Story Archives 2002

by Andrew DellaRocca/PoorNewsNetwork Media Intern

At one point they asked,

"you been in jail?"

raise your fist…..

Drinking my bottle of water

I had to…

raise my fist

then they asked, "have any family ever BEEN in jail? "

raise your fist….

So now…

I have a water bottle stuck

in my mouth

& two fistS in the air ….

Finally they ask, "have any friends ever in jail?".

I decided…

not…

to stick my foot in the air.

I was clearly….

out of fists

If they asked any more questions

I’ll have to be air born

…….At the Rally….Out of FistS.. ...by Charles Pitts, Po’ Poets Project

"I am the eyes of my despised generation," speaks Dat. Dat is a poet. Dat
is a youth. Dat has forgotten his lines and so has grabbed the book in
which his poem is written. Dat felt awkward because he forgot his words.
"I only wrote the poem a few days ago, and I tried to memorize it, but I
didn't have a chance." He pleads with us with the motion of his eyes and
the movement of his limbs. Us the audience, Us the activists, Us the
artists, Us the community, Us the youth. But Us does not need an
explanation. Us does not hold tomatoes in its grasp, ready to hurl at the
first sign of a mistake. Us only wants to hear the poem. Us only wants Dat
to get his voice and his words heard. Us cheers as Dat grabs his book and
continues his poem. Dat completes his poem successfully and exclaims,
loudly, that he is "NOT down with the lockdown." Us erupts in a victorious
applause. Dat raises his microphone to the sky in triumph.

"It makes me feel kind of messed up, you know, because a good percentage of
the juvenile hall right now is black, black kids. It seems like they're
just trying to put black and latino kids in there. Especially with 540
beds, why do you need that many beds? You trying to do something big time
and make more money?" Lamont, one of the organizers of today's event,
speaks about the plan of the proposed construction of a new juvenile
detention center in Alameda county. Lamont fits the profile of the majority
of the youth already locked up in the current juvenile hall- black,
sixteen, male. The construction of the new superjail concerns him directly,
and so he, and other youth like him, have organized the second "Not Down
with the Lockdown" rally; a protest against the incarceration of today's
youth and the additional police presence being formed in Oakland under the
administration of Mayor Jerry Brown.

I take the BART to Oakland from San Francisco. I go under the Bay. I go
over West Oakland, and it's warehouses, and the powerlines which carve up
its skyline. I arrive at the 12th street station, and walk from there to
the Frank Ogawa Plaza where the event is being held. The sky is at first
covered by clouds, but they break apart quickly and reveal the sun promptly
at noon, the scheduled start of the Oakland rally.

Oakland, they say, has become a more violent city. Mayor Jerry Brown and
the Alameda County Supervisors think that an additional 100 police officers
and the construction of a large juvenile detention center with additional
beds for additional offenders is the proper response to the increase in
violence. Van Jones, the national executive director of the Ella Baker
Center for Human Rights and one of the organizers of this event, challenges
their approach.

"Neither Jerry Brown nor the County Supervisors are the actual victims of
the crimes. It's the young people who are the victims of the crimes, and
they're calling for the opposite. They're calling for more jobs and more
schools and more opportunity for themselves, and I think its about time that
the government officials listen to what the young people themselves say
would solve THEIR problem."

And so those that are affected most by the violence in Oakland, the youth,
have come together in Frank Ogawa Plaza to not just protest the government's
response to their problems, but to promote a peaceful and creative existence
with each other. Spoken word artists, dancers, rappers, singers, actors,
one after the other, take the stage to speak out against violence,
incarceration, and poverty, and against those institutions which have
learned to profit off of them. The consciousness is high in downtown
Oakland. Each artist uses her own medium to express the issues which lead
to crime and incarceration. Colored Inc., a local group of youth artists,
rehearses a powerful skit chronicling the social issues that contribute to
youth violence. The skit ends with the resurrection of a murdered youth,
and his reconciliation with his murderer, a peer. Rashidi Omari, from
Company of Profits, creates a lyrical picture of an adolescent trapped in
the juvenile detention system, "lost in the abyss of thinking that you're
nothing."

"They're trying to build it right next to Santa Rita [Jail]. So it's like,
OK, you leave from here, you're going next to Santa Rita. You ain't got no
hope. So you just walk across the street, you're going to the big time
prison." Lamont continues our conversation amidst the noise of the
performances, looking at me through the amber lenses of his sunglasses.
"You should try to go to the root of the problem, and try to talk to them,
try to talk to the parents, get the community involved with stuff like Not
Down with the Lockdown, help support, you know, throw little rallies, you
know, non-violence rallies like we're doing. We try to get everybody
involved so that we can stop the crime rate and everybody passing away."

California ranks 43rd in spending on public education. Meanwhile, it ranks
1st in the nation on prison spending. In addition to the money which will
be spent by Alameda county on the construction of the superjail, the city of
Oakland plans to raise $73 million to put 100 new police officers on the
streets.

"The youth of Oakland consider the Oakland Police department their number
one enemy and their number one barrier to having a peaceful life and a
peaceful existence. They call themselves peace officers but they act more
like war officers, and the war that they are prosecuting is a war on young
people. Adding to the police force in Oakland will just make the problem
worse," Van Jones explains. "These young people don't need more police and
more prisons, they need more opportunities. The safest communities in
California are not the communities with the most cops and the most prisons,
they are those that have the best jobs and the best schools, and that's what
these young people want for themselves."

"Now is not the time to be silent!" shouts the local hip-hop group Red
Guard, as they take the stage after the breakdancing group Critical Overdose
finishes their performance. The Destiny Arts Youth Performance comes on
shortly after, dancing and performing spoken word pieces. Dat's triumph is
the subsequent act.

As exemplified by Dat's interaction with his audience, the day's event is
filled with compassion, creativity, and, most poignantly, community. Each
singer, poet, dancer, and rapper that performs on this day is received by
the supportive applause of the singers, poets, dancers, and rappers that
preceded them, as well as by those that will perform after them. An example
of our youth's efforts. Society's welfare is not dependent on the
incarceration of such a future. Like the power lines that carve up the
skyline in West Oakland, more police and large juvenile detention centers
will only carve up the creative nonviolent efforts of California's youth
community.

The Bay Area's youth have been extremely proactive in their campaign. Following
the precedents set by the Civil rights movement, they've done everything
from knocking on doors to marches and sit-ins. In May, they successfully
convinced the California Board of Corrections to withhold the funding from
Alameda county that would have gone toward the construction of the
superjail. They've formed organizations like Youth Force Coalition, Underground Railroad and Books Not Bars, who sponsored Saturday's Not Down with the Lockdown rally. "And
they're not going to stop," says Van Jones, "because it's their future
that's on the line."

by Matt Dodt/PNN Community Journalist and Poverty Scholar

It was obviously one of those things that was meant to happen, me and my
new photo/video camcorder being at the His-Willieness (S.F. mayor Willie Brown)-Ordered raid on the homeless camp by the pumping station at 7th and Berry Sts. (by the Caltran station, within sight of
Pac-Bell Park) early the morning of Saturday, July 27, 2002. After all, I was
going to an all-nite rave party at the same venue where the cops tried to shut
down another event just the weekend before, so I figured I better bring my
camera along just in case. Then, before I left to go Friday nite rave-ing, I
tuned in the 10-o'clock news report on KTVU (broadcast channel 2), when what
to my wondering eyes should appear, but a news story announcing the impending
raid on the camp, a story that featured, among others, my old cohort and
sister rabble-rouser Mara Raider, from the Streetwatch* project of the
Coalition on Homelessness. Also featured in this report were residents of the
camp, including Jasin, a 47-year old woman who refused to stay at the
shelters because they wouldn't allow her and her husband to stay together.

Included in this report were statements from Jasin and other residents
saying that they preferred this site because not only was it out of the public
eye and generally not on the tourist repertoire of places to visit, but, in
the words of one resident, "There aren't the problems here that you find at
other camps or in the shelters. There isn't the fighting and the dope-dealing
that goes on in other places. People here respect each other."

The report also included statements from the mayor's office, such as,
"Because it's near a water pumping station, this encampment is a threat to
security." Ridiculous, because in this writer's opinion, it's MORE secure to
have a group of long-time residents there, many of whom are quite patriotic,
judging from the number of American flags being flown around the camp, as
that many more pairs of eyes to keep watch. Another quote from the mayor's
office was, "The conditions at this encampment are dirty and unsanitary and
therefore a risk to the residents here." Yet another statement rendered
ludicrous by the wide-angle shot displayed on the TV screen, showing that
this camp was quite clean and orderly, given the circumstances.

