2020

Photo: Decolonize Academy visits the Alameda County Law Library 

For their final assignments in Jailhouse Lawyering class, the Decolonize Academy you wrote arguments in the famous cases. 

Kimo. VS . Mcmichaels

by Kimo Umu

Summary of the Case

A 36-second video of the incident was recorded by William "Roddie" Bryan, a neighbor of the McMichaels, using his cellphone from his vehicle as he followed Arbery jogging down a neighborhood road.^[3][36][37] From the camera's perspective, Arbery is seen jogging on the left side of the road when he encounters a white pickup truck that has stopped in the right lane.^[36][37] Gregory McMichael is on the truck bed, while Travis McMichael initially stands beside the driver's door with a shotgun.^{[38][39][37][40]} Bryan's vehicle comes to a stop behind Arbery and the pickup truck.^[38][39]

As Arbery approaches the pickup truck, shouting can be heard.^[38] Arbery then crosses from the left side of the road to the right side and runs around the passenger's side of the truck. After passing the truck's front, Arbery turns left.^[39][37][41] Meanwhile, Travis McMichael, holding his shotgun, approaches Arbery at the truck's front.^[40][42] The camera's view of the confrontation between Arbery and Travis is then momentarily blocked.^[43]

Several media accounts of the video report that the audio of the first gunshot seems to be heard before Arbery and Travis struggle with each other.^[36][41][44] Some media accounts first report a struggle, and then mention the gunshot(s).^[39][45] Other media accounts describe that it was "not possible" to see from the video what was happening when the first gunshot was fired,^[46] or report that the truck "blocks the view of how the men first engage each other" with regard to when the gunshot is heard.^[47]

Travis and Arbery grapple over the shotgun in view of the camera.^[48][41] While struggling, both men disappear off camera view on the left side of the camera frame, after which the audio of a second gunshot is heard.^[39][37] When they come back into camera view, Arbery appears to throw punches and tries to grab the shotgun.^[49][39] A third gunshot is heard being fired by Travis at point-blank range as Arbery appears to throw a right-handed punch at his head.^[50][38][37] Arbery recoils back, stumbles, and collapses in the middle of the road face-down while Travis walks away.^[36][39][40] Gregory McMichael, who has taken out a handgun but not fired, then runs towards the other two men.^[39][38]

The official autopsy determined that Arbery was shot three times with the shotgun. One gunshot wounded the upper left chest, one gunshot wounded the lower middle chest, and one gunshot caused a "deep, gaping" graze wound to the right wrist.^[51] There were no signs of alcohol or drugs in Arbery's body.^[51]

Sentencing 

First Degree Of Murder 

Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. This state of mind may, depending upon the jurisdiction, distinguish murder from other forms of unlawful homicide, such as manslaughter

Aggravated Assault Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. This state of mind may, depending upon the jurisdiction, distinguish murder from other forms of unlawful homicide, such as manslaughter

Laws Used in the Case

Today you people have the decision to believe that these men are innocent or that Gregory and Travis Mcmichael are guilty for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

On the day that Mr.Arbery was jogging through the neighborhood of Gregory and Travis Mcmichael. He had seen a house that was still under construction and became curious and went into the house. That’s when Mr.Arbery who was 25 was approached by Gregory being 34 and Travis being 64. 

Travis and Gregory had made a phone call to the police at 1:08 claiming there was many burglaries going around the neighborhood of stolen weapons. That claim turned out to be false. They then proceeded without any permission from police and began their presuit on mr arbery.

Gregory and Travis along with two other people approached the arbery in a white truck behind arbery. What happened next could be only seen slightly on a video camera recorded by friends of the Mcmichaels. Some shouting was heard and then a scuffle between travis and arbery. Three shoots were heard from a shotgun through the video.

I believe Gregory and Travis should be convicted for their poor decision making. Taking matters into their own hands instead of leaving the situation up to professional was a mistake. They murdered this man in cold blood i believe they used racial profiling to justify their crusade against blacks.

The Case of Ahmaud Arbery

by Tiburcio Garcia

Case Summary

Two white men committed a hate crime and murder in the first degree against an unarmed black man. Ahmad Arbery, 25, was jogging in a residential neighborhood when Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34, followed him, thinking he was the robber that was allegedly entering houses of different houses in that neighborhood. Once Arbery realized he was being followed, he ran faster, but the suspects were in a vehicle, and quickly caught up with them. Both Travis and Gregory were armed with a shotgun and a revolver, and when Arbery attempted to fight for his life, they shot there was a struggle and he died on the scene. The McMichaels were not arrested, and only were looked at when a cell phone video taken by William Roddie Bryan, a friend of the McMichaels, that shows the murder of Arbery, surfaced and became viral. The suspects were arrested 2 months after the murder.

 Charges

One count of Murder in the 1st degree 

Closing Arguments

Ahmad Arbury was a former football player, and a man who loved to run. Everyone in his small Brunswick community knew that he liked to jog, and as someone who enjoys exercising, that makes sense to me. While jogging, as a black man in a world where the color of your skin isn't supposed to matter yet it does, he ran through a white neighborhood. He was accused of breaking and entering, his attackers saying they saw a video of him entering a house in their neighborhood, yet they didn't hunt down and shoot many others who went into the same house, all of whom were white, including two children. Do you, as the jury, believe that if Ahmad Arbery was a white man jogging down that same street, and was seen earlier walking into that house that wasn't his property, that things would have turned out the way they did?  

Ahmaud Arbery

by Akil Carrillo 

On February 23, 2020 Ahmaud Arbery was on his daily jog.Gregory and travis Mcmicheal, a father and son due chased him down and killed him with their shotguns. They said they were suspicious that Ahmaud Arbery was the person responsible for recent break ins. This is a simple case of murder. Two armed men chase down an unarmed man and kill him. There is nothing more to it. But for some reason the cops let them free. Gregory turns out to be an ex cop which explains why they weren't arrested. Glynn county is known to not arrest “one of their own”. There have been multiple cases in which an ex cop was arrested in that area.

According to Georgia Code Section 16-5-1 causing the death of another person is prohibited, with expressed or implied malice. There are no laws against hate crimes in Georgia but this was clearly a hate crime. A couple weeks ago a picture surfaced of Gregory Mcmicheal in a KKK rally. This rally took place in Rome, Georgia and he is seen wearing a confederate hat, and KKK uniform. This is a clear connection on why he assumed Ahmaud Arbery was responsible for the break ins.

Ahmaud Arbery was a 25 year old black man, his mom, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said he used to play football, which is why he always stayed in shape. She described her son as a humble, kind, well mannered, and beloved by friends and family. He would have turned 26 on May 8th. She said “Ahmaud didn't deserve to go the way that he went”. She also added that the first thing she was told by the investigators was that Ahmaud was involved in a home robbery and in that robbery was confronted by the owner and after a struggle for the handgun was shot and killed. This should give a good example of how they system changes its rules and lies for certain people.

The State vs Rodney Reed

by Kimo Umu

Summary of the Case

The story goes that 19 year old Stacey Sities, was found dead on April 23, 1996. Police had received a phone call at 3:11pm about a body near a dirt trail, behind a local high bastrop high school, in bastrop Texas. The authorities also found a truck that Stacey sites borrowed while going to work. Police made their assessment from clues from the body that she had been beaten,sodomized, and raped plus strangled with her own belt to death sometime between 3:00 and 5:00 am.

Sentencing

Rodney Reed would be charged on the record for the murder of Stacey Sites on April,4 1997 and held without bond.

Rodney Reed was given 2 charges of murder 1 for the course of aggravated assault,sexual assault, and for the murder of kidnapping. 

 He was convicted on may 18, 1998 

The case was dependent on the DNA evidence found at the crime Scene. There were no eyewitnesses in 1988. 

