Story Archives 2009

by RWS

I was going to
community

College taking a not-so

Full load of

Classes

I worked at

A fast food

Restaurant

They stuck me on

French fries with a

Promise that I’d be

Promoted to burgers in

6 mos.

William was

The shift

Boss

He had a thick

Chinese accent and when

He spoke you could see

A light brown film
covering

His teeth

He resembled a bulldog

That had run head-first

Into a freight
train

He barked orders,
telling

Us to hurry with the

Burgers, fries and

Cokes

And to get a

Mop on

Aisle one

I quit that stupid

Job and went on to

Security guard work

Yesterday I got off

Work and was walking

Down the street in my

Stupid security guard
uniform

And I saw

William

He had a child

In his arms and a

Woman at his side

He wore a sheriff’s

Uniform with a .45

At his side

I said
Hello

He didn’t

Remember

me

His accent was gone,

His teeth were

Perfectly white

Told him I must

Have mistaken

Him for someone
else

And i

Did

by Teresa Molina/Voces de Inmigrantes en Resistencia at PNN

For English Scroll Down:

Cualquier ser humano merece el derecho a amar y tener ese amor sancionado sin prejuicios ni fronteras. El amor es amor, no importa a quién o qué lo sientes y nadie debería tener la autoridad para invalidar cualquier tipo de amor. Estos fueron dos de las demandas de la comunidad LGBT latina orgullosa que se reunieron en un evento llamado Amores Sin Fronteras en el Parque Dolores el mes pasado. Otras demandas lógicas y justificadas fueron: que su validez como amantes, seres humanos cometidos sea reconocido por una sociedad y sistema homófoba y que deben tener la oportunidad de ser feliz, viviendo una vida con sus amantes.

William Romero, un organizador voluntario del evento dijo: "Este festival es genial porque es nuestra oportunidad para que nuestras voces sean escuchadas y nuestras demandas se cumplan", añadió, "Lo que queremos es ser respetados y tratados mejor". William es una figura poderosa en la comunidad latina LGBT como él es un gran organizador que ayuda a planificar este evento cada año. William añadió: "Las cosas han cambiado para mejor. Hoy en día, por lo menos tenemos la libertad de expresión de nosotros mismos, pero la lucha no ha terminado y no será acabada hasta la igualdad de derechos exista para nuestra comunidad".

Trajes coloridos y rostros sonrientes decorarón el paisaje alegre y ilumino la sinceridad en los corazones de muchos. Un grupo de lesbianas, gays y personas transgénero celebraron con orgullo su identidad y demostraron sus talentos muy confiadamente mostrando su amor.

La doctrina religiosa es tan arraigada, no sólo en nuestra sociedad, sino que también tiene una presencia muy fuerte en la cultura latina. Como todo el mundo sabe, de acuerdo con la Biblia, ser homosexual es un pecado, y si la familia de uno no puede romper de la creencia de que la homosexualidad es inmoral y un pecado en lugar de sólo una preferencia sexual, es muy difícil tanto para los homosexuales en la familia, y la propia familia para entender unos con otros, y, además, empatía con los demás. La presión de nuestros padres latinos, compañeros, y la mayoría de familiares, a ser heterosexual; y no sólo heterosexual, sino llevar a cabo este acto machista si es un niño, y actuar como una dama reservada si eres una chica. Es sólo a partir de los últimos anos que la comunidad LGBT latina ha sido aceptado en nuestra comunidad más abierta, por lo que la lucha por la aceptación realmente comienza en casa, con nuestras abuelitas, tíos, tías, madres y padres.

English Sigue:

Any human being deserves the right to love and have that love sanctioned without prejudice or borders. Love is love, no matter who or what you feel it for and no one should have the authority to invalidate any particular kind of love…,These were two of the demands from the Latin pride community who gathered in an event entitled Amore Sin Fronteras (Love without Borders) at Delores Park last month. Other demands equally logical and justified were that their validity as loving, committed human beings be recognized by a homophobic society and system and they should have the opportunity to be happy creating a life with their partners.