Other questions come to my mind: This camp had been here for years.
It's also been a number of months and many 'terrorist threats' since the
World Trade Center attacks. Why, all of a sudden, did Brown decide that
this camp now had to be terminated, without delay?

After a night of rave-ing, which included a quick catnap on a couch,
I rolled up 7th St. from Indiana St. toward the camp. Even though dawn was
just breaking, the camp was as busy as a nest of ants that had just been
stirred with a stick. Hastily-gathered possessions were being lashed onto
anything with wheels; these were being pushed toward the street with all
haste. After bicycling my way around some fenced-in areas and over some
railroad tracks, I arrived on the Berry St. side of the camp to find the
aforementioned Ms. Raider talking with one of the camp's residents.

"Hello," says she to me, "do you have your camera?" "Yes," I replied,
"that's why I'm here." A few minutes later, L.S. Wilson, another longtime
Streetwatch volunteer, walked up with a video camera in his hand, and I
had already noticed a KTVU cameraman at the scene. After some chit-chat, I
was tired of straddling my bike and decided it was time to get off and lock
it up. At that moment (about 6:20 A.M.), a large group of police cars and
another large group of motorcycle officers drove up Berry St. and descended
on the scene.

One officer, presumably the site commander, started giving orders
to, "start at this side of the camp and work back." Along with the KTVU news
crew, I wound up following the police, documenting them as they went from tent
to tent and structure to structure as a sort of UnWelcome Wagon, gently
advising the residents to, "wake up, it's time to go." The genteel nature of
the police's behavior and the whole anti-climatic feel (no resistance was
offered) of the events belied the cold, cruel, heartless nature of what was
transpiring.

The heavy presence of police officers (about 25-30) motivated the
camp residents to hasten the evacuation process. Even us non-homeless
homeless advocates - myself, Mara, L.S., and another Streetwatch volunteer
named Ken - were pressed into service, cutting down and rolling up tarps,
pushing carts and other mobile apparati laden with belongings out toward the
street, in keeping with the sacred credo of POOR magazine's journalism
department, "We don't just RE-port, we SUP-port."

After a couple of hours, things had rather settled into a routine
when who should show a face but George Smith of the Mayor's Office on
Homelessness, and P.J. Johnston, the mayor's spokesperson. A flare-up occured
between Mara Raider and Mr. Johnston while the latter was being interviewed
by KTVU and Ms. Raider, loudly and in no uncertain terms, voiced her
disagreements with Mr. Johnston's statements. I even added my spoke, which was
that many of the new evictees would inevitably be going into the
neighborhoods, which was not going to please many of the neighborhoods'
residents. And in the one-picture-speaks-a-thousand-words category, as the
camp residents were toiling away getting their shelters and possessions moved,
George Smith was seen (by me) capering and dancing while chatting with a
police officer.

The exchange between Mara and P.J. Johnston added comic relief to
the KTVU 10 o'clock news broadcast that evening. As P.J. was making a
statement, I believe it was that there were enough shelter beds to accomodate
all the new evictees, Mara, who was off-camera, could be very plainly heard
saying, "But that's bullshit."

Funny stuff, that. But in this writer's humble opinion, there's a
serious question to be raised about this action by the mayor, which at best
makes it appear extremely short-sighted and harebrained. Starting with the
issue of available shelter space: Even if there is enough for all the
evictees, as the mayor's office contends, SHELTERS ARE ONLY OPEN AT NIGHT.
Shelter clients are not allowed in until late afternoon/early evening, and
are turfed out early (5-7 A.M.) each morning. Which leaves about 12 hours
each day with no guaranteed safe, suitable place to go. So where to, then?
The neighborhoods? We've been over that already. The newly gussied-up,
extremely homeless-unfriendly Union Square Plaza, with its 24-7 police patrol
and gentrification-obsessed area merchants? Your guess is as good as mine.
Keep in mind also, that there were, to my estimation, about 100 or so people
living in this camp. No small amount of people to keep out of sight and out
of mind.

I'll finish my rant with this: Remember the word coming from the
mayor's office a few months back, wringing his hands while swinging the
budget axe? How heartbreaking it was to lay off so many laundry workers?
"It's like laying off my own mother," lamented Slick Willie. Well, this was
all a visit to Reptile World, because the tears were crocodile and the oil was
snake. How so, you ask? Because at the same time he was making these cuts,
such as laying off 'his own mother,' i.e., the laundry workers, and cutting
the funding for the POOR magazine media internship program, which moved
several other POOR magazine interns, myself included, from paid work back to
welfare, the budget was INCREASED for some of his cronies, including the
aforementioned Mssrs. Smith and Johnston, each of whom was given a significant
salary increase. I guess Da Mayor cares more about his (wrecking) crew than
about his mum.

Now back to our story. The eviction continued to proceed without
significant incident. DPW and SWAP crews, a front-end loader(bulldozer),
and dump trucks were brought in to haul away what the evictees couldn't or
wouldn't haul away themselves. Huge, thick clouds of dust, equalling those I
used to see when I would hitchhike across the desert, were raised by the DPW
doing their thing with the bulldozer, scraping the bucket across the already
parched ground. This came at a most inconvenient time, just when we homeless
advocates and houseless folx were trying to get some breakfast, a surprisingly
opulent one, hosted by Jasin and her significant other and featuring Cheerios
and milk, orange juice, granola bars, tea, and much-needed and appreciated
coffee, both standard drip and Turkish.

There's not much more to tell.The evictees and city workers all
finishing the horrible task at hand, the police slowly dispersing and the
houseless sitting along the Berry St. curb, waiting for rides, pondering
their fate and their next move. In our already-exhausted state and our energy
continuing to drain, the other homeless advocates and I discussed what the
next move should be. A few ideas were tossed out, no consensus was reached,
except that we agreed that this outrage by 'our' image and wealth-obsessed
mayor cannot be allowed to pass as water over the damned. This having been
agreed upon, we decided to call it a day. This hours-long reminder of my
former homelessness and current at-risk state, plus the growing heat of the
day and my having gotten a total of about 3 hours of sleep the previous 2
nights made the prospect of hot shower and bed seem especially sweet.

Final note This and just about everything else this mayor has done
has only convinced me that the only reason that the same political
homeless-hating, king-making machine that put Frank Jordan in office in 1991
abandoned him for Willie Brown in 1995 and beyond is that Frank Jordan was not
a good enough politician; his attempts to rid San Francisco of the poor and
homeless, i.e., the Matrix program and the crackdown on Food Not Bombs were
too clumsy, stupid, and obvious and brought The City a lot of bad publicity.
Willie Brown, on the other hand, is a much better politician, meaning a much
better snake-oil salesman. He can, and has, made anti-poor/homeless programs
that are much harsher than Frank Jordan's seem genuinely compassionate.

*The COH's Streetwatch project's mission is to address the injustices
perpetrated on San Francisco's poor and homeless population by the police and
city government, such as unlawfully-issued citations for so-called 'quality
of life' offenses, such as blocking the sidewalk, camping/sleeping/
panhandling/loitering in public, lodging in vehicles, open alcoholic beverage
containers, and unlawful detentions/searches/warrant checks. This is
accomplished by community outreach, i.e., teams of Streetwatch staffers going
out on the streets on a regular basis with notepads, OCC complaint forms,
video cameras, and literature containing information on exactly what the above
laws are, what one's rights as a homeless/at-risk individual are, as well as
tutorials on what one's rights and responsibilities are when observing and
documenting police behavior. The notepads and video cameras are for
documenting any police interactions with the poor and homeless that the
Streetwatchers encounter while on the job. Streetwatch also conducts community
forums to educate the public about the above issues, as well as what really
goes on in city government re poor/homeless issues, behind the corporate media
spin of Willie's World. Streetwatch also offers pro-bono legal representation
for tickets issued for the above-mentioned 'quality of life' offenses. This
usually results in summary dismissals for all tickets so represented,
thwarting The City's plan to harass the poor and homeless out of town via the
legal process.

by Christina Heatherton/PoorNewsNetwork Media intern

The flurry of bright colors and distant hip hop beats rising from the Precita Eyes Urban Youth Arts Festival hit me long before my crutches sank into the thick Precita Park grass. Last Saturday, the tiny pill-shaped park at the end of Mission Street was brimming with music, energy, and the murmurings of people lounging in the summer sun. The sixth annual event was a celebration and exhibition of positive, creative expression, namely graffiti art. People of all ages and skill levels were invited to express themselves with spray paint on the large white panels erected around the perimeter of the park. Rock bands, hip-hop djs, and spoken word poets also take turns doing their thing on the center stage throughout the day.

