Story Archives 2012

Papa Bear on Sit/Lie Laws

09/24/2021 - 09:05 by Anonymous (not verified)
Original Author
Tiny
Original Body

I’m Papa Bear. That’s my alias. My real name is Abdullah. What’s coming down on the street - I know you’ve seen it in the papers - is Sit/Lie laws are starting to be enforced in the Haight area and big time in the Tenderloin.

The shelter beds were full. I slept in an alley. I was arrested. I had to accept the Judge’s ruling. One year probation, and a stay away order from the alley I slept in. If I’m caught in the alley I slept in, I get a year in county jail.

Having your freedom taken away is the worst thing that can happen to you. Someone telling you what to do - I’m my own man.

I’m a double Vet. I spent 2 years in the army, 2 years in the Marine and too many years in Vietnam. I fought hard and worked hard for this country. I died for this country. In Vietnam, I woke up on a cot and they took me to surgery for 56 hours. I’m still hurting.

Sit/Lie law is not joke. They are promoting it big time. Enforcing it big time. In the Tenderloin, there are more black and whites (cop cars), more undercover, and everyone is enforcing Sit/Lie.

People are scared. They’re terrified. You want to speak out, but people are scared. So many undercover, people are like, “man, we scared” - but you got to go to sleep soon, where you gonna go?

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Fred Wahpepah on Eldership

09/24/2021 - 09:05 by Anonymous (not verified)
Original Author
Tiny
Original Body

 

 

Native American Elder and Spiritual Leader Fred Wahpepah and his wife Laura are currently facing houselessness. This is part of the United Snakes of America’s continual culture-cide and genocide perpetrated on Native Americans.

Fred is 82 years old. They are living on a fixed income which recently was disrupted due to some bureaucratic bullshit. Now their monthly mortgage payments are approximately 5 times their income. Besides needing money to keep theor house, Fred had fibromaialgia, limited mobility, and heart disease and needs 13 medications and supplements. Laura has limietd mobility from an injury, and Fred needs full time care. The house needs serious work, including a new roof and taking care of mold problems which must be taken care of immediately. Their vehicles are old and tired.

Fred is consistent in leading sweats, ceremonies, and showing up for sobriety talks. This work is deeply needed in his communities and the entire world -  passing on traditions that are targeted for extinction. We must all support him so that he doesn’t stop a day before he has to.  This means making sure he has everything he needs, including the house - other wise he will be forced to move back to Oklahoma and not be able to spend time sharing his spiritual leadership.

Please donate and think of people you can ask for donations. Through monthly sustainers, we can raise Fred and Laura’s rent and medical money every month. There are also other types of support needed - to find out more contact ________

Biographical Sketch

We are fortunate to be living in an age when many people are seeking to re-establish meaning in their lives. While some are finding new paths for spiritual enrichment, many are also looking toward the more ancient traditions found in the indigenous cultures of our continent.

Fred Wahpepah, a Native American elder living in Richmond, California, is providing an opportunity for a growing community of people to participate in traditional ceremonies from  the Native American heritage. Born in rural Oklahoma in 1930, Fred is of the Kickapoo and Sac and Fox tribes. In 1975, he attended his first Native American spiritual gathering since his childhood. This inspired hum to spend the next sixteen years “on the road” studying with tribal elders and participating in ceremonies throughout the North American continent. He began carrying the Sacred Pipe in 1978 and has been involved in the Sacred Sundance Ceremony every year since 1979.

His life is now dedicated to the INdian ways and to the reawakening and preservation of the Earth-centered spirituality of his forebears, with a special interest in sharing native wisdom with people from all nations. By conducting traditional Sweat Lodge and Pipe Ceremonies, as well as leading “VIsion Quests.” Fred is galvanizing a community of people interested in nurturing and supporting each other on their spiritual paths.

Through classroom presentations, lectures and workshops, this respected elder educates and inspires children and adults to the present day importance of traditional spirituality and reverence for our Earth. His gift for speaking is reflected in his use of storytelling and warm interaction with his listeners. Fred is committed to serving the community with his compassion, skills, and knowledge.

My Perspective on What Elders Are

My definition of an Elder: A revered relative who is a link to our old ways, a teacher who brings lessons and food for thought. Elders teach in a way that gives us an opportunity to use our gifts of sight, hearing, mind and heart. An Elder is someone that - because of their rich life - has patience, tolerance, compassion and insights. They are also more vulnerable. Their bodies are more tired, they usually live with chronic pain, and they really care. They are always concerned about children, youth and all people finding a good spiritual path.

