Story Archives 2014

July 14, 2014

Within the last year there has been a greater visible police presence all over the city of San Francisco. What was once tolerated and even considered part of the local culture, or ambiance, if you will, is no longer tolerated. This includes street vending street food and open marijuana consumption.

With the influx of Tech Boomers and rising housing costs, also came this new intolerance. No coincidence!

People who appear homely or otherwise not clean-cut white bread (with the exception of hipsters, of course, lest we forget hipsters snitched out “Detroit Red,” Malcolm X’s alter ego before enlightenment through the Nation of Islam) are randomly stopped and questioned by police, particularly those of color.

Complaining to the Office of Citizens Complaints is of little to no avail. We are left with little or no recourse other than taking matters into our own hands.

I suggest doing so by way of a camera stills or video whatever is clever! There is no law against taking pictures of police executing their duties, provided you don’t interfere with them doing so.

The best thing about having a smartphone is practically everyone has one and anyone for all intents and purposes can be a photo-journalist. Snap that $4it write that $4it post that $4it ! I suggest taking as many pictures of cops as possible in as many settings as possible!

Just remember not to get close enough to interfere with them or invade their personal space. For most of us, 3 feet is the general rule. Don’t give them an excuse, give them 9 feet or more. Telefoto lenses are an even better bet. If you intend to really be enthusiastic, it might behoove you to purchase a disposable camera because the technology to interfere with cell phones and other wireless devices exists. Trust and believe the police have it and will use it! In most instances during daylight hours, a flash is not needed and with many wireless cameras the flash will not operate in daylight.

It is important to also remember that cops often hide in the shadows, knowing they can and will be photograghed, making a telephoto lense a better option in many cases due to gaining a greater vantage point. Don’t be concerned about just taking their pictures when they are doing wrong, even if they are just walking or driving. Just know that you probably won't get a clear shot if they are in a vehicle because they are not in direct sunlight.

Don’t just stand there! Pic the police! Don’t forget to post it!

July 15, 2014

The shared principles of a Nation would be what drives the people forward (ideally, all of the people) to strive for collective objectives. Countries usually have shared principles which may not be shared by everyone, but the majority of the population usually share these beliefs, at least in theory.

The US has “shared principles” on paper, but I disagree that these are the true feelings of the majority of people inside the US borders. In theory, the political principles within the US system are Liberty, Property, and Equality. These “paper principles” are touted in the corporate media, in the schools and at the kitchen tables of many to the point where many actually believe these principles to be true. A closer look at these terms will show they are nonexistent to many, so let’s look closer…

Liberty

The word “liberty” has become one of them words that are drilled into our minds since elementary school. The idea of the US promoting liberty is repeated ad nauseum, but is there really liberty in US borders? And if so, for whom? First, in order to really determine if liberty exists, we need to take a historical review of the situation rather than looking at things now or whether we have a job, a house, or a bank account, etc. Let us look at the history of the US: if we do so HISTORICALLY, it’s an oxymoron to colonize a people and give them liberty at the same time, as people claim is possible with First Nations people. It’s either one or the other, and I doubt the First Nations people would call having their land stolen, “liberty.” Likewise genocide, they would probably argue it is also devoid of liberty.

The slave trade would also be seen as negating liberty to many, and rightly so: Buying and selling humans is more like a crime against humanity than liberty. It is the opposite of liberty.

For Chicano people, the fact that our ancestral homeland was taken in the US War on Mexico of 1848 and our subsequent colonization was also completely divorced of liberty. After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the US omitted portions of the treaty which guaranteed protections under the US law for Chican@s. Land grants going back to the Spanish colonization were not acknowledged and Chicano people saw no liberty in the lynchings or Greaser Laws that gave a green like to Amerikans to “cleanse” their communities of Chican@s.

By examining the roots of the US, I think we easily see that liberty was not experienced by many in its founding. Now as the question was posed in the beginning: Liberty for whom? If we are talking about the colonizers and their descendents, I would say yes they experience liberty and have done so for hundreds of years at the expense of Chicanos, First Nations and Black folks.

Property

As I described above, when it comes to property Chican@s have been displaced since 1848. The essence of property is land. First Nation land has been occupied since the first settler stepped foot on these shores. African slaves WERE property. So historically, property has been most enjoyed by Euro-Americans at the expense of the oppressed colonized people.

Equality

Where to start. Well, for Chican@s historically at the time of our colonization (1848), we were not included in the idea of Equality. This was reflected in our land being stolen, in the lynchings, rapes and debt peonage we suffered post-1848. The same for Black folks and perhaps even worse for the First Nations.

What has changed?

Some today, whether Chicano or any other oppressed people, have been bought off in ways that erase not only our history from their minds, but current day oppression. They are bought off with high paying jobs, positions within the empire, or access to more of the exploited resources taken from other parts of the world. But are these US principles experienced by people like Chicanos? One way to test this is to, among other things, look to the courts to see how these principles are applied in the material world. Look to the prisons as well.