Laws Used in the Case

Closing Arguments

You people have a choice whether you're gonna decide that my defendant is the murderer, or whether he is an innocent man being falsely prosecuted which I intend to prove.

The defendant Rodney Reed was accused and convicted for life, plus sentenced to the death penalty. He's been incarcerated for over 25 years.

First my defendant was not given proper handling, he was set forth in front of a mostly white jury with no black people. Not a single person of color or in particular a black person. The jury that proceeded to put my defendant wrongfully  on the other end of prosecution. The jury that day should reflect upon the daughter who cannot see her father anymore. 

When Stacy's body was found in the back of the Local Bastrop HighSchool. She had been found on her back.  Investigators looked at staceys body, analyzed her, and found that Stacy's fingertips were white meaning she had died face down. This means Stacey's body must’ve been dragged to the place they found stacey. 

I believe the reason Stacey's fingertips were white, is that Jimmy Finell took her to the apartment that was not searched, one of the prime suspects for murrder was not searched. Plus the murrder weapon itself, could not be tested because it was supposedly tampered with by officers during the investigation. The reason I believe the police were keeping the evidence away from investigators, was because it could've revealed Finell as the true killer. Under Penal Code 141 PC, California law makes it illegal to plant or tamper with evidence. For the purpose of causing someone to be charged with a crime, or to be produced with a deceptive effect at a legal proceeding. ... And police officers who plant or tamper with evidence will be charged with a felony. 

The defendant had claimed to have been in a clandestine relationship with Stacey , he also said the only person Stacey had mentioned to Rodney. When Stacey made the exchange 

 to trade marijuana for crack/cocaine to rodney. Rodney asked stacey ‘’where did you get this’’ and stacey replied ‘’I got it from ed.’’ Rodney say’s this ed name was actually known locally as Ned who worked for the police and was a keeper of evidence. Ned died though tragically because found shot in the head his case was ruled a suicide. Ned’s brother believes rodney didn't kill stacey and the police killed his brother 

I believe because of the clandestine affair my defendant Stacey was having with she couldn't let her crazy american psycho husband Jimmy finell who couldn't stand his women being with a black man. Jimmy Finell must’ve known about their relationship so he used his leverage of being a cop murdered and killed Stacey at his apartment. ‘’Quote while in jail an inmate heard the confession of jimmy finell saying in his cell another inmate, ‘’ I had to kill my ni#$!% loving wife".

Whatever you thought was happening between Rodney Reed and Stacey stites was not rape. This was the work of an egotistical Fiance who set up Rodney using the power of the police department and justice system to wrongfully convict my defendant. So if you don’t want to test the DNA weapon fine, but know a family is struggling everyday because of the action of jimmy finell.  Because of the tampering with evidence and the constant mishaps. I'm going to ask you to return the verdict as not guilty on every count of rape and abuduction. It’s the only fair decent proper thing to do. The evidence in the case backs the facts. And i think we understand each other.

My defendant Troy Davis

by Amir cornish

Summary

Troy Anthonydavis October 9, 1968, Butts County, GA . Davis was the eldest child of korean war vetern joseph davis and his parents got  divorced when Troy davis was young . Troy Davis  dropped out of his junior year because his  sister was disabled and had to drive her to therapy. 

Charged with

In the year 1989, the case of Troy Davis was alleged for the murder of Mark Macphail alongside other people, which all took place in Georgia. Mark Macphail  was a security guard at Burger King who was arresting a person and Troy Davis was a witness who saw this and took some action in his own hands. 

Closing arguments .

I am fighting for the appeal of  Troy Davis. I found the 45th amendments that stated that you could not keep my client in jail or keep him in custody because they couldn’t find the murder weapon on  my client, therefore they wrongly  held him in custody  for 24 hours. 

Troy Davis was born october 9 1968. The police couldn’t find the murder weapon on my defendant. He  was accused of  killing a white officer named Mark MacPhil. Troy Davis had  his 1991 trial 34  witnesses but seven of them witnesses recanted  what they said about Davis . Davis was simply helping a man that was experiencing police brutality Davis was in the right. 

Under the 8th Amendment I am fighting for Troy Davis of the United State of  america states that, “Excessive bail shall not be  required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”  This amendment fit with my client because my client was simply on death row and had to suffer unusual punishments. 

The People v. Leonard Peltier

Tiburcio Garcia

Case Summary

Leonard Peltier was born on September 12, 1944 on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in North Dakota. When he was nine, he was forced to go to the Wahpeton Indian School in Wahpeton, North Dakota, where he stayed until he graduated 4 years later. That school was one of the many forced assimilation schools that cut native childrens hair and would beat them if they didn't speak English. The fact that Leonard went through a school like that is most likely what inspired him to fight against the continued mental colonization that is happening to his people.

After the Wounded Knee Occupation, Pine Ridge Reservation (where the occupation took place), became a war zone. Elders in the community who were opposed to the tribal president, a corrupt and violent man by the same of Dick Wilson, began to be murdered. In response to this, the people of the reservation called the American Indian Movement (AIM) for help, so they sent Leonard Peltier and a few others to protect the people from Dick Wilson and his private army, Guardians of the Oglala Nation (or GOONS as they were called, rightfully so). When Leonard and the others from AIM got there, they camped out in tents on a ranch owned by the Jumping Bull family. Because of tensions already being at an all-time high, when the FBI followed a car into the ranch because they were chasing someone, the families of the elders who were killed and others who were at risk became alarmed. Shot’s were then heard and a shootout began. 

When the smoke cleared, two FBI agents,  whom Peltier was convicted of killing, Jack R. Coler and Ronald A. Williams, were dead. Another man, a Native by the name of Joseph Stunz, was also killed by a single sniper bullet to the head. No leads were ever followed by any authorities in regards to his death. Over 40 native people and AIM members participated in the shootout, but only Leonard, a man named Rob Robidue and another named Darrell Butler (all AIM members) were brought to trial for the murders of the FBI agents. 

Charges Filed

Federal Indictment with two counts of First-Degree Murder and aiding and abetting. (Mr.Peltier was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison) First degree murder is an unlawful killing that was premeditated and deliberately thought out.e

Codes Used In My Argument

1. 18 U.S. Code § 1622: Section Code barring the act of inducing another to commit perjury. (I would use this to prosecute the FBI for their conduct in forcing Myrtle Poor Bear to sign an affidavit claiming she was in close relations with Mr. Peltier and witnessed him shoot the officers. She claimed the statement was false later yet the presiding judge barred her from testimony due to mental incompetence)
2. 18 U.S. Code § 1621: The FBI admitted to withholding up to 12,000 documents in the first trial and sentencing that contain evidence that FBI officials who testified in the trial may have committed perjury. 
3. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenouus Peoples (UNDRIP): Instrument adopted by the United Nations in 2007 to enhance the human and civil rights of Indigenou People all over the globe. Leonard Peltier is a Native American, therefore protected under this Article.  (Citing that although this bill was created in 2007, Mr. Peltier is still incarcerated without parole.)   

Carlos DeLuna Appeal Case

by Akil Carrillo

Narrative Summary:

Carlos DeLuna was 26 years old when he was executed on December 7, 1989. He was accused of killing Wanda Lopez, a gas station cashier with a buck knife. Through his trial, he claimed the actual murderer was a man by the name of Carlos Hernandez who he has known for about five years. The police claim that they searched that name but came up with nothing so they dismissed it as part of DeLuna’s imagination. 

What he was charged with:

His trial was quick and he got sentenced to death row. Until the day he was executed, he claimed his innocence. He said that he hoped one day his innocence would be proven.  In my case, I will argue the amendments 5th, 6th, and 8th to prevent this kind of injustice from ever happening again.