It has been said that our Elders and small children are closer to the Creator. They live in the Southerly direction - the “Path of the Creator.” They’re color-blind, like to play, have a great sense of humor, are soft spoken and have a great deal of dignity. Everyone learns from mistakes an Elders are no exception. Whenever they feel a need to “prompt” someone, it’s done with total love. Some of them can get grouchy and appear to be fools. Pay Attention!

Talking with an Elder from home, he said, “Wish I’d paid more attention to my old folks when I was young. I was too busy playing.” Once I told my elder Aunt, “It sure must  be great to have lived as long as you have and be a respected Elder. (She was 88 years old.) She told me, “Naw, it’s not that great - it hurts too much.” Another time I wanted to visit with a clan Elder and learn from him. He wrote directions to his home, and then turned to my son and daughter and had a nice chat with the. I waited, as I wanted an appointment. After we left, it dawned on me -- he had given me directions, I could come anytime.

Who are Elders? At home in Oklahoma at the tribal community center Christmas, the onese who are 50 years old and older are acknowledged with special gifts. They are also on the list for all the “Elder activities” in the tribe. When your Mother and Father have gone to the Spirit World and there is nobody in your family older than you, that generation has moved on and you are an Elder. You are an Elder if in your travels to spiritual gatherings and ceremonies you look around to see you are probably the oldest of one of the oldest. Young grandparents can be considered “Elder Trainees.: If someone is a day older than you, they have had one more day of life than you. The lakes, rivers, mountains and trees are teachers and elders. Elders serve the people, they have an open door to an open heart. They walk in humbleness and walk in truth. They deserve our love and respect as they are our role models. Much inspiration comes through them.

Elders die a lot from heartache as they see the old ways going, the children being disrespectful, and Mother Earth being hurt. How should we treat our Elders? Help make life easier for them. It’s a fair exchange; they did the same for their Elders.

-- by Fred Wahpepah

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Truth-telling in the "Moe"- The Poor Peoples District 5 Candidate Forum

09/24/2021 - 09:05 by Anonymous (not verified)
Original Author
Tiny
Original Body

(image of Mrs. Martha Hollins, life-long resident of the FIllmore district and advocate speaking her truths to the candidates)


"We went to city Hall over 65 times last year and at the end of the day we got no support from the City for our young people," said Martha Hollins, mama and auntie to many at the Plaza East Housing Complex in the (post-gentrified) Fillmore district of San Francisco. I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs Hollins because my sister-mama/welfareQUEEN, Queenandi XSheba and I were talking about what to do about the violence and ongoing death and disconnection that this majority Afrikan peoples community faces daily and how maybe we could bring some desperately needed attention to the neighborhood through a candidate forum.

"I am schooling every young person who stands in front of my house," QueenNandi explained to me as she and i spoke like we do weekly and daily about what we can do as mamaz in resistance about the strong young Black and Brown folks who stand on corners in this neighborhood (undergoing a new wave of gentriFUkation) and often end up dying behind rampant gun violence.

Mrs. Hollins, Queenandi and I and all of the POOR Magazine poverty, race, disability, migrant, indigenous, youth and elder skolaz and artists did end up deciding to host a candidate forum right there in the "Housin' project community room. Our night was full of community voices and cultural art ( cause that's how we roll, even a candidate forum don't got to be boring) so we had spoken word, poetry and performance from the Po Poets project and welfareQUEEN's which includes life-long Fillmore residents, Queenandi, Jewnbug, Ruyata, Tony Robles, and family from all over the bay in solidarity, as well as the Village Time-Keeper - cause at POOR Magazine we really ARE the Village that so many politricksters talk about- a poor people-led,indigenous peoples- led self-determined revolution.

And the night had most of the candidates, Christina Olague, London Breed, Julian Davis, Thea Selby and Andrew Resignato who all spoke their platforms and answered communities' questions.

"I am from here, grew up right down the street raised by my grandmother," London Breed stood up and told her story and vowed to bring resources to Plaza East.

"I have been organizing with low-income communities of color for a long time, I didnt just invent myself as an organizer, I am committed to listening and supporting this district, incumbant Christina Olague declared 

I am a mother, its why i got into politics, I am also a small business-owner committed to this district, " Thea Selby said.

"I will be organizing and keeping my door in City Hall open, I have a long-time track record of working in the community as an organizer", Julian Davis said

"I really care about poverty, thank-you for naming it, it needs to be spoken directly about," said ANdrew Resignato.

