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by Muteado Silencio/PNN Voces de inmigrantes en resistencia

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El Derecho alas Tierras Ancestrales

“Para la gente Nativa Americana la tierra es todo”

Tube la oportunidad de escuchar a Danny Blackgoat, maestro (Sha’olta’i) interprete, guia de la gente Diné. Los Navajos se nombraron Diné, o “la gente’. En 1868, un “tratado de paz” fue firmado dando el derecho ala gente Navajo a regresar a sus tierras. Ahora la tribu Navajo representa la mas grande en las Amerikkkas alargandose en los altos desiertos y bosques de los cuatro esquinas de Arizona.

Ahora los Diné estan haciendo confrontados con la lucha de mantener sus tierras Ancestrales. Quienes estan haciendo desplasados y reubicados por leyes introducidas por el govierno Amerikkano.

En Montaña Grande en Black Mesa en tierras Navajo, donde

generaciones han venido y pasado, donde 150,000 lunas de oraciones han transformado la tierra y el cielo.

En lenguaje Navajo no hay una palabra para describir la reubicacion, reubicacion es desaparecer y nunca ser visto.

Estan siendo desplasados y reubicados por hecho de que en Black Mesa contiene los depositos mas grandes de carbon en Amerikkka, como 100 millones de barriles de petroleo, 25 trillones cubicos cuadrados de gas natural, 80 billones de libras de Uranio.

En este momento los que toman desiciones en Washington D.C. planean formas para quitarles las tierras y extraer minerales de la tierra. Las
Compañia de carbon estan dando fondos a los Republicanos y Democratas porque tienen interes para que los ayuden.

Peabody Compañia de Carbon es las mas grande en el mundo, yactualmente planea expander sus operaciones.

Peabody Compañia de Carbon ha destruido tumbas, lugares sagrados, santuarios designados especificamente para ofrendas, prevencion de practicas rituales.

Podemos analizar como una y otra vez corporaciones desplasan a gente Indigena no solo en Norte Amerikkka pero tambien la tribu Mapuche en Ecuador en Sur America donde luchan contra Chevron que derramo petroleo en la Amazona.

Donde gente esta siendo forzada de tomar agua contaminada o morir de sed, donde se encuentran toxicos en la tierra.

“ El genocidio continua contra la gente Indigena con mucha fuerza, que podemos hacer”

Habra una caravana de gente una vez mas quienes viajaran cruzando estados de la union Amerikkkana para mostrar su apoyo a la gente de la Montaña Grande, en la nacion Navajo. En parte de la gente, sus tierras Ancestrales sagradas y por la futuras generaciones, estas comunidades siguen luchando y resistiendo los efuerzos del govierno, quien actua a favor de los intereses de Peabody Compañia de Carbon, cuales a desvastado comunidades y ecosistemas tambien el clima del planeta con la violacion de Black Mesa.

En este mes de la Historia Nativa Americana nos levantamos, protestamos, luchamos juntos a nuestros hermanos y hermanas de cualquiera manera necesaria.

“Una lesión a uno es una lesión para todos”

Right to Remain on Their Ancestral Lands

“For native people land means everything”

I had the opportunity to listen to Danny Blackgoat, teacher (Sha’olta’i), interpreter, guide from the Diné people. The Navajo refer to themselves as the Diné, or “the people”. In 1868, a “peace treaty” was signed allowing the Navajo people to return to their homeland. Today the Navajo Tribe represents the largest Indian Tribe in the Amerikkkas and stretches across the high deserts and forests of the four corners region.

Now the Diné are been confronted with struggling to keep their ancestral land, who are been displace and relocate by a policy introduce by the government of the united snakes of Amerikkka.

In Big Mountain in Black Mesa on the Navajo reservation, where many generations have come and past, where 150,000 moons of praying have shape and bound land and sky.

In the Navajo language there is no word for relocation, to relocate is to disappear never seen again.

They are been displace and relocate for the sole reason that Black Mesa has one of the largest remaining deposits of coal in the Amerikkkas, about 100 millions of barrels of oil, 25 trillions of cubic of natural gas, 80 billions of pounds of uranium.

At this moment the decision makers in Washington D.C. are planning ways to seize tribal lands to extract mineral resources. The coal companies are funding both the Republican and Democratic parties because they have huge interests.

Peabody Coal Company is the world’s largest coal company, currently has plans to expand its strip mine operations.

Peabody Coal Company has completely dug up burials, sacred sites, and shrines designated specifically for offerings, preventing religious practices.

We see over and over again companies displacing Indigenous people not only in North America but also the Mapuche tribe of Ecuador in South America that is fighting against Chevron who spill oil in the Amazon.

Where people are force to drink contaminated water and high levels of toxics can be found on the ground.

