CARAVAN FOR JUSTICE III

JT the Bigga Figga, rapper and activist, poses with scholars on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento after he spoke at the podium. – Photo: Francisco Da Costa



Students from Le Conte Elementary School in Berkeley stand behind their teacher during her time at the podium. – Photo: Francisco Da Costa




Caravan for Justice III brings the heat to the lawmakers
by Crystal Carter

May 28, 2009


Signs reading “Justice for Oscar Grant,” “Abolish the Three Strikes Law” and “Demandamos Justicia Ya!” floated above a sea of ralliers of different ages, religious beliefs, genders and ethnicities.
From Bakersfield up to Sacramento, activists, teachers and family members came together to rally against laws that have failed to serve the betterment of their communities.

The third installment of the Caravan for Justice took place Tuesday, May 26, on the steps and inside the State Capitol building in Sacramento.

“It’s a hot day today,” said Minister Christopher Muhammad. “But it’s going to be even hotter for the legislators if they don’t listen to our demands.”

Minister Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam as well as the executive director of Muhammad University of Islam in San Francisco, is one of the main organizers in the Caravan for Justice.

So far the Caravan for Justice movement has been a success. Their last visit to the Capitol on April 8 caused two legislators, Tom Ammiano and Leland Yee, to initiate a bill promoting “civilian oversight” to handle complaints against the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) police in the wake of Oscar Grant’s death. The protest has also focused on issues involving gang injunctions and succeeded in prompting Sen. Roderick D. Wright and Leland Yee to inject a bill to combat them.

Dana Blanchard, a fifth grade teacher from Berkeley, brought 14 of her students with her to participate while voicing her concerns to the crowd. She understands that not everyone can get to the protests but she offered other alternatives: signing petitions, writing letters and attending events when you have the time.

“I brought my students with me so they can learn how to stand up for what they believe in,” she said.

Blanchard said that the state we live in doesn’t care about its students. She is worried about where her students will end up if they don’t know their rights. She says that she tries to let her students understand that there may be things that they disagree with and there may be things that they don’t understand but she always makes it a point to let the children know that their opinions do matter.

Tom Helme, 26, graduate of Humboldt State University, spoke about the project that he and a group of other community members started called Cop Watch in the city of Modesto.

“We decided to take matters into our own hands after realizing how much police can get away with,” said Helme. “Now when we see someone getting wrongfully harassed by the cops, we pass them out our ‘know your rights’ card.”
The know your rights card spells out a step by step process of what one should do when being questioned by the police. One part of the card reads:

“If the police stop you, ask, ‘Am I free to go?’ If not, you are being detained. If yes, walk away. Ask, ‘Why are you detaining me?’ To stop you, the officer must have a ‘reasonable suspicion’ to suspect your involvement in a specific crime (not just a guess or a stereotype).”

“Getting involved in protests like this gives us a sense of community,” said Helme. “We are transforming energy into action.”



Bisola Marignay, an activist who participated in the caravan insisted that although there are a number of issues that were addressed in the protest that she would not have it any other way.

“Separation is a weakening factor,” she said. “When we come together, our energy is that much stronger.”

Oralia Cortez, 62, along with her group, Families to Amend California’s Three Strikes (FACTS), came from Bakersfield to get their word heard. Cortez has a vested interest because her son is serving 35 years to life for his third strike for stealing $1,000 dollars. She says that in order to influence the legislature, you must use your words as your weapon.

On Nov. 2, 2004, the state’s voters rejected an amendment to the statute - offered in Proposition 66 - that would have required the third felony to be either “violent” and/or “serious” in order to result in a 25-years-to-life sentence. In the last week before the election, Gov.

Arnold Schwarzenegger launched an all-out campaign against Prop. 66. “It would release 26,000 dangerous criminals and rapists,” he stated. When, in fact, there were only 8,000 people sentenced to 25 years to life under the Three Strikes Law.

Currently, there are more than 8,400 inmates serving possible life terms under the three strikes law, according to the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

“Wickedness prevails when good people do nothing,” she said. “An unjust law is no law at all.”