“Our kids can’t go outside and play,” said Mario Rogers, son of revolutionary ancestor Maria Rogers who worked tirelessly against the deep and wrong displacement that happened to Afrikan peoples and Filipino peoples and Japanese peoples of the Fillmore thanks to the wrongology of San FRancisco Re-Devil-opment agency moves in the 1960's and 70's

In the end, the night was fast and furious, people were angry. Black children and elders are dying every week in this neighborhood. And Voices were defintely heard. Not always an easy pill for candidates to swallow but big love to all that came and stayed and listened.

From our perspective at POOR Magazine, we believe that as poor, indigenous, landless peoples we need to create our own self-determined futures. With our meager resources (cuz POOR is in Fack Po', ) we did this event to make sure that this silenced community is really truly listened to by whomever wins this District 5 election. But the real change will only come from the people moving together with our own backs to do the work we already know how to do Mamaz and Daddys being supported to Raise our children, feed our babies, teach the ways of respect and eldership and love. Listen to our ancestors. Which is why POOR Magazine family will be faciliating a mamaz/grandmothers/

grandfathers healing and community newsroom in the community.

"No-one pays attention to this neighborhood," Mrs Hollins plantively spoke to the candidates. Her voice was clear, her mind was sorrow-filled, her body was ready to keep doing what she always does, fight and work and hope for the families, elders, and young people of the Fillmore and plaza East Housing , Ashe.Mama Hollins, and all the powerful ancestors shoulders you are standing on. Candidates, all of you, you have been put on notice. The work continues.

For community members who are interested in being involved in mamaz circle stay tuned to POOR Magazine and The Bay View

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Painting The Dance Floor: Interview with DJ Short-e" McGuire

09/24/2021 - 09:05 by Anonymous (not verified)
Original Author
Leroy
Original Body

1)   KHNKrip-hop Nation found you back in the day on MySpace and we were blown away with your DJ skills.  Tell us how did you get in DJing and it is harder being a woman with a disability?

  

DJ Short-e" McGuire: Answered in Live interview

 

2) KHN: What do you paint about and does it link to your DJing?

 

DJ Short-e" McGuire: Answered in Live interview

3)   KHN:  Will you continue DJing while you teach and what is next for you in your DJing?

 DJ Short-e" McGuire: Yes I will continue to DJ till it stops being fun and I don’t see that happening anytime soon. As far as whats next, I started my own production company “Short Stuff Productions” So I now throw Electronic Music Events here in Michigan. I would like to start producing as well sometime in the next year and sell my tracks.

 

4)   KHN:  What is your thinking about Hip-Hop and women DJs?

  

         DJ Short-e" McGuire: Answered in Live interview but to add Women DJ’s go hard and I believe they are an amazing addition to the hip hop world.

 

5:  KHN:  Knowing that you are also a painter, do you do graffiti?  And have you seen disabled graffiti artists?  What do you think about graffiti art?

 

DJ Short-e" McGuire: I do small scale graffiti, mostly marker and brush work like Fafi. Because I draw and pain’t with my mouth I can only do like 2’ x 4’ pieces so I don’t do entire walls or train cars LOL

 

 

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I Wanna Be a Macho Clam: FREE BRUCE ALLISON!!!

09/24/2021 - 09:05 by Anonymous (not verified)
Original Author
Lola Bean
Original Body

Macho Macho Clam….I want to be a macho clam…
Hearing the water splash in my bathtub as Bruce sang this song at the top of his lungs at 6 in the morning is and forever will be one of the happiest moments of my life. Bruce was safe. He was warm. He was happy. And his absolute genius woke me up with a song….

That’s why they want him. That’s why they want to take him away. He knows too much. He means too much. But there’s no one there to protect him. He’s an elder. No one will try to stop us. NO ONE WILL TRY TO STOP US.

I don’t know where I’d be without Bruce Allison. I’d don’t know where any of you would be without Bruce Allison either cuz without him cuz if he wasn’t he the vibration of the earth would be changed so dramatically….the glow would diim so darkly…that I doubt trees would even make oxygen enough for humans to breathe. The world would spin around the moon And water would float uphill. On Spaghetti, the lemonade lakes would watch their rivers flow upstream and the gumball trees would surely turn to peppermint. The Troll that Lives in Golden Gate Park would not sit on the hilltops and gnomes would never have tried to build a Dyson Sphere. Maybe that last one is ok, but that’s another story.

But THEY don’t care about that. The people that want to pretend they’re organizers…pretend their fighting for the homeless….pretend that they are REAL warriors in the struggle….THEY didn’t care about him when they asked him to join their little group. WE’LL GIVE YOU HOMES, NOT JAILS….that’s what they used to do. Not anymore. WE’LL OCCUPY SAN FRANCISCO….but first we must occupy our heads with our own assholes. WE’LL EVEN PLAY ORCHESTRA MUSIC…while the po’lice carry your broke and\or colored ass to jail while we run back to mommy and daddy’s house in the hills. Yes…I’m talking to you!!

