Story Archives 2014

Co-madres/Co-editors Note: The following is the first in a series of Gentrification investigations for PoorNewsNetwork (PNN) led by the Youth Skolaz at Revolutionary Youth Media Education (RYME) Class at Deecolonize Academy. Deecolonize academy is a collaborative effort of Healthy Hoodz and POOR Magazine and Mama & Uncle Teachers/Poverty Skolaz Anita de Asis, Estrella Divina, Tiny aka Lisa Gray-Garcia, Muteado Silencio, all of the children's mama, daddy, uncle and auntie skolaz, Ancestors and Mama Earth

This Bill Has to Be Passed-

By Bentfoot/ PNN RYME Youth SKola at Deecolonize Academy

I am Bentfoot,  a youth scholar in the PNN RYME(Revolutionary Youth Media Education) class at Decolonize academy. Our class went to a rally on September 30^{th, 2014} at Oakland city hall in support of the legislation for Tenant Protection Ordiance

The Tenant Protection Ordinance is a bill that will protect tenants from being evicted and displaced because of landlord harassment or neglect of repairs.

When we got there we got to talk to two people, Nell and Lynn. 

Nell said,"there's a chance that the bill won't be passed," she explained the reason for that was because there was some landlords there who didn't want the bill to be passed because they wouldn't be able to harrass the tenants out of their house.

When we talked to Lynn and she went on to tell us about why she was there and that was because she was an intern of Merrit College for Just Cause and that they had helped her when she was in distress with her housing. For instance her landlord refused to repair her house for 21 years, to the point where she had a bunch of holes in her roof that let in water and he didn't fix the roof until she told him that her computer could be damaged.

Once we finished talking to Nell and Lynn we went into the City Hall Chambers. The stairs toward it was all imported marble stairs which cost thousands of dollars to make. When we went into the chambers it looked like they spared no expense on the room, which gave me a feeling of isolation and that i would be taken off to jail if i said anything.

In the end i left feeling that this bill has to be passed to prevent gentrification because my family and me has been homeless for about 5 months because we couldn't find a house because of how much houses has been raised to cost.

Protecting Our Future

By Ana Lapota/PNN RYME Skola

I Ana Lapota , an intern/mentee at Deecolonize Academy reported on the Tenant Protection Ordinance at City Hall in Downtown Oakland on September 30, 2014. The Tenant Protection Ordinance is basically helping homeowners not be kicked out of their homes by the government, since finding new housing is expensive.

Early today while at city hall I discovered that tenants are having their homes forclosed due to the government wanting their property. One person in particular named Nell says that she was kicked out of her home because Chase wanted it and that going to the bank wouldn't help either, so she became a renter. However, she used the knowledge she had to help others who were going through the same situation.

“They will say that they want to help you but they really don't” says another woman named Leanne. In Leanne's case she had troubles with where she was living because there were a lot of problems with her home. For example, she had a leak in her roof, yet her landlord didn't want to do anything until she told them that she has to continuously move her computer to prevent it from getting wet, and they only fixed her roof because they did not want to pay for her computer if it got damaged. Later on in the day while walking into the chamber you see marble floors and stairs.

You also see a huge spacious area leading up to the chmber with intricate artwork on the ceiling.

At the end of the day we leave city hall with the realization that if we do not want this to happen to us when we get older we have to do something about it, us as young revolutionaries have the power to affect the future and by demanding changes now our future will seem brighter than ever.

Chase (Bank) Needed my House More than i did??!

By Butterfly/PNN-RYME Skola

I, Butterfly, from PNN-RYME at Deecolonize academy. I went to support a protest about the tenant protection ordinance being proposed in Oakland. I found out that our voices are important and we need to fight for this because there is a chance that the legislation wont pass.

We interviewed Nell, one of the organizers of the action.  Some of her history with evictions is she lived in a house which the bank company Chase stole from her.  “Chase felt like they needed the house more then she did.”said Nell

She said,” I was really angry , but I also felt happy because I was very well supported so it was kind of a mixed feeling.”

