2015

On December 2, 2015 a young 26 year old African American named Mario Woods was shot dead by police in the Bay view district. It was a tragic day for the young man's family and community, but one thing I want to let you readers know is that this has been happening non stop all over the world.

A couple of days later approximately 100 people gathered on Gilman st where the killing took place at and we made an altar dedicated to Mario Woods. It was really unnecessary for 8 to 10 cops to fire 15 to 20 shots at Mario Woods. They could've made a different decision so Mario woods could be with his family.

A week after Mario Woods passed away there was a walk out in San Francisco by students of June Jordon High School. Deecolonize Academy was invited.  When we arrived at 16^thand mission in front of the Bart station there were young men and women there who were wearing backpacks and talking. There were approximately 80 people at first, then the other high school students arrived. It was a windy day. Then people start talking in front of the crowd. There were posters and organizers talking. A few of my classmates went up and told their opinion about how they felt about what happened.

After we started marching there were lots of cops waiting for us to start marching so they could see the truth and understand what they have done. We marched all the way to San Francisco City Hall. It was terrifying seeing all these cops trying to police us at the end of the protest. It was approximately 400 people when we left.

How I feel about this is that the cops who kill our black and brown people get away with it just because they are wearing a badge and the people's families who lost their children have to suffer and deal with that all of their lives while the cop killers are living their lives.

Raymond Eacret, 34 yrs old, a proud Yurok Tribal Member from Trinidad Rancheria, of Eureka, CA, died “in custody” in the Humboldt County Correctional Center (Jail) on Friday, June 26, 2015.  Raymond was being held on a misdemeanor charge and was due to be released that evening. Something went horribly wrong just hours after his mother, Sheila Eacret, received the message telling her 'not to worry and charges were dropped,' that her son was being released around dinner time, 4pm in fact, that very day.  Relief turned to deep sorrow, grief and outrage. The next time Sheila would see her son it would be after his death, framed as a “suicide” by Humboldt County officials, his lifeless body bludgeoned.

[image description:  An earlier days school photograph of Raymond Eacret, he is wearing a white shirt and there is a standard blue school-photo background.  Raymond is fair-skinned with his long hair pulled back with a cool, pronounced hairline.  He does not smile, looks very sweet, and has a thin mustache.]

“I was refused to see my son until after the autopsy which was against all Native rights, I had every right to prepare him spiritually due to his being Native American with a roll number. Denied that right, I was angry and confused,” said Sheila Eacret, Raymond's mother.

A number of conflicting reports have surfaced, including the police narrative, which has been amplified via most news outlets, so it is the most accessible information.  Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey said in a press release that Raymond was found by an (unnamed) Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Correctional Deputy (CD) “hanging from a makeshift noose that was wrapped around his neck” while being housed in the medical section of the Humboldt County Jail.  There is already a conflicting report that another officer had said Raymond was laying in his bed when he was discovered dead.  Another person who was in the medical department at the time Raymond was brought there told Sheila Eacret that there is “no way someone could take their own life in medical.”  That person also said that when Raymond was brought to medical he had been horribly beaten, and that he was unconscious.  The Sheriff's press release says that “life saving efforts were immediately initiated,” and basically that Humboldt County is investigating itself on this matter.  “This incident is currently under joint investigation by the HCSO and the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office (HCDAO),” the press release reads.  

When Sheila Eacret was finally able to see her son Raymond, she was horrified.  Raymond was covered in bruises, he had two black eyes and his nose was broken.  His torso appeared as if it had been kicked multiple times.  Raymond's body appeared to be broken, his back broken, Sheila described ribs that stuck out with swelling around the wounds the “size of a watermelon.”  There was a cut about three inches deep in the neck of Raymond Eacret, and whatever it was that caused this deep cut, that was used to strangle him, did not go all the way around his neck.  Raymond's ear was bleeding and bruised.  Raymond was clearly the victim of a horrible, violent assault.

[image description:  Raymond Eacret in the comfort zone of Home, wears a wide brimmed baseball hat with a skull on it, he has a mustache.  He is looking at the camera and has a land line telephone at his ear, with his arm around a beautiful baby.  The baby leans slightly back and looks curiously at Raymond.]

“Our Humboldt County Sheriff's Department, the County Jail and Coroner's office are one in the same, they run all three, they are in it together,” said Shelia Eacret.  She continues, “So to get any kind of justice or truth you have to get at least one (entity) away from here.”  

Sheila took pictures of her son's injuries and demanded for an independent autopsy and secured a lawyer.  She is fighting for justice so that no other mother has to go through what she is experiencing.  She doesn't believe the Humboldt County system should be investigating itself.

“My son wasn't the first young Native American to mysteriously be hung in this jail and die, there was a 25 yr old Native American from Hoopa that was also killed in there on a misdemeanor and was going to get out.  Our system is flawed and allows authorities and deputies to kill anyone in that jail and get away with it. I think officers should have to obey the same laws they are suppose to uphold and should be held accountable for Murder like anyone else. A badge and key does not give them the right to take someone's life. They will be held accountable for this crime.”

[image description:  A long banner celebrating the Yurok People, with beautiful water in the background. On the left is a round emblem of the Yurok, fishing is championed with a boat and fish. The words THE YUROK TRIBE are in all caps.]

That 25 year old Native brother from Hoopa is a Yurok man named James "Hans" Peters, who was brought in to Humboldt County Jail in late June 2007.  Sheriffs say in August 2007, James Hans Peters was being held in a solitary cell, that he had “assaulted a correctional officer” and that he was waiting to be transferred to Napa State Hospital for a court ordered psych eval. Sheriffs say that on August 29, 2007 James Hans Peters “hung himself with torn bed sheets” from a vent in the ceiling. Officers did not inform Hans’ (he was called Hans by those close with him) family of his death. Later, after hearing the news from an anonymous hospital employee, the family went to the Humboldt County Jail in search of their son and demanding answers.  Sheriffs responded sternly and threatened to have the family arrested.  Hans’ mother and relatives were not allowed to see Hans' body for over 20 hours.  James “Hans” Peters was killed/died in custody in Humboldt County Jail within three months of two other victims, Peter Stewart and Martin Cotton.  All three men Disabled, all with diagnosed mental illness.

Raymond Eacret is one of many Loved Ones to die to in the United States to police terror in this way, to die violently and “in custody.” On July 13, 2015 a 24 year old pregnant Lakota Woman and mother of two named Sarah Lee Circle Bear was being held in Brown County Jail in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and was complaining of excrutiating pain.  She was denied medical care, told “quit faking,” and her body was dragged to a holding cell so officers and other inmates would not hear her screams.  She died shortly after.  In November 2015 it was released that, so far, in 2015, there have been at least 550 in custody deaths in Texas alone.  Five hundred and fifty human being people, just in the state of Texas.  One of those 550 people managed to make it to the forefront of national media.  Just one, and she was a woman.  She died the same day as Sarah Lee Circle Bear, on July 13, 2015.  And she was Black.  Her name is Sandra Bland.  

Raymond Eacret's violent death also happens within a greater context of in-custody deaths caused by law enforcement in the state of California.  Deaths like 23 year old Victoria Arellano, an HIV-positive Transgender woman and migrant from Mexico, who had been detained at a mens Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in May of 2007 in South Los Angeles.  Victoria started showing signs of illness and pleaded (along with other male detainees) that she receive medical care.  That much needed medical care was denied, and Victoria died on July 20, 2007.  There's also the recent mysterious in-custody deaths of Kristen Hamilton, 51, of Antioch who died in West County Jail in April 2015 and Elizabeth Gaunt, 56, of Santa Rosa who died at Lake County Jail in August of 2015.