According to Minister Christopher Muhammad, the fourth Caravan for Justice is scheduled to take place sometime next month. Plan to get on one of the dozens of buses that will take you there from around California. For more information, visit www.caravanforjustice.com, email info@caravanforjustice.com or call toll-free (877) 549-8657.

Crystal N. Carter, a 2008 graduate of San Francisco State University, is a member of the Bay Area Black Journalists Association (BABJA). She writes for ColorLines Magazine and can be reached at ccarter6@gmail.com.

Read more »

RESPONSE to PAWNED SOVEREIGNTY: Sharpened Black Perspectives on Americanization, Africa, War and Reparations

Crystal Carter
May 28, 2009

Comparative Analysis : Two African Countries Affected by the US Economic Crisis
Senegal and Ghana

INTRODUCTION

“People from Africa are so used to struggling,” said Tifsihet Hailemariam, 28, an immigrant from Ethiopia. “We have to deal with so little, we really are not that surprised when hit with a crisis like this.”
For people who live on the world’s poorest continent the current global crisis is old news. They face a crisis of survival everyday. Some will find it hard to believe that a continent comprised of 47 countries and an abundance of natural resources is facing a decline in GDP, but it is.

Africa has made some of its biggest gains in the past few years as China, India, Europe and the US has competed for its natural resources. But now that the money has dried up, Africa, along with the rest of the world is starting to feel the heightened affects of the global economic woes. Africa is unique in this global crisis because the affects will be more paralyzing than a country whose economy was thriving in the beginning.

In times of economic unrest and instability people are apt to become more competitive and money hungry. Citizens begin to see a person who was once a comrade betray them to ensure their place on the economic ladder of wealth, success and so-called financial independence. During times like this it is hard to remember that family and relationships come first.

Although we are in hard financial times, we have discovered just how interconnected the whole globe is. Although large bodies of waters and different languages separate us we must understand that when one country fails, we realize that all countries will fail. It is because of this that we must realize that we must do away with the fact that capitalistic competition is good and embrace the term: cooperation.

Nature, history and the global economic system have combined to deprive Africans of much potential wealth and well being. Until about 100 million years ago, the earth’s landmasses were bound together as a supercontinent known as Pangaea. The southern landmasses constituted Gondwana, with present-day Africa the keystone. Through the phenomenon, of plate tectonics, or continental drift, Africa’s “children” began to leave the nest and scatter to their present positions. The presence of deep rift valleys in eastern Africa suggests that this continental separation is not yet complete. Africa’s destiny began with much potential in expanding the growth of the earth as well as the exploration of humans and nature into new and unchartered land. We must not take this beautiful story for granted. We must connect the dots.

Between the Indian and Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and Red Seas lies a vast, curving land mass called Africa. It is home to the great Pyramids of Egypt, the first written language, and the first astronomers and explorers. Many great resources are found here: silver, gold, diamonds and more. A lot of blood was shed in order to have strict control over this country and a number of countries are at their current economic standing because of the free labor that indentured servitude that the hands, wombs and backs of Africans provided.

Because of the current recession that seemed to have started with the US banks and money grubbing politics. There is less money chasing resources and more and more people are becoming unemployed. No one knows when the recession will end and because of this investment is becoming scarce and people in the Third-World are facing another dilemma.

THESIS

Senegal and Ghana are said to be one of the most successful economies in West Africa. So a comparison and contrast of these two countries will help be a marker on how well other countries are doing in comparison to their neighboring countries as well as the US in its current economic crisis.

SENEGAL: SEEK INVESTMENT IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

The country of Senegal has seen sparks of economic growth here and there but for the most part things of have been quite unstable. A major spark of success that Senegal has seen was its thriving fish industry, which accounts for 25% of exports. But because of the financial crisis that is being felt all over the world there has been a drop in overseas order leaving many fishermen unemployed. In an interview conducted by Al-Jazeera, some laid-off fisherman said that they have had to take work helping grocery shoppers to their cars.