Amendments:

The 5th Amendment Amendment of the United States of America states that “...nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”. This amendment claims that no person shall be kept from their right to liberty or property and can not be killed without a trial or process of law. This played an important role in the case of Carlos Deluna because he was sent to death row without a proper investigation on the case, therefore, resulting in him being guilty.

The 6th Amendment Amendment of the United States of America states that “...and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation”. This amendment claims that the judge and jury shall be well informed of the case and should not lack any details or evidence. Despite this, Carlos Deluna was allegedly accused of this murder even though there was a lack of information.

The 8th Amendment  of the United States of America states that “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” This amendment claims that no cruel and unusual punishment should be inflicted, which contradicts the death row. In the case of Carlos Deluna, he was sentenced to death row with very little evidence of him committing murder.

Closing Arguments:  

Carlos Deluna was a 27 year old latino man accused of killing a 24 year old cashier. Carlos Deluna was innocent, due to racial profiling, a quick trial, and mistakes during the investigation he was killed with lethal injection. 

His last words “I didn't do it but I know who did, and I want to say I hold no grudges”

 Even in the last seconds of life Carlos still forgave everyone and had no hate in him. This is the man that was killed in his last words you could feel how humble he was and how we lost such an important person.

These mistakes can not keep happening, a family lost a son and gained trauma. Racism has been the cause of many people's deaths and this story is no different. 

The 8th amendment “Prohibits excessive fines and excessive bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment” I believe that getting sentenced to death because of some racist witness who “Couldn't tell the difference between latinos” falls along the lines of Cruel or Unusual punishment.

I am arguing for the appeal of the case DeLuna v People. He was unjustifiably killed and at the very least this case should be re-looked at. The judicial system that has been proven to be biased, dirty and selfish is the same system that chose if Carlos Deluna should've lived or died.  

Carlos Deluna’s case demonstrates a clear violation of the 5th, 6th and 8th amendments of the United States Constitution.

The Stanley “Tookie” Willams story  

By Ziair Hughes

Stanley “Tookie Williams was an African American gangster, known as one of the original founders and leaders of the Crip gang(criminal group/gang) in Los Angeles, California tookie was imprisoned Supposedly for killing four victims. tookie Williams lived as a criminal. he was born on  December 29, 1953, - December 13, 2005.in 1969 and at the age of Sixteen Stanley was arrested and was convicted and released. Tookie Williams was arrested again (San Quentin) on December 13, 2005, Williams was executed by lethal injection after considerable appeals for clemency and a four-week stay of execution were both rejected by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Willams moved to Los Angeles young submerge in gang activity Stanley with his friend Raymond Washington ( Washington was an American gangster, known as the founder of the Crips gang in Los Angeles, California. Washington formed the Crips as a minor street gang in the late 1960s in Los Angeles' South Central area, becoming a prominent local crime boss) were street life. Tookie Willams himself became an inmate educating himself while still being an inmate prison politics tookie found himself to be apart of tookie Williams was on the front to fight for his life this leads to the journey of proving he was changed man once imprisoned.     

Opinion

In conclusion, tookie Willams wrote books in his books he informed people about gangs he was a young man that was mislead this is a sad story i think that the judge shouldn’t have just arrested him for what he was or if he was a big criminal boss they should not judge him by his appearance and he was targeted as scary black man and I feel people should look up to him. that if they took Stanley tookie, Willams, out they out weaken the crips did tookie do it or did his clique/organization do. fun fact Tookie Williams was really a buff man and very strong tookies were named big took, had 22-inch arms, and weigh almost 300 pounds Stanely has three children and Stanley was close friends with Snoop Dogg. in the end, tookie was just a savage

Personal life

“Stanley Williams III was born on December 29, 1953, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to a 17-year-old mother, and his family moved to New Orleans. His father abandoned the family when Williams was just a year old, and in 1959, Williams moved with his mother to Los Angeles, California, and settled in the city's South Central region

As Williams' mother worked several jobs to support them, Williams was a latchkey kid and often engaged in mischief on the streets. He recalled that, as a child, he would hang out in abandoned houses and vacantlotsaround his neighborhood in South Central where he would watch adults get drunk, abuse drugs, gamble and engage in pit bull fights. Williams stated that after the adults finished the dog fighting they would make the children fight each other, including himself. Williams began to participate in these street fights regularly as a child, where adults would bet on him and give him part of the proceeds for winning his fights. Williams was often the target of older bullies and street thugs in his neighborhood and, by the age of twelve, began carrying a switchblade in order to protect himself. By the time Williams was a teenager he had gained a reputation in South Central's West Side as a vicious street fighter. Williams was expelled from George Washington Preparatory High School and was blackballed by several other high schools in the South Central area for fighting, and eventually began doing stints in Central Juvenile Hall”.

“Travon Williams, the first oldest son by Bonnie Travon was the only family member who spoke at the funeral. He "brought the church to its feet" when he promised to teach Schwarzenegger about redemption. He said, "I feel it's my duty to go on a worldwide campaign to show that redemption is real," he said.

Stanley Williams' other son, Stanley "Little Tookie" Williams, IV, a Neighborhood Crip, was found guilty of shooting a 20-year-old woman to death in an alley off Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Williams IV was sentenced to sixteen years in prison for second-degree murder”

web/info linkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Williams

Editor's Note: Seavon Pierce 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. 

Greetings, I came across a old article in the Bay View regarding the police by Jeremy Miller and I want to introduce this evidence of a “code of silence” and the people that openly conceal criminal acts for crooked police officers that commit violence against Blacks.

  As of 11.13.13, multiple officers of Lancaster Prison broke my nose while in handcuffs. I was hit in the face and head multiple times with metal batons while in handcuffs for filing actions against CDCR ( case #: I: ID-000285 (JLT) in which federal judge Jennifer L. Thurston admitted to be “dirty laundry”...)

  As of 2019, upon the multiple complaints filed by me and my mother to the FBI, the Dept. of Justice, the internal affairs, multiple White-owned public or government agencies, and no investigation has taken place knowing that multiple officers filed false reports in which none of these photographed injuries were reported, and the doctors records reflects a bone fracture to the nose.

  These people keep sending me false information declaring that they conducted a investigation but no facts or decisions deny the criminal acts of excessive force and me and my family lack public support upon this clear evidence that I have documented through these games being played against me and my family to conceal criminal acts committed by officers, CDCR employees, going on over 7 years of continuous acts of concealment.

  I need these facts brought to the attention of the Black writers of California hoping that this evidence of a code of silence will be used to help me and others. The officers father have me die in prison behind their created lies, no different from a jury of Klan members hiding behind sheets, their just hiding behind computer screens…

I have evidence at;  www.californialegalprejudice.wordpress.com

I have online petitions at; https://www.change.org/p/myself-excessive-force-and-injuries-being-concealed

                                                                                 Thank you!

                                                                                 Seavon Pierce    6-19-20

As a low-income African-American living in the Bay Area, I have been through all the trials and tribulations the Brothas and Sistas have been through in America, and if I haven’t one of my friends or family members have suffered through it. This is the journey that we call America. A nation founded upon the tenets of patriarchy, white supremacy and hyper- capitalism. Yeah, folks, these are undisputed facts.

We are over policed and under resourced.  In this Housing Crisis, we often go under housed and unhoused, and receive less funding for our families education. On January 8, 2020, at a press conference in front of Oakland City Hall Mayor Libby called a press conference in support of Senate Bill 50 (SB 50), a bill a sponsored by San Francisco Senator Scott Weiner.  This bill would mandate Housing Developers be allowed to circumvent local zoning building code requirements and approval if they set aside a certain percentage for low income housing. A developer can set aside as little as 6 percent or as much as 25 percent for this depending on the size of their project. And they would receive that exclusive privilege of building market rate and luxury housing  

Moms 4 Housings and cadres of about 60 of their spirited, rambunctious allies came out against SB 50. We let our voices be heard and shut down the press conference by shouting chants and slogans over the speaker’s attempts to speak in favor of SB 50. Yeah, we shut’em down and I was super proud to be a resident of Da Town. We let them know, don’t get it twisted, we know who you are and your history, and your fake solution.