Almost every single victim of in-custody deaths in California, and nationwide, have at least one of these things in common:  being Indigenous, Black, Disabled and/or Poor.  Recently the Idriss Stelley Foundation organized an action called #IdidDIEinSanFranciscoCustody which included formal demands for the treatment of Disabled detainees and demanded transparency regarding recent in-custody deaths, mostly bringing to light cases at San Francisco County Jail.  One of many demands being NO MORE IN CUSTODY DEATHS.  Within the past two years (mid 2013-mid 2015), the ISF has advocated for the families of and investigated into the violent wrongful in custody deaths of five men, Alvin Hayes, Alberto Petrolino, Antolin Marenco, Brette Robinson and Darnell Benson.  All five are Disabled, and each are Indigenous, Black and or Poor.  These violent deaths are far from isolated, and they are all related.  

[Loved Ones lost to police violence are chalked on the steps of San Francisco City Hall in October 2015 as a part of a national call to action to end police brutality.  A dog's black paw rests on the top of a blue heart that reads RAYMOND EACRET.  To the right is a pink heart that reads Yuvette Henderson.  Below that a green heart that says Ohlone People.]

Since the death of her son Raymond Eacret, Sheila Eacret has been grieving.  She has also taken a stand, she is demanding justice so that no other Mother has to experience what she is going through.  In being vocal in a rural area, Sheila is being harassed and terrorized by members of law enforcement in and around Eureka, CA.  She is being profiled, singled out and threatened for fighting for justice for her son.  The press and police in it together, villianizing her family.  One of the officers acknowledged knowing her son, Raymond, as a scare tactic.  Raymond's Mother, Sheila Eacret, who is grieving the loss of her son, fears for her life.  She does not feel safe.

A memorial service is set for Raymond Eacret in Eureka, CA on December 5, 2015 and is open to the public.

Justice for Raymond Eacret

REST IN POWER RAYMOND EACRET

Raymond Eacret, Loved One lost to police violence.

#Justice4RaymondEacret  #JusticeforRaymondEacret  #NativeLivesMatter

#IdidDIEinCustody   #iDidDIEinSanFranciscoCustody  #nomoreincustodydeaths

#IdrissStelleyFoundation  #DisabilitySolidarity  #DisabilityJustice

#PoorMagazine

Update: Raymond Eacret's memorial service is being held at 1 Marina Way in the Wharfinger Building at the Eureka Public Marina in Eureka, CA from 1:00 to 5:00 on Saturday December 5th, 2015 and all are welcome to attend.

Lisa Ganser is a white Disabled genderqueer artist living in the Mission District of San Francisco.  They are the daughter of a momma named Sam and this is their first story as a writer for Poor Magazine.

Editors Note: Mr. Jose Villarreal is one of several power-FUL PNNPlantation prison correspondents. As currently and formerly incarcerated poor and indigenous peoples in struggle and resistance with all plantation systems in Amerikkka, POOR Magazine stands in solidarity with all folks on the other side of the razor wire plantation.

Chicano Nations: the Hemispheric Origins of Mexican American Literature by Harissa K Lopex. New York University Press 2011. 208 Pgs.

This book seeks to identify and translate today’s chican@ literature and traces its history. Lopez takes a different approach to arly writing and the birth of chicanismo is literature. Not enough has been written about Chiano literature in a political context, yet this work is necessary in order to take Aztlan deeper in understanding todays Chicanismo, where we have been and our future in literary world.

As I read ‘Chicano Nations’ I wondered why such emphasis was layed on Sarimiento, Zavala and Perez and their tamed approach to Amerika, which I later found could not be thoroughly contrated except with the critiques of Vallejo’s views toward Amerika. 

Lopez explores a “post nationalism” for chican@s. What she overlooks is that in society everything is stamped with a nation Class and Gender character- including literature. Throughout history, there has always been some who in the comfortable confines of stability, view the Chicano Nation via integration lenses. This phenomenon is mirrored in the Black bourgeoisie who see the nomination of Obama as a sign of “post racial” Amerika or that the U.S. has entered the age of color blindness. This, of course, is absurd. So long as national oppression exists there will be a need for national liberation struggle. U.S. Imperialism continues to keep a boot on our necks and on poor people all around the world. This is reflected in the courts, prisons and particularly in the SHU’s where we are kept in solitary confinement, which has been defined as torture.

The most unity I have with Lopez is found in her description of Alurista where she says on pg 203: “Chicanas/os cannot be truly free until they recognize that the struggle in the United States is intricately bound with the anti-Imperialism struggle in other countries”.

Lopez alludes to the interconnection of the oppressed nations as a whole as up against our common oppressor. This is essentially the principal contradiction in the world today.  That is, the oppressed nations vs. the oppressor nations and, of course, the US today serves as the world Imperialist center. It is true that today’s Aztlan needs to clip the tethers of bourgeois nationalism and take on a revolutionary nationalism which, I think, cuts to the heart of our oppression or identifies the main source: Imperialism. Only in this way will we see national liberation for Chican@s as a step toward the liberation of all humanity. What I and my study group have come to understand is that we are for the self-determination of Chican@s and Internationalists at the same time. Indeed, we understand that true internationalism cannot be fully achieved until all nations are fully liberated as Lenin stated.

Where I find the most disagreement with Lopez is oddly on that same page (203), where she states: “The struggle against racism and injustice is a global, historical struggle, and we are all – Chicanas/os, Anglos, World citizens – imbricated in a global network within which we feel the tug and pull of these small battles that are more visible and pressing post 9/11”.

Such vague phrases promote the Amerikan apologist line where some feel we are all somehow at fault or responsible for causing such oppression. This of course downplays the oppressor’s role in national oppression. What’s more dangerous in this approach, is that it then gives birth to the idea of somehow the oppressor will come to understand we are all “imbricated” in this network and allow Aztlan to stand up or support our full liberation, rather than the more correct approach of understanding that the oppressor will never relinquish their power and privilege willingly and thus the need for Chican@s to do our own Nation building.

Ultimately Literature plays a huge part in what path the Chicano nation takes in the future, thus it is up to our Chican@ cultural workers to scratch out the path word by word and letter by letter so that this body of Chican@ literature serves as the bricks in our future road to a liberated Aztlan, a socialist Aztlan. This book is one of those bricks that add to the building this path. 

This book is one of the first books I have read that tells raw experiences from a Black disabled male  viewpoint who have experienced discrimination and went on to achieve from Africa to America and doesn’t wrapped it up in a Hollywood ending because life is an ongoing struggle especailly for a Black disabled individual...

Blew me away and I thought as a Black disabled scholar that I was updated about books by Black disabled authors finally seeing Black disabled writers getting published most of the times writing about their lives however Chibike Ifechinelo Nwabude blew me away with his book, The Sad And Painful Journey of a Struggling Disabled Black Man..  Can you believe this is the first book i have the opportunity to received by the author and sat down to swallow it by a Black disabled author who has roots in Africa?

The Sad And Painful Journey of a Struggling Disabled Black Man starts in Chibike’s villages to cities in Nigeria describing his disability, Polio and how schools were not accessible to his college years and his continue struggling and discrimination in Seattle, USA before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  Although Chibike’s struggles goes all through the book,  he came from a supportive middle class family where his mom and dad seems to me embraced him as a Black disabled boy to a young man.    His struggles began very early not only in school facing inaccessible environment i.e. stairs, long distances to classes and kids attitudes but at home when his parents hired a home supporter that started to sexually abuse him.  Although in the book he described himself as a city boy and explained that the city is more accessible, the way he described the sense of community that sounded like family in the villages made me long for what he experienced.