Tons of exotic Senegalese seafood is being left to rot as Europeans stop buying from producers. Falling demand has caused the businesses to cut their prices in order to survive. Sadly, some of these fish are too expensive for the people of Senegal.
On the business side of the fishing market, a local business owner had to cut 90% of his staff and reduce exporting to major buyers like the UK, Italy and the US. In the last attempt at a stimulus plan Senegal has looked to fellow African countries to do trade with, especially Ghana and the Ivory Coast. According to the blog called Trade Africa, Ghana remains the easiest place to do business in West Africa and one of the top 10 economies in Africa by overall aggregate.

GHANA: OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OIL

Whereas Ghana is known for having a vibrant democracy and being economically sound. Although Ghana has signs of a growing economy it is still not up to par. There have been signs of corruption within the government; there is not an abundance of clean running water and proper sanitation. The Health Ministry of Ghana reported that eight people are killed per hour because of the unhealthy water.

While Ghana is known to be the second biggest cocoa producer in the world, the discovery of oil has promised Ghana much more economic independence in the future. With plans to start digging in 2010 some still remain skeptical. According to the South Africa Daily News, most Ghanaians remain among the world’s poorest people earning an average of $3.80 a day.
Oil rich countries like Angola and Nigeria have said that they see oil as a curse that has not improved the lives of the poor. Still Ghana’s leaders are optimistic and feel that oil will benefit Ghana’s future for the better. They say that oil money will go towards building roads, bridges and schools.

While there are many things to be optimistic about for the industrial expansion that is happening in Ghana, the global financial crisis is impacting foreign aid, commodity prices, remittances and private capital flows in Africa. Africa’s GDP growth, initially expected to be 4.9 percent, is now expected to fall to 2.4 percent. Africa is likely to be the worst hit region by the global financial crisis, although it is the least integrated region, the World Bank warned on April 21, 2009.

AFRICA’S DEPENDANCY ON FOREIGN AID: PROBLEMATIC

Africa’s dependency on foreign aid is a very sensitive issue. Since the economy is doing so badly right now, countries may be apt to slow down on the Aid that they are giving Africa. But this is a very bad idea because a decrease in aid may leave thousands of Africans in poverty.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), banks are working towards helping protect the most vulnerable during this global crisis. They will focus on better targeting and higher social spending in Senegal. Based on a Poverty and Social Impact Analysis (PSIA) conducted in 2008, the authorities sought to mitigate the impact of the food and fuel price shock by establishing a targeted subsidized rate for small electricity users (implemented in August 2008). With support from development partners, the authorities intend to explore the scope for introducing a conditional cash transfer system, which would provide support to poor families conditional upon investment in human capital, such as sending children to school or visiting health centers.

CONCLUSION

There are many questions that have yet to be answered when it comes to the well being of Africa’s economy, especially during these trying times. One thing that we must realize is that we are not in this alone. We need to reach out to different countries and reward them for their economic uniqueness and work together to see how things can improve. One thing that we must do is to be inclusive. The best way to figure out how to make things work is to speak to everyday citizens and ask them what they would do in order to make their situation better. There is no reason that a country that is so rich in resources should be so poverty-stricken. We have to remember that this is not a competition its about cooperation.

Read more »

The Linear Time Frame

Notes taken when listening to the "Student of Life" ---
(The Student of Life is a father, R&B singer, aspiring husband, and philosopher)

- We live in a different world where we can manifest our own reality.
- We should think of our reality as a puddy.
"The world should have a main focus. And that focus should be to become a better species." --- In order for us to do that, we must change who we are fundamentally.

Meditation:

When you were a kid, when were you a kid? Was that just a moment in time or are you still in that same mindset? --- That was in the past.

* How does a brain process the past, present and the future. (That is yet to be learned)...

If we look at life in the past then we have no control over our life in the present or future. We need to be able to prepare for what happened then and what is happening now.

"NOW" is very chaotic. We must plan ahead to we can have more trust in the NOW...we must have no regrets.