So why would low-income people and their allies be outspoken enemies of the alleged legislative solution of SB 50? We understand the numbers game that SB 50 plays as it pertains to gentrification and affordable housing.  We understand who the players are. This game is often played when politicians and real estate developers concoct and implement market rate solutions to emergencies. These “solutions” affect people like me, and are lies.

SB 50 can provide as little as 8 percent for extremely low-income housing and as much 25 percent others, while allowing extra floors to be added to the height limits for residential units built within ½ of mile of certain types of transit lines and transit center. This a numbers game which will benefit the rich. In a market based economy, a market based solution during a crisis of storage will primarily benefit the rich. California Senator Nancy Skinner, Democrat of Berkeley, at the  SB 50 Press Conference, Skinner declared this in a market solution. One of the members of Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) a pro-development group based in San Francisco, told me he believed in market based solution to solve the California Housing Crisis. 

SB 50 can potentially make between as much as 92 percent and as little as 75 percent of newly built housing be luxury units. These market forces will accelerate and worsen gentrification in Oakland forever.  Once large scale luxury housing is built, it is unlikely to be unbuilt. Therefore, it can change the character of Oakland for generations because of the scarcity of the finite resource of land. SB 50 would act as a Trojan Horse by allowing developers to provide a small percentage of low-income housing while flooding working class neighborhoods with luxury housing.  The supporters of SB 50 overstate the effect this legislation will have in providing affordable housing to California’s low-income residents with passage of SB 50, and understates the potential for gentrification of low income neighborhoods.

It was once told to me that the best predictor of the future is the past. Or as my elders told me as a kid, “If a dog doesn’t bite as puppy, it ain’t going to bite as a dog.” In the press conference of the politicians who rolled out their support for SB 50, the bill’s author Scott Weiner and hostess of the conference Libby Schaaf both have histories of taking position that harm unhoused and underhoused people. While he was a San Francisco Supervisor, Scott Wiener once said that “it’s a failure for the city to make clear to those who refuse help that tents on our sidewalks and in our public spaces are unacceptable.” Schaaf has forcibly evicted unhoused people from sidewalks and thrown their belongings in the trash, which is patently unlawful.

Schaaf’s  and Wiener’s  policeis have been so anti-unhoused and underhoused people that one can easily see that they lack empathy, and a lack of empathy is a trait of psychopathic behavior.  

Both Wiener and Schaaf had the sheer nerve and gall to come to Oakland with all it’s history, struggles and gentrification and stand up, like they care about us. We stood up and gave that Town Bidness, and let them know, we know who you are, what you are doing, and your history.  And Wiener and Schaaf are the enemy of the poor, unhoused and underhoused. Why would any rational thinker trust a bill sponsored by Wiener and supported by Schaaf that is supposed to assist people like me? This is like having Supreme Justice Clarence Thomas run your affirmative action program. This is Trickle Down Economics for luxury housing developers that will let the market forces gentrify low income neighborhoods. The complex formula that will allow developers to find loopholes and exemptions.   

Governor Gavin Newsom admitted the lack of affordable housing is a societal issue and stated that “homelessness is the crisis of Californians’ lifetime.”  California has one-eighth of the United States, yet we have one fourth of all the unhoused people in the United States. Yes, California, we have a great problem. But we understand that market solutions like SB 50 will not solve it, and will not provide affordable housing.   

This year has been a interesting year for me I have grown a lot it is the end of the year and I have had a little reflection time as I usually do this time around it hits the 4th year mark of my deceased son anniversary bittersweet at the end of last year I was awarded mother of the year this year my children were awarded at the end 2019 4 the leadership that they have taking on in the community governing themselves and then their brother and sisters keeper I I am so proud of them I don't think they know just how proud I am of them partly because I really crack the whip there are no rules that roll out the vagina when children are born and so all children our precious and I know firsthand mine to be absolutely God's gifts they really are to be cherished even though parenting can be challenging and that's why I am so pleased with my sons I wish my oldest son was still alive to see and breathe and exist I've learned that energy Never Dies and so my son is not with me physically but KS energy is with me since my son's transition I have had to find many different ways to cope with living without him and one of the tools that I choose to use would be the lesson in learning energy Never Dies it's simply moves on transitions but is never obsolete growing up that is not how I traditionally was taught to look at death however nobody in my family has ever lost a child in over 75 years now abortions and miscarriages do not count in my most respectful and tactful point of view and so that is why I I have had to navigate and pretty much on my own no one in my family has any experience or mileage in this area of life I guess on one hand we are protected our family has not been plagued with this trama that so many families have had to BARE 

Statement in Resistance to State Sponsored Murder/Kkkurfews and Control on Stolen Land from Houseless/Migrante/Indigenous/Poor/Disabled/Youth/adult and elder poverty skolaz from POOR Magazine/Homefulness & Deecolonize Academy  

This community of multi-racial, multi-ligual, multi-cultural, multi-spirited, disabled poor people building a homeless peoples self-determined land liberation movement that NEVER engages with the systems of PoLicing or other Governmental institutions that test, arrest, or incarcerate us- Hereby declare that we contiue to refuse and resist all state-sponsored control, terror and curfews on this stolen land. 

As well, we contnue to stand in resistance to the ongoing PoLie murder and abuse that has plagued this stolen land since its orginal theft and the killing of Black, Brown, Disabled and Houseless people. In Addition we lift up the lives and spirits of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Stephen Taylor who most recetnly sparked people to refuse, to resist and to Say NOT ANOTHER DEATH. 

It is with prayer and humilty, love and respect for all of us and especially the next seven generations that we release this statement 

Signers include POOR Magazine/Krip Hop Nation/ The SF Bayview Newspaper

Please contact poormag@gmail.com if you would like to co-sponsor/sign on to this statement 

I did it, I released myself. It has been over 72 days of meditation and I have Noticed A Difference in My Movement.

I will Say I hope to be A New Creature.

My Focus is Much Different  ... I am so Glad to be in a new Season Of my life 

... God Knows  I Truly needed a break  ..

I felt at one point I was being hit from all sides. Even my closest  one's was Woundering THE Wounder ... I Never Gave up on me ... I Knew  it Was Spiritual and Seasonal ... I just had to Stand my Ground ... I Was Challenged  BUT Not Defeated .... I had to Really Put my Heel to the Pavement and Hold OUT ... Being A Virtuous  Women Is A Never Ending Gift That Keeps On Giving.

I'm learning that this is a journey of energy and human beings are complex. Each of us possess a lesson Locked away Stashed Deep down on our Insides. And if we are not careful on how we treat each other we will never gain the knowledge from the gift that is within. Some people believe in reincarnation. I haven't quite looked into it personally, however it is an interesting concept.

Ever thought about an infant and the behavior mannerisms and characteristic traits one might have in such a little body? Ever heard the phrase old soul?