“The genocide continues for Indigenous people in full force what can we do about it”

A caravan of work crews will once again be converging from across the country in support of residents of Big Mountain regions of Black Mesa, Navajo Nation. On behalf of their peoples, their sacred ancestral lands and future generations, these communities continue to carry out a staunch resistance to the efforts of the U.S. government, which is acting in the interests of the Peabody Coal Company, to devastate whole communities and ecosystems and greatly de-stabilize our planet’s climate with their Black Mesa coal mining operations.

In November which is Native American History Month we stand with our brothers and sisters to fight to defend to not give up, by any means necessary.

“A injury to one is an injury to all”

by Tony Robles/PNN

I was riding Muni the other day. An African descendent sister sat nearby. Suddenly she said aloud, "God don't like ugly". I thought about those words. I wondered who first uttered them. Perhaps a poor person, a person removed from their land or perhaps it was a person wrongly incarcerated. I glanced at the other passengers. They stared straight ahead. It was as if the woman's words met deaf ears. I heard them. They touched my heart and mind.

Senior Action Network (www.senioractionnetwork.org) recently honored Mission District elder Jose Morales for his long fight against displacement and gentrification. Jose was evicted from his Mission District home courtesy the Ellis Act--a place he had called home for over 40 years. Jose fought for more than a decade to keep his home while his landlord fought to take it off the market for the purpose of converting it into a condominium. Folks from the community sat in Jose's kitchen listening to this elder describe his long struggle--the clock ticking in the background. Jose talked about the harassment of his landlord. The weight of the fight and the struggle and the harassment could be seen in Jose's bent back. We waited for the sheriff.

And what of the countless numbers of tenants, elders, people with mental and/or physical disabilities who have suffered from the physical and emotional stress of landlord harassment? Cases of harassment are well-documented--residential burglary, severed phone lines, sawing holes in floors, stalking, mysterious fires, etc.

San Francisco currently has no laws protecting tenants from harassment. The rent board does not involve itself in such cases. Presently the only thing tenants can do to fight is to document harassment, which might be over a period of months or years. Once the abuse has been documented as being so egregious as to cause physical, mental or financial damages--can the tenant then file a lawsuit.

Proposition M will add an important section to San Francisco's rent control law a section that will define and ban harassment. Prop M would give tenants a rent reduction when harassed. It will also give tenants attorney's fees to fight eviction attempts. Longtime tenant advocate Tommi Avicolli Mecca of the Housing Rights Committee (www.hrcsf.org) sees prop M as necessary. "Prop M gives tenants a tool for fighting landlord harassment. Currently, we don't have much that we can do when a landlord is tring to pressure us into leaving our apartment or is making it extremely uncomfortable for us to live there. Putting this in the rent ordinance makes perfect sense, its where most of our rights as rent-controlled tenants are already stored. This is a very important proposition--particularly for elders on fixed incomes who should be honored and cared for,not harassed. As the sister on Muni said, "God don't like ugly".

Author's note: To see a video of Senior Action Network's 17th annual convention, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuuIA-MMUSI

by Anna Kirsch/PNN

English follows

"Desde cuando los sue�os se volvieron en suicidio, desde cuando que los sue�os le quitan la vida a la persona. �Qu� es el sue�o Americano?" La voz poderosa de Muteado quebro el aire caliente y mal ventilado que llenaba el cuarto de poesia en la Librer�a City Lights. Era la apertura del nuevo proyecto revolucionario de Prensa POBRE, Los Viajes.

Exprimidos en filas de sillas escasas y rodeado por estantes de libros de poesia, lo oimos explicar la lucha de migracion en su poema, �El Sue�o Amerikkkano.� Un sabio de inmigracion y la pobreza, Muteado es uno de varios autores, poetas y artistas publicados en Los Viajes.

Los Viajes es un libro y proyecto de audio que arroja una nueva luz sobre el significado de la inmigracion y cruce de la frontera. Redefinar inmigracion. Los Viajes comparte el dolor, la esperanza, y la lucha de gente Ind�gena quien cruza la fronteras por todo el mundo. Desde Mexico a los E.E.U.U., Oakland a Berkeley, del pasado al presente. Los Viajes explora lo que significa para la gente lo que es luchar con el racismo y la pobreza, en cruzar las fronteras fisicas, de identidad y racial.

"Para que la gente tenga la oportunidad de publicar es halgo realmente revolucionario." Tiny, la co-fundadora de Prensa POBRE hablo despues, ��Como es que se crea acceso para voces muteadas? �Como es que se crea la revoluci�n para que se mire como nosotr@s?� su voz poderosa cauptivo a todos en el cuarto. �Lo hicimos con nuestr@s ancestr@s, nuestras familias, y hij@s,� dijo ella, �Nosotr@s somos due�@s de nuestras propias historias, noticias y arte.�

Para crear Los Viajes, el proyecto escrito de prensa POBRE inicio talleres gratis, multigeneracional de arte y escrito en refugios, escuelas y centros comunitarios. Estos talleres les dio a adultos, jovenes, y ancian@s la oportunidad de contar sus historias y ser due�@s de su propia noticias y arte; para rechazar el titulo de inmigrante.