In the end I want the law to be passed because me and my family have dealt with a housing crisis for over 4 months, and have been evicted before, that's why I think this law should be passed to protect families of color like mine in Oakland

I Don't Want to Live in Cardboard Houses

By Heidy Serrano/PNN-RYME Youth Skola

I Heidy Serrano an intern at Deecolonize Academy went to Oakland City Hall on September, 30th. We went to a rally for the support of the Tenant Protection Ordinance Legislation.

We interviewed Nell who informed us that Chase bank seized her home and that banks like Chase use the money of the poor people to take their homes.

" I was 25 years living in my house, the landlord never fixed anything,"  said Lynn an organizer with Just Cause Oakland we also interviewed  She and Lynn and many more people like the members of POOR Magazine are fighting for tenants rights in Oakland.

"Gentrification is displacing poor people out of Oakland. Poor people can’t afford to stay in Oakland because the prices keep rising and people living on fixed incomes from the government barely get anough to cover their rent. We only get 900 a month while the rents are going at $1,000 and above, " concluded Lynn.

. “I don’t want to live under a freeway or in cardboard houses.” -added Lynn.

We went inside of City Hall where it was quite grand with beautiful sculptures and marble floors that could house many houseless people; but instead they use the money on their fancy city hall.

In conclusion we are change the young people will create change for everyone. When elders can’t fight anymore we will be there to make change.

 

I have Been Evicted So Many Times

By Tiburcio Garcia/RYME-PNN Youth Skola

I am Tiburcio Garcia reporter for RYME (Revolutionary Youth Media Education) am reporting about how we (Deecolonize Academy) went to the city hall in Oakland CA on September 30th.

We interviewed a woman who went by the name of Nell. She spoke to us about how the legislation might come to pass but she was also was worried

 “There is a chance that it wont be passed” said Nell. After a few minutes of talking we went into the chambers of the city’s hall. The Tenants Protection Ordenance as it is called is a legislation that might be passed resides in side the city hall. The marble shone my eyes like dimmed stars in a very starry night.

The figures that were etched out of the marble were magnificent but the money put into them could’ve bought houses for a lot of people living in the streets.

 We went into the courtroom and I might’ev said the same thing about that sanctuary. The decision makers were the people in the high chairs looking down at you like miniature human Washington monuments I caught a few names like Larry Reid and Cibby Sehaf but the sounds1 were mostly jumbled.  

I believe that because I have been evicted so many times I think it should be passed to help the people who are in risk being evicted now

Landlords are Wrong

By Kimo Umu/PNN-RYME youth skola

I am Kimo,Umu I went to Oakland City Hall on September 30 to a rally and protest for the legislation in support for getting tenant protections. When we were there we interviewed a woman named Nell.

''There is a chance that it wont pass,''said Nell speaking about the legislation .

After the rally we went into the chambers. It was beautiful and it also looked very expensive I wonder where they got all that money. to make it so nice

 

My opinion on this is I hope this becomes a law because people are getting evicted all over the bay.I think it's wrong what the landlords are doing to all our people when we need housing.

 

As a Young Black Girl...

By Joyous/RYME-PNN Youth Skola

I. Joyous, part of RYME at Deecolonize Academy me and my classmates went to a rally in Oakland in support of the tenant protection ordinance,  we spoke to a lady named Nell,

“I feel bad about what happened to Oakland because of gentrification,” said Nell..She went on to say that she was so happy that the tenant protection is being proposed to the city council.

As a black girl living in Oakland I hope that this legislation passes

October 7, 2014

POOR Magazine’s Newsroom this September was the first meeting I’ve been to with a youth leadership component. No matter what school a child goes to people have to be mindful of how they treat the children regardless of age or ability. I am thankful to spend time with youth from Homefulness, because the kids and the teachers at DEEcolonize Academy stand for unity and a family-orientated approach.

I told the story of a young girl who goes to Presidio Middle School to the youth at DEEcolonize Academy. When they heard how oppressively she was treated, they wanted to go to the school and talk to the principal!! They do not know the girl I know but they had the mentality to uplift someone to resist oppressive disrespectful treatment in middle school. It made me feel that this was a good subject to talk about because a lot of our youth are stirred the wrong way, but DEEcolonize Academy is the opposite: we encourage each other from the top down and from the oldest to the youngest.