As I shuffled around the grass seeking interviews, with my camera thumping against my chest and clanging against my metal crutches, I became completely engrossed in the artwork being created around me. One of the event organizers, Suaro, later explained that a major part of the event is the very performance of the graffiti art. I had never seen graffiti created before. For me, the writing and art that mysteriously appear on freeway walls, billboards, doors, tables never had a creator. On this day, the ghost artists materialized out of hissings sprays summoned by the musical metal tinklings of their shaken cans. The artists ranged in age, race, class and ability but were all fiercely intent on their panels. Some braced themselves against the canvases with tension in their arms and issuing out their paint in dense spurts. Others moved with the fluidity of dancers, coercing elegant airy lines of paint with sweeping rhythmic movement of their arms and bodies.

With my notebook alternately in my teeth or shoved under my arm I first spoke to Deenone from TMF crew who has been a Bay Area graffiti artist since early 80s. He proudly explains that his section was reserved for the older writers. We exchange questions and answers in loud screams competing with the brassy roar of the rock band, PPAVARTTAANNA. Deenone describes the changes of old and new school. It’s easier for the new writers "to get better quicker" he explains because they have access to graffiti videos, magazines, and classes, such as the Urban Arts Class taught by Precita Eyes.

I soon found that other artists weren’t as encouraging. Spelio spoke to me while spraying a deep forest green background. He was more critical about graffiti’s transition from street art to more commercial and gallery art. He likens it to the mainstreaming of hip-hop. I ask him whether the transition has neutered the political potential of graffiti especially for people who feel they have no other means of expression. He answers, "No" and explains that despite graffiti’s increasing popularity in mainstream culture, "political graffiti done illegally means that people have no choice but to look at it." I ask him about the diversity of classes and races that the festival has attracted and he responds saying that he appreciates the "open minds" of the diverse crowd.
.

On the opposite side of the wall from Spelio, I speak with two weary young brothers. They reluctantly answer my questions while taking turns trying to control awkward blasts of red paint. Their father stands proudly over them with encouraging comments. He explains to me that graffiti art is a great means of expression "as long as it’s not damaging property" and as long as it’s in "areas set up for it". He tells me more about the "suffering of the public" that occurs when graffiti is done illegally and I begin to wish that he and Spelio could have a heart to heart.

I excuse myself from the conversation to catch up with Antonio and Gabriel, the two members of the band, PPAVARTTAANNA. Antonio, the drummer describes how graffiti is a "disregard of society’s perception of private property" that attracts people from all walks of life. While the two are also visual artists, they explain that they enjoy providing "a challenge to the audience" with their music. Their unique sound is called math rock which uses irregular time signatures to produce nonlinear songs with little repetition that ultimately prevents anyone from bopping their head to the music.

For much of the festival I milled about taking in the scene. During a particularly angry spoken word poem, I watched as a mother arranged her little girl’s hair and hissed to her daughter, "You better plug your ears". I slowly made my way to the various tables that had been set up at the festival. The organizers invited a variety of groups that would aid and interest festival goers and artists. Among them were the Do It Herself Collective which "offers workshops, events and projects that challenge genderized learning and empower our communities." The Culture Cache was also present. It provides hip-hop gallery space for graffiti artists to display their non-graffiti artwork. Additionally, many local markets provided free food and drink for festival goers.

There was one unwelcome guest at the event. Starbucks, who had not invested any money in the event and had turned down Precita Eyes’ applications for grants, had the gall to come and advertise. They slipped in as though they had been invited and took advantage of the large crowd to pass out samples of their new over-caffeinated drink. My 11 year old cousin was given one and he promptly spit it up in the street.

I only had time to hobble to one table which honors fallen artists. I spoke to Lil’ John of the Dream Fund. His brother, Mike Dream was one of the Bay Area’s premier stylistic innovators of graffiti art and also a hero of using the medium to fight injustice. Dream was gunned down in Oakland two years ago leaving behind an infant son. The Fund sells books, T-shirts, and stickers of Dream’s artwork to raise money for Dream’s son. Dream’s pieces are incredible. I recommend that anyone who doesn’t know his art or his name get themselves informed.

The folks at Precita Eyes put on an incredible festival. I left the event with my ears ringing and my arms exhausted completely inspired and excited.

For information about:

Precita Eyes and their Urban Arts Classes visit: www.precitaeyes.org

The Mike Dream Fund: www.dreamtdk.com

The Do-It-Herself Collective: www.do-it-herself.org

The Culture Cache: www.culturecache.com

by A. Faye Hicks

LL Chappelle is survivor, suffering everyday

Light skinned, medium tall afro brother

Dressed in the style of his generation

Shaved head black knitted cap

Pants Jailing, designer shoes

No money in the Pocket

Been smoking dope before he could walk

In the streets of Oakland

Coke Town U.S.A.



Twenty-six now and walked off the Bart Train With me

Slept on a hard cement sidewalk with me

Lives ina Homeless Shelther

Stand St. Anthonys Food Line

Fills out a Job Resume

Struggling to go to work and to school

Even in Whiteman’s Hell

County Jail



He once sold crack on Telegraph ave in Oakland

With the rest of his Crew,

Some survied and some did’t

In the Penn or 6feet under



He went to Continous School Like is mother

Worked at MacDonald’s

But couldnot live on median wages



But recently he was released from San Bruno

Locked up for a misadeaner

He handed me his G.E.D certificate

Studied in a Jail Cell

Wore A Cap and a Gown Because he has love for is mother.

by TJ Johnston

Operation TIPS (Terrorism and Information Prevention System) is looking for snoops (I mean citizens) like you as a first line of defense. You could act as the government's eyes and ears while performing your usual duties. Make that go-nowhere job at the pizza chain count for something.

The FBI, CIA and NSA require their candidates to have a bachelor's degree and undergo a rigorous program. For Operation TIPS, no degree or long and boring classes are necessary. Just be your nosy self. It's like becoming a G-man without the training.

As a TIPSter, you can report in at our toll-free number or website after catching these telltale signs: unusual accents or unintelligible speech (as well as illegible signature); ordering exotic take-out food; politically volatile posters, books and CD's (like Diego Rivera, John Steinbeck or The Clash's "London Calling"); large groups of people sharing cramped living quarters (that sleeping baby might be a sleeper agent).

Worried about infringing on civil liberties? The US Postal Service appears to be---those pansies! That's why they're not participating (You'd think with their collective firepower, they would be down with TIPS and take down some terrorists).

When you enroll with TIPS, you won't be bothered with the muss and fuss of warrants and probable cause. And because the calls are anonymous, no one need know who dropped a dime. What other informants can lay that claim?

If you're a utility worker, monitoring kilowatt usage and telecommunications is simpler because you're effectuating the USA Patriot Act.

Shopping mall security can catalog the buying patterns of the next Al-Qaeda. Campus security could call in the next meeting of suspect student organizations.

Serve your country (or if you're not a citizen, this country) by calling Operation TIPS. Wages for your job range from minimum to barely-living. The feeling you get for ensuring national security is priceless.

(On Sept. 3, the Senate will begin cosideration of Motion to Proceed on HR 5005, the Homeland Security Bill. To send a FREE fax to your Senator urging against implementation of TIPS, log onto the ACLU website: http://www.aclu.org/action/tips107.html. (Contact info for your elected representatives can also be found on www.firstgov.gov).

by Christina Heatherton with Dee Gray/ For Courtwatch/PNN

POVERTY.

Swallowed by the mouthful,

the word can sear an empty stomach

with a burning shame-

that boils the blood to gas,

chars the bone to ash,

and makes the broken body

disappear.

...CH

"I am an invisible man", declares the narrator in the opening lines of Ralph Ellison's landmark novel The Invisible Man. Many Berkeley residents encountered Ellison's nameless narrator over the summer months as they participated in a city wide reading of the book, sponsored by the Berkeley Public Library and the Berkeley Arts Festival. Today, nearly fifty years after the novel was written, Ellison's critical reflections on the American experience, particularly the African American experience of invisibility in America, endures. As every African American I interviewed about the book noted, "Black people are still invisible".

Walking around Berkeley, one realizes quickly that it’s not just African descendants who are invisible. A young white girl on Telegraph Ave. counts a thousand unseeing faces pass her by as she panhandles with her infant son. An elder man on Shattuck echoes the words of Ellison’s narrator who says when people refuse to see you, "you often doubt if you really exist."

Scanning the news recently, I’ve also come across another invisible population: Poor mothers. In Steubenville, Ohio last week, a poor woman was arrested on three felony counts of child endangerment because her children had gotten sunburned. In Jacksonville, Florida, a five year old child was taken from her grandmother’s home by Child Protective Services and lost in a gross oversight by the foster care system there. PNN’s CourtWatch recounts the testimonies of mothers whose children were seriously injured or abused while in the "protection" of Child Protective Services (CPS).