Where do you think that phrase comes from? Or perhaps a Deja Vu moment where you feel as if you’ve been somewhere or done something before, duplicating the same exact outcome. What about a special scent that jars a memory of a past life experience that you know you have not had, but the smell is so enchanting it wishes you away, captivating your thoughts and ideas. You eagerly attempt to refresh your memory, to pinpoint what seems to be familiar. And what about senses? Some say your gut, some say your intuition, some say your survival mode. However where does it come from, when does it kick in, and who gives it to you? Is it involuntary, is it genetics, or does it have everything to do with your inner being and nothing to do with personality or character, EVERY thing to do with Core ...

image: kiran nigam (insta: @kiranmnigam)

The word pandemic comes from the greek words pan, which means /all/ and demos which means /people/. As humans we don't have much experience with things that have the potential to affect us all. In fact much of our lives are predicated on a deep compartmentalization of cause and effects. It's why most of us avoid the gaze of the houseless person that's asking for sustenance on our morning commute. Without compartmentalization we word have to fully accept the violence that permeates our society, the violence that keeps it running and the violence that we believe is legitimate in the interest of our own safety. Violence in our society isn't an afterthought or anomaly, it's a core tenet, without it our society would not be able to function in the way that it does. One might say that this is a "good" thing but that is too easy of a bypass and we would be overlooking our own culpability, our own satiation, our own sustenance that is derived from this violence. Many of us know this and recognize this, we often see it all around us when we enter /public/ space, we lament its existence , we post, we blog, we tweet, we say "isn't it terrible what's happening to them?", but only at the point that we are presented with their death for our consumption. The daily atrocities become too much to hold.

This tell us something about the nature of a pandemic and what we consider /all people/ problems. A pandemic is such because of its potential to create the conditions of sudden, irrational and inexplicable death to all people. And so the /public/ becomes the terrain on which people's actions are policed in the service of /general/ wellbeing. In a pandemic this means social distancing, business closures and takeout. But even without a pandemic, it means vagrancy laws, stop and frisk, and the criminalization of entire populations. We don't get "that cute brunch place in that up and coming part of town" without a consistent, and perpetual violence. It is the mortar between the bricks of that great new apartment on the border of where we feel safe. Because this is a society premised on scarcity, that apartment is one of the few you can afford, precisely because of its historic experience of violence. Black death is what created the possibility for you to even be there. This is the liminal space we are pushed too, where the threat of violence to the /other/ makes us feel safe. It's the space where a stay-at-home order is a policy to keep you safe from the pandemic while they shoot black people in their homes.

Black people experience a perpetual pandemic in this country. The threat of sudden death, spread by others is constantly present. It happens to us while running the neighborhood, while sleeping in our homes, when we go to the store, sitting in our cars, meeting for church, while being held in a holding cell, while having mental breakdowns from living in a fascist country, while eating, while crossing the street, this obviously being a truncated list. Black death is a pandemic. But it is the pandemic that you don’t think you can catch.

Systems built to oppress people, oppress people. Even though these violent tactics and institutions have been scaffolded on the pain of those deemed less than, the structures themselves become a tool that can be applied to the populace at large. We are facing a fully militarized police force in the streets because your parents, grandparents, great grandparents and great great grandparents opted out of or assented to the escalation in their lifetimes. They believed the racists when they told them to be afraid, and now you are confronted with what was created out of that fear. The effects of this fear are contagious. They spread through cities and communities, into minds and hearts, until we accept the violence as necessary. Accountability and impunity are two sides of the same conversation and it has been a long conversation at that. If the structures of violence have been given tacit impunity for the maiming and murdering of black bodies over centuries, through the acquiescence and praise of white and true /americans/, why would they suddenly feel bad about shooting you in the face with rubber bullets or tear gas? Why would they be able to be shamed or admonished for such behavior. Because you're white?

A society that devalues life devalues all life. The fragility of your vital organs and bones and breath are the same. If I kneel on your neck your whiteness will not save you. I mean weren't we /all created equal/. But if you are indeed shocked about the level of violence you'll need to accept that you implicitly believe the lie. The lie that your life is more valuable than mine because of the color of your skin. That your life is sacrosanct while others are disposable. That your generational wealth is the result of hard work and not systemic preferences. Because how else would you be surprised about the level of violence you see now, without understanding the lineage that it comes from. This society has tried to destroy black people and all you got was this shitty police force. The fuel for this society is the black body, it gives it logic and meaning. The black body here and abroad is the manifesto by which this country operates. Protect and Serve...Protect from Black while Serving White. Terrorize an entire population and then distill the culture they create to survive into content to be distributed. The violence being witnessed now has been prototyped and perfected on black bodies. There is a deep sustainability to this process because the human body is a deeply renewable resource, the black body even more so. "Throw half of them off the ship, we can always go back for more" We are accountable to the crimes committed in our name.

But if this is hard for you to accept that is understandable, it is natural to deny that part of yourself under threat; compartmentalization is how we have been taught to survive violence. The head wants to avoid what the heart doesn't want to take in. You'll need to eventually allow yourself to actually feel it. Your life depends on it. Because the sooner you do, you'll realize how high the stakes truly are, how little time we have and that it's all about to get way more intense. You might even begin to understand the radix, the /root/, the radical position. Patriarchy, White Supremacy, Capitalism and Colonialism have reached the end of their time here on earth, but their roots have permeated every aspect of our lives. They are the pillars of our house and this house is about to collapse. We need to build new houses and sustain those that have been built in defiance of these constructs, we need to build spaces to create, to grieve, to laugh, to sustain, to learn, to work, to heal. We need to build the spaces that this society has destroyed, especially those in the black community. This isn't about donating to a bail fund, it's about giving the house you're going to inherit to a indigenous and or black land trust. It's about not charging rent to your black tenants so you stop profiting from their lives. It's about shunning the police in your community, stop consuming culture that posits them as the savior. It's about putting your body on the line not in a protest but in daily life. What if 60 year old white women walked into police precincts and stopped their functioning, block the exits so the police can't leave in their vehicles. Setup funds to support cops who defect and take evidence or resources with them. Every local government should be shut down until a actionable plan for societal change is adopted, every town meeting and city council should be overrun. You don't need to be aggressive just unyielding. Business as usual is just another phrase for violence as usual. Make normalcy intolerable. Use your privilege to stop the very functioning of violence. Participate like your life depended on it. And then, maybe then, this pandemic will end.

The lowest of the low. It comes a time when you think that you've hit rock bottom but the reality is there is such a deeper lower low that one could experience...

However the one thing about being on the bottom is that you can go up, get up or shoot up.

At least that's what they say. You can't miss what you never had. I find that not to be true. And sometimes you're so deep in the ditch that you can't get out in your step. 

Imagine a horse with a broken leg in a ditch. How does one come up from such a situation? And so it brings me to all sorts of perspectives and I am finding that it is my own shackling due to my own perspectives that have prevented me from living my fullest potential.

I have had the opportunity to reflect.

This year will be four years. It's the anniversary of my belated eldest son Torian. Today is December 18th 2019 and December 20th will be the marked date of my son's transition. 

Today is the decolonize extended family celebration and report card meeting. The boys did well and I am grateful that they have moved up in their academic achievements this school year. We will celebrate their accomplishments of operating in their honor. Star needs me to take her to the DMV and so after that I will work on my book. And I got to say today is a good day. No, but time it is.

As I write this, around the country my people are rising up and along side them a wide array of different people who identify our fight as their fight, who identify with our grief and our rage, and they are in the process of tearing down the American plantation. But for my home of Olympia, I cannot say the same thing. I have been disheartened, exhausted, and pissed off by the things I have seen and experienced in the streets of oly this past week, to say the least. What I have seen is a whole lot of people whos reason for being in the streets I cannot make out because their actions have routinely shown their blatant disdain and disregard for black people.

Yesterday (6/4/2020) was probably the worst example of this so it’s the particular situation that I will address, but the things that im about to talk about have been happening all the other days shit has been going on here.