William Romero, a volunteer organizer of the event said, "This festival is great because it is our opportunity to make our voices be heard and have our demands be met" he added, "What we want is to be respected and treated better." William is a powerful figure in the Latino LGBT community as he is a major organizer that helps plan this event every year. William added, "Things have changed for the better. Today, we at least have the freedom to express ourselves but the fight isn't over and it won't be over until equal rights exists for our community." Colorful outfits and smiling faces decorated the joyful landscape and illuminated the sincerity within the hearts of many. A group of lesbian, gay and transgender people proudly celebrated their identities and demonstrated their talents very confidently displaying their love.

Religious doctrine is so engrained not only in our society but also has a really strong presence in the Latino culture. As everyone knows, according to the bible, being gay is a sin, and if one’s family cannot breakaway from the belief that homosexuality is immoral and a sin rather than just a sexual preference, it is very difficult for both the homosexual in the family, and the family itself to understand with each other, and furthermore, empathize with each other. The pressure from our Latino parents, peers, and most relatives is to be straight; and not only straight, but carry out this macho act if you are a boy, and act like a reserved lady if you’re a girl. It is only as of recent that the Latino LGBT community has been accepted in our community more openly; so the struggle for acceptance really begins at home, with our abuelitas, tios, tias, and padres.

by Vivian Hain/PNN ReVieWsfoRtheRevoLuTioN

Editors Note:

Osha the lawyer, practiced revolutionary legal advocacy so I could be “free” of the Prison Industrial Complex today. Osha, the artist showed me art truly rooted in the revolution. Osha the activist lives and breathes change. Osha never sold out or souled out, never got pimped and played, always remained hand-made. His story should be a bible, a guidebook for all budding activists, that you can actually make change happen by continuing to “be the change”....Tiny aka Lisa Gray-Garcia, author of Criminal of Poverty: Growing Up Homeless in America

Vivien: Can you tell me a little about your new book Up Against The Wall Motherfuc**er’?

Osha: Though it has not been easy finding a publisher unless you’re a ‘bling-bling’ celebrity, I have received a lot of positive feedback about my book, which is my memoir honoring the anger and the passion of the 60's, including the pitfalls of the politics during that time. These days, many publishers feel that progressive books are not big sellers and today, most smaller progressive book publishers are struggling to publish books. It’s also that it’s either publishers don’t really know how to put a book like mine on the shelf, because they may feel it doesn’t fit neatly into a box or that a book like mine may be too complicated and personal. It has been a struggle, taking me several years to find a publisher. The book title is the name of the radical group I was a founding member of from 1967-68 on the lower Eastside, which also derived from a Leroy Jones poem called Black People, which tells about ‘just taking it’, that “all the stores will open if you say the magic word, up against the wall motherfuc**er, stick em’ up!” This was during a time when there was a lot of discontent in the United States, a time when the civil rights movement and an anti-war/anti-draft movement were at their peak, so it was the right time for us to create a social movement. It was a good time to create a mass social revolution, especially when there was such a huge drop-out rate of white people not fitting into the boxes, refusing to live a stereotypical life. Things got very intense during this time and we were considered ‘freaks’ though we were quite radical and militant, constantly fighting with police and creating riots.

V: Why didn’t you sell out, get comfortable and become a yuppie?

O: Although I grew up in a middle-class family, I was never one to have an appetite for having a lot of material stuff. That has never really mattered to me, as I am very minimal in nature, I am an artist and I am committed to representing and being on the side of the real people who deal with injustice committed upon them. I really enjoy the work I am doing, yet on the other side of the coin, it can be complicated at times. I am not in it for the money, I am happy with what I am doing in my life.

V: What is your take on the whole notion of ‘pimpology’ in what you see going on today in the context of others ‘selling out’ & getting ‘played and pimped’?

O: I suppose a part of me understands some of the painful experiences from my own families’ past experience, making me drawn to people who are going through struggle and adversity in their life, it’s my identity… My parents were German Jewish refugees who survived a divided world of fascism. I also see a similar dynamic of this sort here in the USA, in the constant scapegoating and in breaking people down in lawless ways. I stand strong with my resistance, representing the people from the bottom like houseless and poor folks, who in my opinion are the most solid in their lives. It’s also the crazy energy involved in the politics, while looking at history back in the 60’s, because they were thinking about the future and in how to create new social movement in dealing with fighting the system.

