Story Archives 2012

Mamaz Yolanda Banks and Sala Haquekyah Chandler speak in POOR Magazine's Community Newsroom about the Po'Lice Abuse of Ms. Banks son by Po'Lice in Daly City

In New York City Mamaz held a Mothers Day Vigil on May 10th For Ramarley Graham- Killled by New York Po' Lice to find out more about their resistance click here

(En Espanol)

Este Poema es en honor a las madres

Este Poema es en honor a las madres...
Madres Desamparadas y madres pobres
Madres con bajos salarios y sin salarios
Madres de Bienestares
y madres que trabajan tress jales
Madres Migrantes
y madres encarceladas

en otras palabras
este poema es en honor a
MIGRA- nisadas
(CPS) molestadas
y mas que nada
madres
attakadas por el systema

Este poema es en honor a todos esos hombres y mujeres
y si, dije hombres tambien porque no me cantes esa vieja cancion
sobre genero otravez
Quien pelean y luchan
y roban y ruegan
en cada brecha
Y esquina para mantener a sus hijos en una cama
quienes visten y dan de comer con manos cansadas
Quienes responded gritos una y otra vez

Este poema es en honor para esas
madres quienes se merecen un apapacho
y amor
 Alimentacion y protecsion
En vez de ser criminalizadas
Marginadas
y rara la vez respetadas

Quienes apenas pueden sobrevivir pero siempre lo hacen
y todavia crean toda la gente de el mundo
Como yo, tu y tu.

Quien puede ser testigo?
Este poema es en Honor pa’ las Madres
Quienes apenas pueden sobrevivir y aveses pueden
y crean toda la gente de este mundo
como yo y tu y tu.

I am here on behalf of The Native Youth Sexual Health Network, an organization that works across the United States and Canada on all issues of sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice by and for Indigenous youth.

We would like to congratulate Chief Ed John on his appointment as Chair to the Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues and look forward to working with you for the advancement of the
rights of Indigenous youth and women. We thank you and all the Permanent Forum members as well as our allies, brothers, and sisters in this room for the support you have shown towards us and other Indigenous youth for our participation during this 11th session.

The Native Youth Sexual Health Network affirms the importance of taking a culturally safe,
rights-based approach of sexual and reproductive health as an integral part of ending violence
against Indigenous women and girls. We reclaim healthy sexuality as a central part of ending
sexual violence, as well as all other forms of violence. As taught by Mohawk midwife Katsi
Cook; “Woman Is The First Environment”.

We wish to remind those present that the ongoing, widespread shaming and blaming of sexuality today is directly linked to the underlying philosophy and legal framework of the Doctrine of Discovery, which in turn creates the structural conditions that lead to violence against Indigenous women and girls. Instead, we call for the reclamation of Indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality fluidity. Such understandings are rooted in self-determination and cultural practices; including coming of age ceremonies and rites of passage, which affirm the traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples over our own bodies and related control of our own reproductive health.

In accordance with article 7 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and as
recommended by the Report of the Expert Group Meeting on combating Violence against
Indigenous Women and Girls, we call for greater investigation of the links between increasing
rates of suicide and inadequate supports given to young women facing situations of violence. Supporting self-determination in experiences of violence means empowering women
to make their own decisions. We also recommend particular focus be given to the high rates of
suicide among young Two-Spirit and transgendered women as forms of violence that are
currently being overlooked. The self-determined gender expression of Indigenous Peoples, for
example, the freedom to identify as Two-Spirit, is something to be celebrated - not criminalized.

Incarceration of Indigenous women in the prison system is a particular threat to the foundation
of reproductive health and justice for Indigenous women and girls. The incarceration of our
bodies is the incarceration of our reproductive health, such as the unacceptable practice of
shackling women who are incarcerated during pregnancy, labor and birth. Such control sets the stage for the further violations of the rights of Indigenous women.

The increasing rates of incarceration require immediate action as they are a continued form of
institutional and structural violence from the state. We agree with the findings of the EGM report that highlight the need for increased support of Indigenous systems of justice. However we are concerned with the over policing and under protection of Indigenous peoples when state police systems and criminal justice are involved, and often directly responsible for violence.