The amount of peace policing and how its been happening has honestly left me feeling incredibly unsafe showing up to these demos. Any time people would do something as mild as starting an anti police chant such as “cops-pigs-mur-der-ers!” a whole bunch of white people would drown people out by shouting “peaceful protest!”. In a horrifying display of doublespeak I on multiple occasions saw people chanting “no justice no peace” and immediately pivot to “peaceful protest!”. Apparently for a lot of yall peace is fine just fine without justice. And even more than that, when people in their rightful rage and grief would try to do anything from yelling at police to catching a tag on one of these gentrifying shops, a whole bunch of loud ass white people would surround and physically block them while chanting “peaceful protest”. Multiple times comrades (and absolutely not just white ones) have had hands put on them by these crackers, while theyre sitting there shouting peaceful protest! We dont call them peace POLICE for nothing.

It really begs the question, why are some of yall out? Yall will put hands on peeople for “peace” but I dont see a single one of these crackers putting hands on police when they harass, beat, kidnap, and kill us. Who’s peace are you preserving? The peace of the killer pigs and the antiblack order they serve?

On top of this run of the mill peace policing last night the march was constantly surrounded and followed around by neo-fascists and “patriot” militias. I saw a lot of white people being buddy buddy with them. At one point they physically defended a fascist who put hands on someone AND THEN GAVE THAT FASCIST THE MEGAPHONE. More and more this seems like a white lives matter crowd than a black lives matter crowd.

And even more, I consistently saw white people talking to and trying to point out people to the police. I saw them shaking hands with the police. I saw them clapping for and thanking the police. The same police who harass us, who beat us, who kill us. The same olympia police department who for years have harassed me and my community, who when the good liberals and PR cameras go away have repeatedly threatened to kill many of us. In the middle of one of the largest black liberation and anti-police revolts of our lifetimes, this is not only unacceptable but these actions are ACTIVELY on the side of the police and on the side of white supremacy.

With all this in mind I was mad. I was furious. I was grieving too because these pigs keep killing us and getting away with it. And just since George Floyd 29 more black people have been murdered, SOME EVEN AT PROTESTS FOR GEORGE FLOYD. So I was pissed. And I was yelling at a lot of these crackers, and none of them could handle black grief, black rage. Continually I was told to calm down. Continually I was told to stop being so aggressive, that I was “bringing bad energy”. Multiple times I told these crackers to shut the fuck up and stop talking to me and continually they just said “im listening, im here for you” while actively not listening and not being here for me.

Most of these people arent out for black lives. They love these protests though and that slogan though because they know they can use us when were dead because we cant talk back when we’re dead. A lot of these self imposed protest leaders love dead black people because they use our corpses to build their brands, build their careers, and cash out on our death. These white liberals love dead black people because it gives them a moment to take the spotlight and publicly self flagellate and pretend to care about black people to assuage their guilt. But when it comes to black people when were still here? We get ignored, silenced, spoken over, pushed out, shouted down, and physically assaulted.

So once again I ask, what the fuck are yall out there for? To defend the police? To defend property? To defend whiteness? Cause yall should black lives matter but your actions say white power. Yall will applaud the “good” peaceful protesting of a bunch of white people sitting around and demonize a 400 years in the making revolt of people who dont want to die. Cause you can talk about ‘violence’ all you want and be scared of it all you want but when I saw the news of the police station on fire in Minneapolis what I heard was the chorus of my people saying WE WANT TO LIVE.

I don’t want to die. I don’t want to continually worry about being killed by a pig or a nazi whenever I go outside. I, too, WANT TO LIVE.

Im pissed, and I will remain pissed, but I will not concede space to these crackers and I ask my community to have peoples fucking backs. To talk to people about why peace policing is not okay. To show the fuck up and shut down these antiblack crackers and to have the backs of black people & people of color when we are being drowned out, pushed out, and attacked by these people.

Im asking yall to show me that “community” actually fucking means something and that you actually care about black people while were hear and that you show the fuck up for black liberation. Because people are revolting for black liberation right now, and its messy and complicated and dangerous. It scares white people and it scares people who have a material interest in this white supremacist order. But if black life means anything to you, then have our fucking backs through this shit.

(please copy and paste and share widely)

Below are the reports from the DeeColonize Academy youth skolaz on the POOR Magazine meetings at City Hall trying to challenge the impact fees being imposed on Homefulness. Here is a petition on our behalf.

Photo: DeeColonize Academy youth skolaz learning about the law for self-advocacy at the Alameda County Law Library

Permit Wars

by Akil Carrillo

In December 2019 the building process of Homefulness #1 was halted after the Permit Gangstas (City Officials) said that we had taken too long and our permit had expired. When we went to find how to fix this they said that we needed to pay 27,000 in Impact Fees. Now if you don’t know what an Impact fee is, I’ll tell you. An Impact Fee is a fee that people pay so that the money goes to affordable housing, WE ARE BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING! We also have to start from the beginning and start on zoning. 

We have always paid their fees without problems but now we could not just let this pass by. After community pressure and Wesearch we were able to get a 30-day extension and with that extension we are trying to finish everything we can in the construction and we are continuing our Wesearch. In this search, we met up with Lia Azul Salaverry who is the Policy Analyst and Community Liaison of Nikki Fortunato Bas. We explained to her our situation and one of the biggest issues is that it took 8 months for the fire sprinkles and the irony of the Impact Fees.

In this conversation, Lia Salaverry said something that surprised me. She said “We are also wondering, what is happening with Impact Fees?” Meaning that not even city council employees know where the money of Impact Fees goes. This could end up being a bigger issue. In this conference Leo Stegman who was also there was trying to explain to Lia Salaverry that “This is not a career, is a lifestyle”. He was telling her that we aren’t Berkshire Hathaway building buildings for profit, we are Homefulness building houses for people. We are doing this because of stuff we have experienced not because we want to start a business, it’s because we want to help ourselves and others.

Lia Salaverry suggested that we meet up with Bobby Lopez who already knows about us and that she would be there for us in other meetings. Tiny gave an example of what most people think of us. “Ew, you’re the poor people. You must be hiding something.” So Lia will help those judgments leave by supporting us.

These last few weeks have been fast-paced and busy. We have all been trying to finish the houses. After everything we’ve done, including a mini protest in front of City Hall, the city still demands us to pay the impact fees. Keep in mind that the Impact Fees are only a small part of the payments. We still have to pay for inspections, construction supplies and the permits themselves. This experience was one of the many that show how disorganized the system is. And this is why Poor Magazine exists. To fight it.

Conference meeting/complaint(protest)

by Ziair Hughes

It feels like a normal day. But First detective Ziair Hughes and his classmates go on an adventure. We go to city hall to get justice for our project. 

Back Story: December 2019. The building process of homefulness has stopped community projects (town houses) that started in 2018. We successfully started but that is not going well mid way. These townhomes are for “low income, no income, low wage, no wage '' homeless people and people that need support. And because the city officials members said that we (poor magazine) were taking too long, and our permit had expired, and they said that we had to pay 27,000 for impact fees and that doesn’t make sense because we are making affordable housing for poor people that can’t afford and that need affordable housing. So we went to the city council to protest and fix the problem that had occurred. At the protest we prayed, did the four directions and spoke about our problems. All of the youth skolarz and adult poverty skolaz spoke and we got our point across to the community. 