Chibike tells us about the Nigerian civil war, the worst periods of his life.  In the three year period till today Chibike can’t tell us why the war broke out.  I can’t imagine being physically disabled teenage in a middle of a war!  At this part of the book, I went to youtbue  to learn about the war and was not surprise that it goes back to the British “empire” aka the government  benefited a lot from the war as we know the British was colonial master before Nigeria independence of October 1st/ 1960 all because the British wanted Nigeria’s oil.  His family's plan for their escape when they heard that the attacks were getting closer included Chibike going ahead in a family member's car cause they knew that he couldn’t run because of his disability.   My heart was on a roller-coster when he described waiting for his family in a refugee camp seeing people come but noticing it wasn’t his family.  Finally his family showed up.  I can’t imagine starting all over again, like housing, school and the physical state of the city especially for a young boy with a physical disability after a war.  He was lucky to come from a middle class family.  I can’t imagine being poor disabled after a war!  Just like the beginning of the war the end of the war was blunt like turning on a light switch.   My mind was like how can you go though that and the next day go to school but he did.

Of course being an American I thought at a point in the book where he is thinking about going to college in the US where his brother was that everything would be like a utopia even in back in the 80’s but damn I was totally wrong.  The amount  of discrimination that he faced from institutions college to employment made me reread the title again.  At the same time I could relate with his experiences in college where teachers were blunt by telling him he would never be a mathematician although he was passing his classes.

Poor Magazine would love the ways that Chibike continued his higher education and also providing for his family back in Nigeria and flipping the college system of pay first then take the class on its head.  When he was poor and used to signed up for the classes and at the last minute ask to take it for no credit so he could stay in the class.  After doing this many times to get credit to graduate he took all his classes with a written note from professors to the president of the college.  After a long back and forth he was granted his right to graduate.  Also many at Poor Magazine can relate to his shame of being on welfare but I just wish that Chibike could be in a Poor Magazine workshop that flip the script about this shame and the American’s capitalist thinking of pull yourself up by your boots strings.  I think he would benefit from Poor Magazine philosophy and so much more. 

Once again I thought the tides were turn for Chibike but no.  Like many Black/Brown people with disabilities in the US find themselves unemployed but if they do find employment they continue to face discrimination.  I was cheering for him when he got his fist job but the pattern of just raw discrimination on the job from White and Black managers was heartbreaking and some brought me back to some of my 9 to 5 experiences.  I can’t tell you how many times he filed an EOC complaint and he would win and then go on to another job to face the something.  Once again I looked at the title of the book and said ok it has to get better, right?  

The discrimination was not only in the workplace, as most of disabled folks find out that relationships are hard too and other things.  I can’t tell you what happened but the title of the book says it all.   What gave me hope is one he has wrote his story and two his strong family bond that really help him stay the course and his belief in God and his thrist not only to continue but to see that it is others that need to change and meet him where he achieve to be at.   

As a Black disabled activist born and raised in America one of my hopes before Chibike and I pass away is that we come together as Black disabled people not only in the US but worldwide and say hi, get to know each other that I hope would lead into supporting each other.  I know that is a big want but what the hell you live only once on this earth.  It might be hard but we, like Chibike Ifechinelo Nwabude, must write and publish our truths!

Go buy his book here   http://outskirtspress.com/webPage/isbn/9781478752196

His Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009880215742

By Leroy F Moore Jr.

In The Photo:  In the background there is a white sign with Black letters saying: Hallf of all people killed by police have a disability end racist police terror!  Terrea Mitchell with eye glasses - holding Black Lives Matter /Jeremy McDole poster, People’s Power Assemblies..In the background there is a sign that reads Stop Attacking Disabled People with a red circle with Donald Trump’s face and a thick redline crossing his.  Beside Terrea is a Black man with a sign saying People with disabilities need decent jobs livable wage, quality home and health care and transportation.

Leroy Moore:  I was so excited to see the article of people with disabilities protesting the police killing of Jeremy McDole, a 28-year-old African-American paraplegic who was shot and killed by police in Wilmington, Del., on Sept. 23 while in his wheelchair.  Give us/me some background about the People’s Power Assemblies, the activists who called for this protest and the connection between police brutality and disability.

Terrea Mitchell of  Peoples Power Assemblies: The PPA is part of the Black Lives Matter movement collective. Well reading from our mission statement: Peoples Power Assemblies (PPA) organizes to empower workers and oppressed people to demand jobs, education and healthcare while fighting against racist police terror, sexism, LGBTQ and ableist oppression. PPA is a network of activists and organizations that are committed to a world free of oppression of any kind. These are values that we hold in our meetings as well as in the streets. I am an activist who was disabled. I thought about calling an action because half of the people killed by police have a disability. I didn't feel this was being highlighted, so I brought the idea to the group to do an action on the International Day of persons with disabilities to highlight police brutality, and killing of disabled people, as well as access to decent jobs with livable wages, quality,  affordable housing, and health care.  Issues that working, and/or poor people deal with, but that particularly affect the disabled community. Ezell Ford, Natasha McKenna, David Felix, Jeremy McDole, Shereese Francis are just a few of the many disabled people being murdered by police officers nationwide.

Leroy Moore: Tell us what goes on in your meetings and how are the assemblies organize.

Terrea Mitchell of  People’s Power Assemblies:  In our meetings, we usually do a report back on actions that may have taken place the following week or two. Actions we attended to show Solidarity, or ones that we organized, or helped organize. We usually have an agenda to discuss upcoming actions, some political discussion about a current event. Attendees and members can submit an idea for an action, or event. And we also have announcements so that people from other organizations can announce their upcoming actions. There are people's power assemblies chapters across the United States. From Baltimore, Maryland, to New York City, to Los Angeles, California.

Leroy Moore:   How did/do you make the protest and your meetings accessible?

Terrea Mitchell of  Peoples Power Assemblies:  We tried to make sure our action would be accessible to disabled people by choosing a location that had an elevator and an escalator, that was fairly free of obstacles, barring the people of course and had freedom of movement. Our meetings are in a building that has an elevator. Our materials are not so accessible, but I'm still working with my crew on to resolve that issue.  We do have  a spanish interpreter, and generally if someone needs a special accommodation let us know beforehand, and we will do our best to accommodate you. Just keep in mind we are a small grassroots organization with limited monies so our solutions will be low tech and inexpensive. And if we don't know something, or you think of something better, or we were amiss in providing an accommodation - let us know. We try to think of all contingencies but we are humans but we do forget and make mistakes.

Leroy Moore:  Give us some background of the activists who attend the protest and are they deeply involve in the assemblies.

Terrea Mitchell of  Peoples Power Assemblies:Our members come from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Approximately 95% of them work full time jobs, some as many as 50 hours plays a week but they still take time to organize, plan, coordinate, and carry out an action. i.e. protests, rally's, marches, speak outs, outreach, etc. Nate Chase, KaLisa Moore, and Kim Ortiz are just a few of the PPA members who have been targeted for arrest and harassment by NYPD. KaLisa Moore is a founding member of the NYC PPA since 2013.

Leroy Moore:  Knowing that over 50% of police shootings are people with disabilities but at the same time our voices are not heard in the media and in movements how can we change that not only locally but also nationally?

Terrea Mitchell of  Peoples Power Assemblies: We change the way we are doing now, by casting light on the issue of police brutality against disabled people. We do it by going to organizations that assist and service disabled people and demanding that they make this issue front and center. We do it but advocating for ourselves, become a part of the Black Lives Matter Movement, or any organization that fights for social justice and demand that they put these issues on the table. After all it's not us vs. them people, law enforcement and the criminal justice system overall, are hurting and killing all of us, disabled or not, they make no distinction. I say this with the caveat that if you are a disabled person you must be prepared to address accessibility challenges, and other issues that go with working with fully ableist bodied people, if that makes sense. After all, you are most likely working with people that have never encountered people with disabilities or they interactions with people who have hidden disabilities. I'm saying this to say that you may experience some level of frustration as they adjust and make accommodations for your particular 

disability.

Leroy Moore:  Is there going to be a follow up from the protest and is the assemblies going to continue to work on the issue of police brutality and people with disabilities?