There are a lot of studies about how humans learn things from the beginning of birth. Evidently, when you are a child you learn a lot easier then teenagers or adults. Furthermore, having a child in your hands, whether physically or emotionally, is a serious matter. I sincerely believe teachers, mothers, fathers, siblings, and various other influences can teach a child to perform different ways.
I have worked at the Youth Guidance Center, Girls 2000 in Hunters Point, and in pre-k. Usually problems form because of a teacher or outside environments. I thought I was really good with children until I started conducting classes and being an authority. In a classroom you have to learn every child’s behaviors and boundary points. When children look to a teacher they expect the teacher to know everything. Which is not possible, but to children it is. The reason why I am touching these subject matters is because of what a little girl in my hood went through with the mis-treatment of her teacher.

“I am intimidated and embarrassed, because math is difficult for me and the teacher made me feel inferior, because I wasn’t fast enough for him when I counted numbers.” said Errata, a young girl who has just started sixth grade at a local public school in San Francisco. Teaching a child with a domestic violence in their home life is serious, and Errata suffers massive stress disorder at the young age she is. The horrors of her past haunt her every day.

The teacher in math class tore her paper in half in front of the whole class. These are the exact things that hinder a child’s growth in education and every other aspect of self-development. A lot of people may think this is insignificant but I sincerely believe teachers like this must be evaluated. That one incident can either make her or break her, and according to Errata she is now more than ever scared to learn math because she felt like she was slow in the first place and now after this incident she is going to struggle with her confidence.

Children are master minds, and they are our future and I wanted to write about this because these small things get overlooked and a lot of people do not realize what effect it can have on a child’s growth and development.

October 7. 2014

I have heard a lot about the Willie Lynch Speech before, but I never read it myself. I am a person who loves to read but all I read about is spiritual books or what people call self-motivation books.

I just read a book called The Golden Ticket. It was about a marriage when the woman almost died, and the husband went on a special journey, seeing images of his life, and what made him neglect his growth as a human being. The ticket he received was a new life after experiencing horror from his past, and being able to be a better husband. My point is he got a chance to change his life after his visions.

I read another book about the way Willie Lynch made a man into a slave in the West Indies and sent him to the United States. In his speech he taught a lesson on how to keep a person a slave for the next three hundred years. He made slaves hate other slaves simply because of a lighter skin tone, and he would do psychological things to limit their ability to one day become independent in our own country. I sincerely believe the tactics he used worked, but nobody can stop your progress as a person.

I talked about the Willie Lynch Speech because it proves why African people went through the most hell. Being that we were lynched, raped, trained by having women train the man to look worthless and non providable, because the slave master would break the women from looking to their husbands and instead to the slave master. A lot of youth today do not study these things for history.

Talking about the Willie Lynch Speech might seem far off a subject for direct student loans, but I thought about his determination to keep people oppressed for three hundred years. Student aid loans are a set up for our people to fail, and college teaches you to work for someone else rather than owning properties amongst ourselves. I sincerely believe we can work as one together, but I think this mental breakdown has passed three hundred years. Physically we are free but mentally a lot of people aren’t. Or it is hard to accept our history once we learn about the slaves, the Willie Lynch Speech. Even caucasians were brutally damaged. Irish people were calld ni... all the time when they migrated to the south. In college you go to school for money and end up in debt.

Another anecdote is now loans are going to be established like disability. Either you qualify and only get a certain amount for some years, but it used to last til you were done with college. I stayed in college for nine years, now they have it to if you fail classes twice your financial aid gets cut and you’re put out based on what they call "progress probation", coupled with "academic probation", and now they even cut your money if you are not enrolled in a certain amount of units (classes).

In news room I felt emotional, because all the youth are growing in a good direction breaking down the slave mentality and taking off mental chains from self, others, and from history. If they are making school so hard to survive, our youth might not survive through college but they may become victims in jail. That is why I stress school as a foundation because an elderly person told me someone can take everything from you but they cannot take your education and your spirit. Furthermore I think DEEconolize Academy has to prepare youth for every problem they may face as far as being stereotyped, classified, or even from homophobia.

I hope oneday we can be a nation that gets along and everything will be fair. Loans and money may hold me down but its okay. I believe in myself that I am making it no matter what. I hope the generation after me will see all of these variables and strengthen through positive learning.
 