Quotes

Conference meeting with Lia Salaverry district 2 (policy analyst & community liaison):

“This is not a career this is a lifestyle”  Leo Stegman 

“Ew, you're the poor people.you must be hiding something” Tiny

“I'm really here to listen to what you have to say about homeless” Lia Salaverry

“This is a family run project we don’t roll with the CEO's “ Uncle Mueteado (co builder)

“Built by the people and it’s for the people”  Leroy Moore

”Doesn’t understand the model to unsell mama earth” Tiny

“And how we get this this project moving forward” Lia Salaverry

“They have lived separately but live together as a community” Charles

“Black people and brown people that have land but it was foreclosed” Tiny

(at the protest) “I’m Ziair. Because of these fees and the process to build and try to work with conscious legislators to exempt poor and homeless people from these huge fees and impossible requirements which make it impossible for homeless and poor people to manifest our own solutions and stay in our neighborhood communities and will be kicked out by gentrification.” - Ziair

opinion

In conclusion: thanks to the community and poor members /poor/ homefulness was able to get a thirty-day Extension to shut down but in this crisis, the homefulness project realized  we have to speak out but we are still fighting because they want us to pay other fees and they do not care if we are trying to do good by the community. Even when we pay their fees when we don’t have the money we still pay the fees being poor people because they are the government and they don’t give any empathy they just want “bloodstain dollars.” And to say we have to pay permits for our own people doesn't make sense as with apply pressure like the community we will be able to get this house done. But if we were gentrificaters it we would be looked at different but sense we are poor people they treat us different. Story by ziair hughes 

Meeting With Lia Azul

by Tiburcia Garcia

“The concept is that those fees are pulled then allocated to fund public housing.” Those were the words of Lia Salaverry, the community liaison and policy analyst under Councilwoman  Nikki Fortunato Bass, talking about the impact fees that we were there to discuss that afternoon. She looked as confused as us when we told her the fee that, like she said, was used to fund public housing (i.e below market rate or affordable housing) was charged to us, a poor and homeless people-led building project meant to house other poor and homeless families for way below market rate. After many long years being charged exorbitant fees for every single small thing that has the name “permit” in it in the process of building homefulness, a $27,000 Impact Fee, meant to help poor people who need to be housed, was the final straw for us in Homefulness, who right now barely have enough money to afford the utility bills for our current residents. 

Phase 2 of the Homefulness Project, the 4 townhouses that will be converted into 8 units that will house homeless and low-income families was started in 2016, and us being poor builders with very little experience in the contracting game, had no idea how much it would cost to be allowed to start building things. Yes, we knew about permits, and yes we were aware they were going to be a lot of money, however, as we ventured further and further into this project, and faced more roadblocks and obstacles, we realized how profitable the business of permit licensing really was. Every step along the way was a bill, and we finally, after 4 years, are putting a stop to this. 

“Homefulness makes sense, because it's built by the people, for the people,'' said Leo Stegman in the meeting with Lia. On Tuesday, February 4th, 2020, the students of Deecolonize Academy along with the residents of Homefulness and most of the Homefulness building crew, (which conveniently happens to be Homefulness residents) launched a movement by press conference, in order to prevent poor and low-income builders from being stopped completely by the giant wall which is the Impact Fee, which was designed to help them in the first place. We spoke about how the fee is impacting us, as a grass-roots and government grantless movement, and demanded change within this system that is designed to push aside us poor people with every move. We then asked for support from whoever was watching and listening, because all of us are people from the streets housing people on the streets and the city is shutting us down. 

Lia Salaverry agreed to support in any way possible and also was planning to report back to Councilwoman Bass. In my eyes, she looked like she understood the struggle we were going through, and did want to help in any way. But how much she is going to help is yet to be decided, because before there have been a lot of people with access who claimed they were down and were going to help us yet never returned our calls after the first meeting. I'm only hoping that when Lia reports back to the councilwoman the councilwoman will see the evidence presented in front of her that this is unjust, and this money making scheme has to stop, at least for the people who the supposed fee was designed to help.  

By doing this action we are trying to put in effect a change in the impact fee, saying that it will no longer be charged to the people it is supposed to help, and that there are gray areas in the legislation that put it in place, and there are no accidents in government so those gray areas must mean something, that the gray areas be cleared, and the money from the fees that is taken from the big companies is actually given to fund affordable housing, like Homefulnesses, that are yet to be built.

“We need your office to come to our neighborhood, and see what we are doing.” Leroy cut in, and his sentiment was reflected in everyone's faces. We left the meeting hoping that we would see some changes, and were immediately disappointed because as soon as some of the homefulness building crew went to the permit office, they were slapped in the face with a matter-of-fact statement claiming Homefulness still owes the 27,000 dollar Impact Fee. After all of our fighting, and even though it is too soon to tell whether or not Councilwoman Bass will be on our side and back us up to get the impact fee boot off of our neck, but as well as the Impact Fee we also have continuous smaller fees like a 529 dollar bill allowing us to put water meters, not even covering the expenses for the water meters, just allowing us to put them there, so this fight is still going. We always say here that Homefulness isn't a utopic dream or something we wish to do one day, it is something we are currently doing and struggling with.     

Editors Note: Kiran collected a list of things we can do even if we are struggling to live outside, on EBT or SSI or nothing at all- if you cant do all of them - do some of the most basic like drinking more water, lemon, salt and garlic- and if you have trouble getting any of these ingredients POOR Magazine, United Front Against DIsplacement and Self-Help Hunger Program will be distributing them along with Healing, Cleaning & Sanitation Supplies on Tuesday, March 25th at 1pm at the Wood Street West Oakland Encampment- as well as our SLiding Scale Cafe weekly meal at Homefulness and our weekly meals at East Oakland & SF encampments- email if you would like more information poormag@gmail.com or click here

Immune Tips for COVID-19 (and for cold and flu season in general)

by kiran nigam, Nutritional Therapy Consultant and community facilitator

I think it's safe to say that we've all been thinking more about public health and stopping the spread of viruses over the last few weeks. The need for social distancing right now is high. This helps us to protect each other (especially those who are elder, immune compromised, or have other health conditions that make them more vulnerable) from rapid virus spread, and helps to avoid overwhelming our health system. 

I also want to remind you that our bodies come equipped with an immune system that is designed for fighting viruses. Below are some nutrition and lifestyle tips to help you support your immune system, so that you are better able to fight off infection when exposed. 

First reduce the work your immune system has to do by minimizing the need to fight off viruses and bacteria.

• Wash your hands, more than you are used to, more than you think you need to, and for longer than you probably do usually (20 seconds). Work up a good soapy lather. Great times to wash your hands: before eating, after using the bathroom, after touching public surfaces (door knobs, tables, chairs, etc), after using public transit. 
• Avoid touching your face. 
• As much as possible follow guidelines for social distancing, to minimize exposure of yourself and others.

Get as much sleep as you are able to. 

Sleep plays an important role in immune system functioning. Being well rested can help you fight infection and prevent getting sick by supporting an optimally functioning immune system. If you aren't getting as much sleep as you know you could use, try adding an hour or two of sleep in by going to bed earlier. Take advantage of opportunities to nap if they arise. 

Remove whatever stresses you have control over. 

Stress reduces the immune system's ability to fight off infections. If there are any stresses in your life you have control over, take steps to remove or reduce them. 

Stay hydrated. 

Good hydration supports lymph flow, supports strong immune functioning, and helps your body eliminate toxins and bacteria. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces of water a day. 

Avoid sugar. 

Sugar weakens the immune system. As much as possible, minimize sugary drinks and snacks to support your immune health. 

Eat foods high in zinc. 

• Zinc supports and strengthens the immune system. 
• Foods high in zinc include:  oysters (you can find smoked oysters in a can for more affordable prices), lamb, pumpkin seeds (soaked/sprouted), grass fed beef, chickpeas, cocoa powder, kefir, yogurt, mushrooms, spinach, chicken, turkey, cheese, swiss chard, lima beans, potato (with skin), oats, pecans. 
• You can also find zinc lozenges, for when you first get sick, in many grocery stores. 

Eat foods high in Vitamin A. 

• Vitamin A helps regulate the immune system.

• Foods high in vitamin A include: liver, egg yolks, fatty fishes (like salmon), sweet potatoes, carrots, red and orange bell peppers, dark green vegetables. 