Terrea Mitchell of  Peoples Power Assemblies: Yes. We plan to do this again next year for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2016, and as the need arises before then.  We're taking feedback and assessments of the last action to make this an even bigger and better one. We will be reaching out earlier and more often to organizations that work with, and/or are run by people with disabilities.

Leroy Moore:  What do you think is needed in our communities to keep people with disabilities “safe” from police brutality?

Terrea Mitchell of  Peoples Power Assemblies:  What is needed in the communities to keep people with disabilities safe: is Copwatch, someone monitoring and filming  cops, asking the person if they're alright during their interaction with officers; coming out to support a protest against police brutality and to demand justice for people murdered by police; if you are not able to physically join an action support by volunteering, we need bodies and capacity to do the background work- making signs, banners, flyers, phone calls, social media etc;  support grassroots organizations monetarily with donations. We need paper, ink flyers, banners, etc.

Leroy Moore:  What is next for Peoples Power Assemblies?

Terrea Mitchell of  Peoples Power Assemblies:  We are having an action Sunday December 20th, 2016. Say no to Trump and his racist megaphone, in New York City at Trump Towers 56th street and 5th Avenue. His dangerous and racist rhetoric has resulted in black lives matter activists being beaten and  assaulted at his rallies, and violent speech and acts perpetrated against Americans of the Muslim faith and mocking people with disabilities.

Leroy Moore:  How can people get in contact with you all and any last words?

Terrea Mitchell of  Peoples Power Assemblies:  You can reach people's power assemblies by: coming to our weekly Wednesday meetings from 7 to 9 p.m., 147 West 24th Street, New York NY. Take the For 1 train to 23rd st.  2nd Fl. Solidarity Center.   Visiting our website - peoplespower.net or http://peoplespowerassemblies.org/

emailing us at - info@peoplespowerassemblies.org phoning us (212)-633-6646. We won't be holding any meetings December 23rd or December 30th 2016.

Leroy Moore:  Today I’m interviewing Neenah Gemini Caldwell of Minn who is the sister of Abrams who is a Black teen with a visual impairment and autistic.  Tell us about your brother and family first then we will get into what happened on Monday Aug 31/15..

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: My brother is just like any other teen except he just need an extra push. He is very outgoing , loves video games, his family and especially his nephew. 

Leroy  Moore:  I’m also Black and have a physical disability and has been profiled by cops also.  Reading on what happened to your brother it looks like he was profiled by police at first that led to another situation.  Can you tell us what happened to your brother on that day?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: Really can't speak on much but he was stopped I guess because he was playing on trks and because he didn't have an identification that's when things went downhill. 

Leroy Moore:  I’ve heard over and over from advocates that police need more training.  Do you think that what happened to your brother goes deeper than training if so what do you want to see come out of this?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: I want the police who did this to my brother badges removed. They could have went different routes to resolve this matter. 

Leroy Moore:  This has been a third case that I know of of Black disabled teen that have been abused by cops that lead to having seizures.  Beyond training what can the community request like some kind of doctor/nurses when police are called or something?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: They can get actual physically training with handling Disabled adults. If they had the proper raining once again none of this would've occurred. Why couldn't they simply just asked his two friends questions.?

Leroy Moore:  Have you gotten support from the disabilityBlack community and police brutality activists/groups?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: Yes , my family and I thank everyone for there support. 

Leroy Moore:  In one article, Maria Caldwell, Marcus’ mother was quoted “ Autism is not a crime!” Do you think it is up to our, Black & disabled  communities to not only focus how the police can change but how pour communities and movements need to change and support the work of Black disabled activists’ work on police brutality and other issues?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: I feel that police officers just need to understand not everyone is perfect. There are people out here that has disabilities that can't do everything the normal person does. They need an extra boost. 

Leroy Moore:  Do you think that there needs to be more programs for Black disabled youth and teens like mentor programs so they can see themselves, their culture i.e. Black & disability culture in the community?  Do you think that would help the hush hush around disability and build a sense of pride in Black disabled youth and young adults?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: Yes , I feel they should have more activities for the disabled to do. 

Leroy Moore:  How are his two friends who were with him holding up after what happened?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell:   His two friends are still kinda debased about the situation. They sticked by my brother side through this hard time. 

Leroy Moore:  After all of this, what do you see as justice for your brother and for other Black disabled young adults?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: I just want things like this to stop happening not only to my brother but everyone. They should be no reason that a police officer should brutally attack anyone.

Leroy Moore:  Have you gotten support from Black Lives Matter and other police brutality groups?  If so do you think they would benefit from disability training or more Black disability activists?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: Yes, I think they would benefit from both. If we had more disability training then we can have others out here helping and directing to the things thats necessary. 

Leroy Moore:  How can other activists help to get justice for your brother?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: Just continue doing what they have been which is reaching out to us , sharing the picture and connecting us to people. 

Leroy Moore:  Anymore that you like to add?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: I want to thank each and every person who's been in boxing , calling , and texting us. 

Leroy Moore: How can the public stay in contract with you and your brother?

Neenah Gemini Caldwell: Facebook or email.

There have been at least two "frets" in San Francisco in the past few months. A fret is where police go out in the poor neighborhoods – SOMA, the Tenderloin – and stop anyone who looks poor and/or houseless. 

The police run peoples’ names in their system and if anyone has an outstanding warrant, like for a failure to appear in the court the previous time this happened, they get booked at the jail.  This creates a huge influx of people into the jail and requires increased staffing, for which jail staff are compensated generously.  (People don’t want to work in County Jail 1, which is the intake jail, because it’s hectic and chaotic). 

The frets happen when someone important is coming to town or an event is happening and the city is trying to appear “cleaner” or like it actually doesn’t have a housing crisis created by greed.  Frets probably happen at other times too. 

I know that I don’t understand what this experience is like for people.  I have never been forcibly removed from my home or my business, plucked away from my family and friends and belongings.  I have never been detained against my will. 

And what a money-making cycle for those who profit from it.  The police officers who meet their quotas, people who work at San Francisco County Jail who get extra days off for working these particularly busy shifts, all the other billing and compensation, the court fees, and on and on.  We don’t talk about the costs of the lives disrupted, the possessions forever lost, the business transactions missed, the trauma of experiencing police power. 

A social worker told me, trying to justify the routine violent dis-locating of poor people “at least they get three hots and a cot and the chance to be de-liced.”  “Yeah, some chance,” I thought. 

photo by Michael Stoll/ SF Public Press 

“The planning commission has the power to make decisions,”said Juana, an organizer at a huge protest held in September against more Monsters in the Mission and Beasts on Bryant streets

'“Im out here today to make sure the next generation has a future,”she continued.

I talked to Juana while me and Deecolonize students were at City hall apart of a very big protest against the gentrification. Gentrification is when people landlords kick them out because they can make more money on their apartments

“We know right now that they (planning commission) are doing things for the interest of people with money,”.

I agreed with what she said cause I'm worried about my friends and family and neighbors cause we don't want these devil-opers to kick us out of our homes.

Editors Note: Mr. Jose Villarreal is one of several power-FUL PNNPlantation prison correspondents. As currently and formerly incarcerated poor and indigenous peoples in struggle and resistance with all plantation systems in Amerikkka, POOR Magazine stands in solidarity with all folks on the other side of the razor wire plantation.

Three Strikes

California's shameful legacy holding it's poor hostage,

locked in a fascist visegrip without a conscience. 

Don't touch that bread for your hunger may cost you your head,

a caste-like systemthat wold leave confederates in awe and withot all the dead. 

When stealing a burger gets you more time than a murder, the 

pulic decieved whent eh vehicles a pervert.

Using Amerika's pass time to steal oppressed lives,

The people's vicotry will be triple runs not fly's. 

Modern day slavery -  a new plantation,

lady liberty a waitress, and our bodies the concession.

500 years of their regurgitated scheme,

America' air conditioned nightmare was never a dream. 