When we see states across the US passing fascist laws like Arizona’s SB 1070, where Brown people are potential criminals for their appearance, i.e. brown skin, those principles are thrown out the window. When the state, i.e. the police, can shoot and kill Brown youth, i.e. Andy Lopez of Santa Rosa, and it’s treated like a fender bender…. or take Oscar Grant, about whose case Obama instructed to “respect the verdict” when the police were found not guilty… All these episodes are a pattern of principles that are really playing out in the US.

First Nations people, like those on Pine Ridge reservation, don’t even have running water, and this is the 21st Century in the US. With all of this inequality, some in the cozy confines of their leafy suburbs probably believe that these principles of Liberty, Property, and Equality exist. They may exist for them but for many they are as elusive as the Chupacabra.

I believe that these values are important for understanding Amerika because how can you transform any phenomenon without first understanding it? In order to find out where the heavy lifting is needed in any political system, including Amerika, we must understand its strengths and weaknesses, its theory and its practice, so that we fully understand it psychologically.

Ultimately ANY principles that derive from oppression can never be fruitful to all people.
 

July 15, 2014

Many today are beginning to understand that within US prisons and particularly the SHU construct that torture is at the helm of this program. I would agree with this assessment, especially since I am being held captive in solitary confinement. However, torture comes in many forms.

Most understand the physical aspects of torture in US prisons, the beatings, the scaldings, gassings and of course the shootings. These are all part of the program but there are also other aspects of this experience with many are not aware of. There are also many psychological methods employed in the SHUs which serve no other purpose than to exercise cruelty or instill a sense of helplessness or hopelessness in imprisoned poor folks.

Perhaps the starkest example of repression in the SHU is the fact that we are housed in windowless cells. Imagine for a moment what it would be like to never be able to see the outside again, and everywhere that you looked was a concrete wall. There is no reason for building cells without windows except for repression. Likewise, not allowing us to receive contact visits also serves no purpose because cameras are watching our every move at visits and we are strip searched when we go to visits anyway. Up until a couple of months ago we had no bowl. For over 20 years people here have been eating soups out of old chip bags. Denying us bowls was not a security risk, rather it was used as another psychological blow to dehumanize us, which works to break our determination to resist.

There are just so many aspects that comprise the repression employed in the SHU. For those of us who write, read and study, our mail and publications are heavily censored. The slightest effort to speak in our interests as prisoners is used to censor mail. Your brother and sister both writing letters in the same envelope is often deemed “3rd party mail.” This is a reason for denial. A lipstick kiss on a letter or envelope will be denied, as is a letter with a spray of perfume on it. Any effort to remind us that we are still human is deemed “A threat to the safety and security of the institution” and denied to us. This is no security threat. It is simply meant to dehumanize us SHU prisoners. I say SHU prisoners because prisoners in other prisons are allowed these things.

Those of us who find ways to cope with being tortured in isolation and learn to draw are targeted by having our art labeled “gang activity” on the newly worded “security threat group activity.” ANy art which identifies one’s culture is seen as gang-related. I taught myself how to draw after being locked in a windowless tomb because I was tired of staring at the walls all day. I have since had my art refused to be allowed to leave the prison on different occassions because I was accused of violating some rule or another. Those of us who become successful via art are further repressed because of this.

I recently had some of my art shown at an art gallery and as a result some folks fromaa prisoners support group contacted me requesting to sell my art at an auction. Being that I rarely receive money from outside sources I replied. I usually give my art away to people for free, I even have a website where folks can download selected pieces of my art for free, but when folks contacted me requesting particular work I decided to reply and to discuss a specific price. For this I as written up and charged with “Unauthorized Business Dealings.”

So just so you’re with me, because I was discussing money for my art I was penalized. For those who do not get money sent to them they cannot purchase art supplies, i.e. pens, pastels, paper--nor can we get these items sent to us through the mail. So someone who attempts to discuss ways to sell art is written up. The ability to communicate is extremely chilled because most prisoner artists don’t even want their words to be misconstrued to be seen as discussing prices. What’s really horrible is that those who attempt to learn a craft and hustle for meager items like soap or toothpaste are penalized for it. The message is we will sit here and not just experience torture and sensory deprivation but then when we attempt to communicate for our sanity, our mail is censored, when we attempt to learn in order to keep our mind working and to change our behavior, publications are censored. And when we learn a craft and attempt to be able to obtain simple things like writing supplies, etc., we are infracted for it. Our captors send a strong message that we will sit here isolated in as many ways as possible in a concerted effort to break us so that we no longer resist, so that we capitulate in our efforts for human rights.