V: What is it deep within you that keeps you fighting for poor folks like me and Tiny, co-founder of POOR Magazine?

O: Becoming a lawyer has enabled me to level the playing field in fighting the big institutions. I am very impassioned doing this work in every way. Well… I really wish I knew, but I do know that it upsets me when injustice happens to people with no power who are being abused by people with power, being taken advantage of. I have also had my own personal experience with this in the past.

V: Tell me a little about the revolutionary advocacy you have done providing legal help to houseless folks and some of the other stuff you are doing with COPWATCH and POOR Magazine?

O: I am impassioned about the work I do with groups like COPWATCH, who are a very small, but great organization where I help facilitate legal training workshops. I am also active with POOR Magazine as a board member, supporting POOR in every way that I can. In addition, I also work with East Bay Community Law Center, providing free legal services to very low and no income people, including working with law school students in operating legal clinics for this community and help run the self help center CLAS, Community Legal Access Site, representing houseless folks who need legal help by providing legal help and fighting policies around houselessness throughout East Bay cities such as Berkeley, Albany and Oakland. We have been operating for one year now, creating a sense of civil disobedience by forcing change and creating possible action through this program with legal advocacy.

V: What would you like to see happen with your book?

O: I have a vision of a better world full of people who are a lot more free and happier without creating destruction on nature. I feel that what we do to the most vulnerable tells us a lot about the kind of people we are. In searching for thoughtful examination of all the unanswered questions from the 60’s about how to do radical politics, you can't learn from the past if we don't honor that complexity, as the past is still very much with us today.
.

Check out Osha’s upcoming book release events:

Wednesday, November 19, 2008: 7:30 P.M.
Reading and Talk
Modern Times Books
888 Valencia Street
San Francisco

Thursday, December 4, 2008: 7:00 P.M.
Gala Book Release Celebration - Music/Food/Talk/Rare Archival Footage
La Peña Cultural Center
3105 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley
$10 gen. $5 students w/ID & seniors
A Benefit for MECA, the Middle East Children’s Alliance

by tiny aka Lisa Gray-Garcia/PNN- ReViewSFoRtheReVoLutioN

The colores shimmered from their jackets... the glow of pinks y amarillos, golds and greens filled my mind as my ears and eyes wrapped around the son and the ritmo of the deep , rich sounds of mariachi that filled the stage of the Brava theatre at the opening of Imperial Silence: Una Opera Muerta/ A Mariachi Opera in Four Acts.

Una Opera Muerta, performed as part of Galeria De La Raza's Day of the Dead celebration and directed by John Jota Leanos in collaboration with Cristobal Martinez, Los Quatros Vientos and Sean Levon Nash is a mixed media, layered art production of radio, song, images, stage and dance. Perhaps all of those elements are the definition of classical opera, Im not sure, but it was one of the most beautiful and seamless pieces of performance art, culture and commentary, I have ever seen.

My five year old son Tiburcio, mi novio, Tony y yo were at home preparing the altar for my Mama Dee who passed in March of 2006 before we all arrived at the opening night of Imperial Silence at the Brava theatre. We all watched as the opening act began with a mariachi aria in full regalia. As we listened to the live music set to a children's nursery rhyme, Los ABCs QUE, an animated film took us on a tour through global and local poverty, the death of the desparacidos in Juarez, corporate destruction of NAFTA/CAFTA and the maquiladoras, global climate change, border fascism y mas. The animation was at once terrifying and hilarious, the characters resembled a dead version of Kenny and the crew from South Park. We were laughing and shaking our heads in disgusted agreement.

The next acts were intertwined with live dance pieces that combined Mexican folklorico and indigena symbology representing the duality of the experience of migrant peoples in life and death across the globe.

The third act, Radio Muerta, is a haunting radio piece heard and seen inside a car, the amazing lowrider car painted for this opera and presented at the Day of the Dead celebration at the Oakland Museum in 2007.