Therefore, we support the submission to the Committee on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) from Indigenous women from the Vancouver Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre and the Native Women’s Association of Canada which highlights the over 800 missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada and calls for a UN inquiry under CEDAW’s optional protocol into these cases, which have gone under- or un-investigated for far too long. Furthermore, we denounce the provincial Missing Women’s Inquiry in British Columbia which denied the full, equal, and effective participation of Indigenous women who experience violence while allowing authorities responsible for the lack of due process to be overrepresented.

Similarly we support the Violence Against Women Re-Authorization Act (VAWA) currently
before Congress in the United States, and that it be passed with the full inclusion of tribal
provisions, which calls for the self-determination of Indigenous communities over the decisions
of justice on violence that happens on tribal lands. In this regard, we support the attached joint
submission to the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Prof. James Anaya, entitled, “Self-Determination and Self-Government: Using the UN Declaration to End Violence Against Native Women” by the Indian Law Resource Center, the National Congress of American Indians Task Force on Violence Against Women, the National Indigenous Women’s Resources Centre, Inc. and Clan Star, Inc. The enactment of tribal provisions in VAWA is sound practice that supports self-determination through restoring of Tribal jurisdiction including over non-Indigenous peoples and the rights of Indigenous women through implementation of the UN Declaration.

We also call for recognition of the need for a broader definition of the expansion of what is
considered ‘violence’ pertaining to Indigenous peoples.

For example, a central driving force of the HIV epidemic for Indigenous women includes new
forms of colonial manifestations of violence. As identified in paragraph 25 of the Expert Group
Meeting, there is a need to address disproportionately higher rates of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections in women and girls. In fact, there is minimal culturally specific
HIV/AIDS support and resources for Indigenous women and youth that supports a harm
reduction approach. There is still a need to reduce stigma and fear; while the global epidemic of HIV/AIDS rates are decreasing, these rates are increasing for Indigenous peoples, specifically Indigenous women.

As read by our sister Andrea Carmen and submitted by the International Indian Treaty Council, we affirm the 2nd report and declaration of “Our Health, Life and Defense of Our Lands, Rights and Future Generations” from the 2nd Indigenous Women’s Reproductive and Environmental Health gathering in Alaska in April 2012 in which we were also a participating organization.

This report includes particular concerns around environmental violence and how it relates to
increased sexual violence and the overall assault to our Mother Earth through resource extractive industries.

One particular aspect of environmental violence that affects the overall health and well-being of Indigenous women and future generations is inadequate access and culturally unsafe
reproductive health services and resources for Indigenous women. Due to the lack of appropriate options, conditions are created for increased experiences of violence within the industrialized medical system. This can include a lack of access to traditional and ceremonial services such as traditional midwifery.

In closing, we recommend that the Permanent Forum work with other UN bodies and
mechanisms that work on sexual and reproductive rights and health to apply this set of rights
specifically to Indigenous peoples, with particular attention to young Indigenous women and
girls. We call upon UN agencies, states and Indigenous peoples to advance the sexual and
reproductive health, rights, and justice of Indigenous peoples – this is not an issue that is the sole responsibility of Indigenous women and girls. If woman is indeed the first environment, then this is everyone’s responsibility.

Thank you.

This Statement was written on behalf of The Native Youth Sexual Health Network, on 10 May 2012 at the Eleventh Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 7-18 May 2012 regarding Agenda Item 4: Report on the expert group meeting: combating violence against indigenous women and girls, article 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Those Are Your Hang-Ups