La musica se oyia del callejon al lado, mientras l@s sabi@s contaron sus historias. Ingrid de Leon, la primera reportera de prensa POBRE y la inspiracion para Los Viajes, compartio su lucha en el trabajo, �Tengo Miedo� ella hablo honestamente y claramente. �Soy dicriminada y humillada por mis patrones,� ella dijo. Angela Pena nos conto de su viaje a los E.U. para salvar la vida de sus nieto. Vivian Hain nos conto de su familia, y cuando se migraron de Oakland para Berkeley en sus historia, �Cajas Cerradas.�

En cada historia del sabi@ hubo dolor, pero tambien esperanza porque sus verdades finalmente fueron contadas.

Ingles Sigu�

"Since when did dreams become suicide, since when did dreams take people's lives. What is the American dream?" Muteado's powerful voice cut through the warm, stuffy air that filled the poetry room at City Lights Bookstore. It was the launch of POOR Magazine's latest revolutionary publishing project, Los Viajes (The Journeys).

Squeezed in tight rows of chairs and surrounded by shelves of poetry books, we listened to him describe the struggle of migration in his poem, "Amerikkkan Dream." A race and poverty scholar, Muteado is just one of many authors, poets and artists published in Los Viajes.

Los Viajes (The Journeys) is a book and audio project that sheds new light on the meaning of migration and boarder-crossing. Redefining migration, Los Viajes shares the pain, hope and struggle of indigenous people crossing boarders all over the world. From Mexico to the U.S., Oakland to Berkeley, past to present, Los Viajes explores what it means for people struggling with racism and poverty to cross physical, identity and racial boarders.

"For poor people to publish is truly revolutionary," Tiny, the co-founder of POOR Magazine spoke next. "How do you create access for silenced voices? How do you re-make the revolution to look like us?" her powerful voice captivated all those in the room. "We do it with our ancestors, our families and our children," she said. "We own our own stories, media and art."

To create Los Viajes, POOR's community writing project conducted free, bi-lingual, multigenerational art and writing workshops in shelters, schools and community centers. These workshops gave adults, youth and elders the opportunity to tell their own stories and own their own media and art; to reject the label of immigrant.

Music wafted in from the alleyway below as the scholars shared their stories. Ingrid De Leon, the first reportera for POOR Magazine and the inspiration for Los Viajes, shared her struggle in the workplace. "I am scared," she spoke clearly and honestly. "I am discriminated against and humiliated by my own bosses," she said. Angela Pena told us about her journey to the U.S. to save the life of her grandson Vivian Hain described her family's migration from Oakland to Berkeley in her story, Sealed Boxes.

In each scholar's story there was pain, but also hope because their truth was finally being told

by Connie Lu/PNN Youth in the Media

Deep within the monsoon rainforest of China, lives a
young boy named Shiao Hu, meaning little tiger, and
his parents in the midst of dense and lush trees and
vegetation entangled with webs of vines climbing up
and hanging off every branch and limb. The sweet
fragrance of exotic flowers permeate through the air,
as their aroma is released by the sweltering heat of
humidity. The sun’s powerful rays are barely able to
penetrate the thick foliage of the rainforest, making
it dark and mysterious as sounds of wild animals echo
from every direction.

Shiao Hu hears the cries of prey being captured. His
heart begins beating faster and harder against his
chest, almost dropping the wood he had gathered for
fire. When suddenly he hears a rustling from behind.
His head slowly turns in fear of it being a hungry
tiger, as his frail body paralyzes with terror.
Then from behind a tree, a small kitten leaps out in
front of Shiao Hu, who took a deep breath of relief as
the kitten greets him with a tiny "meow". The kitten
was white with orange stripes and had white paws with
tiny pink pads under each toe. She was wet, cold,
shaking, scared, and hungry. Shiao Hu named her Mimi
and took her home with him even though his parents
would be against it because they barely had enough
food to feed themselves, let alone a cat. Sure
enough, his parents firmly deny him the permission to
keep the cat. But eventually, they give in to Shiao
Hu’s persistent persuasion of having a cat to catch
the mice that infested the little amount of food they
had.