The fourth and final act includes a satire of corporate media with DNN/ Dead News Network and depicts, among other things, the thousand dead march.

As the last act closed with more breathtaking dancing and mariachi sounds, I remembered my Mama Dee's words, herself an amazing performance, visual and sound artist, who was honored in the radio scene of the opera, a good production of anything is marked by its ability to move you to not just tears but laughter. My mama dee's spirit was in the Brava theatre that noche de los muertos and she was muy contento.

by RWS

Dear Barack,

I didn't watch the election coverage of November 4th. I was not in front of the television watching the announcers project which states you won and which states went to senator McCain. I was sitting in a circle. What circle, you might ask? I was in the indigenous circle at POOR Magazine in San Francisco. Election night fell on the same night as Community Newsroom in which Poverty, Race, Disability, Migrant, Youth and Elder scholars from the community come together and create media--revolutionary media that tells their stories--stories of houselessness, disability, incarceration, immigration, gentrification and issues of poverty that go unnoticed or misrepresented by mainstream media. Our circle is important and we don't break it, even for the U.S. Presidential election.

Don't get me wrong, the people in our circle were most interested in the election. We glanced at the computer terminal from time to time and each time we looked, you were in the lead. Each report indicated what state went to you and what state went to senator McCain.

We were happy to see that you were pulling away from Senator McCain. The report came in that you had picked up Ohio and Pennsylvania, I said to myself, it's over.

But we had work to do. The criminalization of poor folks globally and locally is something that we are fighting. I am sure you are familiar with the UN Declaration on indigenous peoples; it is our hope that your administration will recognize this declaration and take the necessary steps to cease the criminalization of migrant peoples--to recognize that migrant peoples have families and cultures and histories that run deep in this hemisphere. Will this be part of your agenda? I believe the future of the U.S. as a country hinges on undoing the wrongs committed upon the indigenous peoples of this hemisphere. You have a helluva job in front of you. I wouldn't want the job you now have.

As you were winning in the Electoral College, our circle was talking about the civil rights movement and the fight for the vote. One of our scholars at POOR Magazine is a founding member who is Black and has dealt with homelessness and poverty for much of his life. He said that voting is important but that politics must be part of everything you do, from the places you shop to the media you access for information. It must be part of day to day living. It is the vital work that must be done that goes unnoticed.

A young woman in our circle from Tonga spoke from her heart about her family situation. She spoke of the medical system and emptiness she felt navigating through a system of providers who provide nothing that resembles spirit or compassion or empathy. Her tears brought us back to who we are as indigenous people. Our circle is stronger now. This happened as you gave your victory speech.

When community newsroom ended, I got on my bike and headed home. An African descendant kid shouted your name from an open window: OBAMA! OBAMA! Young black men walked in the street chanting your name. White so-called hipsters congregated at cafes and bars celebrating your victory. I rode past navigating the San Francisco hills.

As I rode I thought of the other Obamas of the past, the talented and brilliant black men and women who never got the opportunity to achieve their dreams or show their brilliance as you have. I am hopeful that you will not forget them. I hope you remember the young kid in the window chanting your name. Our indigenous circle is not broken.

by Ingrid De Leon/Migrant Scholar - Voces de Inmigrantes en Resistencia

El vino a los Estados Unidos de Guatemala en Diciembre 18 del ano pasado. Devido a la profunda pobresa que el y su familia sufria, tuvo que dejar sus padres y hermanos, la tierra de su orijen, su pais.

El vino a los Estados Unidos con la ilusion de hacer algo con su vida para el futuro y despues de un tiempo regresaria a su familia, pero inevitablemente su fortuna no occurio asi.

Scroll Down for English

El Jueves Octubre 6, por las 2 de la manana, el salio de su trabajo y cuando iba crusando la calle con unos amigos, un carro lo atropello.

La ambulancia lo llevo a el hospital. Los doct ores lo operaron para salvarle la vida, pero fue imposible, porque sus piernas, estomago y columna estaban rotas y no sobrevivio el golpe, murio por las cinco de la manana.