Eat Probiotic Foods

• Over 70% of your immune system is in your gut! Treat it well. Probiotic foods can help boost the immune system and promote the production of natural antibodies.
• Some probiotic foods include: yogurt, sauerkraut, keifer, crème fraiche, live pickles, kimchi, and other fermented vegetables, kombucha, kvass... 

Kitchen Medicine Cabinet

• Shiitake and maitake mushrooms help to strengthen the immune system. 
• Ginger can naturally boost the immune system and help to fight viruses. Good for tea (with lemon, honey yum!) and cooking 
• Garlic is antiviral. Good for tea and cooking
• Onions are full of immune boosting nutrients. Good for cooking. You can also steep cut onions in water or honey overnight and drink spoonfuls of the liquid to boost your immune response. 
• Kitchen medicine cabinet recipes (from my kitchen):
  • “I Won't Get sick Tea”:  garlic, ginger, black pepper, lemon, honey steeped in hot water. I sometimes add in herbs like rosemary, thyme, or eucalyptus leaves (can be found growing throughout the Bay Area).
  • Homemade Cough Syrup: Finely cut onions, garlic and ginger and fill a mason jar half way. Pour honey on top of the onions, garlic, and ginger, put a top on the jar, and let it sit over night. The syrup is ready to use the next morning. No need to remove the veggies, just press down to access the syrup.
  • Fire Cider: I finely chop garlic, ginger, hot chillies, horseradish, onions, black pepper, turmeric root (or whatever combination of those I have available to me) and fill a mason jar ½ – ¾  full with the mixture. Then fill the jar to the top with apple cider vinegar. This recipe is best if you're able to let it sit for a few weeks. Then you can take “shots” or spoonfuls of fire cider to help fight off cold and flu.
  • Classic Tea: ginger, lemon juice, and honey steeped in hot water. Add in cinnamon for some extra warming effects. 

Other Herbs

• Elderberry helps to boost the immune system. You can find elderberry syrups in many grocery stores. 
• Licorice root and echinacea are both antiviral, antibacterial, increases the production of more immune cells, and increases the activity of existing immune cells. 
• Rosemary, thyme, and eucalyptus leaves are helpful for coughs. They make delicious teas, with honey and lemon. 

The cry for justice was heard in Hendersonville, North Carolina.  The last words of George Floyd were heard, his last breath swept across the seemingly peaceful, tranquil town of Hendersonville, known as the city of four seasons in this part of western North Carolina.  Cries for justice, demands for justice are heard from Minneapolis to Georgia, from Seattle to Korea to France to Palestine—all across the globe.  And in Hendersonville the tongues of young black women and men will not be silent.  On Saturday June 6^th nearly 400 people gathered in front of the Hendersonville police department with a message.  In this time of pandemic, those who are overlooked are now deemed essential.  What is the essential message?  Who are deemed essential, whose voices are heard, silenced?  The young black women who called the community together have felt and lived with silence.  “Just because this is a small community doesn’t mean we can’t have an impact” said organizer Kaelah M. Avery as the crowd began to swell, bearing signs with words “Black Lives Matter”, “Black Women Matter”, and “Say Their Names” among others—a gathering of people black, white and brown donning masks—in unity as people of Hendersonville, and of community.

There is a shift worldwide.  A generation is rising and asking questions, tossing out assumptions and envisioning a new world.  “This is not a matter of white vs. black, it’s us against racism” said a young black man to the crowd.  One young white woman said she was compelled to join the protest to “call out my own white privilege”, questioning the very notion of whiteness and the very real, very brutal and tragic implications it holds for people of color.  A group of young Latinx youth held signs that read: Black Lives matter and Tu Lucha es Mi Lucha (Your fight is my fight).  One of the Latinx group said that there is a connection of police brutality among black and brown youth and that it was important to show solidarity with the black community against a common oppressor.  A black woman in her mid 50’s stood among the crowd with a black t-shirt emblazoned with the hashtag: #SeeMe.  “They see us in a different way” she explained as the sun glared in a sharp angle.  The woman, a lifelong resident of Hendersonville, added, “The assumption is that we are criminals; that we are evil.  They see us differently.”

The voice of Kaelah Avery came over the speakers, spreading beyond the immediate area and beyond the clusters of people, gaining the attention of passersby:

“For some reason, people assume women of color, especially black women,

 Are being belligerent when they are simply passionate or speaking out of

 frustration. Do not confuse my passion with rage. I am enraged by the actions

of the Minneapolis Police Department and to the circumstances that led to

the murders of countless numbers of our black community.  But I’m even more

passionate about the need for fundamental change.”

And in the presence of the Hendersonville police, the people of Hendersonville, the history of Hendersonville, the silence of Hendersonville, she continues:

“In 2014, 287 people were killed by police for

 Minor crimes such as sleeping in park, drug possession

 Looking suspicious or having a mental health crisis.

Imagine a society that doesn’t respond to these situations

With the threat or reality of violence but instead targets the

Underlying issues behind these actions by defunding the police

and redistributing that money to address homelessness, drug addiction

and preventative healthcare.”

 A middle aged Latino man spoke, saying that America is very sophisticated in its racism, that it is subtle to where it looks like something good.  A young African American man approached the microphone and said, “It’s good you’re out here today but—some of you—your apathy is killing us.”

As a person of color who has lived in Hendersonville since July, I can say that I have been glared at in public, as if my presence were an affront.  A woman in a passing car gave me the finger as I walked the Greenville Highway.  I am keenly aware of my skin.  One’s perception of me, fueled by white supremacy or by what Toni Morrison coined, “The white gaze” can have brutal and tragic implications.  But there are also people who are quite friendly, civil—offering a hello, good morning, God Bless—those things that hold community together.  But as a person of color, you can’t forget your own skin because to do that is to open yourself up to danger.  This awareness was articulated by the late poet Wanda Coleman who said, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

I had the opportunity to talk to a young black brother, Preston Blakely.  Preston is 25 years of age and was elected to the Fletcher City Council in November.  He expressed frustration at the racism he endures.  “I have to be aware of my race everywhere.  Should I have my hands in my pocket?  Should I have my hood on?  It leaves me angry, frustrated and sad but these aren’t new emotions.”  Blakely described being pulled over by an officer for no apparent reason. It turned out the cop pulled him over to “Check his lights”.  “It feels like they are looking for ways to get into an altercation” Blakely added, noting that he has dealt with these experiences most of his life.

The rally culminated in a peaceful march to the Historic Courthouse on Main street where signs were held and names of those killed by police were called: Brionna Taylor, George Floyd, Armaud Arbery (Arbery was killed by a former officer) and others.  As the?” march approached the historic courthouse, a man was seen in front of Mike’s on Main holding an assault rifle.  The windows were covered with slabs of wood.  “What is that?” I said to a man next to me marching.  “It sure ain’t a grilled cheese sandwich” the man replied, walking forward.

The voices rising from Hendersonville join voices in Minneapolis where defunding the police is actively being pursued by their city council, as well as in San Francisco and in other cities.  They join voices in New York, England, France, Korea—across the planet where people are coming together and fighting back.  They are envisioning a new world, a new way of going about the business of life and what it means to be human.  This vision is alive in Hendersonville, lead by young black women whose voices are clear as the skies opening up new possibilities on this stretch of western North Carolina.  As one speaker said, “It’s good to protest but we have to get involved, we have to run for office and attend the city council meetings.”  As the rally ended, people headed in different directions, each with a piece of the movement to take beyond themselves, to their neighborhoods, co-workers, friends.  I headed to my car with the words of one man  still vivid in my mind: Please listen to us. We can’t breathe…listen to us.

(Image: Organizers Shiauna Ledbetter, Jasmine Mills and Kaelah Avery, courtesy of Shiauna Ledbetter's Facebook Page)

© 2020 Tony Robles