Just as poor men of color, particularly African American men, have become grist for the prison industry’s mill, so have poor minority mothers been exploited to feed the colossal child welfare machine, or as some call it "The Child Abuse Industry". CPS receives an absurd amount of money for each child they take in. The children who are targeted are most often those of poor, single women who do not have the capacities to fight back. From the testimonies I’ve read, it seems that CPS often acts with the arrogant assumption that they are doing what is best for the children while actually destroying the family structure and the mental and physical health of the children.

I’ve been assigned to cover the Child Protective Services in light of two recent groundbreaking cases; one in Los Angeles where a mother won a million dollar cash settlement and an apology from the county for their mistreatment and subsequent death of her son, and the other before Judge Weinstein in New York - who ruled that Foster Care is a form of slavery, in regards to the separation of children from Battered Mothers. These cases illustrate the invisibility of the rights of poor mothers.

Debra Reid’s nine year old son, Jonathan, was seized in 1997 after phony allegations that the boy was not receiving proper medical care at his mother’s hands. The boy suffered from severe asthma and was prone to panic-driven anxiety attacks. According to an article in the New Times, (link below) the onset of Jonathan’s attacks occurred after his four year old brother was taken away by Department of Children and Family Services, or DCFS. Among the false claims of the county was testimony by a doctor that Reid suffered from a mental disorder called "Munchausen's Syndrome By Proxy" where a parent fakes their child’s illness in order to gain the glory and praise of being the child’s caretaker. The doctor based this diagnosis without ever meeting Reid. The diagnosis also overlooked the fact that the symptoms of Jonathan’s ailments: asthma and diabetes can not be falsely created. Investigators additionally ignored testimony from Jonathan’s doctor and nurses that Reid was taking excellent care of her son.

For his protection, Jonathan was taken by DCFS. DCFS workers ignored Reid’s repeated pleas to attend to her son’s asthmatic condition. They told her that her son was healthy. The New Times Article reports that Jonathan repeatedly asked to go home to his mother and tried running away to her, even jumping out of his social worker’s moving car. Six weeks after being placed in foster care, Jonathan died from an asthma attack. PNN co-editor, Tiny, a lifelong sufferer of panic driven asthma – often an ailment of being poor, insists that the child died from terror. Debra Reid received word that her son had died from the hospital. She never received a phone call from DCFS to tell her that her son was dead much less an apology from them. Reid has fought the county in court for five long years ever since.

On July 30, Reid spoke before L.A. County Board of Supervisors pleading for a criminal investigation into her son’s death. She was awarded a $1 million dollar settlement and a tearful apology from County Supervisor Gloria Molina. ABC news quotes Reed as saying, "We sought true justice, and we have not received it….Until someone sends this case for criminal investigation, our family has not received justice."

After much work and extensive organizing, Reid has gained a settlement and visibility for her and her son’s rights. The case also sets a precedent that will perhaps enable other mothers to gain visibility in the CPS system. Courtwatch will be following her progress and trying to aid her as best as we can as she works for a criminal investigation into her son’s death.

The case of Debra Reid and other mothers entangled in the CPS system speaks for a larger population of poor minority invisibility. Their pleas can be read in the final lines of Ellison’s novel:

"Being invisible, without substance,

a disembodied voice, as it were, what else could I do?

What else but try to tell you what was really happening when your eyes were looking through?

And this is what frightens me..

Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you too?"

The New Times Article "Protected to Death" can be located at: http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/1998-10-08/feature.html/page1.html

by Joe B.

Sup. Gavin Newsom, is he’s a Figurehead, puppet, with handlers, backers or whatever you’d call ‘em working behind the scenes.

Maybe he’s is in total control of his own campaign within the working of the political system either way I have a slight suggestion to the "Care Not Cash" iniative it could be improved with a few adjustments.

If memory serves me I think I proposed at least to me an economic solution to both joblessness and human downsizing [folks layoff their jobs through no fault of their own as multi national corps and get lean ‘n mean to compete internationally].

The pieces were No-Work Society and Rich Economy.

The main points with going the whole thing again.
* G.D.P. [Gross Domestic Product(s)]
S&P [Standard & POOR(s)]
NASDAQ [National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotes] Yeah, it’s a mouth full of stuff to chew on but on to the main point, now that the economy was tanking big time an hemorrhaging money like a bullet riddled bucket leaking water.

It could be a time of experimentation and exploration economically speaking, This is what America and other countries have learned right and America is suppose to be a past master invention and reinventing it self right?

Here goes.
Instead of Newsom’s $59 dollar or less "Care Not Cash" plan why not place the as little as 5% of the individual affected in a combination investment /trust and annuity fund so some their money is working for them while they try rebuilding their lives an are helped by non profits.

In this way houseless, working poor single and families can participate and benefit.

There are quarterly financial statements and in two or four years accrued interest on the growing 5% principle

Is given by annuity check while part of the excess dividends are reinvested.

The death of individuals is a problem if there are no relatives or friends that monies and or estates are given to it may go to the state and other people so they too can benefit from this ongoing economic programs.

It sounds more complicated but don’t we a ‘kinda technology called supercomputers that can easily work out the math of compounded interest for the hundreds of thousands of people who may benefit?

This may cause certain types of havoc like people take their checks an buying homes, more savvy about money, traveling to other cities, across country, and continents also buying more abandoned office buildings turning time into co-ops.

Some portfolios might make millionaires out of a few.

They too can do nothing all day while their money works hard for them. That could be a problem, too many formally, working poor and homeless/houseless rubbing elbows and ideas with captains, scions, prince and princes of industry.

All this takes is a slight rethinking of economics and using both government and international investing to help and serve a needier population.

Yes, a crackpot idea but has anyone tried it?

I’d like to know if what I proposed is feasible and if not what can take its place because so far what have going is a lot of "Cheap ‘N’ Cheesy" legislation making people do more with less.

As an ad it’s a quickie answer but in reality… well things are more complex in real life. Bye.

by PNN staff writers and editors, concept by Dee

The following is a list of restaurants that are
members of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association
(GGRA). Please support POOR Magazine in boycotting
the following restaurants because they are members of the GGRA,
which support Gavin Newsome's Proposition N, which contrary to its claims of "care" will put more poor people on the streets by taking away their rent money, reducing drug treatment services, healthcare and pay folks pennies per hour for their work-fare (the work required by the City to recieve your monthly cash assistance)

POOR contacted GGRA several times to inquire about their reason for
supporting Prop N, but they did not respond, so we are asking our subscribers and readers to join us in boycotting these restaurants in opposition to this very harmful legislation.

Please join us in boycotting the following restaurants until their owners disavow membership in GGRA and denounce Newsom’s Proposition N.

GGRA is active in the greater Bay Area. For members in your area, please check www.ggra.org members dining guide.

Phone numbers are provided to inform OWNERS of the boycott and why. As long as the owners remain affiliated with GGRA, they will remain targets of an on-going boycott. Restaurant workers are not the target of this boycott campaign.

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar 415-551-1590

398 Hayes Street

San Francisco

Hayes Valley

Alfred's Steakhouse (415)781-7058

659 Merchant

San Francisco

TransAmerica/Chinatown

Alioto's Restaurant (415)673-0183

8 Fisherman's Wharf

San Francisco

Wharf

Allegro Restaurant 928-4002

1701 Jones Street

San Francisco

Amante 362-4400

570 Green Street

San Francisco

Amphora Wine Merchant 863-1104

384A Hayes Street

San Francisco

Andale Taqueria 749-0506

2150 Chestnut Street

San Francisco

*Angelina's Deli-Café & Catering

6000 California Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 221-7801

Anjou 392-5373

44 Campton Place

San Francisco

Ansonia Hotel (415)673-1298

711 Post Street

San Francisco

Aqua (415)956-9662

252 California Street

San Francisco

Arlequin To Go (415)626-1211

384B Hayes Street

San Francisco

*Axum Café

698 Haight Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 252-7912

*Axum East

1233 Polk Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 474-7743

*B44 (415)986-6287

44 Belden Place

San Francisco

Downtown

Balboa CafÈ (415)921-3944

3199 Fillmore Street (corner of Greenwich)

San Francisco

Upper Fillmore

Baskin Robbins Lakeshore (415)681-2253 ??NOL

1539 Sloat Boulevard

San Francisco

Bayside Sports Bar & Grill (415)673-1565

1787 Union Street

San Francisco

Marina

*Beale Street Bar & Grill

133 Beale Street at Mission

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 543-1961

www.bealestreet.citysearch.com

*BeauCoup

1001 California Street (at Mason)

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 409-8500

Betelnut (415)929-8855

2030 Union Street

San Francisco

Marina

Big Nate's Barbeque (415)861-4242

1665 Folsom Street

San Francisco

SOMA

Bistro 1650 (415)876-1650

1650 Balboa St.

San Francisco

Bix (415)433-6300

56 Gold Street

San Francisco

Bizou 543-2222

598 Fourth Street

San Francisco

Blondies Bar & No Grill 846-2419

540 Valencia Street (between 16th & 17th)

San Francisco

Blowfish - Sushi To Die For 285-3848

2170 Bryant Street

San Francisco

*Blue

2337 Market Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 863-2583

Boulevard 543-6084

One Mission Street

San Francisco

Brazen Head Restaurant 921-7600

3166 Buchanan St.

San Francisco

*Brickhouse Café

426 Brannan Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 369-0222

Bruno's 648-7701

2389 Mission Street

San Francisco (Jon Varnedot/foreign cinema)

Buena Vista CafÈ 474-5044

2765 Hyde Street

San Francisco (Getty/Newsom venture??)

