many others. Instead of being issued a citation, people will be taken directly into the CJC and given a community service sentence, always with the threat of incarceration behind it. The court will have jurisdiction over parts of SOMA, Civic Center, Union Square, and the Tenderloin. According to the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice, a primary goal of the court is to, "serve as a gateway to social services through the power of the court." Newsom's CJC project is based on former Mayor Giuliani's Midtown Community Court in Manhattan, which by all corporate media accounts has been a shining example of how to eliminate the visible signs of poverty and create a Disneyesque Times Square.

The Mayor has proposed to cut $20 million from existing social programs in his new budget, leaving the most vulnerable of San Francisco's citizens to bear the brunt of the burden. Simultaneously proposing the CJC, which is supposed to be a "gateway" to these very services, will cost an estimated 2.9 million dollars just to implement. The two seem incompatible. It appears that Mayor Newsom would like to follow Giuliani's lead, and cut the poor out of the fabric of San Francisco. Supervisor Chris Daly likened the CJC to a "social experiment".

From the glowing screen in the overflow room, a line of people stretching the length of the Board of Supervisors chambers, waited to have their voices heard on this issue. One of the most powerful speakers came from the voice of one of the co-founders and executive director of POOR magazine, Tiny aka Lisa Gray-Garcia, who articulated that, "the proposed court is another manifestation of the criminalization of poverty and poor people of color that was tried out in New York under Giuliani as a way to penalize people for the sole act of being poor. No matter how many times you put people in jail for being poor it won't change their poverty. As well, this is the way that the criminal industrial complex can begin to systematically feed poverty criminals, like myself into its hungry jaws".

By the close of the hearing the Supervisors voted No on releasing the funds to initiate the CJC, but this didn't sit well with the Mayor. On June 17th he filed a measure with the Board of Elections to put his Community Justice Center initiative on the ballot in November.

As I collect my notes and pen I can only hope that the voters of San Francisco will think long and hard about the implications a court like Newsom's Community Justice Center will have on our city. While phrases like "social experiment" and "crime creep" clamor in my head these questions form on my lips: what does it say about our compassion, our tolerance, our very humanness if we choose to deem people criminals because they may occasionally annoy us, or make us uncomfortable, or may not have any where else to go? Will this kind of court do anything to address the systemic causes of these so called crimes, such as the lack of affordable housing, unattainable healthcare, racism, or our dwindling civil liberties, or is it another progression of these very problems?

by Joseph Bolden

No Rent Control = City/State Chaos

Chaos,all things in flux, no control,it’s a messed up situation.

Today all S.R.O.’s (single resident occupancyare at a protest/rally outside on the steps of City Hall in San Francisco.

Tenants from s.r.o.’s, transitional housing from all over the city have gathered to protest Proposition 98.

Prop.98 is state wide in scope using eminent domain as a way to take living space from renter’s on low to fixed incomes.

Proposed by wealthy landlords for the dismantling of rent control for the whole state of California.

If it passes on June 3, 2008,most struggling working folks, single or families will be lose their housing through inflated high rents.

It will not stop like an updated Ellis Act Look it up of the 90’s it too will use any excuse to raise rent,demolish current housing stock only to refurbished or make new housing with increased rental prices.

The process continues from low income subsidized housing to an already decimated middle class, which is the gateway to homeownership.

As I speak the rally continues with PNN, KPIX, other media outlets are there showing the seriousness of next months vote in June.

Going through my own mini housing crisis only makes the problem profoundly worse.

If I lose housing there are organizations I’m tapped into to help me but if prop. 98 passes…

Many no knowing or having any support systems will be thrown into house-less hell.

This the C H A O S of which I speak,All San Franciscan’s plus the whole state will have no thrown into a dark,bleak,abyss if 98 is passed!

We can prevent this by VOTING NO ON 98
let’s have our own People’s Law stating
to never have this any other legally crookedly written proposition,bill,or law set against any of us because of a lack of funds.


Any comments send to poormagazine.org or
Tell/Ask Joe@poormagazine.org

by Joseph Bolden

Wymyn,Men,& The Universe Next Door

Don’t think of the above title for now just contemplate on it.

Yes,I’m dipping my 50 or 100 cents worth yammering about two of the most stubborn yet massively intelligent creatures on Gaia.

We Human’s and our individual personhood…

After straightening my messy one room apartment, turned on the radio to hear the Coast-to-Coast show.

Whether starting or ending I get to hear a rebroadcast of the show.

A late Saturday early Sunday morning show about the human brain as our understanding of it keeps expanding.

Using a old fashioned tape-recorder magnetic tape not tape-less digital kind

I hear Mr.Punnet and guest DR. Michael Gazzaniga,[the director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Dartmouth, Neuroscientist and a fledgling as a member of President Bush's Council on Bioethics. [from Coast-to-Coast AM web site.


Hypothetically discuss brother/sister incest, which goes completely right with no snags,no one knows but them.

go to www.Coast to Coast AM www.psych.ucsb. edu/people/faculty/ gazzaniga/index.php - 17k

Both ware protection against the sister having child from the secret, illicit union,and afterwards made them grow closer family unit.