I don’t know where San Francisco, the Bay Area, or the country in general would be without Bruce Allison. There are few elders, mentors or youth that have or ever will dedicate themselves so fully and so completely to the revolution, the struggle, social justice, system reform…whatever the hell you wanna call it…than Bruce Allison. Its hard to find one person that has spent more hours in city hall, in shelters, in meetings, in nonprofits, in the streets, than Bruce Allison. He spent 7 years sleeping in a plastic chair in a shelter. He spent years in Vietnam serving his country while they disserved him in the deepest ways. He spent decades as an activist and for the past 6 years he has been my best friend, my Rock. He calls me every day. Multiple times a day. He sings me songs. He tells me jokes when I cry. He has medical conditions that need constant attention. He has physical needs that can’t be attended to on a whim…He cries with me sometimes….

I know I am sobbing as I type these letters and thinking of all the letters I haven’t typed yet for him. I wonder if any of the hAcktivists that got Bruce AKA Uncle Gumball are shedding tears over him. I wonder if they are crying for my revolutionary and epileptic Brother Jeremy Miller. Jeremy, I hope you read this and know I love you. I wonder if they are crying for the other 8 locked up right now.

Macho Macho Clam….I Want To Be a Macho Clam
And for what??? Locked up for what??? Was it to REEEALLY save someone?? Was it REEEALLY necessary???? Was it media attention??? WAS IT YOUR OWN MUTHAFUKKKIN EGOS????

Are you even payin attention?

Folks in the Community like POOR Magazine know that times change. And it don’t change everywhere at the same time in the same way. But these hAcktivists don’t know this shit cuz they haven’t even cut their little soft baby gums with their tiny little apple sauce gnawin teeth yet. They think just because they put on a black hoodie and use the same words as folks in the struggle that means they know something. Yep, you know something alright. YOU KNOW HOW TO PIMP!!!

And I warned him. Bruce they’re just trying to pimp you. I know you’re not AFRAID to get arrested if its important. But you gotta be strategic. This shit aint strategic. It’s a mess. It’s just telling you what you want to hear. I warned him. As his best friend and one of the people privileged enough to get to talk to him every day…I warned him al the time about hangin with those BOUGIE hAcktivists. And I failed him.

I failed Bruce.

The REAL folks know protest laws in New York aint the same as Seattle which aint the Same s San Francisco. The only thing they do have in common is THEY ARE CHANGING FOR THE WORST AND IF THEY HAVEN’T YET, THEY SURE ASS HELL WILL SOON!!! So if you’re planning to get arrested…..for no good fucking reason other than for some media attention and to make your own self feel like a “REAL” soulja, you might wanna check up on your policy. And if you GOTTA PLAN to get arrested, then you aint in the real struggle…so you probably won’t having any problem reading that shit. So take a fucking look before sending poor folks and folks of struggle into the battle as your human shields.
Last week a law passed in San Francisco that made it policy to THROW OUR ACTIVIST ASSES IN JAIL UNDER RICO AND HOLD US THERE ON FELONY CHARGES. And according to federal funding and planning…its just going to get worse.

I mean OCCUPY THE JAILS if that’s your fucking plan, but I’m pretty sure enough of us poor folk and folks of color is doing that already. You might wanna shed youre little Stranger\SF Weekly\NPR\ Huffington Post light on that shit first before sending any more of us in.

Actually, you might wanna put yourselves on notice: YOU HAVE PIMPED US FOR THE LAST TIME. There is eldership in this community. You have rejected it and stepped all over it. You have stolen the words and the movements of people in REAL struggle for your own purposes. You can’t even fill out the hipster pants your fronting in. You don’t know what your doing. You don’t know what you’re getting into. You are falling right into THEIR traps. YOU ARE A THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND YOU WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED. STOP using OUR people for YOUR wack ass movements. You WILL be called out as the PIMPS you ARE and TREATED AS SUCH. I made the mistake of not directly confronting you before. For that I apoogize to Bruce, Jeremy, and my entire community. It won't happen again.

MENTORS AND ELDERS: WE HAVE FAILED. We let these wack ass muthufuckers take over our movements for far too long now. IT’S TIME TO TAKE THEM BACK. No more of our people can go down for pimps and hipsters.