Bus Stop 567-6905

1901 Union St

San Francisco

Butter 863-5964

354 11th Street

San Francisco

Butterfly 864-5575

1710 Mission Street (at Duboce)

San Francisco

Buzz 9 255-8783

139 - 8th Street

San Francisco

Caesar's Italian Restaurant 989-6000

2299 Powell Street

San Francisco

CafÈ Bastille 986-5673

22 Belden Place

San Francisco

CafÈ Claude 392-3505

7 Claude Lane

San Francisco

Cafe de la Presse 398-2680

352 Grant Ave

San Francisco

Cafe Desiree 543-0452

160 Spear Street

San Francisco

CafÈ deStijl 291-0808

One Union St.

San Francisco

CafÈ Dolci 392-9222

740 Market St.

San Francisco

CaffÈ Focaccia 415-495-3521

101 Spear Street

San Francisco

CafÈ Lil Bean 776-6620

754 Post Street

San Francisco

CafÈ Mars 621-6277

798 Brannan Street

San Francisco

Cafe Mozart 391-8480

708 Bush St

San Francisco

CafÈ Niebaum-Coppola 291-1700

916 Kearny St.

San Francisco

CafÈ Pescatore 415-561-1111

2455 Mason Street Tuscan Inn

San Francisco

CafÈ Rosso (NL) SFSU

SFSU 1600 Holloway Drive

San Francisco

Cafe Venue 546-1144

721 Market Street

San Francisco

Cafe Venue 576-1144

70 Leidesdorff Street

San Francisco

Cafe Venue 989-1144

218 Montgomery Street

San Francisco

*Cafe Venue

721 Market Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 546-1144

Caffe Espresso 415-395-8585

462 Powell Sreet Sir Francis Drake

San Francisco

Caffe Museo - in the SF MOMA 415-357-4500

151 Third Street

San Francisco

Calzone's Pizza Cucina 397-3600

430 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco

Capp's Corner 415-989-2589

1600 Powell Street

San Francisco

Careme Room at the California Culinary Academy

625 Polk Street

San Francisco

Phone: (800) 229-2433

Carnelian Room 433-7500

555 California Street, 52nd Floor

San Francisco

Casa Sanchez 415-282-2400

2778 24th Street

San Francisco

Cassidy's 415-241-9990

1145 Folsom Street

San Francisco

Lolli's Castagnola's 776-5015

286 Jefferson Street

San Francisco

Catering With Style 285-8863

2800 Bryant St

San Francisco

Charles Nob Hill 771-5400

1250 Jones Street

San Francisco

Chow 415-552-2469

215 Church Street

San Francisco

Chowders 391-4737

Space A3, Pier 39

San Francisco

Cioppino's on the Wharf (415)775-9311

496 Jefferson Street

San Francisco

Citizen Cake 775-9311

399 Grove Street

San Francisco

Cityscape Bar & Restaurant 923-5002

333 O'Farrell Street Atop the Hilton

San Francisco

Cliff House 415-386-3330

1090 Point Lobos

San Francisco

*Clown Alley

42 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 421-2540

Compass Rose 415-774-0167

335 Powell St.

San Francisco

Conard 9th Street CafÈ 487-1706

160 9th Street

San Francisco

Conard Montgomery Street CafÈ 415-392-3649

710 Montgomery Street

San Francisco

Cozmo's Corner Grill (415)351-0175

2001 Chestnut Street

San Francisco Marina

Crab House at Pier 39 (415)434-2722

203C, Pier 39

San Francisco

Crustacean
San Francisco (415)776-2722

1475 Polk Street

San Francisco

*Cybelle's Pizza And Grill

3782 24th Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 285-3212

Daily Grill (415)616-5000

347 Geary Street

San Francisco

*Delfina Restaurant

3621 18th Street (near Dolores)

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 552-4094

Diamond Corner CafÈ (415)282-9551

751 Diamond St

San Francisco

Divas (415)474-3482

1081 Post Street

San Francisco

Don Ramon's Mexican Restaurant 864-2700

225 11th Street

San Francisco

Dulcinea Café and Catering

371 Eleventh Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 552-5599

East Coast West Deli (415)563-3542

1725 Polk Street

San Francisco

Eastside West (415)885-4000

3154 Fillmore Street

San Francisco

Edward II Inn and Suites (415)922-3000

3155 Scott Blvd

San Francisco

Enrico's (415)982-6223

504 Broadway

San Francisco

Erzulie

485 Pine Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 362-3998

Farallon 956-6969

450 Post Street

San Francisco

Faz CafÈ at Bechtel Bldg. (415) 768-7244

50 Beale Street, 2nd Floor

San Francisco

Faz Restaurant 415-362-0404

161 Sutter Street

San Francisco

Fiddler's Green (415)441-9758

1333 Columbus Ave

San Francisco

Fifth Floor 348-1555

12 Fourth Street (at Market) Hotel Palomar

San Francisco

Figaro Ristorante Italiano

414 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 398-1300

Fior d'Italia 986-1868

601 Union Street

San Francisco

Firewood Café

4248 18th Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 252-0999

Firewood Café SFO

P.O. Box 250413

San Francisco

Phone:

www.firewoodcafe.citysearch.com

Cuisine: American , Italian

Firewood Sony - GM Foods

101 4th Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 369-6199

Fishermen's Grotto 673-7025

No. 9 Fisherman's Wharf

San Francisco

Fleur de Lys (415)673-7779

777 Sutter Street

San Francisco

Florio (415)775-4300

1915 Fillmore Street

San Francisco

*Fly Trap

606 Folsom Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 243-0580

Fog City Diner (415)982-2000

1300 Battery Street

San Francisco

Food Court, North Beach Deli, Crab Pot

SF International Airport P.O. Box 251600

San Francisco

Foreign Cinema (415)648-7600

2534 Mission Street

San Francisco

Franciscan Restaurant (415)362-7733

Pier 43 1/2 Fishermans Wharf

San Francisco

Ghirardelli Chocolate Manufactory (415)771-4901

Ghirardelli Square Clock Tower 900 North Point Street

San Francisco

Gino & Carlo (415)421-0896

548 Green Street

San Francisco

Globe (415)391-4132

290 Pacific Ave

San Francisco

Goat Hill Pizza (415)641-1440

300 Connecticut Street

San Francisco

Gold Spike Restaurant (415)986-9747

527 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco

Grand CafÈ (415)292-0101

501 Geary Street Hotel Monaco SF

San Francisco

Harrington's Bar & Grill (415)392-7595

245 Front Street

San Francisco

Harry Denton's Starlight Room (415)395-8595

450 Powell Street Sir Francis Drake

San Francisco

Hatley Restaurants Inc.