Verse 1

Breaking your assumptions

By just living

Black disabled man out in public chilling

So why are you illin

Chorus

I’m an uncle minding my own business

Looking out for my mix race nephews

Why do we scare you

Mind your own business

Verse 2

You are so confuse

Just don’t know what to do

Keep an eye on me while calling the police

Thinking u need to get child protective service

Chorus

I’m an uncle minding my own business

Looking out for my mix race nephews

Why do we scare you

Mind your own business

Bridge

Go from pity to scared

Open my mouth

Now you are in fear

Frozen & you refuse to hear

In front of my nephews

Standing right here but u don’t care

Verse 3

Trying to enjoy Mother’s Day

Isms never take a day off

Just another day but I had enough

My sister, nephews & I trying to have a good time

Outer Verse

Minding our own business

Please don’t interrupt

Those are your hang-ups

Don’t make them ours

By Leroy Moore 5/14/12

This Statement was written on behalf of The Native Youth Sexual Health Network, on 10 May 2012 at the Eleventh Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 7-18 May 2012 regarding Agenda Item 4: Report on the expert group meeting: combating violence against indigenous women and girls, article 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

I am here on behalf of The Native Youth Sexual Health Network, an organization that works across the United States and Canada on all issues of sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice by and for Indigenous youth.

We would like to congratulate Chief Ed John on his appointment as Chair to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and look forward to working with you for the advancement of the rights of Indigenous youth and women. We thank you and all the Permanent Forum members as well as our allies, brothers, and sisters in this room for the support you have shown towards us and other Indigenous youth for our participation during this 11th session.

The Native Youth Sexual Health Network affirms the importance of taking a culturally safe, rights-based approach of sexual and reproductive health as an integral part of ending violence against Indigenous women and girls.  We reclaim healthy sexuality as a central part of ending sexual violence, as well as all other forms of violence. As taught by Mohawk midwife Katsi Cook; “Woman Is The First Environment”.

We wish to remind those present that the ongoing, widespread shaming and blaming of sexuality today is directly linked to the underlying philosophy and legal framework of the Doctrine of Discovery, which in turn creates the structural conditions that lead to violence against Indigenous women and girls.  Instead, we call for the reclamation of Indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality fluidity.  Such understandings are rooted in self-determination and cultural practices; including coming of age ceremonies and rites of passage, which affirm the traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples over our own bodies and related control of our own reproductive health.

In accordance with article 7 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and as recommended by the Report of the Expert Group Meeting on combating Violence against Indigenous Women and Girls, we call for greater investigation of the links between increasing rates of suicide and inadequate supports given to young women facing situations of violence.  Supporting self-determination in experiences of violence means empowering women to make their own decisions. We also recommend particular focus be given to the high rates of suicide among young Two-Spirit and transgendered women as forms of violence that are currently being overlooked. The self-determined gender expression of Indigenous Peoples, for example, the freedom to identify as Two-Spirit, is something to be celebrated - not criminalized.

Incarceration of Indigenous women in the prison system is a particular threat to the foundation of  reproductive health and justice for Indigenous women and girls. The incarceration of our bodies is the incarceration of our reproductive health, such as the unacceptable practice of shackling women who are incarcerated during pregnancy, labor and birth. Such control sets the stage for the further violations of the rights of Indigenous women.

The increasing rates of incarceration require immediate action as they are a continued form of institutional and structural violence from the state. We agree with the findings of the EGM report that highlight the need for increased support of Indigenous systems of justice.  However we are concerned with the over policing and under protection of Indigenous peoples when state police systems and criminal justice are involved, and often directly responsible for violence.

Therefore, we support the submission to the Committee on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) from Indigenous women from the Vancouver Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre and the Native Women’s Association of Canada which highlights the over 800 missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada and calls for a UN inquiry under CEDAW’s optional protocol into these cases, which have gone under- or un-investigated for far too long.  Furthermore, we denounce the provincial Missing Women’s Inquiry in British Columbia which denied the full, equal, and effective participation of Indigenous women who experience violence while allowing authorities responsible for the lack of due process to be overrepresented.

Similarly we support the Violence Against Women Re-Authorization Act (VAWA) currently before Congress in the United States, and that it be passed with the full inclusion of tribal provisions, which calls for the self-determination of Indigenous communities over the decisions of justice on violence that happens on tribal lands.  In this regard, we support the attached joint submission to the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Prof. James Anaya, entitled, “Self-Determination and Self-Government: Using the UN Declaration to End Violence Against Native Women” by the Indian Law Resource Center, the National Congress of American Indians Task Force on Violence Against Women, the National Indigenous Women’s Resources Centre, Inc. and Clan Star, Inc. The enactment of tribal provisions in VAWA is sound practice that supports self-determination through restoring of Tribal jurisdiction including over non-Indigenous peoples and the rights of Indigenous women through implementation of the UN Declaration.