Shiao Hu took Mimi everywhere he went and nurtured
her with care, as they grew closer to each other as
friends. One day, Shiao Hu decides to buy a simple
painting brush and a small bottle of ink because he
has always wanted to try to paint, but could never
afford the supplies until he was finally able to save
up enough money. He eagerly lays out the paper and
soaks the brush in water to soften the bristles before
gently dipping the brush into the black ink.
He paints a few strokes, but to his disappointment
they turn out nothing like the beautiful bamboo leaves
he envisioned in his mind. Mimi looks on while
sitting on the table. She gently nudges Shiao Hu with
her soft forehead on his cheek to reassure and
encourage him. Then, she walks towards the bottle of
ink and dips her tail with just enough ink. Shiao Hu
is confused but observes with curiosity and amazement,
as Mimi begins to paint with smooth and steady
strokes. Mimi finishes with the last drop of ink to
complete the painting of the fish.

Then to his surprise, the fish begins to move on the
paper and come to life, as it jumps off the paper onto
the table. Shiao Hu is in utter disbelief and shock.
But at the same time, he is filled with joy as he
holds Mimi tightly in his arms because this was the
first time he didn’t have to worry about having enough
to eat.

However, people began finding out about Mimi’s
painting powers somehow, including the Emperor who
sends his soldiers out to bring Shiao Hu and Mimi to
his palace. The Emperor commands Mimi to paint gold
coins and expensive gems. She obeyed his demands, but
the painting did not come to life like the fish. The
lifeless painting infuriates the Emperor, who
wrongfully accuses Shaio Hu of fabrication. The
Emperor felt embarrassed that a mere cat brought shame
to his pride. So out of anger and vengeance, he
sentenced Shiao Hu to the death penalty.
However, Mimi proposes a deal with the Emperor. She
asks the Emperor to spare Shiao Hu and to take her
life instead. The Emperor is not satisfied and
demands once again for Mimi to bring a painting of
gold coins to life. But this time, the Emperor
threatened the lives of both Shiao Hu and his parents
if the painting failed to transform. Mimi agrees to
his terms and begins painting. When the painting is
complete, the table is covered with so many gold coins
and precious jewels that they are falling to the
ground.

The Emperor then spitefully orders for Mimi to be
sentenced to death, as he begins counting his money
with greed. But as soon as Mimi is killed, the gold
coins begin to disappear despite the Emperor’s attempt
to tenaciously hold onto them. While the Emperor was
distracted by his loss, Shiao Hu quickly escapes
without being noticed.

Shiao Hu returns home safely but is filled with grief
for his friend Mimi, who sacrificed her life for him.
He tries to find relief from the pain in his heart by
making another attempt to paint. This time, his hand
felt steady as the ink flowed onto the paper from the
brush. When he finished, there was a sweet bowl of
fruit on top of the painting he had just completed
because it had come to life!

Shiao Hu knew that Mimi was with him in his heart,
even though she wasn’t there physically. But she will
be remembered through the living paintings that
provide the daily needs of Shiao Hu and his parents.

by Staff Writer

Is light coming?

Is light coming my way?

Or is it staying in its place, hoping it comes.

It�s hidden in the dark�

People say �hold on you have a long life to live.�

This is the way I live?

It�s not the right way to live.

by Marlon Crump/PNN

Before the World Trade blew

I already knew

but you still dumbfounded, livin’ without a clue

It ain’t ‘cause I’m arabic or ‘cause I’m a Jew

America the beautiful, we loved by few

That’s why they puttin’ flames to the red white & blue

Lyrics from Bay Area hip hop artist, Opium titled “Suicide Execution” a single from his debut album, “Terrorism 101.”

“Thus I will punish the world for it’s evil

and the wicked for their iniquity

I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud

and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless...”

(Isaiah 13:11)

Rap and Hip Hop music, a phenomenon equipped with diverse self-expression, uncharted within oppressive territories. A music pop cultural art industry that continues to defy all odds consistent of negative stereotypes, most perpetrated by corporate mainstream media that demonizes and dictates their lives.

Brainwashed into the minds of the ignorant, oblivious, and naïve that rap and hip-hop is nothing more than a culturally combative threshold for violence, and degradation. Fused into these minds that then generalize this art based on some R-rated (mature) content that they hear from certain artists.

What fails to drift and draft the minds full of negative preconceived notions is the reality that hip-hop and rap is a vital instrument for the unheard, particularly the youth (many coming from poverty). For young people, this art is their critical grasp for self-empowerment, fulfillment, and expression facing a world so competitive just to even be heard.

Growing up from Cleveland, Ohio as a young man living in a poor community, all I would hear were scrutiny about the music. Though some of the songs that I listened to were subject material meant for adult or mature ears, the energy vocalized were often uplifting for me.

Regardless of the weather, the day, and my mood, I’d often pop a hit single in my radio cassette, or C.D. player. A combination of everything ranging from racism, po-lice brutality, drugs in the ghetto, politics, and poverty would hit my brainwaves. From every artist and song that contained one or more of these categories, I learned something.