870 Market Street, Suite 1150

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 834-1717

Hemlock Tavern (415)923-0923

1131 Polk Street

San Francisco

Holy Cow Nightclub (415)621-6087

1535 Folsom Street

San Francisco

House of Prime Rib (415)885-4605

1906 Van Ness Avenue

San Francisco

Houston's Restaurant (415)392-9280

1800 Montgomery Street

San Francisco Su-Thu

Il Fornaio Cucina Italiana (415)986-0100

1265 Battery Street

San Francisco

It's Tops Coffee Shop (415)431-6395

1801 Market Street

San Francisco

Jacks Elixir (415)552-1633

3200 16th Street

San Francisco

Jardiniere (415)861-5555

300 Grove Street

San Francisco

Jeanty at Jack's

615 Sacramento Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 693-0941

Jelly's A Dance CafÈ (415)495-3099 Pier 50

295 Terry Francois Blvd/Pier 50

San Francisco

Jester's (415) 974-6400

50 Third St

San Francisco

Jianna (415)398-0422

1548 Stockton Street

San Francisco

Johnny Foley's Irish House (415)954-0777

243 O'Farrell Street

San Francisco

Judi's Place (415)863-5834

1414 Market Street

San Francisco

Julius Castle Restaurant (415)392-2222

1541 Montgomery Street

San Francisco

*Just Desserts

248 Church Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 626-5774

*Just Desserts

3 Embarcadero Center Lobby Level

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 421-1609

*Just Desserts

3735 Buchanan Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 922-8675

*Just Desserts

Sony Metreon 101 4th Street at Mission

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 369-6137

Kate O'Brien's (415)882-7240

579 Howard St

San Francisco

Kelly's Mission Rock (415)626-5355

817 China Basin

San Francisco

Kelly's on Trinity (415)362-4454

333 Bush St. #101

San Francisco

Kiku of Tokyo (415)441-5458

333 O'Farrell Sreet

San Francisco

Kilowatt (415)861-2595

3160 16th Street

San Francisco

Kokkari Estiatorio (415)981-0983

200 Jackson Street

San Francisco

Kuleto's Italian Restaurant (415)397-7720

221 Powell Street Villa Florence

San Francisco

La Folie (415)776-5577

2316 Polk Street

San Francisco

La Mediterranee (415)921-2956

2210 Fillmore Street

San Francisco

La Mediterranee (415)431-7210

288 Noe St

San Francisco

Lalo

2247 Market Street

San Francisco

Lapis Restaurant 982-0203

Pier 33 The Embarcadero

San Francisco

Lavash Mediterranean Bistro (415)982-2233

4 Embarcadero Center

San Francisco

Le Central Bistro (415)391-2233

453 Bush Street

San Francisco

Le Colonial (415)931-3600

20 Cosmo Place

San Francisco

Le Zinc (415)647-9400

4063 - 24th Street

San Francisco

Lefty O'Doul's (415)982-8900

333 Geary Street

San Francisco

Liverpool Lil's (415)921-6664

2942 Lyon St

San Francisco

L'Olivier Restaurant (415)981-7824

465 Davis Court

San Francisco

*Los Socios

690 Sacramento Street

San Francisco
Phone: (415) 989-5763

L'Ottavo Ristorante 922-3944

692 Sutter Street

San Francisco

Louis Restaurant (415)387-6330

902 Point Lobos

San Francisco

Lou's Pier 47

300 Jefferson Street

San Francisco

: (415) 771-5687

Luques Restaurant & Bar

433 Powell Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 248-2475

MacArthur Park (415)398-5700

607 Front Street

San Francisco

Market Place Café

2353 Lombard Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 494-9400

Market Street Grill (415)487-4414

1231 Market Street

San Francisco

Martin Macks Bar & Restaurant (415)864-0124

1568 Haight Street

San Francisco

Masa's (415)989-7154

648 Bush Street Hotel Vintage Court

San Francisco (Iron Chef Champ

MATRIXFILLMORE (415)563-4180

www.plumpjack.com

3138 Fillmore Street

San Francisco

Maya (415)543-2928

303 Second St

San Francisco

RESUME HERE

Mel's Drive In (415)292-6357

1050 Van Ness

San Francisco

Mel's Drive In (415)387-2244

3355 Geary Blvd.

San Francisco

Mel's Drive In 227-4477

801 Mission Street

San Francisco

Mel's Drive In (415)921-3039

2165 Lombard Street

San Francisco

Miz Brown's Feed Bag (415)752-2039

3401 California Street

San Francisco

MoMo's (415)227-8660

760 Second Street

San Francisco

Moose's (415)989-7800

1652 Stockton Street

San Francisco

Mozzarella DiBufala Pizzeria I (415)346-9888

1529 Fillmore Street

2114 Fillmore 346-9949

San Francisco

*Mozzarella DiBufala Pizzeria II (415)661-8900

69 West Portal Ave

San Francisco

'N Touch Bar (415)441-8413

1548 Polk Street

San Francisco

Napa Ranch CafÈ (415)433-9151

201 Spear Street

San Francisco

Napa Ranch CafÈ (415)?

3415 California Street

San Francisco

Napa Ranch CafÈ (415)981-6901

465 California Street

San Francisco

Napa Ranch CafÈ (415)291-8215

280 Battery Street

San Francisco

New Pisa (415)989-2289

550 Green Street

San Francisco

*Nick's Lighthouse (415)929-1300

2815 Taylor Street

San Francisco

*Night Monkey

2223 Union Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 775-1130

Nob Hill Noshery (415)928-6674

1400 Pacific Ave

San Francisco

*Noe Valley Bakery & Bread (415)550-1405

2277 Shafter Avenue

San Francisco

North Beach Pizza (415)433-2444

1499 Grant Avenue

San Francisco

North Beach Restaurant (415)392-1700

1512 Stockton Street

San Francisco

*Oak Room

335 Powell Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 774-0264

One Market Restaurant (415)777-5577

1 Market Street

San Francisco

O'Reilly's Irish Pub & Restaurant (415)989-6222

622 Green St.

San Francisco

Original Joe's (415)775-4877

144 Taylor Street

San Francisco

*Original U.S. Restaurant (415)?

515 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco

*Orphan Andy's

3991A 17th Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 864-9795

Palio d'Asti (415)395-9800

640 Sacramento Street

San Francisco

Palio Paninoteca (415)681-9925

500 Parnassus Avenue

San Francisco

Palio Paninoteca (415)362-6900

505 Montgomery Street

San Francisco

Palomino (415)512-7400

345 Spear Street

San Francisco

PAN-O-RAMA BAKING Company (415)522-5500

500 Florida Street

San Francisco

Paragon Restaurant & Bar (415)537-9020

701 Second Street

San Francisco

Park Chow (415)665-9912

1240 Ninth Street

San Francisco

Parkside CafÈ (415)503-0393

1600 17th Street

San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro 831-0900

3611 California Street

San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro 558-8123

2304 Market Street

San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro 474-3400 Not on GGRA list

2027 Chestnut Street

San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro 399-0300

655 Union Street

San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro 771-7900

1875 Union Street

San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro 920-9904

4000 24th Street

San Francisco x

Pasta Pomodoro 674-1826

1865 Post Street

San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro 566-0900

816 Irving Street

San Francisco

Pasticci 392-7072

8 Trinity Street

San Francisco

*Pasticci

35 New Montgomery Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 495-3566

Pat's CafÈ (415)776-8735

2701 Leavenworth St

San Francisco

Pauline's Pizza Pie 552-2050

260 Valencia Street

San Francisco

Pazzia Caffe & Trattoria (415)512-1693

337 Third Street

San Francisco

Perry's (415)922-9022

1944 Union St

San Francisco

*Perry's Downtown 989-6895

185 Sutter Street

San Francisco

Pier 23 CafÈ (415)362-5125

The Embarcadero

San Francisco Owner: "Flicka" also owns Sweeties

Pizzeria Uno (415)397-8667

2 Embarcadero Center

San Francisco

Pizzeria Uno (415)563-3144

2200 Lombard Street

San Francisco

PJ's Oyster Bed (415)566-7775

737 Irving Street

San Francisco

Plouf (415)986-6491

40 Belden Place

San Francisco

GAVIN NEWSOMS PLACE

PlumpJack CafÈ (415)563-4755

3127 Fillmore Street www.plumpjack.com

San Francisco

Pompei's Grotto (415)776-9265

340 Jefferson Street

San Francisco

Ponzu (415)775-7979

401 Taylor Street Serrano Hotel

San Francisco

Postrio (415)776-7825

545 Post Street Prescott Hotel

San Francisco

Prego Ristorante (415)563-3305

2000 Union Street

San Francisco

Puccini & Pinetti (415)392-5500

129 Ellis Street Monticello Inn

San Francisco

Puerto Alegre Restaurant (415)255-8201

546 Valencia Street

San Francisco

Red Herring (415)495-6500

155 Steuart St., At the Hotel Griffon

San Francisco

Red Grill

4063 18th Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 255-2733

Restaurant Jeanne D'Arc (415)421-3154

715 Bush Street

San Francisco

Rose Pistola (415)399-0499

532 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco

Rose's CafÈ (415)775-2200

2298 Union Street

San Francisco

Rubicon (415)434-4100

558 Sacramento

San Francisco

Ruby Skye Nightclub (415)693-0777

420 Mason Street

San Francisco

*Samovar Tea Lounge

466 Arkansas Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 786-3622

Sam's Grill (415)421-0594

374 Bush Street

San Francisco

San Francisco Brewing Co. (415)434-3344

155 Columbus Ave.

San Francisco

*San Francisco Soup Company

221 Montgomery Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 834-0472

*
San Francisco Soup Company

One Market Bayside Cuisines Food Court

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 495-4765

*San Francisco Soup Company

50 Post Street Crocker Galleria, 3rd Level

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 397-7687

*San Francisco Soup Company

201 Mission Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 278-9878

Sanraku (415)771-0803

704 Sutter Street

San Francisco

Sanraku (415)369-6166

101 4th Street (at the Metreon)