We also call for recognition of the need for a broader definition of the expansion of what is considered ‘violence’ pertaining to Indigenous peoples.

For example, a central driving force of the HIV epidemic for Indigenous women includes new forms of colonial manifestations of violence. As identified in paragraph 25 of the Expert Group Meeting, there is a need to address disproportionately higher rates of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections in women and girls.  In fact, there is minimal culturally specific HIV/AIDS support and resources for Indigenous women and youth that supports a harm reduction approach. There is still a need to reduce stigma and fear; while the global epidemic of HIV/AIDS rates are decreasing, these rates are increasing for Indigenous peoples, specifically Indigenous women.

As read by our sister Andrea Carmen and submitted by the International Indian Treaty Council, we affirm the 2nd report and declaration of “Our Health, Life and Defense of Our Lands, Rights and Future Generations” from the 2nd Indigenous Women’s Reproductive and Environmental Health gathering in Alaska in April 2012 in which we were also a participating organization. This report includes particular concerns around environmental violence and how it relates to increased sexual violence and the overall assault to our Mother Earth through resource extractive industries.

One particular aspect of environmental violence that affects the overall health and well-being of Indigenous women and future generations is inadequate access and culturally unsafe reproductive health services and resources for Indigenous women. Due to the lack of appropriate options, conditions are created for increased experiences of violence within the industrialized medical system. This can include a lack of access to traditional and ceremonial services such as traditional midwifery.

In closing, we recommend that the Permanent Forum work with other UN bodies and mechanisms that work on sexual and reproductive rights and health to apply this set of rights specifically to Indigenous peoples, with particular attention to young Indigenous women and girls. We call upon UN agencies, states and Indigenous peoples to advance the sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice of Indigenous peoples – this is not an issue that is the sole responsibility of Indigenous women and girls.  If woman is indeed the first environment, then this is everyone’s responsibility.

Thank you. 

Tucson's Mexican American Studies Director Sean Arce Speaks at Mission High on the Banning of Ethnic Studies in Arizona..

We arrive at Mission High School with POOR Magazine family to witness and take part in an event called "No History is Illegal". Sean Arce, fired from his job as director of the Tucson school district's Mexican American Studies program, was about to speak on the banning of ethnic studies in Arizona.

As we enter Mission High School, which looks like an old church or mission built by Spanish colonizers, I wonder in my mind of the Ohlone people whose land was stolen, and remember a story that a friend of mine once shared of how the Spaniards would always build their Catholic churches on sacred land Natives used for their ceremonies.

I remember in high school in my US history class, my teacher telling the class that Native people were savages and that the Europeans brought civilization to the Americas.

I would raise my hand and say it was a lie that Indigenous people were savages. I would say that Indigenous people were well organized, and we were great civilizations and that the Pyramids were living proof. After this comment she gave me a referral and sent me to see the counselor.

I always failed US History, and World Cultures, but I was blessed to have mentors around me outside of school, who spoke of the histories that are not written in books, from the migrante struggle to street knowledge.

The event "No History is Illegal" was held in the library of Mission High, a perfect place for the conversation that was about to take place. I notice a beautiful piece art done by students, hanging on the wall. The piece art was a symbol and recognition of the diversity of cultures.

The moderator started to introduce the speakers:

Sean Arce, former Director, Mexican American Studies Program, Tucson Unified School District. Sean Arce was fired in April when the school district decided to dismantle the program.  Maestro Sean Arce said one of the major reasons Arizona is coming after ethnic studies is because, if we know who WE really are as people, we will start loving ourselves, instead killing ourselves.