During my tenure here at POOR Magazine/PNN, I was introduced to something unique, and very revolutionary: Krip Hop. Our comrade, Race, Media, and Disability scholar in residence, Leroy Moore has educated the masses of media, locally and globally of one’s passion to be a hip hop artist, undetermined by disability to express their art.

For Opium, it is more than just the feeling of expression. His goal is to universally educate all ears through his music, exposing the prejudice Arabs and people of Middle Eastern descent are subjected to. Being Arab-American, himself, this goes without saying.

Raised in San Francisco, California, born in Point Clear, Alabama, Opium has established a decade-long rap career for himself. His arsenal of talents consists of theatrical stage performances, song writing for other artists, and music composing, mixing, and writing his own songs.

Opium has performed all over the Bay Area and across the globe such as India's “Ahimsah Life Celebration”, Morocco's “Le Coupe de Monde World Cup Festival”, and numerous clubs from San Francisco to France to Amsterdam. Some of his inspiration comes from rappers, such as Cheb i Sabbah, Yukmouth, Salif Keita, Hasan Hakmoun, along with celebrity artists, 50 Cent and Eminem.

Political, rugged, and urban, with a west coast style and appreciation for the industry are Opium’s qualities. He doesn’t fully consider himself as a solo artist, in that his art is joined collectively with other groups of a global network. Such groups are the “216” and “Ferenheight.” Defying and challenging icons adequately adored in today’s world of deceptive glamour additionally envisions his lyrical ambition: Music of Revolution.

Opium’s Terrorism 101 is a full-length debut album, with two of them outspoken hardcore lyrical detail of his disdain for the oppression, immoralities, capitalism, and the corruptive politics within the U.S.A. In Bring it Back, he appears to be orchestrating a spiteful engage of success to blindside the ignorance and negative stereotype his people are confronted with: Drugs, money, and power.

Since the 9/11 attacks and the Bush “era on terror” many civil liberties of Middle Eastern heritages and cultures have been under attack. In Suicide Execution Opium hits on major issues with explosively-explanatory detail of the terrorism that arose following the 9/11 attacks, here in the United States: War, warrant-less surveillance, capitalism, and the need to combat these acts through revolution.

CHORUS

Stealin’ oil overseas - Only In America

Brainwash our seeds - Only In America

The rich get rich while the poor drown in poverty

New World Order - Bush is Illuminati

The wealth, Iraq War, corporations, clothing products and lavish lifestyles followed by civil liberty-lashing laws, and law enforcement (escalated since the Bush era) constituted a need for Opium to produce Only in America. This track presents a spotlight of Opium’s outspoken audio aggression against the capitalism and oppression people in the U.S. are subjected to.

A feel for revolution is heard, not just through his audio art, but also through his citation of the late Malcolm X:

“Revolution is bloody, revolution is hostile, revolution knows no compromise, and revolution overturns and destroys anything that gets in its way. If you’ve got a ‘revolution’ that doesn’t involve bloodshed - you’re afraid to bleed.”

To learn more about Opium, his debut album and his work, visit the following below websites:

http://www.myspace.com/opium415

http://ursession.com/opium415

http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2005/03/terrorism

www.hiphoparabia.net

by Tiny/PoorNewsNEtwork

POOR MAgazine's ReViEw cru had the pleasure of attending the SNAG (Seventh Native American Generation) release party at Oaklands Black Box last Friday night.

"in this issue we explore rites of passage - life changing experiences that have made us who we are today. Whether it be a coming of age ceremony, a rough year in high school or a moment shared with grandfather... we have all lived through times that have shaped us as people...excerpt from SNAG's 3rd issue

I first met Ross Cunningham, who is Pomo and African and Shadi Rahimi who is Bahrani and Kurdish , founders and editors of SNAG in 2002 when they approached POOR to help them get their first issue of SNAG published through our publishing arm, POOR Press - which sponsors work of poor youth and adults of color. We were thrilled to be part of the project and many months of slaving over a hot computer by everyone involved- SNAG volume 1 was borne.

A year and a half later Volume 3 of a glossy and very beautiful SNAG entitled "rites of Passage" which also includes a very phat CD has officially hit the streets. SNAG, based in Oakland is the only native youth magazine in the whole US and is totally self-sustaining. They make the money to publish by selling the magazine for $5.00 and they have contributors from native youth all over the US

I went to the release party with my 5 month old son and my friend and fellow POOR staffer Jennifer Navarro and her young son (2). I had some reservations about going to a "show" that purported to have hip hop, dance and art with my baby only because the volume can be too loud for him, but when i asked Ross about it he said, "NAw,,, this is an all ages show" Well the interesting part of that statement is it in fact was an all ages show, there were elders, grandmothers and grandfathers, babies ( even younger than mine) and children ranging from 4 to 18. and they weren't just there - all these folk from all these different generations performed, spoke out, danced and chanted.