October 7, 2014

Revolution begins with I, and many of our greatest victories are individual acts of defiance, independence, and determination [IDID]. Often we poor folks don't have food immediately available to us when we are out protesting. We miss the soup kitchens because they are closed by the time we get back.

We can, however, save up various condiments from some of them, piece together staples from various food pantries and procure other food items the best way we know how.

Last week I did just that, and built a pizza almost completely from scratch. Starting with the crust I purchased fresh pizza crust from “Hipster Bro's” (Trader Joes) for $1.29.

The sauce was a can of tomato sauce I had spirited away from a free food pantry.

The first layer of ingredients was sauteed mixed greens as well as sauteed zucchini and white summer squash I got from “poor peoples' free farm stand.”

Next I added green tomato and peppers from Pachamama Garden, and a jar of green olives from a potluck dinner thrown by the soup kitchen I volunteer at.

Next I added vegetarian pepperoni crumbles, vegetarian Italian seitan crumbles, and sauteed onions from a free food pantry.

The final ingredient of mozzarella cheese I paid $1.99 for at a discount grocery store.

My final cost was less than the cost of a slice of pizza at most pizza places, with more ingredients than most large pizzas!

I followed the directions that came with the dough and followed my own taste otherwise. I am not an experienced pizza chef so don't feel intimidated but if you have more experience making pizza than me, maybe yours will look a lot prettier!

My final creation I dubbed the beast from the east because a good amount of the ingredients came from the landless peoples movement in deep East Oakland known as “Homefulness.”

Who made my dinner? IDID!

On September 25, 2014, I was stopped by the San Francisco Police and given a ticket for fare evasion.

I and another gentlemen of African descent were stopped for this alleged offense while hipsters and yuppies enjoyed their privilege of not being cited by police presumably because it was assumed that they were going to work and therefore “contributing” to society.

Less than an hour earlier I received a transfer from the previous bus I caught that morning but apparently lost it.

Co-editor of Poor Magazine and fellow poverty skola/writer Lisa Tiny Gray-Garcia has also been stopped for this alleged offense in the past and was told by the police in that incident that “the only reason we started enforcing this activity is Mayor Ed Lee wants to cut down on fare evasion.” I was riding the bus that morning on my way to SFGH because I am diabetic and apparently had an infection in one of my toes.

Obviously the seriousness of that situation outweighed where I put my transfer in the mad scramble for a seat on a crowded bus. My personal safety is important to me, and the prospect of saving a toe and ultimately my foot and leg!

When the bus stopped at Market and Fifth Street SFPD began to board. I had my headphones on and did not hear what they had to say, but my concern for my health was great enough that I decided it was best to get off and continue on the next bus.
As I got off, there was another officer who stopped me and asked if I had my transfer. I checked and realized it was not in any of my pockets. She asked where I was going. I told her SFGH.

She did not enquire as to whether I was experiencing a medical emergency and if she could assist me somehow, but instead asked for my ID and address. I complied.

When her partner was done with the other African descended person, he asked me “Why didn't you want to pay your fare?” To which I replied I had a transfer but apparently I lost it.

He replied “You're the fifth person who told us that this morning.”

I had to continue, injury and all, on foot to SFGH, where it was confirmed that I did indeed have an infection.

October 2014

This may seem like an odd statement coming from a proud US military veteran who earned a life long skill that has benefitted him greatly.

The first thing you need to understand is, why would I say this?

We as people of color have made as many contributions to the US becoming the powerful nation that it has become, but have paid the ultimate price here and abroad, sometimes more than our white counterparts.

First, one must understand the rich history that people of color have added to the US military.

The first casualty of the so-called Boston Massacre, the catalyst to the Revolutionary War, was Crispus Attucks, a man of African and Native American descent.

When the war began, blacks in the north were promised by the colonists that they would be freed from slavery if they helped fight the British.

In the south, blacks were promised by the British that if they helped fight the colonists they would be freed.

As history would have it the colonists won and for the most part kept their bargain by outlawing slavery in the north.

The famous Dred Scott case involved a slave named Dred Scott whose master moved to the north. Scott asserted that since slavery was not legal in the north he was therefore free.

His “master“ thought otherwise, a civil trial ensued and the final outcome was that since slavery was the law of the land he was still indeed a piece of property.