Marcela Itzél Ortega, 11th Grade Student, ARISE High School.  “Ethnic studies have not only empowered me as Xicana, but also as a woman,” said Marcela Itzél Ortega. Marcela also spoke about how ARISE High School did a Teach-In Day about what’s happening in Arizona, watching documentaries like “Precious Knowledge” and creating theatre skits about the banning of books in Arizona.  “You need to know where you come from, to know where you going,” she also said.

Flor Burruel, Student Activist, Pima Community College, Arizona (via Skype).  Flor spoke on the ongoing resistance in Arizona, the actions they have executed, and how they are planning to keep the resistance and struggle going for a fair education for all Arizona students.

Roger Alvarado, Spokesperson of SFSU’s Third World Liberation Front.  Roger shared knowledge on past struggles and resistance done by students and oppressed people, here and in the world.

“You need to know where you came from, to know where you going.”  These words bounce of the walls in that library at Mission High, echoed by people who are resisting by any means, resisting attempts by white supremacy to erase, forget, ignore, sweep under the rug, beat the brown out of us, or lynch or the pride we carry inside our hearts....

But like our ancestors have done over hundreds of years, Resist Resist Resist….

Indigenous Peoples Media Project on the beat with Cedar Firesong Robideau. She discusses issues relating to two-spirits, reproductice justice, decolonization, and reclaiming traditions...

Tuesday, June 18, 2002

It was a day like any other –I curved my body into a half circle and twisted sideways between the wobbly steering wheel and the broken drivers seat. I breathed a short-lived sigh of relief, I was in……The car that is , better known to some as …the hooptie, the clunker… the tank- it didn’t matter what you called it – it was ours, we had wheels and being that some family members are disabled – and we had far distances to travel - cars were a necessity– but back to today – today we needed to travel to Marin County – San Rafael to be exact – to do an outreach workshop with The Canal Community Center –The Canal was peopled with mostly migrante trabadores residing in a minute yet beautiful raza barrio known as The Canal district of San Rafael – one of the few very low-income communities in the whole County of Marin- we should know we were one of the poor folk who used to reside there-

After a successful day of outreach and training we "slid" back into the car and headed South on 101 towards San Francisco. The Sun, sky and hills collaborated to form the impenetrable beauty of Marin County. The shocking unrealness of the sky and water became even more clear as we started up the incline leaving Marin City, mostly because if you exceed 45 miles an hour our entire car and its contents begin to violently shake ….

And then… we were there – facing the red steel, black and blue asphalt framed by a bright green expanse of bay.. The Golden Gate Bridge – we sailed across feeling light and momentarily happy until we got close to the toll – oh my god, fear set in- We didn’t have enough for the Bridge toll. Dee and I looked nervously at each other – emptying the contents of our backpacks and bags in tandem. "Well, " Dee proclaimed, "tell them that you don’t have the toll – they will probably just issue a ticket like the Bay Bridge does.."

"Excuse me – we don’t have the toll- " I said to the lady in the toll booth, she looked at me and an odd look of confusion and anger filled her face.

"What do you mean you don’t have the toll?"

"Just what I said, I don’t have the toll.."

"Well I am very sorry but that is not acceptable, everyone has to pay or you don’t get across" and then she looked at me like now I would produce the $3.00 I really must have

"So what do you want me to do?"

" I already told you miss- you need to pay the toll"

We continued to go back and forth like this for a few more minutes until Dee lost patience in the idiocy of the interchange. "Look, we said we don’t have the toll, what do we do now?"

"Well I don’t know, I will have to call my supervisor and you will have to drive over there and talk to a police officer"

A police officer??!! – would this whole thing end up being one of our worst ‘Driving While Poor’ nightmares yet. I scanned my mind for warrants and/or unpaid citations. Was our registration current? I just paid for my insurance. I think its ok ….

"you gals will need to wait here for awhile while we sort this out", this time some police or sheriff like character was loudly yelling into the car. We became truly scared and angry . Were we to be arrested for three dollars ? What would we or could we do and how could we prove to this man that what we had done nothing wrong other than be poor and drive over the Golden Gate Bridge?