The evening began with a traditional dance including Ross' grandmother leading a traditional song with Ross and several other men and boys dressed in traditional Pomo gear dancing to bless the event and launch the resistance. After that Ross spoke to the crowd bout SNAGs humble ( hella ghetto aka POOR PRess) beginnings, the mission statement of SNAG and what would happen that night.

We were blessed with traditional dance performances by children and adult Pomo dancers accompanied by the famous drum sounds of The All Nations Drums, B-Boys from New Mexico and the Dine Nation; The FOFcru and Hound Dog Truckers, Oakland Rapper Tico , spoken words and B-girls from TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More- a youth group that spoke truth about the criminal Unjustice System and the necessity to resist through raising our voices together.

The next part of the night was framed as an "open mike" which was truly an open mike - ie folk of all ages and colors came to the mike and spoke, sung and chanted on all issues ranging from the incarcerations of native brothers to the haunting sounds of a native man playing an electric bass guitar as though it was a sitar .

Finally, much later in the evening the night became about some deep sounds of Native Hip hop including Ras K'Dee, PRophet, PRofound, Blessed I, Foreign Legion and Casper Lomayesva- it was at this point that we and the mama/baby cru from POOR had to make our exit feeling full of cross cultural and multi-generational knowledge and positivity.

The SNAG folks are working on developing a website which would allow them to publish weekly. TO do this they need to raise some funds - to make a donation or get a copy of their current Issue contact Ross at (510) 535-4492- x 157 or email them at snagmagazine@yahoo.com

by Marlon Crump/PNN

"What do we want?"

"JUSTICE!"

"Who do we want it for?"

"Poor mamas struggling!"

"With?"

"When do we want it?"

"NOW!"

Outcries led by "Tiny" Lisa Gray-Garcia, single mothers advocate against court-corruption ,co-founder of POOR Magazine/POOR News Network; and myself as a re-porter/supporter and "Revolutionary Legal Scholar" at last year's Justice Fo Da Mamaz Day Rally, in front of the San Francisco Superior Courthouse.

Over a year (and many a mother’s tears later) the voices of "Silenced Mamas" continue to echo from their grieving hearts. These voices were due to their unwitting induction into a carnival courtroom, comprised of callous child custody abduction.

Their voices continue to target a certain "judge" who is in the center of that corruption: San Francisco Family Law Commissioner/Judge Marjorie A. Slabach!

"No matter what your son tells you, you are NOT to report anything to any city agencies. C.P.S (Child Protective Services) and no one!!"

Judge Marjorie Slabach's reported expletive address to single mom, Aminah Owens.

We’re not just members of the bar

Here in Familawt,

Familawt

We’re connoisseurs of the bizarre!

Best interests of the children is our watchword

We frown upon disparagement and blame

In short there is simply not, a more congenial spot

For ending your relationship than here in Fam-i-lawt

Familawt.

Familawt…

(Caricature performance of "Camelot" featuring numerous judges, including Slabach from various counties, participating in their mocking to the very law that they preside over, titled “Familawt”) home.earthlink.net/~elnunes/ camelot.htm

"It’s gotten to a point where I fear even walking into her courtroom, because she will always be biased against me." Kim stated to me.

Like so many Kim Swans, June Strohlins, (a.k.a Jewnbug) Sandra Thomsens, and possibly countless others before and/or after them, there is yet to be any swift accountability for Slabach's abuse, surrounding her atrocious judicial dictatorship regarding child dependency cases.

Despite the efforts by POOR, myself as re-porting-su-pporting Revolutionary Legal Scholar, and even with the efforts by fellow comrade/victim of Slabach, June Strohlin a.k.a Jewnbug, this "judge" continues to reign ruthlessly supreme over single moms, predominately those prone to poverty.

Is the California Commission on Judicial Performance really that oblivious, ignorant, or even the least bit concerned of Slabach's unethical judicial misconduct?

A recent inductee was Jana Farrell, a single mother of an eleven-year old son. Miss Farrell arrived in the U.S from St. Petersburg, Russia in 1994, without any knowledge of English. In spite of that, she still wanted to contribute to this country’s work force. Jana worked one year in her current career in real estate, at Pacific Union and at Coldwell Banker for nearly three years.

In her native country, Jana earned a bachelor’s degree in Economic and Management from St. Petersburg’s University of Economics and Management, graduating with high honors. Her path of finding a job began with her enrollment at Heald Business College, where she received a science degree in accounting.

After Jana's embrace of the United States as her second home, she attended Golden Gate University for a year and a half. While enrolled at Golden Gate, she took English as a second language program. Along the way, she met wonderful people teachers, and got married.

The marriage, however, became a failure, stating,
“It was due to his violent abuse towards me.” In 2006, Jana sought custody of their son in court.