San Francisco

Scala's Bistro (415)395-8555

432 Powell Street Sir Francis Drake

San Francisco

Scoma's Restaurant (415)771-4383

Pier 47 One Al Scoma Way

San Francisco

*Sellers Market

2078 Green Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 336-3305

Shanghai Kelly's Saloon (415)771-3300

2064 Polk St.

San Francisco

Silks at Mandarin Oriental Hotel (415)986-2020

222 Sansome Sreet

San Francisco

**South Park Cafe

108 South Park

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 495-7275

Spoon (415)268-0140

2209 Polk Street

San Francisco

Stars Bar and Dining (415)861-7827

555 Golden Gate Avenue

San Francisco

Station CafÈ SFSU

1600 Holloway Drive

San Francisco

*Steps of Rome

348 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 397-0435

*Steps of Rome Trattoria

362 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 986-6480

Subway Sandwiches & Salads (415)771-5583

1500 Fillmore St.

San Francisco

Subway Sandwiches & Salads (415)543-1505

1 Market Plaza

San Francisco

Subway Sandwiches & Salads (415)928-1055

753 Polk Street

San Francisco

*Subway Sandwiches & Salads

101 Spear Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 495-1942

Sushi Chardonnay (415)346-5070

1785 Union St

San Francisco

Sushi Groove (415)440-1905

1916 Hyde Street

San Francisco

Swan Oyster Depot (415)673-1101

1517 Polk Street

San Francisco

Sweetie's (415)433-2343

475 Francisco Street

San Francisco same owner as Pier 23 "Flicka"

Tadich Grill (415)391-1849

240 California St

San Francisco

Tad's Steak House (415)982-1718

120 Powell Street

San Francisco

Taqueria Zapata (415)861-4470

4150 18th St

San Francisco

Tarantino's Restaurant (415)775-5600

206 Jefferson

San Francisco

Taste Catering (415)550-6464

3450 3rd Street, # 4D

San Francisco

Tazza D'oro NL

Airport Rental Area 780 McDonnel Road

San Francisco

Terra Brazilis (415)241-1900

602 Hayes Street

San Francisco

**Restaurant (650) 877-0955

San Francisco International Airport Terminal 3

San Francisco

*Thai Me Up

5700 Geary Boulevard

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 387-3999

Thanh Long (415)665-1146

4101 Judah Street

San Francisco

*Thanya & Salee Thai / Lingba Lounge

1469 - 18th Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 699-2101

The Argent Hotel (415)974-6400

50 Third St

San Francisco

The Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant (415)386-8439

1000 Great Highway

San Francisco

The Blue Light (415)922-5510

1979 Union Street

San Francisco

The Cosmopolitan CafÈ (415)543-4001

121 Spear Street

San Francisco

The Endup! biz off (415)896-1075; 896-1095; fax:541-9422

401 6th Street

San Francisco

The Grove (415)474-1419

2016 Fillmore Street

San Francisco

The Liberties Irish Bar & Restaurant

998 Guerrero Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 282-6789

The Magic Flute Garden Ristorante (415)922-1225

3673 Sacramento St

San Francisco

The Occidental Grill (415)834-0484

453 Pine Street

San Francisco

*The Phoenix Irish Bar And Gathering House

811 Valencia Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 695-1811

The Ramp (415)621-2378

855 China Basin

San Francisco

The Slanted Door 861-8032

100 Brannan Street

San Francisco

The Stinking Rose 781-7673

325 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco

The Waterfront 391-2696

Pier 7 on the Embarcadero

San Francisco

Tia Margarita (415)752-9274

300 - 19th Ave

San Francisco

Tommy's Joynt 775-4216

1101 Geary Blvd

San Francisco

Tony Roma's (415)296-0902

126 Ellis Street

San Francisco

Toraya (415)931-9455

1734 Post Street

San Francisco

Tosca CafÈ (415)391-1244

242 Columbus Avenue

San Francisco Owner: Jeannette Etheridge

*Town's End Restaurant & Bakery

2 Townsend Street

San Francisco

Phone: (415) 512-0749

Trattoria Contadina (415)982-5728

1800 Mason Street

San Francisco

Treasure Island Job Corp (415)362-4465;277-2400

655 H Avenue, Bldg. #442

San Francisco

Upton's Catering (415)567-1335

2435 Lombard Street

San Francisco

Village Pizzeria (415)673-7771

1243 Van Ness Avenue

San Francisco

XYZ Restaurant (415)817-7836

181 3rd Street

San Francisco

Yank Sing Restaurant (415)541-4949closed?

49 Stevenson Street

San Francisco

Yank Sing Restaurant (415)957-9300

101 Spear Street (at Rincon Center)

San Francisco

You See Sushi (We Be Sushi)(415)681-4010

94 Judah Street

San Francisco

Zao Noodle Bar (415)864-2888

3583 - 16th Street

San Francisco

Zao Noodle Bar (415)928-3088

2031 Chestnut Street

San Francisco

Zao Noodle Bar (415)345-8088

2406 California Street

San Francisco

Boycott Appeal also posted at sf.indymedia.org

GGRA information from www.ggra.org members dining guide.

by Liz Rodda/PoorNewsNetwork

One by one the land assets of Beatrice Sloan seem to have vanished from beneath her. Thirty years a dishwasher, she labored tirelessly to one day relieve her family of poverty. A nearly implausible task for one person, Mrs. Sloan succeeded in both buying and maintaining four homes for her family. A woman of incredible self-sacrifice, life began to take its toll on her aged body and she grew seriously ill. A court date was set concerning her health for which her daughter and conservator would never be informed of in time. As a result, Alameda County Social Services assigned her to the Excell Nursing Home as well as public guardian and estate manager/ investigator, Alfred Fischer. Instead of allowing her own family to care for her, the Social Services Department decided to assign a nurse for which Fischer then sold their property as "payment". With only two properties left, Mrs. Sloan’s family was never given so much notice as a "for sale sign" in Fischer’s sale of their mother’s property.

Life grew increasingly hostile for the Sloans. They were soon informed that Mr. Fischer intended to evict them from home on the basis that their living quarters were "unhealthy" due to lack of sufficient space. What Alfred Fischer apparently fails to realize is that a small home beats homelessness any day. As Mr. Sloan put it, "we don’t have no where to go… that is why I see so many homeless people on the street." Without a lawyer or any desperately needed defense, the Sloans attended their first hearing, for which they stated their case, "We are here to take over the conservator of person." The court returned, "I am afraid you can’t do that today. You can state your objection to the county taking over conservator of person which they are filing for, but you would have to file a formal petition to the court with your objections." POOR Magazine co-founder Lisa Gray-Garcia, a.k.a. Tiny, along with several other PNN staff writers who appeared in court with the family, "Your honor this family cannot do these legal documents themselves- they need a lawyer appointed to the case." A chilling answer in response, the judge replied that an attorney was not to be required to be assigned for the case.

A second serious concern arose as Lisa implored, "what about the fact that Mrs. Sloan is being abused by the care facility she is in?" For the duration of her stay at the Excell Nursing Home, Mrs. Sloan has received negligence and abuse, much to the Sloan’s horror. The judge responded, "I am not able to deal with an elder abuse case but the family should contact the County Council’s office about that." The fact is they have repetitively contacted the Councils office with absolutely no success in the issue’s address. The judge continued that a new date would be set for July 13th by which they would be able to file objections or petition to become conservator of person by June 20th.

I was with the Sloan family on the morning of the hearing, sitting alongside them in the confining square room. Their faces contorted as they acknowledged the possibility of their homelessness and the abuse their mother was facing without the "authority" to care for her. Despite the circumstances, the Sloans appeared a beautiful unit. Their close family attachment gave them strength that appeared nowhere else in the courtroom. I felt honored to be there with them and to shake their hands. However bleak life seemed, the Sloans are a family who make it through with grace.