On my birthday, Bruce faced his fear of flying to come visit me in Seattle. We went bowling. He sang me Age of Asparagus and Macho Macho Clam. He listened to me cry. He cried with me. I’m crying for him now. I wish I knew how he was.

Action: Please Call the district atty and demand they be released and that this was not a conspiracy- Ph # 415-553-1751-

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Joy Elan Shares Signs of Life At Open Mics All Over Oaktown

09/24/2021 - 09:05 by Anonymous (not verified)
Original Author
Leroy
Original Body

 

"Times New Roman";color:black"> 

color:black">Krip "Times New Roman";color:black">-Hop "Times New Roman";color:black"> Nation (KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">) color:black"> Hello Joy, I was introduced to your work by a Black disabled poet, Lateef color:black"> McLeod "Times New Roman";color:black">. You live in Oakland and have been hitting the open mic color:black"> scene.  Tell us about your experience as a Hard of Hearing Black woman doing open mic "Times New Roman";color:black">. mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> It has been a truly wonderful and rewarding experience! My first time doing open mic "Times New Roman";color:black"> was at the Oakland Black Cowboy Parade in 2011 and I asked my cousin, who was on the planning committee, if I could do a poem from my book. She suggested that I do the poem in American Sign Language ( color:black">ASL mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">) while I spoke it. I performed it and it was well received. I knew I had to keep doing things like that so I went to Mouth Off Wednesday at Air Lounge in downtown Oakland. Since my first time at Mouth Off, I felt received by the audience and the host, Hot Water Cornbread. Going there helped me challenge myself as a poet and spoken word artist. I had the chance to see many poets perform their material and it taught me to push myself and think outside the box. I’ color:black">ve mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> done color:black">ASL mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> with my poetry and I’ color:black">ve mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> sang and rapped. It’ color:black">s mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> fun to do things outside the box where people wouldn "Times New Roman";color:black">’t "Times New Roman";color:black"> think a Deaf/ Hard of Hearing person would be able to do. The rest is history.

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:  color:black"> I love the poem, SILENTLY OUTNUMBERED!   Tell us about that poem

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> The poem is based on an incident that happened to me at a job. I’ color:black">m mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> usually overqualified for many positions so in this case, a superior thought that I was some “dumb, Black disabled” person and I had to shut that idea down really quick. They thought they could intimidate me and I had to let them know that there is a better way to deliver their message. If you challenge me, I will defend myself. In this case, I got my union representation and I’ color:black">m mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> used to people trying to pick on me. I always start this poem off by saying, “To those that know me, you’re about to see another side of me. For those of you that don’ color:black">t mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> know me, I’ color:black">m mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> really a nice person. It’s color:black"> just that my kindness is mistaken as weakness when it’ color:black">s mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> actually my strength.” My message about this poem is never underestimate a person and their intelligence. I had to come off as a “mafia” to show that I am not to be messed with. This goes for everyone and I think it’s "Times New Roman";color:black"> very relatable, whether you’re disabled or not because we’ve color:black"> all been there where someone thought they could intimidate us. But how many know how to exercise our rights? I dedicated this poem to my union, SEIU color:black"> Local 1021.

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:  color:black"> Have you been deep into the Black Deaf Culture and if so what do Black Deaf people face in our society in the Black hearing world and the White Deaf and hearing world?