"My ex-husband's lawyer would often submit an application for these types of motion hearings (ex-parte) and Judge Slabach would continuously grant these motions, sometimes even twice in one week without question. These motions also required me to appear at 8:45 a.m, and this conflicted with my work schedules." Jana explained.

Jana is one of the masses of young women who are victims of these rights-robbing motions. As I mentioned in the previous "Silenced Mamas" article, these "motions" attack a person's 5th and 14th Amendment of the U.S Constitution's Right to Due Process of law, because there is no advanced notice to the other party, from the moving side.

"I cannot agree more. As a matter of fact, those ex parte motions were leading me to a bankruptcy, loss of my job and other hardship. I'm not mentioning the toll all this will take on my son in the future." Jana explained, in response to an online petition that I personally implemented to ultimately have Judge Slabach removed from the bench.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/mothersagainstslabach?e

Consequently, Slabach is somehow allowed immunity to grant these "motions" without impunity and scrutiny. She might as well have said to Jana Farrell farewell to her parental, civil, and constitutional rights as a single mother.

Aminah Owens, single mom of two children, a daughter 15 and a son 4 ½ yrs of age has felt the wicked wrath of Slabach, just this past year. Aminah is a fulltime psychology major at San Francisco City College, and she is also a certified phlebotomist. (A trained medical lab tech that draws blood from patients)

A temporary restraining order was filed by her, due to the violence administered by the son’s father in December of 2008. Aminah says that he attacked her in front of their son, after he delivered him to her in a drunken manner, during a modified visitation court order.

When she questioned him as to why he was appearing to her in such a matter, he immediately became combative, and attacked her. Aminah called the police. On January of 2009 (this year), Aminah went before Slabach as a self-represented party and accompanied only with her aunt.

The son’s father was accompanied alongside of his family members, and his attorney. According to her, his goal was to discredit her character and remove her rights as a single mom.

“They gave false testimonies and accusations about me.” Aminah says. “My son's dad lied to her and said that I was on crack and that he witnessed a drug sale while exchanging my son at my house one day....`I have no felony convictions for drugs nor do I DO drugs...but since the dad has convinced her corrupt and demonic self to make it the subject that I drug test.

The probation dept. won't even drug test why????Cause I don't have a history of using drugs. Now they want me to take a psych-evaluation....why??/? Cause the father’s attorney has convinced her that I am crazy.” I have a Medical Assist. Certified and injection nurse card. I am an EKG tech. (a medical tech trained in electrical heart activity) and a certified phlebotomist.”

Aminah has significant accreditations, attempted to provide numerous documentations and medical reports (viewing them myself) to the court in support of her claims. Even S.F.P.D Officers were willing to testify on Aminah's behalf, but unfortunately that wasn’t enough for Slabach to render a fair just ruling. Aminah categorizes how Slabach made her feel:

.Helpless

.Abused

.Tormented

.Fearful

.Stressed

.Violated

(Among other Slabach spirit-shattering tactics)

The end result for Aminah’s case was in favor for the son’s father, and not her. Unfortunately, this was not going to be the last time she would encounter Slabach.

On April 16th, 2009 of this year, Aminah was scheduled to have a hearing regarding an Emergency Protective Order matter. Three days leading up to the hearing, an incident took place at her home where she says that her son’s father attempted to pull their son away from her, and the 4 ½ yr old sustained some bruising as a result.

Aminah felt that it was urgent to file this protective order hearing, A.S.A.P. This “hearing” was pretty bizarre, due to the fact that there was no court reporter present to document it, as a matter of public record and record the hearing.

According to Aminah, "Slabach approached me, not even in her black robe, and was wearing street attire. She nearly got nose-to-nose to me, with only the small (knee high) wooden doors separating us. She started yelling to me that no matter what your son tells you, you are NOT to report anything to any city agencies. C.P.S (Child Protective Services) and no one!!"

As Aminah looked at her in astonishment, Slabach threatened to hold her in contempt if she didn't comply; although I personally don't see how this was genuine when everything appeared to be a verbal, not an official ruling without it being a documented hearing of public knowledge.

After the alleged "ruling" Slabach subtracted her visitation days. In a report by Rally's Visitation Services (seeing it with my own eyes) Aminah's son stated in a paragraph how uncomfortable he was with his father.

Yet somehow he remains in his custody?

In a followup story regarding Kim Swan, a.k.a Queenandi, single mom, and fellow comrade of mine at POOR, Slabach criticized her for "going on protests" and "writing articles" during a modification visitation hearing late last year, that involved her, and her daughter's father.

Kim's attorney was so livid with Slabach's unethical behavior towards her, that he responded that he was going on the record that he intended to "go over her head."

"What does it mean when you hath a right to be heard, when no one wants to hear you?"