"What the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation Board are doing is trying to force the poor people and working poor out of Marin County," stated John Ortega, the Acting Director of Canal Human and Economic Development Association.

Last month Dee Gray assigned a team of PNN reporters to cover the proposed toll hike of the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as a proposed toll for pedestrians and bicycle riders. The tolls are being rationalized in the mainstream media and by the Bridge board of directors as the way to pay for increased costs of Bridge upkeep and to underwrite public transportation. Due to the fact that we had had first-hand experience with the racist, classist policies of the Golden Gate Bridge we had a feeling the whole story wasn’t being told

We began our media organizing with multiple calls to several agencies that we have worked with in the low-income Canal district and Marin City areas of Marin County to get there feelings on the impact that a bridge toll would have on low-income commuters. The response was clear, in a telephone interview with PNN media intern Ace Tafoya, John Ortega was adamant, "Marin County is one of the most affluent counties in the country. They want to drive out the poor people,". In Marin County, 6.9% of the population are below the poverty level, communities of color make up 16% and persons over 65 years old are 13.5% of the total populace.

Byron Allen, a former resident of Marin City warns, "They (poor people) can’t afford the hike. It’s gonna be an economic impact to them because of their economic disadvantage." Many families of Marin County often share living quarters just to survive month to month. "These people who live in these areas don’t make enough money to handle that increase. This just isn’t right," Bryon Allen says shaking his head in disbelief.

Our next step was to report and "support" at one of the first public information meetings held by The Golden Gate Bridge highway and transportation district which unlike the Bay Bridge and Richmond Bridges is not a public entity supported by sales tax and managed by Caltrans, but rather in the trend of other public spaces and places has become a business with a good ole fashioned profit margin and board of directors.

Armed with a few thought provoking hand-made signs saying things like; Stop Economic Apartheid and Stop making decisions based on rich white folkThe PNN crew of Ace Tafoya, Joseph Bolden, Ashley Adams, Tiny and myself arrived at the San Rafael Community Center on a bright afternoon in June.

The room was large and airy with high redwood beam ceilings and a wall of sliding glass doors. At each corner was an easel with pie charts, graphs and vague statements about "The Cost of Bridge Upkeep" etc. Standing awkwardly in front of each flow chart were a few older men wearing ill-fitting sports jackets.

Dee motioned to start with one of the men in the left-hand corner, " Excuse me, can we ask you a few questions?"

" Sure" he stated pleasantly

" What is your name, what is your position?"

" I am Stanley smith, I am on the Board of Directors for the Bridge"

"So can you just tell us, in the planning of this increase have you thought at all about the impact on poor people?

He smiled again, "We thought of the impact on everyone, Sure of course we have, its how we’re paying to keep the bridge up. We have to keep the bridge there and obviously we haven’t raised any tolls in eleven years, its like when your bread, milk goes up, unfortunately that happens and we just have to raise a toll: because of the security, seismic retrofit, the maintenance of the bridge itself."

"What about the state taking over the bridge; what do you think of that idea?", Dee asked.

Mr. Smith chuckled and shook his head lightly at his own inside joke, "I would recommend anybody who wants the state to take over the bridge - go commute on the Bay Bridge for one week and then come back to Golden Gate Bridge and see if they still want the state to take it over. The Bay Bridge is not a well run bridge. Look every morning on your television the commute is backed up to Portland Oregon maybe. That’s being facetious but ever since we put the Fast Track in we’ve haven’t had a jam-up, look how the Bay Bridge Fast Track went - its just terrible. But we have exceptionally talented people running the bridge so that would be-I say the difference."

"So your saying part of this increase is to cover those exceptional people salaries?"

"Of course part of it is to cover salaries-yes, but the majority of it is gonna go for the maintenance of the bridge"

Mr. Smith went on to relate that he also believed that all those bicycle riders with their $300 hats and $600 bikes could easily afford a toll and that he wishes he could institute a sliding scale toll for poor folks but he wasn’t sure how to do it. We thanked Mr. Smith and moved on to join another very heated conversation.