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> I have three things against me: Black, female and hard of hearing and I list them in this order because these are what people see immediately. I am hard of hearing because I can hear without my hearing aids; I just cannot hear high frequency sounds. I was born hard of hearing at birth due to an umbilical cord wrapped around my neck. Fortunately, the doctors were able to detect my hearing loss at six months and I got my first hearing aids at fifteen months. My hearing aids are like glasses, they amplifies the sounds that I cannot hear. I’m "Times New Roman";color:black"> not deep into the Black Deaf Culture but I do interact with Deaf people. I grew up not signing at home so my first language is English. I did not learn ASL "Times New Roman";color:black"> until I was four years old in a Deaf/ Hard of Hearing program at Oakland Unified School District. I moved to Berkeley Unified School District in fourth grade. I was mainstreamed with color:black">ASL mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> interpreters from elementary school through my graduate program at Stanford University. I believe in challenging myself and doing what I want to do. I cannot completely compare my experience with another Black Deaf person’s experiences mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> because everyone has different ways of communicating and growing up. I am not ashamed to say I wear hearing aids and that I may need accommodations or for someone to repeat what they said. My hearing aids are red because I am proud of who I am. The reason is because my family has always been supportive of me. They never treated me different and at an early age, they told me about the obstacles that I was going to face. I remember my grandfather telling me to forget about people teasing me about my hearing aids and the way I spoke because he came from a time where Black people were called niggers "Times New Roman";color:black"> publicly and nothing could be done. He told me that unless I have been called a nigger "Times New Roman";color:black"> then I have nothing to cry about. My family are educators and they graduated from Grambling "Times New Roman";color:black"> and Southern University in Louisiana. At an early age, I wanted to go to UC "Times New Roman";color:black"> Berkeley because I wanted to do something for me. I am the first in my family to graduate from UC "Times New Roman";color:black"> Berkeley and Stanford University. This is because my family instilled in me that I can do whatever I put my mind to.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">In the Black hearing world, there need to be more awareness about ASL "Times New Roman";color:black"> and not mistaking it for gang signs. I cannot really comment on the issues of the White Deaf and hearing world because I have not encountered those issues.  All of my friends are different color:black">ethnicities mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">, religion, and disabled, non-disabled so I cannot tell you some of the issues I have had. It is amazing how far we have come in this lifetime about acceptance and inclusion. Also, I think Berkeley is the reason why I have not had those experiences because Berkeley is so diverse and open. When I attended elementary school in color:black">Berkeley mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> that was the first time that I saw the whole school signing with the Deaf/ hard of hearing students. And it was not just my school; the whole district had the color:black">ASL mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> alphabet chart in the classrooms. Students who are wheelchair users or with special needs were not mistreated or teased. I think that is why I do not see race or disability but I do see a person for who they are in the inside. I am still friends with my former hearing classmates in Berkeley and they still try to show me what they remembered in ASL "Times New Roman";color:black">. I am glad that they see me as Joy, the girl that loves to smile and laugh and not as someone different.

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:  color:black"> I heard you on Blogtalk "Times New Roman";color:black"> Radio talking about your new book, color:black">Signs of Life

Past, Present and Future color:black">.  I’m so happy to see Black Deaf/Disabled writers get publish.  Tell us

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Not only about your book but how other Black Hard of Hearing/Deaf/Disabled can learn from you about getting publish?

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> My book is based on poems that I wrote as a journal. A friend of mine suggested that I publish a book since I love to write. I composed the book and edited it in about seven months. About a year later after the manuscript was completed, one morning I saw an email about publishing a book and I submitted the information. The publishing company, color:black">Xlibris mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> contacted me within twelve hours and I was published two weeks later on July 14, 2011.  They put it on www.amazon.com "Times New Roman";color:black"> and color:blue">www.barnesandnoble.com color:black">. They are a self-publishing company so you have to edit it yourself.  Since it was poetry, I had to edit my book regardless because poetry is my interpretation. But for my new novel, I may hire another publishing company because I will need an editor since a novel is more intense.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Anyone can publish a book. I did not need any fancy publishing company to publish and I enjoy it because it is my baby. I learned how to promote myself by getting a PR agent, doing spoken word, advertising on Facebook "Times New Roman";color:black"> and at events. It has been a crazy year because the hard part was done and I had the proof to show that it was done.  I am proud of what I accomplished and myself. I truly appreciate what musicians and people who are self-employed do because it is not easy to get yourself out there. However! Each step you take is very rewarding and you grow as you learn the business. You never know what you are capable of doing until you are forced to get involved and think outside the box. That is why I post Think and Grow Rich quotes daily on Facebook "Times New Roman";color:black"> and Twitter because that book inspired me and I want to inspire other.

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> In your poetry do you sometimes teach about all the isms Black Hard of Hearing/Deaf people face and if so can you share a poem about that?

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> I just write what comes to mind and what I am going through. I write more issues about being Black since African American Studies is my major and I want to teach history through my poetry.  As I mentioned earlier, I have not had any deep issues about being Black and Deaf. In college and graduate school, I wrote two thesis about Black Deaf Education and how a variety of resources help students perform better academically. You can search it in UC color:black"> Berkeley's "Times New Roman";color:black"> African American Studies and Stanford University's color:black"> School of Education library. I have written a poem about raising a hearing daughter who is trying to understand why her mom is "different." My daughter is almost five years old and it is amazing how much she understands that I cannot hear well. She brings me my hearing aids and tells me the phone is ringing when I can see the phone light flashing or feel it vibrating. Funny story: one time my daughter asked me for what I thought was couscous since I made it earlier for dinner. I said no you can't color:black"> have couscous because it's "Times New Roman";color:black"> late and it's "Times New Roman";color:black"> time for bed. She said, "no" and stuck one finger in her nose and said, "tissue." I laughed so hard because I felt embarrassed that my daughter knew that I did not hear her right. For my daughter to be as young as she is she's "Times New Roman";color:black"> very smart and she loves to help me. She makes sure I look at her when she talks because she knows I color:black">lip-reads mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> and I am blessed to have such a loving daughter. She knows my Deaf friends and sees the different ways that I communicate (texting "Times New Roman";color:black">, talking on the phone, video phone, etc.).