Su primo tambien fue lastimado, pero gracias a dios todavia esta vivo. Ahora su familia y amigos aqui y en Guatemala no tienen paz.

Nelson fue un buen joven, humilde, trabajador, responsible y muy carinoso. Pero ahora todo lo que tenemos es nuestra memoria de el. El ya no esta aqui, pero su espiritu vivira con nosotros para siempre.

Apreciamos a toda la gente que nos quiere ayudar, que Dios los bendiga por su assistencia y colaboracion, gracias. Que Dios los bendiga.

Donaciones para la familia pueden ser enviadas a POOR Magazine in c/o Nelson Aguilo....

Engles Sigue:

He came to the US from Guatemala on December 18 of last year. Due to the deep poverty he and his family were struggling with, he had to leave his parents and siblings, his land of origin, his country. He came to the US with the illusion of making something for his future and after sometime he would be able to return to his family, but unfortunately fortune did not turn out that way. On Thursday October 6th, at around 2 in the morning, he came out of work and when he was crossing the street, he and his friends, a car ran him over. The ambulance took him to the hospital. The doctors operated on him to save his life but it was impossible, because he had broken legs and his stomach and spine did not survive the impact and he died at around 5 in the morning. His cousin was also badly hurt but thank God he is still alive. Now his family and friends here and in Guatemala have no peace. Nelson was a good young man, humble, a very hardworker, responsible and very caring. But now all we have is his memory. He is no longer here, but his spirit will live on forever. We appreciate the people who want to help us, God bless you for your assistance and collaboration thank you. God bless you.

Donations to the Family can be sent to POOR Magazine in c/o Nelson Aguilon; 1095 Market street #307 SF, Ca 94103

by Bruce Allison\Poverty Scholar

It all started about a year ago when I went into a senior conference, they interviewed seniors in jail. Most of these people at their age and time in life, 80s and 90s are still working while incarcerated. Not an eight-hour job, but a ten-hour job seven days a week. A statistic says their residity rate of them going back to jail is 1% to 0%. That means there is almost no chance of them returning to prison. Besides, most of them cannot do their full sentence and are there because of the three strikes law. There are some bills in the assembly that want to give them a reprieve from labor after the age of seventy, but there are opposing forces that do not want that to happen. These people are representing the prison industrial complex, so that they can make 2500 dollars a day from taxpayers. Instead, if they are put into a nursing facility or senior housing they will cost taxpayers 250 dollars a day and that is with social security if they never worked a day in their life. There is no way they can go back to their criminal occupation. Robbing a bank takes more than a walker or wheelchair can handle. This should be noted on the pardon board, or whoever gives them pardons. They are no threat to society anymore. Most seniors that I have met that have left jail have done remarkable things.

For example a former incarcerated person by the name of Bobby Bogan is director of a non-profit organization known as Seniors Organizing Seniors. In that position he is well known, articulate, and with that gift he has been able to facilitate a childhood dream. Presently he is planning to set up a senior national convention in the city of San Francisco for especially poor seniors will be that will be held in three years. Others have been through the same situation and are intelligent and will be assets to society. They will help the community with their knowledge and wisdom as elders.

If you are interested in getting elders out of incarceration write to your assemblyman or state senator if you are in California. For national elders in jail and national laws write to your federal senator or congressional representative. I also encourage you to write to the president about the three strikes law and seniors should not be in jail because it is a burden to society. This will not bring a huge crime wave to society this is bogus policy that is based on the old myth that once a criminal always a criminal.

by Bruce Allison/PNN

The mayor has found another loop-hole for the mid-season budget cuts. The smallest of the cuts is to the Mayor’s office which is a total of $541,870.

The area that the mayor is using from the San Francisco City charter is 3.001.

Basically, this says that the portion of the charter states that the mayor has “wide and varied powers”.

The portion of the budget that will be hit the hardest is Public Health which will receive a 26 million dollar cut under the mayor’s new spending plan. Due to the hosing of the public a pandemic is possible due to the way officials are handling public finances. I guess all we can do is pray that doesn’t happen because nobody is working to prevent it.