Mumia Abu-Jamal, "Jailhouse Lawyers."/>

"Now why dost thou cry out aloud? [is there] no king in thee? Is thy counselor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail."

Micah 4:9,10

by Leroy Moore

Do Black disabled people have a history? You wouldn’t think so when Black History month comes around. For ten years I have been on a search for Black disabled people’s contributions to the mainstream society, as well as to Black and disabled communities, but it is almost as if we do not exist.

Black disabled people are beginning to tell their stories, but in writing our history, we must overcome many barriers. Under slavery, having a healthy mind and body was the key to survival. Masters viewed disabled slaves as a burden and usually killed them, so disabled slaves hid their disabilities to stay alive. Today, I wonder if we black disabled people are still hiding part of our identity.

There were disabled slaves who did survive on the plantations. The most famous was Harriet Tubman, who escaped and helped others to do the same. Tubman’s disability is part of our hidden history. I had to dig to learn about the brain injury that caused her to have seizures and blackouts. Perhaps this inspired her to found the Harriet Tubman Home, sheltering disabled and elderly slaves within her own home.

Black disabled people do have a recorded history in an unusual kind of profession. Books by Rosemarie G. Thomson (Extraordinary Bodies: Figuring physical Disability in American Culture & Literature) and Robert Bogdan (Freak Show: Presenting Human Oddities for Amusement and Profit) report that freak shows employed a high population of Black disabled people. Today we think of freak shows as disgraceful, but in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, some Black families entrusted their disabled children and young adults to freak shows because they provided paying jobs for people who could not get other employment.

Among them was Joice Helth, George Washington’s nursemaid. Thomson describes her as an old, toothless, blind, crippled slave woman. Thomson goes on to explain that several physically and mentally disabled Black men were displayed as "What Is It?" exhibits in freak shows

At the other end of the entertainment spectrum, remember George Gershwin’s opera, "Porgy & Bess?" This first Black opera portrayed a disabled Black man as a main character. The story was based on DeBous Heyward’s novel about a real Black disabled beggar, Samuel Smalls of Charleston, South Carolina.

These are some of the stories that must be remembered if Black disabled people are to have a sense of their own history, and if everyone is to understand what has really happened.

Today, disabled African Americans are finding and using their own voices. Locally, disabled artists have exhibited their artwork in Oakland and San Francisco during Black History Month for the past three years. Last year, four Black disabled artists, poets and lecturers presented their artwork and talked about their lives at local bookstores. This year, Disability Advocates of Minorities Organization (DAMO) presented "Breaking the Silence on Disability in the Minority Community," with a panel on issues that touch disabled minorities, spoken word and a video presentation on February 17th at the San Francisco Main Library.

There are a small number of recent books by Black disabled authors, including "Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black & Deaf in the South" by Mary Herring Wright. Idell Wilson, author of "Dream Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces" and Leroy Moore, author of "Black Disabled Man with Big Mouth & High I.Q." are two local Black disabled poets, activists and lecturers They read from their new books on February 16th at the Family Resource Network of Oakland.

We of the Black and disabled community are becoming more visible. David Patterson, a blind New York state Senator, has taken disability issues to the political arena. Curtis John Pride made history for being the first Black, deaf, professional baseball player. "Becker," a new sitcom on ABC, includes a Black blind character. Here in the Bay Area, organizations such as Harambee Education Council, a state wide organization of and for parents and advocates of African American youth and young adults with disabilities, and DAMO are looking forward to a bright future. To get involved with the second annual Harambee Oakland conference in June of 2001, call Sonia Jackson Ricks at the Family Resource Network @ (510) 547-7322.

Disabled African Americans have a rich history, varied talents, and fresh voices with which to chronicle rarely shared experiences that deserve to be heard. If we are going to celebrate Black History, lets celebrate the history of all Black people. For more information contact DAMO at (415) 695-0153

Black Disabled Trivia by Leroy Moore & Gary Gray of DAMO

1) This slave rescued other slaves and brought them to freedom. Who is she? What was her disability?

2) This famous soul singer in 1997 he wrote a book called Truly Blessed, about his life before and after his accident. Who is he?

3) This African American is the first deaf professional baseball player. Who is he?

4) This Black actor is an inspirational speaker who played in Boyz N in the Hood. Who is he?

5)A 1992 comedy show, ‘In Living Color’, introduced the first Black disabled hero. Who was it?

6)This Black amputee, 1984 Olympic skier and author was the first Director for President Clinton’s Human Capital Issues on the National Economic Council. Who is it?
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Black Disabled: Trivia Answers

1) Who was Harriet Tubman

2) Who is Teddy Pendergrass

3) Who is Curtis John Pride

4) Who is Reggie White

5) Who was Handiman

6) Who is Bonnie St. John Deane