This past Thursday POOR Media members gathered in a tight circle for the POOR Magazine newsroom group session. Tiny’s voice filled the room as she commenced the meeting. "I have news on the Sloans" she began. We held our breath, braced for the worst-case. A brilliant smile spread across Tiny’s face as she revealed, "Their eviction has been dismissed!" The room stirred with disbelief, which became thrill. Tiny spoke over our excitement "At POOR we don't just report, we support. That is why we have this victory!" At POOR Magazine, we report on people in poverty who are in crisis. It is not just enough to write a story about poor folks. In the Sloans case, POOR members appeared in court, advocated at the nursing home, protested, wrote stories, made endless telephone calls, organized with other agencies. As new problems arose concerning the Sloan’s eviction, POOR Magazine advocates got them a lawyer. "For poor people there are no lawyers," Dee declared solemnly, "so this is the Most Herculean of tasks, but we did it cause they CANNOT be evicted! Then all of our work would be for Naught!" The dismissal was something wonderfully rare as Tiny and mother, Dee, had been evicted twenty-one times without one successful dismissal.

The question at POOR became "just how did the dismissal come about?" Hence, my research began. I contacted Leo Stegman, POOR Magazine alumni organizer and revolutionary of East Bay Community Law Center who had helped represent the Sloans. Here, he like many other lawyers works tirelessly to defend low-income people in cases involving eviction, government benefits, and AIDS law. I was greeted with an amiable, rather hoarse, "Hello, how are you… it has been one long week for me." Eviction case after eviction case, it took Mr. Stegman a moment to recall the details of the Sloan Case as he pulled up their files. He was more than willing to inform me of all they had gone through to receive the dismissal. "In most cases" he explained, "if you can get an attorney you have a much better chance. Still, the proceeding for an eviction case moves faster than any type of civil lawsuit. You must follow strict requirements, otherwise you will fail." His voice was rough but extremely decisive. I could imagine his lips moving forcefully into the receiver as he enunciated each word. He continued on to the specifics of the Sloans case. Apparently, the Sloans had filed a demur on the account that the rent had failed to list the rental amount on the thirty-day notice. In Oakland, it is law to list this dollar amount under municipal code A22-100E. The Sloan’s landlords had failed to follow these strict statuary requirements. Mr. Stegman continued to relay the information thoroughly, "If you are given civil code section 146 notice, termination of tenancy without cause, you are required to put the rental cost." Oakland requires one to list the rent so it is impossible to raise rents high for the next tenant. According to the 1946 notice, you are barred for two years to raise rent. "The demur was therefore granted." He concluded, however, that this would most likely not be the last of it for the Sloans. "It wouldn’t surprise me if the Sloans received another thirty-day notice." I sighed in harmony with him. As Mr. Stegman continued to inform me, the court has not yet decided the case’s mass. Therefore, the possibility of retaliatory eviction is likely.

Despite this prospect, the Sloan family is relieved at this primary dismissal. I telephoned Javlyn Woods of the Sloan family several days ago, first congratulating them on the dismissal. "Thank you," her voice saccharine and smooth. I continued to ask her the details of her part in the situation and how she was feeling along with her family. "Basically, we turned in a demur and some things were wrong with the actual eviction… the judge must have seen there was something wrong," she began "but let me give you to my father, he knows more." For several minutes I was entertained by the sounds of children’s laughter until Scott Sloan’s voice erupted on the telephone with a bellowing hello. Without delay, he began to unfold the further details of what he knew of the case, "I went down in person because I couldn’t read so well and they told me the judge threw it all out. They wouldn’t tell me why. That was it." His voice hissed from the anger of not knowing the details of his own situation. "I am paying to stay in my mom’s house and they are trying to move me out." He revealed to me he was sure they only intended to sell it. "We would have been out cold."

Scott Sloan disclosed another disturbing piece, "My brother and I are taking care of our father (at home) and they are trying to do the same thing to him. Where ever we are going we are taking him with us." Mr. Sloan meant what he said. It was obvious he wasn’t about to take any more bullshit. Early on in the assignment of the health care of Mrs. Sloan, "They moved my mother from the hospital to a nursing home without telling us." Mr. Sloan and his family were going to see her one Monday when they discovered, much to their alarm, that she had been moved one Friday night without so much as informing them. "We still don’t where her money went (from her properties sold) even after I got a court order for them to tell me." Mr. Sloan took a breath and calmed himself, "We don’t know why. The judge just dismissed everything." The Sloans have a court date scheduled for the 15th where they hope to be disclosed further detail. As for now they are paying to live on their mother’s property and only want to care for her as a family. Scott Sloan spoke into the receiver with incredible determination, "I’m fighting with everything I’ve got." I set down the receiver and sank into the floor.

by Mike Vizcarra/PNN Media Intern

The street was quiet. Too quiet. And empty. Almost like one
of those western movies where there’s no one on the streets and a tumbleweed
goes by. It was a bright day and sunny day and I was thinking maybe I should
have put sunscreen on. But I’m Filipino. I don’t burn. I also had another
strange thought as I walked up Washington Street towards Kearny, “It seems
abnormally quiet around here. What if no one is at Portsmouth Square? What
if no one came to support?” But my worries subsided when I reached the
square and saw volunteers helping set up the stage of Manilatown’s 25th Year
Eviction Commemoration of the International Hotel.

It was exactly 25 years ago to the day when San Francisco police
evicted over 50 elderly Filipino and Chinese tenants from the International
Hotel (I-Hotel). The International Hotel had been the home to many
immigrants dating back to 1910. Starting in the 1920s, there was an influx
of Filipino immigrants to the United States. They helped to fill the need
for labor created by the exclusion of the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and
Asian Indians. But they still could not own land or property and thus had
to stay in rooming houses or hotels. Thus, the I-Hotel housed Filipino and
Chinese workers for $50 a month in the center of what was known as
“Manilatown.”

The building was demolished at the end of 1977 but nothing was
built in its place because of the efforts of activists and city officials
who rejected any kind of development on the site that did not include
low-income housing. Now, after 25 years, a new building is being developed
that will include a 105-unit senior housing facility.

I arrived a little early to the commemoration, hoping to speak
with someone from the Manilatown Heritage Foundation, one of the organizers
of the affair. As I asked around for certain individuals to interview,
everyone was very helpful and excited to see that I was there. Excited to
see me? I didn’t even know these people but was not surprised of their
Filipino hospitality (offering food and drinks while I waited). I soon
found the person I was looking for, Bill Sorro, Board Vice-President of the
Manilatown Heritage Foundation.

Mr. Sorro explains that around 1996/1997, the Foundation was
formed in response to the community asking, “What’s happening to the
community?” He was a tenant of the I-Hotel for 5 years (from 1971-1976) and
was an activist against the eviction of the tenants of the hotel in 1977.
“The Manila Heritage Foundation is a link to the past of the Filipino
community and to future generations; and to everybody, all Asian
communities,” he says. They are responsible for securing and building the
Manilatown Center and museum, which will be in the new building, along with
the senior housing facility, a gymnasium, and a Catholic elementary school
and Chinese-language schools.

As the commemoration started, I couldn’t help but notice the
amount of people and media that turned out for the event. On stage, former
tenants spoke of their time at the I-Hotel. Representatives from Saint
Mary’s Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, the International
Hotel Senior Housing, Inc., PG&E, and others talked about the importance of
this development, how it’s been a long time coming. Writers and poets read
their work. Dancers and performers were also on display showcasing their
ethnic dance and instruments. Chants of “Power to the People!” and “Long
live the I-Hotel!” echoed through the speakers.

Willie Brown was also present giving a speech and also
presenting a plaque to Emil de Guzman, Board President of Manila Heritage
Foundation. But even the Mayor acknowledged the significance of the loss of
the I-Hotel. “No, it will not make whole the damage done on August 4, 1977,
but it will provide a light and an indication of what the future can be,” he
said.

Board of Supervisor, Tom Amiano, also spoke at the event saying,
“When you’re being oppressed, you need what you have least of… patience.”

Also present was Board of Supervisor, Chris Daly, who said it
was great to see the community working together, the Filipinos and Chinese.
“It speaks to what this city is going to be in San Francisco. Everyday
people, that is what the International Hotel is about. That’s why we’re
fighting for rent control.” It’s also interesting to note that after the
Mayor and other Board of Supervisors had spoken and left the event, so did
the media. But Mr. Daly stayed until the very end of the event, even
donning a shirt that read, “Serve The People”, supplied by the group,
Filipinos for Global Justice, Not War.

The fight for the I-Hotel is a fight for affordable housing in
San Francisco. Mr. Sorro reminded me of this. “We oppose the eviction 25
years ago. And we are for the anti-eviction protests that is happening
today,” he says. “We are in solidarity with Poor Magazine and the people,
for better living conditions and housing. The common thread in
commemorating the eviction,” said Sorro, “is the new I-Hotel is a result of
the power of the people.”

As the commemoration neared the end, I was feeling very
empowered. There was so much to learn, so much more to do. I touched my
face and realized that I was sunburned. I didn’t care. Four hours in the
sun at this event was worth every minute. I felt the small rumble of change
in progress. And I felt that I was a part of it.