At this time there is also a lawsuit that may be held in the city for not holding a real public impact hearing, which usually occurs when there is a cut in Public Health. The last one was held at the department of public health which is a violation of the state law which governs Bealinson hearings. The hearings are supposed to be held in the County’s Board of supervisor’s chambers.

Due to San Francisco city and county’s unique position the mayor has pulled a fast one. If it was held at the board of supervisor’s chambers then this most likely would not have occurred. Because the majority of the supervisors including an unlikely one (mayor’s appointee Alieto-Pier) would have voted against the cuts.

Since the mayor knows that, he has used this loop-hole in the state law with assistance from the city attorney. With the present board there may not be a way to have this stopped, putting us all in danger.

by Joseph Bolden

One Lone Voice

Sun smooched Saturday, prayer to holy trinity, and 100 to 200+ Kegal exercises
[think maintaining strength, stamina, and endurance].

Above explanation is all you’ll get from me folks.

Now, besides converting a dingy, dirty one-room-apartment into a save clean haven for a dear and troubled friend, food, making it a sanitary sanctuary.

I must ready myself for relatives, friend, be out of town for the upcoming holiday, return for events to be planned for the coming year as many people are doing at this time all over the world.

The radio show won’t be done this say because my place is still not fit for guests to drop by, missed lunch but will make up for it Sunday.

As I left the Main Library with a book I
ordered, crossing the street I see a young woman standing on the island where a bus stops picking up – letting passengers off exclaiming loudly
“LEFT RIGHT, BLACK WHITE, MARRIAGE IS A HUMAN RIGHT.”

She seems completely alone with a few car honking encouragement.

It’s still early in the day “so why not dash out a column” I thought.

Not much to say except like the lone voiced woman in the street
I hope to always be on the best side of history.

One must remember when all kinds of Slavery then as now was seen as the norm, violence against women, persons of same sex orientation, religious,
racial hatred, and marriage to any other than ones own people was against the law until recently in 1967.

There has always been at first one lone voice trumpeting new ideas they were always in the minority whether in social issues or new ways of applied sciences.

Eventually other voices chimed in adding to that one lone voice.

There were times in our recent past where a voice rose so high that fear demanded the sacrifice of death.

America on the one hand boldly chose a new path and new President-to-be
while simultaneously stepped backward making yes on Proposition 8 a fear many have on the sanctity of marriage.

If it’s so sacred, strong, and venerable an institution based on mutual love though children may form families.

Marriage is first and foremost about two individuals and though we’re use to seeing man and woman isn’t there room
for same sex unions of males and females?

As for the tired line
“There can be no children issuing from “Those kinds of unions.”

That is a fallacy in that Gayell’s are able to give birth and males with help from females friends can also provide offspring for male couples to nurture.

Adoption’s an option but even that made many hetro men and women feel threatened.

Which only shows me that for all the so called in-the-good book-crud the real fear is if it really came down to it both
couples raising families are no different its just a different dynamic and only years will tell what the effects will be.

Right now all I see is blind fear, envy, hatred, and religious intolerance as same sex Marriages not civic unions gain in approval.

Yes, Mayor Gavin Newsome on May 16, 2008 said. “Its inevitable, whether you like it or not, Its gonna’ happen.”

He’s no lone voice but neither are the folks who decided it would not stand.

Those people are on the wrong side of history, they may even know it and still voted for Marriage only between a man and a woman ploy.

Maybe Mayor Newsome galvanized bigots and religious folks everywhere but he is right in that the tide is changing.

Its last hurrah, a mean spirited “No Way, Not Today” votes. Those folks may have won a skirmish, small battle, but war for them is lost.

Because they are rapidly losing ground if what use to be and what is.

Fundamental change is afoot they can no longer deny people rights.

Its sad really as their power base lessens,
their children think, act, vote differently, those that
cannot hear the change, see writing on the wall, or waves about to wash over them will
have to live through this new time when most if not all their monumental power is shifted and lost breaking upon many multiple waves of change ocean seas.

Here’s to hoping that I for one can see and anticipate the coming breaking waves along the shoreline.

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