By Jose H. Villarreal

5-1-12

Jose Villarreal's stage play "Worst of the Worst" has been accpeted by  Dell'arte International  Theatre and is set to showcase next fall.

As we see over and over police terror against our people in almost every major city in the USA, almost every time the activism, journalism and concerns of people with disabilities are left out.  If you know my journalism than you would know that I try to get the words, images, cultural expression and activism of Black disabled people who have been effected one way or another by police brutality.  Some journalist/activist swoop down into cities of the latest high profile police shooting  however very few even have the thought about the disabled community and having an activists, cultural worker or a local bloggers with a disability share how police brutality affects the disabled community.

I reached out to two Black disabled activists in Chicago to share what they feel what is going down there from the police shooting of Laquan McDonald to Spike Lee’s new film Chi-Raq and more.  Both  Candace Marie and Timotheus Gordon Jr. are in their mid twenties, are born and raised in Chicago and both are of course activists and involved with Access Living, an independent Living Center in Chicago.  

A while back I interviewed Timotheus Gordon Jr. aka Black Autist, a Black autistic activist/journalist about police brutality, journalism and activism when it comes the Black community and now today Gordon continues to says it straight out:

“Chicago is on fire right now, and as an autistic self-advocate and media junkie, I have a front row seat in the display of turmoil and newfound activism in the city. Part of me is enjoying the discussions that have been unfolding in the last four months. For starters, we have the great debate on Spike Lee's new film "Chi-Raq".  I am ecstatic that someone is attempting to educate the world about the bloodshed in Chicago. However, I doubt if I would actually spend money to watch it in theaters, because I don't endorse the underlying notion that the male and female genitalia are the reasons why Chicagoans are acting a fool. It is a copout; I don't think violence can be solved by celibacy alone and having (consensual) sex is not really why gangs are killing each other, innocent people are killed, police appearing to have the license to kill without sound reasoning.”

Candace Marie has a high profile online and a friend told me that she has a history of working with youth with disabilities and police brutality cases so I perked up and got in touch with her online.  She has been active in the budget battles of special education where the head of Special Ed stepped down in Chicago Public Schools, CPS, over the last few months cps has threatened to implement cuts in special education that is going in right now.  Candace called me after leaving a meeting on the budget cuts to special education where activist are seeing one story and CPS is telling a totally different story. She told me,

“A education newspaper in Chicago called Catalyst reported After a “thorough review” of planned cuts to special education services, Chicago Public Schools officials announced during Thanksgiving break that the district would restore dozens of positions and bring total staffing to a level higher than last year.”  Candace goes on to say  "That may be true for some but it's not the full picture.  The reality in the classes is another story and that everybody is scrambling to deal with lay offs of many teachers, clinicians, and paraprofessionals!”

The special education cuts in Chicago is linked to the bigger picture of the shooting of Laquan McDonald.  Candace told me that people in McDonald’s community and school knew he had a mental health disability and matter-of-fact its getting hard to track the history of his education in the media because some wants to keep it hidden.

As a young Black disabled advocate, Candace, has witnessed and saw discrimination because of disability for example, when she first joined the disability youth advocacy group they were advocating against a nursing home for children with disabilities. Come to find out that the nursing homes are still open after killing a large number of kids due to neglect. When she saw the power of speaking out. she became an activist.  

Candace Marie  and Timotheus Gordon Jr. both agree that the Disability Movement has a lot of successes and have a foundation of seeing people with disabilities stand up’ that says laws, polices, cultural, and history includes PWDS. Both have seen people with disabilities but most are not a-part of the disability rights movement at protests of the police killing of Laquan McDonald. 

We all know that Chicago has been on the news and activists are not settling until justice is done for the cover ups that the police department and government officials have done. Laquan McDonald, Stepson Watts, Rakia Boyd all Black and had disabilities and other should not die in vain in not only the city of Chicago but throughout the state of Illinois.  Gordon told me his thoughts of what is going on and what it means to him as a Black disabled young man.

“My Activism has been on the rise since November 2015. We have been fighting against the Illinois budget war, public housing inaccessibility, and a broken public school system since (at least) the beginning of Governor Rauner's term. But with the Fight for 15 and the release of the Laquan McDonald tape, I believe more people of Chicago are starting to fight for their rights and call for the end of the scandalous Mayor Rahm Emanuel era. The wide-scale protests rivals that of the string of Baltimore actions in the aftermath of Freddie Gray's murder.

Not so fast! Don't think Chicago is all of sudden turning into a complete, united place yet. The city still sweeps a group of important citizens under the rug: people with disabilities. How come we can mobilize and fight against the wrongful death of Laquan McDonald but not the dissolution of special education in public schools? I would go further: where is the Black community when it comes to issues among people with disabilities, such as the special education cuts? How come the Black community choose to holler when the police kill our own, but remain quiet as a mouse when people with disabilities yearn to participate in the same community? I do know why there's such a disconnect between the African-American community in Chicago at large and black people with disabilities. However, if they continue to ignore Black people with disabilities needs and exclude them, then surely the at-large community will remain split into factions: "cool" black people vs "those people over there". Inclusion of people with disabilities in movements and actions can help solve some of the major issues in the city and in ethnic communities within Chicago.

Especially now with Black Lives Matter and Say Her Name as a Black woman with a disability, Marie gives her perspective.

As a Black Women with a disability I think Say her Name is important. It’s a perfect movement for the time that we are in. All the elements from our past are blending in with tools of our present. Social Media has really put our stories on front Street. In our society Black women are devalued and expected to just get over stuff. The layers of misrepresentation through media and propaganda of only showing certain sides of women.  We as people have a lot of layers and identities which include disability and the Say Her Name campaign  sheds light that women of color deal with police brutality as well.  

Now the latest police shooting, Saturday,  December 26th/16 in Chicago of a Black young man with mental health disabilities, Quintonio LaGrier, 19 year old has once again uncover the usual conversation over the mental health police crisis training in Chicago and the need to fund it again.  I asked Marie is police training enough.

No its not enough. We as a community have to stop being in fear of one an other. We need to learn how to provide care for one another without relying solely on police. We barely have any mental health support. Those that do exist are at capacity.

Marie believe whole heartily that there should be youth programs across all areas for Black and Brown youth with disabilities. She goes on to say.

Our community (talking about my Black community) don’t embrace disability identity much. We need spaces to support our young people’s growth. When I discovered I wasn’t the only person in the city of Chicago with disability my confidence level boosted up tremendously. If we had more spaces for youth of color with disabilities in all youth development programs our futures would be so much brighter.    

Candace shared with me an recent report entitled 2013 Disability Status Report Illinois from Cornell University that have shed a picture of disability in that state and in almost every category Blacks make up a huge percentage of the disability community and therefore make up a  large percentage of people living in poverty and so on.  One of Candace’s 2016 goals is to reach out to Black organizations to put the issues of what Black disabled Chicagoans are facing including police brutality on their agenda and to create a bridge between Black organizations/leaders and the disability community in Chicago led by Black disabled activists. 

As we get ready for a new year, Candace, the organizer of Advance Youth Leadership Power, who has been mentoring  Timotheus Gordon Jr. both are planning a forum around police and people with disabilities sometime in the Spring of 2016.  Please stay intouch with Access Living, an Independent Living Center in Chicago, where Candace works at 

https://www.accessliving.org 

And follow Timotheus Gordon Jr. an his blog

http://blackautist.tumblr.com

By Leroy F Moore Jr.

Editors Note: Jose is one of several power-FUL PNNPlantation prison correspondents who was involved in the Hunger Strike to end all solitary confinement and the in-human treatment of all of our incarcerated brothers and sisters.

This book was edited by a long time member of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP). So this book serves as the current SWP line on the Chican@ nation. The Editor even goes so far as saying that the documents which make up this book are SWP’s “Program for Chicano Liberation”.