I missed a half-hour, an interesting conversation.

It goes on saying,most of the human species have built in nodules in our brains,moral breaks preventing most of us from contemplating such behaviors.

Even aberrant, psychopaths among us wouldn’t do that.

Though molesting, raping,and killing
relatives,siblings or strangers,they are not above doing.

Most of us are hardwired not taught that incest is inherently wrong also when husbands,wives,cheat we as a species don’t like that either.

I know “Most men cheat” mantra women drone on about is a comfortable stand by for decades.

Times has changed as more women graduate from colleges,universities, and business schools earning M.B.A.’s.

Become C.E.O’s of companies,corporations, or head up their own.

Many a busy business women married or
not can and do mix public business with private pleasure.
Many women now use the perks of working vacations with special emphases on fun.

Because it is now well known that women are more subtle in their dealings they may well have surpassed men in the stealth sex-on-bizz/ vacation trips encounters but for now the jury is out on that score.

Our holy religious books are also guides on morality.

Some of us don’t follow the rules closely.
We stretch;bend it a little before making a total break of moral imperatives.

Dr. Michael, Gazzaniga explains that of the 6 billion people on earth most of us are good, want, peace.

Its only 1% causing most of the misery we experience.

1% of 6 billion is still a lot of folks!

Now,for a universe not so different from ours lying just out of reach near us.

A female fan said “Men being in control developing ultimate weapons always think it won’t be use then does.”

Dr. Gazzniga said “Help is on the way, the majority of the students are women.” Mr. Punnet talked “about a recent study on the correlation between the intelligence of the brain also addressed the issue of whether or
not men’s brains or women’s brains demonstrate any greater ability to communicate.

”Are women really more communicative than men or do they just talk more?”
{Ladies,I’m paraphasing Mr. Punnet from the radio show,don’t get bent out of shape at me.}

”What the study showed, it was on the live science web site a couple of weeks ago;It was a joint study between several weeks ago for all I know U.C. Santa Barbara was involved.

”What they studied was the presumption… kind of been floating around for a while that the portion of the female brain that seems larger than male brains focus’s on the ability to communicate.”

” Does that sound about right,multi-task and communicate?”

And the study indicated that in fact: There was no difference between male and female brains regardless of the difference… “

”there’s no difference in the function of male or female brains regardless of the vagaries of the size of one part or another. “

”And that study was conducted entirely by women.”

Mr. Punnet continues now its up to readers to grapple with these findings.

In a universe next door an exact perfect Gaia (Mama Earth).

Earth evolves painfully as did our own, evolution takes eons.

Women and men, plants, animals, insects, germs, and bacteria come into being.

In this alternate universe a slight difference occurred.

Women are the hunters/Men-stayed home preparing meals, planting seeds, fruits, learning the early ways of gardening.

Though women birthed children it’s men who nurture, pamper their young. Women prepared them for tool making, combat, are inventors of both defensive/offensive weaponry.
Time swift wind whispers through centuries from Feudal Rough – Tough women, Warrior soldiers, Queens, Princess’s,Knights.

Men do what they’ve always done bared up, and die sacrificing for their children.

“Hit ‘em regularly like a bell”

As the battlefield spreads to their homes men untrained ”The boy’s showed spunk” Gave their lives dear showing up the myth made by women that…

“All men are good for is sex and raisin’ kids’,Your Dad Ware’s Combat Boots was a favorite epithet.

While wives,loves,or soldier Women fought the wars.

The war to end slavery, World Wars 1 drained countries of the best feminine minds,gassed, machine gunned,blown up from air,land,and sea.

The second World war though more efficient enabled many shattered bodies and minds to survive.

Madam Presidents, Criminal classes,Corporate Elites raided their own countries as one party schemed to steal, invalidate, and throw away votes of the uncommon feminine wisdom.

A new day seemed to dawn after so many false ones as one man had risen higher than any other to maybe be the first
Presidential Male in America unless an assassins bullet stops his heart.

Many women aren’t ready for the change ever if the first Black Woman running concedes defeat most think a meer male is too emotional to hack such demanding responsibilities.

The evil that women do from creating destructive weapons,wars, molesting school age boys, cheating on good stay-at-home husbands.

To renting men on the street or keeping secret men-on-the-side.

Everyone on the planet asks “What’s up with raw,bad tempered,smoking, lying,brawling,drinking, dope taking/selling,meth, Internet porn addicted women?

Will they ever learn from their better half to communicate and multi task?

Or are they just hard wired to be the filthy, horny,reckless,bare chested,smelly,grasping ass holes,nit wits who are still running the world into ruin?

”I wonder what it would be like if men instead of women ruled the earth a few women and many men wonder aloud, can it get any worse?

That’s a random peek in an all that glitters world if women ran it.

Truth is either sex won’t be perfect running the world it has to be a joint effort.

If women are destined to rule then so be it…

Whether I reincarnate as a man or woman doesn’t matter I just want to witness the misteps, mistakes, and best of women as leaders, movers and shakers.

Comment on www.askjoe@poormagazine.org or

Poormagazine.org