The outcome of this write-up that I received on March 9, 2014, was that I was banned from buying anything from the prison commissary for one month. So because I discussed a price for my art I was disallowed the ability to buy soap, toothpaste, or deoderant for one month. It’s important to note that here in SHU the prison does not provide prisoners with these items.

I was written up by Corrections Officer M. Shrewsberry and Sgt. R Achziger signed off on it. How they can come to believe that taking away my ability to purchase hygiene products for a month is a teaching method or rehabilitation, is beyond me. But this speaks to what is occurring here in this concentration kamp and what poor folks are going through in Pelikkkan Bay SHU. Even artists are repressed in the 21st century Amerikkka. I read that in Hitler’s Germany artists were also persecuted and art was confiscated. Well, my art was confiscated and I was also persecuted. Artists, beware of Pelican Bay SHU.

Cinco de Mayo, 2014

Your presence lives on in every struggle against brutality,
A precious life not spared the coarse nature of our reality,
A reflection of life under Amerikkka in these streets,
We yearn for the day youth need not worry about them folks wearing them damn sheets!

You were not allowed to reach your 14th birthday,
This tragedy was felt all the way up in Pelican Bay.
I was in my windowless cell when I got the news,
Mijito in our struggle for justice will not lose!

Today we are born into a repressive state,
Yet the beauty of the people is shown resisting on your birthdate.
Your precious life meant more than you would probably ever know,
Your small brown fist has already dealt them a mighty big blow.

Transformation has started due to this pig’s actions,
Look at the mobilization of people from so many factions!
Your fight began the day you were born,
Occupation will continue until the struggle becomes the norm.

Today we rebuild with liberation in sight,
There is no way in hell we will abandon Andy’s fight!
 

"We invite all mothers and their children to join and lead the pilgrimage."

1. Pressure the Obama administration to put a halt to its deportation enforcement only regime until the Senate and House come together and pass a Just and Humane Immigration Reform, Not 1 more deportation!
2. Call for an end to the use of Police as Immigration enforcement Agents, no to the failed Secure Communities and 287g programs, No a la Poli-Migra!

   a. Demand an end to family separations, 3,750,000 of citizen children have had a parent deported.

3. Stem the tide toward Racial Profiling that has incarcerated so many migrant and African American brothers and sisters, no to SB 1070 and copycat laws, no to gang injunctions, Stop "stop and frisk" and the targeted check points in migrant communities.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 15, 2014

CONTACT: Lisa Marie Alatorre, Coalition on Homelessness, SF 

Cell: (510) 982-9275

Urgent Community Blockade to Stop Eviction of Recycling Center

What: Protest and Non-violent Civil Disobedience

When: Wednesday July 16, 2014, 6:01am

Where: 2020 Market St. (at Duboce), SF Community Recycler's Center

San Francisco, CA – Safeway has filed the eviction paperwork and SF County Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi has calendered the eviction of the San Francisco Community Recycler's Center (SFCRC) for anytime after Wednesday, July 16^th at 6:01am. Community members and activists will be gathering in front of the entrance to the last non-profit recycling center located on the corner of Market & Duboce to form a non-violent blockade to stop the eviction of this critical pillar of San Francisco. Community-based recycling provides critical work and an economic lifeline to poor, elderly, disabled, undocumented, and struggling San Franciscans.

“Almost all poor San Franciscans redeem their recycling and as a city we are reliant on street-based recycling,” says Jennifer Friedenbach from the Coaition On Homelessness. “Eliminating community-based recycling not only reduces access to economic opportunities for San Franciscans, but it also leaves real gaps in recycling for our city parks and streets. It will impact small businesses who will now be responsible to act as recycling centers, and it means developers and condo owners have more power than legislation like the Bottle Bill. This is bad city policy and we must stop these evictions immediately.”

This trend of pushing out community-based recycling is a result of pressure from condo development, Supervisor Scott Wiener, and further city-wide gentrification efforts. Elected leaders such as Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, Board of Supervisors Eric Mar, and Supervisor John Avalos have spoken out in favor of preserving and expanding recycling in the city. More recently May Ed Lee's Department of the Environment issued a “Request For Qualifications” which calls for the expansion of recycling to all districts in our city, including keeping ALL current recycling sites.

“Recycling is a great service to our cities and in service to our city's green aspirations.” says Ed Dunn of the Market Street San Francisco Community Recyclers Center. “Eliminating community based recycling has grave impacts on San Francisco, from public safety to huge environmental fails including moving us away from goals of being Zero Waste in 2020. It is sad to think any elected leader would support a move like this and a corporation like Safeway would get away with turning their back on their corporate civic responsibility to something as vital as recycling.”