The book is laid out in five sections. Each section is a separate document. The first part is from an article which Antonio Camejo wrote, who was a one-time SWPer, it is titled “The Forging of an Oppressed Nationality”. This is a basic history of Chican@s going back from the Aztecs and Spanish colonization, to the land grab of 1848, pig riots on Zootsuiters, Bracero program, World War 2 and the creation of the Community Service Organization (CSO). It stops at around the 1950’s for the most part. It explains some of the discrimination and national oppression that affected Chican@s and lists some of the liberal reformist groups that arose within the Chican@ nation at the time, oddly Camejo did not list any of the more revolutionary groups of the time. The book states that this section is a resolution adopted by the twenty-fourth national convention of the Socialist Workers Party in August 1971.

The second part of the book titled “The struggle for Chicano Liberation” traces the rise of the Chican@ movement starting in the 1960’s they dedicate one page each to give a brief explanation on the Farm Worker’s Movement, The Chican@ Nationalist Movement, the land-grant movement, Crusade for Justice, The Chican@ student Movement, The Chican@ Moratorium and a half of a page was used on Chicanas.

One thing that jumped out in the second part and which showed the SWP error is their emphasis on the “Chicano independent electoral politics”. That they speak positively on Chican@s becoming involved in the imperialist ballot scam is ideological poison. Rather than spending years or decades attempting to guide Chican@s into the Amerikkkan ballot box we should be organizing our nation to understanding that it is a joke to participate in the bourgeois elections and create forms of power in the barrios. Our precious time should be spent on creating programs at this stage, these programs should aim to get the Raza to reach our short term goals and push us closer to our long term programs.

We need liberation schools and revolutionary collectives in every barrio. We need a cadre in every city and we need to revolutionize the barrios to grasp that Amerikkka is the enemy, not a source of political freedom.

We need a strong revolutionary press, a developed youth brigade, an inter-connected network of Chican@ committee’s in every barrio, then we can develop a Chican@ political party, but not to participate in bourgeois politics, rather to prepare the Raza for the future seizure of power. These are things that we should build in the nation.

SWP calls those who would rather spend our time on these more fruitful forms of struggle “Ultra Left” for not wanting to take the ballot box approach. This is because compared to the reformist Trots we are Left of them, but most revolutionaries are Left of Amerikkka.

At one point in the second part of the book, the author states in a Ten point program for Chican@’s. It states Chican@s have a right to self-determination all the way up to forming an independent state of Chican@s “collectively” choose to do so. This is in point one “self-determination”. But then in point six under “Election laws” it states in part…”Repeal all state election laws that restrict the participation of independent Chicano candidates and parties in local, state and federal elections”…So on the one hand they are saying Chican@s have the right to independence and on the other they are demanding that Chican@s be allowed to participate in the bourgeois elections.

In a REAL program for Chican@ liberation we won’t demand to be a part of Amerikkka’s politics, rather we will demand to be a part of Chican@ revolutionary politics which means we want to pull the plug on bourgeois politics not participate or help build them.

The third part of the book is titled “Chicano Liberation Report To the 1971 SWP Convention”. The book states this “report was given by Antonio Camejo to the August 1971 convention of the Socialist Workers Party”. Throughout the book I was reading pretty basic history of Chican@s, they hid their Trotskyite view very well. But here in part three they say in part…”we can confidently say that both black and Chicano nationalism are here to stay, not only until the Socialist revolution but also after the American working class comes to power”.

In this paragraph Camejo exudes Trotsky out of his brown pores like foul waste. Camejo attempts to suggest that the labor aristocracy will seize power. As things exist today the labor aristocracy will be the ones fighting the revolutionaries attempting to protect imperialism which is where they get their crumbs. Here Camejo displays his true beliefs, where he does not see himself as a Chicano, rather as a part of Amerika.

This same Amerikan “working class” is what has helped to fuel Chican@ resistance to generations of oppression within Aztlan, often arising in the good ole’ Amerikkkan workplace. Camejo’s “vision” for Chican@ Nationalism is that it will be around when him and white “workers” supposedly come to power. Notice that he did not say when Chican@s come to power, but when white “workers” come to power.

Amerikkkan “workers” today are fighting for more of the profits that imperialism takes out of the belly of the Third World. So these Amerikan “workers” are moving in the opposite direction of seizing power. Comrade Wiawimawo hit it on the head in an article saying…

“But revolutionary organizing must not rally the petty bourgeoisie for more money at the expense of the global proletariat. Besides, even in the earliest days of the Russian proletariat Lenin had criticisms of struggles for higher wages” (1).

The fact that Camejo suggests that First World Elite “workers” would somehow give it up to go all the way shows his idealism and exposes his Trotsky thought. As Wiawimawo pointed out, even Lenin criticized the struggle for higher wages back in the broke era of Russia. We should be struggling to re-build our nations, not to build Amerika’s economy.

As I said before the beginning of this book was veiled in its political line, but Camejo the Chicano Tom exposes himself more and more as you read. On page 91 he attacks Chican@ revolutionary groups. He calls the original Brown Berets and the Chicano Revolutionary Party “conscious adventuristic”. These groups he defines as “Ultra-Left”.

The original Brown Berets were for creating free clinics, newspapers, liberation schools and free food programs. They were for mobilizing the Chican@ nation and protecting the barrios from state repression. These were things that the SWP and their ilk were not – and are not – doing for the Chican@ nation, and yet for this they are branded as “Ultra-Left” and “adventuristic”.

Camejo attacks the original Brown Berets and the Chicano Revolutionary Party (which changed its name to the Raza Revolutionary Party) on page 92 where he says…”Groups such as the Brown Berets, in most places, and the Raza Revolutionary Party attempt to substitute a small vanguard for the mass mobilization of the Chicano community”. He goes on to say that they “project armed struggle by small groups”.

The fact that the original Brown Berets saw the need for a vanguard or cadre group shows they were more advanced politically than SWP who in the 1970’s had an aboveground multi-national party where about half of its members were probably FBI agents or informants of some type. The original Berets were also open to informants, but they at least understood that a full-fledged party was not viable above ground.

Camejo criticized the Raza Revolutionary Party (RRP) for its serve the people programs. He first says “the RRP counterposes a ‘serve the people’ counterinstitutionalism” and goes on to say “feeding the masses” (usually about thirty children) they take the capitalist government off the hook”.

He would not feed starving Chican@ children because according to Camejo that’s the Government’s job. I would argue that it is the duty of the Chican@ nation to be as self-reliant as possible and get the people to organize independent institutions outside of Amerika’s influence. This is nation building, it’s something Camejo and other Tom’s do not understand.

At one point on page 92 Camejo even says that the Brown Berets of East L.A. “Use a lot of ultra-Left Maoist rhetoric” but never explains exactly what he’s talking about, which seems to be reflective of Camejo’s “critiques” which lack substance, never once for example does Camejo explain how he has attempted to work with these groups to advance. The fact that Chican@ groups such as the original Brown Berets and the RRP recruited from and worked largely with Chican@ Lumpen shows that even back then these groups understood the social conditions within the U.S. and where the revolutionary potential was at, again they prove they were more advanced than SWP in that sense. It is known that such groups attracted extreme forms of repression from the FBI and cointelpro, it also displays that they really did pose a threat to U.S. imperialism.

The fourth section of the book is titled “The Crises of American Capitalism and the Struggle for Chicano Liberation” which the book states is a resolution that was “adopted by the Twenty-Eighth National Convention of the Socialist Workers Party in August 1976”. This was the longest section of the book and while much of this section is spent touting the need for “an independent Chicano political party”, what to do with this party according to the SWP is to participate in the U.S. bourgeois elections. It claims to want to build such a party for a future Socialist revolution, but the steps that they promote taking only lead the people away from Socialist revolution.