Free men who fought in the revolutionary war were assumed to have the very same property rights as whites but were not allowed to marry whites.

The fugitive slave act of 1854 changed all of this when congress penned a law that allowed any white man the right to claim any black person as his runaway slave with no recourse, even if it had been documented for generations that he and his family were free. {This of course excluded slaves that were already “property” of another white man.}

Even in the conflict that allegedly ended slavery {and it has not really ended- now it is known as the prison industry}, free blacks who enlisted in the Union Army were not treated as equals to their white counterparts, and many of them did not get the wages they were promised.

Ironically even the Confederacy kept its promise, and awarded a black soldier in the early 20th century, who fought for the Confederacy during the civil war.

Blacks fought in every major war or conflict that the US was involved in, and even during WWII while black soldiers helped liberate Europe from the tyranny of Nazi occupation, blacks themselves were being maimed tortured and murdered by whites while the government turned a blind eye. Indeed the so-called civil rights act was not signed into a bill until nearly 100 years later.

Even with the signing of the civil rights bill, racists have just found slick ways around the law, and even the law itself demands such strictness that even the most ignorant can find a way around it.

Segregation in the military wasn't lifted until the Korean War in the 50's.

In spite of our dedication and trust in change we still continue to be treated like second-class citizens.

Having the first “black” President really hasn't changed much for us at all.

The response in Ferguson should be reason enough, but just remember this: the government is the only entity that can change an agreement anytime they want without any penalty.

The GI bill has changed at least 3 times since WWII.

In answering why we should boycott the military, we first need to ask why do we join?

The number one reason is because military recruiters are very slick and good at what they do.

Secondly, what they offer can be very appealing to people who want to further their education but aren't eligible for scholarships or grants, often because they weren't given the proper tools in high school to get the kinds of grades that qualify. Also the prospect of achieving the so called “American Dream” of home ownership or owning a small business someday can be quite appealing to young people who are disenfranchised.

In order to buy that home you have to have the income to justify it and the credit report. In order to get the small business loan you have to have matching funds and credit report.

The vast majority of HUD homes are VA loans that have been foreclosed.

Often people come back from the military traumatized by events like war. For females, rape is often more of a reality than in the civilian world. All that glitters is not gold, especially when offered by the government!
 

October 2014

Since September 11, 2001, there have been numerous incidents involving law enforcement severely injuring or killing civilians. The vast majority of these victims have been black, brown or disabled.

The majority of the officers have been white.

Most recently the incident that has made national headlines regarding this sort of incident involved unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

According to eye witnesses Brown had his hands up in an attempt to surrender to police when he was shot to death. Rather than rehashing that story here these are a few simple guidelines that if adhered to could save some lives and some families some heartache.

We all can agree that police have too much power and often literally get away with murder.

That is the first thing to keep in mind.

The first thing you should do when stopped by the police is ask if you are being arrested or detained if the answer is no don't say another word and leave immediately.

Second you should come to terms with the fact that you may go to jail whether or not you broke a law eventually they will have to let you out unless you cant bail out bail is always based on flight risk so if you attempt to run when first encountered that makes you a high flight risk don't do it!

Don't get angry or at least don't show signs of it.

Don't accuse them of being racist or picking on you for any reason there is a good chance that that is true but there is no point in antagonizing somebody who is picking on you and has the ability to beat you, take away your freedom or kill you.
Be as co-operative as possible by giving them your real name and social security. You are not required to tell them anything else and don't. The only other thing you should tell them is “I choose to exercise my right to remain silent at this time.” If you start talking again, even if they offer you something like a chair, or about the ballgame last night, you have to tell them again that you choose to exercise your right to remain silent.

Please keep in mind the moment the police approach you, you are technically under arrest. Anything you do like run, pull away from them, or even argue with them can be considered resisting arrest.

As unfair as it may seem the police can arrest you and hold you up to 72 hours {3days} without filing any charges so don't resist arrest!

If you feel like they do anything inappropriate you can report it later. Check what the rules are where you are at the time, but just try to maintain your cool at all times.

Most importantly don't do anything that would draw their attention to you to begin with if you can help it.

If you do survive Thank God or whoever or whatever you believe in!

If you don't believe in something maybe you should reconsider!