"All those people, the whole board of directors and no one ever pays to go across the bridge. For the rest of their lives every board director gets a free pass." Dressed in work-pants and loose t-shirt, with the remnants of wood chips still clinging to his boots stood one Bob Dahlgren, public citizen, a new breed of activist which the PNN crew encountered at the Bridge hearings- "contractor as activist" He continued in a clear loud voice, " If that’s not a conflict of interest, I don’t know what is…"

Dee interjected "Board of directors of what?"

Bob answered, " The Golden Gate Bridge District"

"That’s not true", The man that Bob was directing his comments to was wearing one of those odd polyester/nylon jackets, giving him the slight impression of a ship captain , he forced a stiff smile towards Bob and continued, " board Members have free passes to cross the Golden Gate Bridge while they are members of the board of directors, not for the rest of their life."

Dee looked towards Bob again, "Why do you have a problem with that?"

"I don’t believe there’s a set policy, we’ve asked Jane Tarrentino, The Secretary of the Bridge District for the written policy about when the bridge (vote) passes or revoked, who they were given out to and we got no response. The fact is it took us approximately two months to get a Freedom Of Information Act results, there were over 1500 names listed of people that get to go across the bridge for free for the rest of their life."

While Bob was talking – The red jacketed man, who we later discovered was the Bridge Manager, backed himself out of our half-circle. We went on to ask Bob what he thought the impact of these bridge tolls would be on the low-income residents of Marin County

"That I believe is the biggest problem. The so-called Fast Track,program is the only thing they say is available for low-income commuters but of course you have to have a credit card and $35 dollars in your bank account, and when that drops to $30 dollars you are out of the system, plus Fast Track is a privately run company – and we have been unable to get any information on them- " He shook his head in disbelief, " I find it a shame this whole thing… You know-it’s a beautiful bridge, it has a lot to offer but if Cal Trans can run business and keep things under budget – I don’t understand why the Golden Gate Bridge District can’t"

Dee told Bob how she had asked Mr. Smith about the lower fare idea for low-income folks

Bob replied emphatically "There will never be a lower fare, it would only happen if they were backed up against the wall. This thing ( the Golden Gate Bridge) is a revenue maker and strictly revenue.

After speaking to Bob we were all collectively upset and discouraged. We sought out the Bridge manager, who seemed to be standing as far away from us as he could without actually leaving the room. He did not deny or confirm that there would be any special program put in place for low-income commuters, nor that the buses would be affected, rather he continued to state that, " The Board is always happy to listen to feedback from the community on any problems with the Bridge or the public transportation system, and.." he said this next comment while pointing us all in the direction of one of the feedback tables in the room, " if you have want to express your opinion, I would suggest you fill out a comment form, bureaucracies like us pay a lot of attention to paperwork"

After a few more strange minutes in that room, The PNN crew gathered up our Stop Economic Apartheid signs and sidled out. We drove out of the community center parking lot leaving the purple-brown mountains of San Rafael behind us, heading towards San Francisco and……The Golden Gate Bridge..!

"Hey Joe, Ace, Ashley…..do you have a dollar I can borrow?"

To find out about the upcoming finance committee and or meeting of the board of directors call the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation Board at (415) 455-2000

Krip-Hop Nation (KHN): Wow I've been dying for this interview to blow it way open. I love your music/lyrics and always loved all kinds of music. Tell us your love of music and why Metal?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Hey man, first of all thank you and secondly, I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to get back to you. I’m kind of a slacker at times. My love of music and why Metal? I think my love of music is probably the same as everyone else’s. It’s sort of an amazing intangible feeling inside. A portal to other dimensions of thought and perspective… I suppose Metal is one of my favorites because it’s deep, dark and rich with controversy. I like anything that begs a question and doesn’t settle for the very first answer. I guess Rock n Roll & Metal will always be that for me.

KHN: Have you ever saw another Metal artist that is a wheelchair user like you and tell us about the Metal community and their outlook on disability.

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): No I haven’t and other than reading a few magazines each month or what I see on the internet, I don’t think I know a whole lot about the “Metal Community”. I mean, don’t get me wrong; I’ve definitely considered myself a Metal head for more than 20 years but I’ve never been too keen on clique or cults.