The fifth and final section of the book is titled “Chicano Liberation Report to the 1976 SWP Convention” and it is basically a summation of the previous documents. This book was interesting to learn of the SWP’s line on the Chican@ nation which is to participate in the imperialist bourgeois elections while hoping that this will advance Chican@s closer to liberation – which is a big mistake. Our advancement as an oppressed nation will come from organizing outside of bourgeois politics. Re-building our nation is what will advance us the most, and this means that we build independent institutions which guide Aztlan closer to the day we create a revolutionary party which prepares to seize power not partake in bourgeois ballots.

Notes:

(1)   “Raise the Minimum wage to $2.50”, by Wiawimawo, Under Lock & Key, Jan/Feb, 2014, Issue Number 36.

4 Mario Woods- Anutha Mamaz Sun stolen by Po'Lice Guns

by tiny

inching up to him
felt like lynching up to him
movin in
like this small framed man
wasn't human
assault rifles drawn
as he walked in obvious pain
from disability, from wite-supremacy from gentriFUKed T-Trains
confusion & broken windows theory that built
gang injunctions, stop & frisk, Sit-lie all for akademic/poltrickster gain
see beyond this moment & more little bits of just-US
into life without okkkupying armies protecting land-stealers from all of us

Here's the video of the shooting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij5TZuohoRg

RIP Mario

Is Gentrification 21st century Colonization- A Panel-LITE ( Funky Fresh and Fast) presented by POOR Magazine/Prensa POBRE at the Anti-GentriFUKation Book Tour-
Including 1st Naitons Ohlone Warrior WicahPiluta Candelaria, Teacher, Poet and Organzer Ben Bac Sierra and Organizer and Community Warrior with Idriss Stelley Foundation Jeremy Miller
Moderated by Tiny/Poverty Skola-

With everything that has been going on lately in my life , I am just realizing that my picture is on every major news outlet that I can think of, Yes that is me that you see in the many pictures floating around the internet with world renowned movie director Quentin Tarantino , Holding a banner of my loved one . but what you may not know is the story behind why I was marching that day in New York and why I continue to fight for Justice for Mario Romero.

My brother Mario Romero was murdered by Vallejo Police officers Sean Kenney and Dustin Joseph on September 2, 2012 As he sat in in front of his home. He wasn't suspected of committing a crime, he wasn't in the process of committing a crime and he wasn't wanted for committing a crime but this didn't prevent him from being blinded by a bright light and attacked with a hail of bullets, neither did this prevent one of the officers from jumping onto the hood of my brothers car and repeatedly unloading his weapon.

My brother Mario was shot 30 times , He was shot 8 times through
the palms of his hands, he was shot in his face and in his mouth, shattering his beautiful white teeth. He was shot through his wrists and underneath his arms, he was shot in his chest and along the side of his body once it fell over. his last words were " We have our hands up". He held his hands up until the life was stolen from his body. All of this in front of his family who begged for them to stop, telling officers that they had the wrong person.

My brother Mario's body was then cut from his seatbelt and his corpse was placed under arrest. His hands zip-tied and bags placed on his hands. His body stolen from the scene of the crime and a police issued training weapon was planted inside of his car, by the officer who killed him.

Other officers of the Vallejo Police Department held my family members hostage and at gun point , threatening them with death. They laughed and joked like this horror movie that they forced upon us was a game. They changed the crime scene. Vallejo police corporal Stan Eng assisted in the planting of the police issued gun and stealing the seatbelt that my brother was cut from. each officer at the scene played a part in covering up this crime. one was tasked with distracting onlookers and family members, (Thompson) While the gun was brought into the crime scene, One Vallejo Police officer was tasked with repeatedly extending the crime scene to make it difficult for anyone to see the exchange. One officer was supposed to secure the crime scene but watched the exchange and contamination and failed to speak up (Andre Charles Former Cal Maritime Police Officer). 

My brothers body was taken from the crime scene and hidden from my family, Taken to a Kaiser hospital where Vallejo Police officers were given unlimited access to his body while we were denied the right to identify his body or see what they had done to him because victims of police murder are denied that right. His body was hidden for 30 days.

Vallejo Police created a lie , stating that although my brother wasn't suspected of committing a crime, he was the only person that they seen on the street that night and they wanted to make contact with him. They lied stating that he got out of his car and pointed a fake gun at them while screaming that he wasn't going back to prison. (He had never been to prison before).

His car was old and his seatbelt was broken, (he tied it in a knot to prevent a seatbelt ticket) His car door was broken (He had to open it from the outside in order to exit).

They said that he used his door as a shield, shooting and running to the back of his car, then getting back inside of his car. ( He never left his car) , He was trapped inside of his seatbelt when he was pumped full of bullets. His body was cut from that seatbelt when the officer tried to remove him but could figure out why his body was stuck.

When my brother died, his biggest fear was getting a seatbelt ticket.
( He was killed while parked in front of his home)

Our statements were refused by The Solano County District Attorney's office , they claimed that their office wasn't equipped to take witness statements then finished the conversation with the following statement ("you have your lawyers and we have ours"),although we were not represented by any lawyer and were seeking their help with this crime. The Vallejo Police Department refused to take witness statements for weeks

Vallejo Police Changed their stories 5 times in 3 days, They finally settled on one story at the end, claiming that officers Sean Kenney and Dustin Joseph went to check out a Burglary call that night.( this call had been sitting in the que for 19 hours) , They forget to mention that Vallejo Police didn't respond to burglary calls in 2012. 

Vallejo Police Officer Sean Kenney murdered 3 unarmed men with white cars in 2012 , His last victim murdered on the day that my brother was buried. He was not indicted, he was not charged with a crime, instead he was promoted to detective and put in charge of officer involved shootings, his partner in crime was recently nominated as officer of the year.

Both of these police officers have long histories of abuse and millions of dollars have been paid out to settle their crimes on the Vallejo community. These officers changed their stories in depositions proving that Mario Romero was murdered but the District Attorney has failed to inquire or mention that Sean Kenney's has close family employed by the Solano County District Attorney's office (O'Bryan Kenney).

My brother Mario Romero was full of life and love, he never met a stranger. He was kind, peaceful and non-provoking. When he was murdered by Vallejo Police his character was demonized by them. They made a conscious decision to tell lies to the media, attempting to cover their crimes and diminish the worth of his life. he should be here today, a lively 27 year old young man enjoying life, having children and thriving but he is not. His life was stolen and that is why I fight, everyday for his justice.

I commend Mr. Tarantino for standing with us during our continued fight for justice and not backing down under pressure from the predictable bullying and intimidation that is the core, culture and the way of life for not only American Police but police around the world.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

‪#‎Justice4MarioRomero‬ ‪#‎JusticeForMarioRomero‬ ‪#‎StandWithQuentinTarantino‬‪#‎RiseUpOctober‬ ‪

#‎NoMoreStolenLives‬ ‪#‎StolenLivesProject‬ ‪#‎JailKillerCopsNow‬‪#‎NoJusticeNoPeace‬

 ‪#‎BlackLivesMatter‬ ‪#‎BlueLivesMurder‬

All eyes are on San Francisco next Tuesday, December 15^th as the Board of Supervisors prepare to take a historic vote on whether or not to approve the construction of a new $240 million jail. They will vote on accepting the $80 million loan from the Board of State Community Corrections and an additional $215 million in bonds to fund the jail project.

For more than three years, the No New SF Jail Coalition has been organizing, building power, and explaining time and time again that San Francisco does not need a new jail. The No New SF Jail Coalition includes many different community organizations such as Critical Resistance, San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness, Taxpayers for Public Safety, Transgender Gendervariant Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP), Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP), Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB), and Communities United Against Violence (CUAV), and represents a wide range of community interests that have come together to build their collective strength to stop the SF jail.