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:  color:black"> I heard that you sing too.  Am I right and if so what kinds of music do you sing? 

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> All kinds! I love music! If it sounds great, I love it. My favorite artist is Teena "Times New Roman";color:black"> Marie so I sing a lot of her material as well as contemporary artists. I love piano, saxophone and guitar. Oh forget it, I love all music instruments. That is why I believe I am blessed to be able to hear because I could not live without music. It is a part of my life and without it; I would not be able to draw my inspiration. I have a special rap for the host of Mouth Off, Hot Water Cornbread. It' color:black">s mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> a rap from color:black">Teena mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> Marie' color:black">s mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> Square Biz and I changed it to fit me but kept some of the actual lines. I usually close my performance doing this rap when I want to thank him. I say, "Hey yo what's color:black"> happenin "Times New Roman";color:black">', entre "Times New Roman";color:black"> vous "Times New Roman";color:black"> Lady J "Times New Roman";color:black">, I've "Times New Roman";color:black"> heard a boatload of other ladies' raps but they got nothing to say... I love to kick it, and write poetry, and (I turn to the host) a little Hot Water Cornbread, (I turn to the color:black">dj mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">) I love you too cat daddy but don't "Times New Roman";color:black"> let that go to your head." 

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:  color:black"> There has been always a lack of Black Hard of Hearing/Deaf/Disabled people on TV, on the radio, in magazine etc.  How can we change that?

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> There's "Times New Roman";color:black"> a lack of Deaf and Disabled people in general in the media. Sometimes I see where Law and Order will do an episode talking about something that happened with a Deaf individual or with color:black">Marlee mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> color:black">Matlin mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">. We need to get out there. It is up to us to take that step forward and show the world that we are. I am doing my part but I can only represent myself. One person is not enough representation of a group. I am an author and spoken word artist in the Bay Area. I am trying to get out there and let people know about me. I have Deaf friends that dance professionally, produce films and music, design clothes in the fashion industry, just to name a few. We are paving the way for the younger generation. All it takes is just one individual to step up and do what they want to do. The only thing holding people back is their mind and their confidence.

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:  color:black"> What are your next projects/shows coming up?

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> I am currently working on a new poetry book called Silence Is Not Always Golden and a novel, which should be completed by next year. I am at the Air Lounge every Wednesday but please check my website or my Facebook page, Joy Elan for updates because things may change. People have been asking to perform at their events and to collaborate with them. I am excited about this upcoming year because I am already getting booked for 2013 and 2012 is not over yet.

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:  color:black"> What is your best verse in all of your poems?

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black"> Hmm, I can't "Times New Roman";color:black"> choose. I think the best one would be from Gold Digger.

"Times New Roman";color:#333333">I’m "Times New Roman";color:#333333"> a gold digger

"Times New Roman";color:#333333">I want the best and I go for the best

"Times New Roman";color:#333333">If I was alive in 1849, I would’ color:#333333">ve mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#333333"> been one of the ladies in the Gold Rush

"Times New Roman";color:#333333">Don’t "Times New Roman";color:#333333"> get it twisted

"Times New Roman";color:#333333">I’m "Times New Roman";color:#333333"> not talking about going after some rich man’ color:#333333">s mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#333333"> money

"Times New Roman";color:#333333">Because I’ color:#333333">m mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#333333"> going to make my own

"Times New Roman";color:#333333">If anything, I got to watch out for the guys that want me to take care of them...

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:   color:black"> Any advice to young Black Hard of Hearing/Deaf women who wants to write likes you? 

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black">My advice is that you can be your own best friend or your own worst enemy. Your mind is what makes you unique and it' color:black">s mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> up to you to work it. You can do whatever you put your mind to and the hardest part is the writing. The publishing is the easy part. It's "Times New Roman";color:black"> the same when you write an essay for class and the easy part is turning it in because you did the hard work. Make sure you give it your all. Don't "Times New Roman";color:black"> do anything if you're not ready for it. Take your time because you never know when that right idea might pop up. When I was editing my poems after leaving them alone for a few months, I was able to catch some things and create a better verse to make that poem stand out more. Don' color:black">t mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> be ashamed of who you are. Embrace all of you and share it with the world!

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:  color:black"> How can people reach u "Times New Roman";color:black"> and buy your book?