Community members will be blockading the entrance to the recycling center as an act of solidarity with community recyclers, many of whom are out working at that time. Protesters will be demanding that the Sheriff refuse to carry-out the reclamation of the site. Protesters will also be sending a message to Safeway that this eviction, based on hate of poor, disabled, homeless, and people of color will not be tolerated in San Francisco. There will be high spirits, chanting, and signs for visuals and is a planned non-violent act of civil disobedience and some participants may choose to risk arrest.

July 14, 2014

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "The good old days, when renting without a lease was no problem, and business decisions were settled with handshakes, was when the African Outlet set up shop in Hayes Valley. With commercial rents on Octavia Street rising from $5,000 to $7,000 and beyond, those days are long gone."

As I learned in Peopleskool and through my own research, the African Outlet are victims of gentrification and will be forced to close. Their situation coincides with Marcus Bookstore, because both business owners had problems with rent and ridiculous bills for repairs that they do not have control over. I sincerely believe there is a reason behind closing the only original African store in San Francisco. It is being closed regardless of how much money they raise, and Marcus Bookstore was taken from under our feet.

I had to investigate this situation personally because I graduated from SFSU in Africana Studies, and Marcus Bookstore was the cornerstone and foundation of the protests to establish the Ethnic Studies Department. The first BSU in the United States, along with every indigenous culture you can think of, was established under the Ethnic Studies Department, and they have emphases on each culture you’d want to major in.

At SFSU I chose my own heritage to study. People judge me as if it means nothing because of the fact it is an Africana Studies major and not a Psychology major, plus everyone keeps on telling me I’m never going to get a job because of my choice of a Bachelors Degree. It is true that a lot of people won’t hire me, but I learned a lot of important things, not only about African Americans and slavery, but also about African Heritage, especially in Egypt and the West African cultures. I even took a class called Black Journalism which Tiny and Mama Dee attended while establishing POOR Magazine, twenty years ago. Mama Dee laid the foundational principles of POOR around what people like Wade Nobles teach.

All this is to say, I, along with everyone else in the Bay Area, are upset because the only Black-owned businesses in San Francisco are being taken, no matter how hard we fight a lawyer or someone who doesn’t want us to rise and unite with everyone. They attack the establishment of the African outlet.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “There's nothing quite like the African Outlet elsewhere in San Francisco, or possibly anywhere. The corner retail space is crammed from floor to ceiling with masks, statues, clothing and art. The aroma of incense burning outside greets visitors who walk through a narrow path between the exotic treasure." I met the store owner, Big Mike, in person at a drum circle, a week later at Juneteenth, and again performing dance at the El Cerrito County Fair for July Fourth, plus I met him over at my friend’s house that I knew since middle school. That was wacked out crazy: he participates in all the events. One thing about his performances that I thought was weird, was they have a casket with doves in them so on stage all you see is a box open. I was blessed to meet all the dancers and see a lot of people promoting African culture.

Every time I see Big Mike, aka Fuck the Police Big Brother of the Hood, his women and his children, I purchase alphets (outfits) when they distribute them during festivals and other events. For example, they had numerous people modeling clothes as well as painting themselves in the indigenous ways Africans do when they are in rituals. They taught us how certain representations of a scar mark men from particular tribes, and mark turning into a man.

Everyone knows Big Mike in the neighborhood because of his famous tattoo, but also his wonderful heart and compassion, his mission to protect his community in all different ways. I personally met him when I was in sixth grade. If someone in the neighborhood disrespects me, all I have to say is Big Mike is my big brother, which a lot of females do.

I love the culture at the African Outlet, because it is not just the clothes, its the continuous flow of people gathering through the spirit of practicing indigenous practices and a safe haven for people to communicate with each other.
 

July 14, 2014

On June 23, 2014, I entered Glide Church to participate in a free community meal.

On the way to the dining hall I noticed a flyer posted on the wall that stated the next morning at 8:30 a.m., vouchers for the Farmers Market would be available in Freedom Hall, first come first served. I returned the next morning at 7:30 a.m., with confidence that I would be able to partake in the morning breakfast that starts at 8:00 a.m. and still have ample time to stand in line for a voucher. At 8:00 a.m. the line began to move. After receiving a ticket for the meal and walking into the building at 8:09 a.m., all guests within hearing distance, including myself, were informed that all the vouchers had been dispensed.

Upon being seated for the meal, I noticed a poster on the wall in regard to making grievances about service or treatment in the free meals program. I recorded that information with my camera phone and tried my best to enjoy the meal.

For many years I’ve noticed that the trays the meals are served on are worn to the point of holes being in them, even including the segments where food is placed, which causes food to come in direct contact with the counter. I had the intention of complaining not only about the conflict regarding vouchers and their disbursement during a meal, but also the poor condition of the trays.

By the next morning the trays had been replaced with new trays with no holes.

I saw no point in complaining about the trays at this point and figured that I would just get the run around as per usual in any bureaucratic setting in regard to the vouchers.