This vote comes at a specific time in San Francisco’s history. As the boom in the tech industry has created immense amount wealth for some, the city is currently entrenched in an unprecedented housing crisis that is causing mass displacement of poor Brown and Black people, the extreme criminalization of homelessness and poverty, and incredible police violence including the recent murder of Mario Woods by SFPD (Rest in Power). We know that the push to build a new San Francisco jail has everything to do with this shifting political landscape, and that this fight is also a fight about who has the right to live in San Francisco. The city once vibrant in culture and opportunity for people who didn’t have opportunities elsewhere is now investing in jails for these same people.

The No New SF Jail Coalition’s position has been clear since day one – what San Francisco needs to keep its residents safe is housing, healthcare, mental health support, harm reductive substance use support, education, meaningful employment, community organizations, re-entry support and pre-trial diversion. NOT jails.

The proposed new SF jail will create 23 years of debt for San Francisco taxpayers. The project is incredibly expensive and will cost over $240 million for construction alone. This comes at a time where other life affirming services and organizations are being evicted, displaced or shutting their doors due to a lack of funding.

The current argument for building the new SF jail is that the Hall of (in)Justice at 850 Bryant Street is seismically unsafe and in incredible disrepair. We absolutely agree and advocate that the Hall of Justice be closed immediately and that the people currently imprisoned inside be released back to the community. In fact, the current SF jail population is only at 50% capacity, and of that population 80% are being held pre-trial, meaning that they have not been convicted of any crime but are simply too poor to afford their bail. In fact, 56% of the jail population is African American though only 5% of San Francisco’s population is African American. In addition, 28% of the jail population is homeless and many more become homeless upon release. These numbers are outrageous and yet this is the reality in San Francisco.

The No New SF Jail Coalition has been writing op-eds, lobbying, attending Board of Supervisors hearings, giving presentations to community groups, passing resolutions in unions, telling all of our friends and raising hell to show that the proposed new jail is a wasteful, harmful and violent use of taxpayers money.

On Wednesday, December 2nd the No New SF Jail Coalition mobilized close to a hundred people to San Francisco City Hall, where the Budget and Finance Committee of the Board of Supervisors was attempting to approve the funding for the proposed new jail. When the jail items were heard, organizers in the back of the hearing began chanting immediately and unveiled a banner that read “NO SF JAIL” as five organizers in the front of the hearing deployed a lock down. The room erupted with chanting and shouting declaring “No new SF jail,” “House Keys not Hand Cuffs” and that people were shutting the hearing down. 

Organizers took over the hearing for more than two hours, turning City Hall over to the power of the people and letting the Board of Supervisors know “this hearing cannot continue; you must stop this jail project now.” After the police issued a dispersal order, the No New SF Jail 5 held their ground until they were physically cut out of their lock-down with power saws and bolt cutters, forcibly removed and arrested due to the hearing recess requested by Supervisor Mark Farrell. The hearing continued, after the No New SF Jail 5 were arrested, with a stacked public comment and a strong opposition. The hearing ended with a decision to move the issue forward without positive recommendation and delay a vote on the jail funding until December 15 before the full Board, including newly elected Supervisor Aaron Peskin.

This is where you come in.

We need you to call the Board of Supervisors, tell your friends and come out strong on December 15^th. We are seeing the Board of Supervisors waning on their support for the new jail. This means that our organizing is working! On Thursday, December 4^th an “Alternatives to Incarceration” hearing gave city officials a chance to show other viable options instead of incarceration. However, the city officials who presented largely provided reasons to support building the jail and lacked substantive evidence of alternatives, despite the fact that many exist. At the hearing Supervisor Jane Kim said it best when she stated, “I just don’t want us to go down the path of picking what is simplest and easiest for us, what we have always done, which is just to rebuild a jail. I think we should absolutely question it and try to do better.” Even Supervisor London Breed, who has not yet taken a stance against the SF jail, stated, “Is this the only option? What I asked for when I supported moving forward with the grant [for the jail] was to give us a better alternative, not just to move this particular plan forward…this hearing has done nothing to really make me feel overwhelmingly compelled to support a project that doesn’t do enough.”

Our organizing is shifting power and we can’t slow down now. We know that what happens on December 15^th in San Francisco does not happen in a vacuum. What happens San Francisco will affect what happens in Oakland, and what happens in Los Angeles, and what happens in Fresno, and what happens in Ferguson, and what happens in Baltimore, and what happens in Chicago. We have a chance to change the tide of this country and say NO to mass incarceration, say NO to police terror, say NO to prison and jail expansion and YES to alternatives that keep us all safe and support our livelihood and well-being.

The time is now to change this conversation locally, statewide and nationally. Jails are violent, unsafe and exasperate the problems they are set up to purportedly fix. This is the time to invest in the future of San Francisco, to stand together and demand that there be NO NEW SF JAIL.

Another San Francisco is possible.

To learn more go to www.nonewsfjail.wordpress.com

Coral Feigin is an organizer with Critical Resistance Oakland and the Western Regional Advocacy Project. She can be reached at coral@wraphome.org.

“They have a date next month for the movers to come and take us somewhere, but we don’t  even know where that somewhere is,” I was on the phone with a disabled elder resident of 939 Eddy, one of 14 San Francisco buildings recently non-profitized ( aka Privatized) under the new HUD public housing dismantlement program called RAD (Rental Assistance Demonstration). RAD is the newest in a long line of multi-billion dollar poverty industry ponzee schemes aimed at gentrifying public housing and leaving the poorest of the poor with nowhere to live.

In San Francisco like almost every city in the US- the pyramid scheme of public to private housing which has been happening since the 1990's with (No) Hope VI and has culminated in the final solution of RAD, has been enabled by the perfect storm aka "excuse" of Public Housing Authority's intentional neglect causing broken elevators, bedbugs, broken toilets, doors, windows, hinges, no plumbing, electrical, etc, while at the same time, discovered by fellow poverty skolaz at Western Regional Advocacy Project, HUD and the endless stream of poor people bating poltricksters leeches and strips public housing budgets and section 8 programs by the millions every year. 

Yet through-out the multiple hand-throwing up sessions by HUD and public Housing Authority departments across the nation, always resulting in statements like, "We have no money to make repairs"  no-one ever questions the ways in which these “problems” are all exactly alike- how from city to city, from State to state the very low-income, no-income, poorest of the poor families, elders and youth whose families have lived in these buildings for generations, whose lives and bodies have been used, exploited and enslaved to build this stolen indigenous land I call amerikkklan, who have crossed false borders and endured US fueled wars across mama earth only to arrive here to work for the rich and wealthy and whose lives and struggles caused by the centuries of exploitation  end up being used for grant applications and philathro-pimps to launch more jobs in the poverty industry, are the ones left to struggle with extremely dangerous habitability issues in buildings that were supposedly set up to safely house us.

“There is big money to be made off non-profit housing contracts, thats why the non-profits and the politicians came together to dream this RAD scheme up together in 2000,” An elder, disabled poverty skola at POOR Magazine who is living in poor people, non-profiteered housing said shaking his head, “Everyone gets paid and we poor folks get less housing or no housing at all,”

From New Orleans to New Hampshire we are losing our last acre and our one remaining mule..
 

Low-income, Displaced, Youth and Families of Color Debate Donald Trump, Obama, Hilary Clinton, Ed Lee and Marco Rubio on San Francisco Propositions I, F & A

"Poor Peoples Politricksters Debate": The Demicans Vs the Republicrats

"They are bringing drugs, they are bringing crime, they are rapists and killers." Donald Trump said in one of his many hate-filled, racist comments about Mexican immigrants.

On Election night, November 3rd 2015, youth and families who are targets, victims and/or supposed beneficiaries of political legislations held their own herstoric debate on local San Francisco housing propositions I, F & A which will directly impact their lives.

"We are tired of being talked about by poltricksters, we the homeless, the poor and the children and families, we have a voice.." said Queenandi XSheba, POOR Magazine reporter and mama scholar

This historic debate was held at Francisco Herrerra's Mayoral celebration party at the Answer Coalition headquarters.