Imagine if you lived in a world where everything that you dreamed really happened. We do that all the time in our dreams.

Meditation:

In your own vivid memories --- Imagine the things that you wanted to happen and then the reality of what really happened.

* Our brain is emitting what we feel emotionally. The emotions transfer to the brain and (POOF) our reality is in front of us!

The emotion comes before the thought.

Example:

My body is not hungry.

--- Try telling that to someone who's starving.

When you say that you're hungry that is actually you doubting that you can survive.

All in all, these issues are not necessary because we can change our relationship with reality.

~ EMOTIONAL STRESS KILLS LIVES AND DESTROYS FUTURES.

- Why let something that you did yesterday kill you today?

~ As a human being you have memory.

And as a rational human you can come up with a better formula for life. GET WITH THE PROGRAM.

- I am in the business of experimenting with different ways of perceiving ourselves in relationship to society. We are part of the human race. The human race are my people...we are 7 billion strong and everybody helps everybody.

- We should be each others support system. Imagine being born into a family of 7 billion. You would never have to fear anything because you always know a human being will catch you!

On education:
-Education is great but the monetary issues behind it kills a students creativity.

SEVEN BILLION STRONG!

We have some mingling to do!

Read more »

WORKING TOWARD THE DREAM

Peers: Thurgood Marshall students work to restore popular peacemaking program
by Crystal Carter
(Published in BayView Newspaper)



Conflict Mediators Gregory Claybron, Mary Pon and Anita Nicolas give a peer education workshop on drug prevention at the annual Youth Are Resources Conference at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Though the popular program was a source of pride and passion at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School in Bayview Hunters Point, that is the only school that lost the program to budget cuts.


The end of this school year will mark the one-year period since the 8-year-old Peer Resources program at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School was discontinued. In the past year, two students have been jailed, fewer interactions between ethnic groups were witnessed and administrators have yet to do anything about it.

Sharolyn Bautista, former student leader and organizer in the Peer Resources class, knows that the absence of this program is negative for the future students who could have benefitted from the lessons that the class provided. Not only did she use what she learned in class but also outside of school with her friends and family.

“The program was a place for us to connect regardless of race,” she said. “Communication is key and it’s better than being violent. I wish everyone would be exposed to this program because it would only make them better.”

San Francisco Peer Resources (Peers) is a program created in partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District and the San Francisco Education Fund, devoted to creating capable youth leaders who can be effective allies to their peers. It is a service that is extended to other schools in San Francisco as well.

Conflict mediators help their peers resolve disputes peacefully. Youth are also trained in conflict management and learn how to help their peers talk through and resolve conflicts before they escalate into physical violence. Peers is also geared to giving students leadership roles and preparing them for college and higher education.

After students and teachers found out that this class was to be cut they decided to come together. But a firm set of limits was placed on the concerned teachers and students when they decided to raise money to save the program.

Conflict mediators help their peers resolve disputes peacefully, to talk through and resolve conflicts before they escalate into physical violence. Peers is also geared to giving students leadership roles and preparing them for college.
Resident and poet mentor, Kirya Traber, 23, who spent a few months working with the students of TMAHS, remembers asking the students how they felt about “not being supported by their administrators.” She said that “by the end of the seventh period, not only had they drafted a letter to the principal, but they also made initial plans for a sit down meeting, a leafleting campaign and a potential protest.”

After the first meeting that included the principal of TMAHS, Guillermo Morales, in agreement with the executive director of the San Francisco Education Fund, Hugh Vasquez, a list of rules and guidelines were put into play.

“I apologize for and accept responsibility for any miscommunication that left other possibilities open and contributed to any confusion,” stated Brian Stanley, director of the Peer Resources program for all of the San Francisco Unified School District.

And since the statewide student, parent and teacher strikes that took place in opposition to the cuts at the beginning of the spring semester of 2008, there are still demands that have yet to be addressed. Amidst the $4.8 billion budget cut to education in the state of California last year, TMAHS is the only school that had its Peers program cut.