KHN: Your lyrics are very political like in the song, Pacify that I FUCKING love. Tells us your process of writing lyrics.

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Man, sometimes shit just pisses ya off and you need to vent. By putting it into lyrics, I can vent to a larger audience and possibly make a difference in someone’s life.

KHN: What are your views on the political environment we live in like their recent occupied movement?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Shit’s all fucked up and ass backwards in this crazy world. Unfortunately greed and power rule the day and what’s left are the scraps we nibble on. We’re an infestation and probably should be terminated. I mean, some people are okay I guess but most are foul. Fuck! I’m one of them. We’re a generally selfish species by nature. Few would be truly gifted and or enlightened enough to lead us in the right direction. I’ve yet to see one enter the political landscape in my lifetime. Who knows, maybe someday? Most likely, a truly enlightened person is smart enough to stay out of politics ☺

KNH: I remember that you sent me a video years ago and when I saw it I was like why is this ain't on MTV. What are your thoughts about this bling bling music industry and your goals?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Man, I’m thirty-six years old and since I was probably fourteen or fifteen, MTV has sucked ass! It’s the same with all corporate owned bullshit. It’s one big regurgitated, piece of shit, advertisement after another. I’m not talking about the commercials… I’m talking about the actual programming. It’s all the same rehashed, recycled sales pitch after another. It’s rare you’ll ever see anything truly inspiring on a channel like MTV.

KHN: How long has the band been together and do you ever think about doing a solo CD?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): King Snyder’s been together for over ten years. I’ve got some solo stuff out there. It’s from back in 2000. Check out BirdSkull on Soundcloud - http://soundcloud.com/baker1975/sets/birdskull

KHN: Have you wrote a song about being disabled in this industry and if not, will you?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Not specifically but I’m sure many of my lyrics have been influenced by it in small ways here and there. It’s a part of my life so it’s bound to have influenced the way I express myself creatively.

KHN: Will we ever see a physically disabled woman in Metal?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Who knows…? I’m sure there’s a disabled chick out there somewhere, screaming her balls off into a mic or rippin’ solos on a badass Gibson Les Paul. I’d be down with that.

KHN: Krip-Hop Nation would love to do a combo mix track of Metal and Hip-Hop all by artists with disabilities. What do you think about that?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Thanks to you, it’s already in the works. Wait till you hear some of this shit we’re cooking up. Gonna blow yo mind!

KHN: There is always this talk about how violent Metal & Hip-Hop are. What are your thoughts about that?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Sure some of its violent. Some of the greatest Metal & Hip-Hop ever created is the absolute definition of violence. We’re a violent species. That’s why Hip-Hop & Metal is some of the best music available. It’s the most honest.

KHN: Give us a story about discrimination toward you and the band because of your disability?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): I’d have to make one up… It’s never happened.

KHN: Do you see Black people in the local Metal community there?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Man, people are people. Questions like that are not important. A better way for me to answer what I think you’re asking is; that I believe all people should be welcome everywhere!

KHN: What are the goals of the group this year?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Have fun, make music, and have fun ☺

KHN: Are you looking for a record contract deal or do you feel comfortable being independent?
Bradford Baker (King Snyder): I didn’t think actual record companies still existed.

KHN: Do people with disabilities come to your shows?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): Everyone has some sort of disability. So therefore, yes. Everyone with a disability comes to our shows.

KHN: What are your future projects and how can people contact u?

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): As of right now, I suppose that http://www.facebook.com/kingsnyder is probably the easiest way to get a hold of us. All of our future endeavors will be reported there on a regular basis.

KHN: Give us some off the head Metal/Krip-Hop lyrics.

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): I got my eye on the prize like a tiger on a blood diamond… Give me five seconds that you’ll never want back… Everything I give is like crack… Splash! The fluid between us… The energy, the synergy, the mastermind, first breath of life… Take a walk in my shoes… Size seven Adidas!

KHN: Any last words:

Bradford Baker (King Snyder): BOOM! There ya go bro! Better late than never.