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black">My website "Times New Roman";color:black"> color:blue">www.joyelan.webs.com color:black">. My twitter name is color:black">@JoyElan "Times New Roman";color:black">, and my Facebook "Times New Roman";color:black"> author page is Joy color:black">Elan mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">. My book is available in hard copy and e-readers. To order my book, you can go to color:black"> color:blue">www.xlibris.com color:black">, color:blue">www.amazon.com color:black"> (hard copy and Kindle), and color:blue">www.barnesandnoble.com color:black"> (hard copy and Nook).

color:black">KHN "Times New Roman";color:black">:  color:black">Any last words?

"Times New Roman";color:black">Joy Elan "Times New Roman";color:black">: color:black">I am truly honored to be where I am today. I never take my talent for granted and the things and I thank God everyday for the people that I’ve met I've color:black"> done on this new journey. I know it will take me far because I feel wonderful everyday and I am ready to see what step I will take that day. I am doing what I love and I love what I do. The sky isn' color:black">t mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> the limit because there's color:black"> a universe beyond the sky. If the universe doesn' color:black">t mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> have any limits, then why should I be limited?

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> 

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A TOOLKIT FOR BUILDING POWER

09/24/2021 - 09:05 by Anonymous (not verified)
Original Author
Tiny
Original Body

“Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. We have seen the future, and the future is ours.” 

Cesar Chavez

WRAP has created a Without Housing Organizers’ Toolkit and we offer it here to any community based organizing effort, be it Rural or Urban. We offer it in order to preserve and build on what we already know to be fact and we will add to it as we move forward in the work we are doing.

In 2006, WRAP published a Without Housing report that clearly showed the world why  America’s  “approach” to ending homelessness has been overwhelmingly ineffective.   In 2010, we updated the report, now available in both English and Spanish. To date, tens of thousands of copies have been downloaded.

Clearly, this message resonated with groups across the country and in 2010, we updated and expanded the analysis. At its core, homelessness is a visible manifestation of racism, classism, criminalization of poverty and commodification of the basic necessities which people need to survive.  We identify the extreme policy shifts both legislatively and through funding that addresses education, healthcare, housing, immigrant rights and income support.  They all connect with each other.

We will continue to do the research, conduct outreach to the community, analyze data, document our facts.  Now we need to work with and teach each other in order to truly change the horrible direction that our country is rapidly heading down.

We know the history, we documented it, we fact checked it, we lived it . Now, we will be teaching it.

The Toolkit puts into one place in a way accessible to everyone, the indisputable facts  that have gotten us to where we are today. With a core focus on our communities’ housing and civil rights issues, it includes factsheets on housing and criminalization, funding trends on affordable housing (both rural and urban), a historical timeline of mass homelessness in the US going back to 1929, and a fact-based analysis on how these housing and criminalization issues impact all segments of our society.

The Toolkit has A LOT of information broken out into different sections. This way people can go to the section that is going to be most helpful to them without having to go through the whole booklet whenever they need something. All the information will get “live time” updated on the website as policies or funding changes: Thus ensuring the Toolkit stays relevant on an ongoing basis.

It includes a PowerPoint presentation unlike any one you’re likely to run across. It uses hard-hitting factual bullets to pierce the wall of racism and classism that so dominates public policy on poverty issues in America.  Once again, it shows the power of having committed artists to translate our information into images that impact people at their heart as well as their brain to drive our message home.

Use the PowerPoint presentation in public forums at every opportunity – WRAP staff will assist you to add local slides that will connect the federal to your local community.  Use the artwork (all of WRAP’s artwork projects a message) which resonates throughout the Toolkit.

The Toolkit is focused broadly enough on the federal government so that any group in the country can use it to do inclusive social-justice community organizing.  It is designed as a tool with which we can educate ourselves as we continue the  struggle for our right to exist in dignity.

Our members created this Toolkit because we know it is time to connect our individual community-based organizing efforts, whether they be rural or urban. They are real and by connecting them to each other, we build power. Once we all know the facts, once we have the ammunition of truth, whether it be through a HUD spreadsheet or a street outreach, we have an inherent responsibility to each-one teach-one and spread that truth  far and wide.

On our website, we offer you the work we have done over seven years and we hope you will use it as a training and organizing tool. It validates that all of us can be our own teachers, experts, and educators.

This entry was posted in ActionsAdvocacyAffordable HousingCivil & Human RightsEventsFederal GovernmentLegal Defense,OrganizingPovertyPress ReleasesRural HomelessnessSocial Justice ArtworkUrban HomelessnessWithout HousingWithout Rights,WRAP in the News and tagged .
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