“The principal said if we could provide the funds for the coordinator position we could have the program,” said Mica Valdez, 33, former coordinator of the Peer Resource Center at TMAHS. “But then (Brian Stanley) changed his mind at the last minute. I was really let down and so were my students.”

A total of $79,542, roughly a teacher’s salary, had to be raised in order for TMAHS’ Peer Resource program to continue into the fall 2008 semester. How this figure was accounted for is questionable because, according to Peers, the school pays for half of the teacher’s salary and the San Francisco Education Fund pays for the other.

“There’s always a plan,” she said when referring to the policy of the school officials. “It’s not that we do not have the money. It’s just that we are not spending it right.”

One of the guidelines that was placed on the fundraiser stated, “All funds raised for Peer Resources must be (a) submitted to the San Francisco Education Fund and (b) must identify the San Francisco Education Fund as the fiscal agent.” In other words, it was not guaranteed that the money would go towards the preservation of their class.

“I am donating because I had a conflict mediation this year,” said Dominique Crutchfield, 18, TMAHS graduating senior, before the effort to raise money was stopped. “I was about to get in a fight with this Asian kid, but then Peer Resources helped me. So I know it’s a good program.”

On Sept. 15, 2007, during physical education class, a rubber ball hit a young girl and the teacher immediately blamed a student who was known as a troublemaker. He was sent to the office. Distraught at being wrongfully accused, the student did not want to speak to the dean or the principal.

“It is standard protocol to use resources such as Peer Resources and other mediation before bringing in the police,” said Valdez.

When the principal confronted the child in the hallway, the student said, “Back away! I do not want you to come near me because I am afraid of what I might do.” Disregarding the child’s wishes, the principal approached the child to grab him and the child pushed back and ran off the campus. Instead of notifying the parents, the principal called the police and the child was charged with assault.

Marcus Hicks, 17, who is a student conflict mediator and works to racially integrate students, says that some adults make the youth feel “jumpy.” Students think if they go to an adult, they’ll get in trouble. But when it’s peer-to-peer, students feel at ease and more willing to talk about whatever their problem is, he said.

TMAHS is in the Bayview District and mostly caters to African-American, Latino and Polynesian youth. Due to the socio-economic disadvantages of living in this area, this school relies on additional resources to support students with special needs.

“Many schools are going to suffer next year and there will likely be higher dropout rates and incarceration of youth of color,” said Valdez. “Equity and a child’s right to a good education is what is at stake here.”

The U.S. prison and jail population has reached a record high exceeding 2.3 million people, according to a new report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Rodney Robinson, 32, has been a mentor to incarcerated youth at the Youth Guidance Center in San Francisco since 2000. He believes that the only way to make a positive effect is to connect with the community.

“Teachers need to get involved in the students’ life not just at school but doing home visits as well,” he said. “You’d be amazed by how much the child appreciates that.”

Robinson went on to state that from his experience with the youth, he has realized their need to vent their frustrations to a trusting ear is imperative.

Mica Valdez, who is now pursuing graduate work, gave students statistics about the rate of young people of color who are currently being incarcerated. She made it a point for students at TMAHS to connect what they were learning in class and to understand it by connecting it back into the neighborhood in hopes that their ideas will make a difference.

“How are disenfranchised youth to compete in a global market if they are not given access to the educational tools that will allow them opportunities to be successful?” she asked.

Peer Resources Director Brian Stanley stated that the school anticipates rebuilding the program in either 2009 or 2010. While there are still Peer Resource programs at Martin Luther King Middle School and Willie Brown Academy in the Bayview, there has been no notice as of now when the program will be re-implemented at TMAHS.

“The faculty has not shown that they care about getting the program back,” said Hicks. “Some students took the program for granted and the teachers failed to realize that this program meant a lot to us.”

If you are interested in contributing to getting Peers back in Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, please contact Peers directly at (415) 920-5211.

Crystal N. Carter, a 2008 graduate of San Francisco State University, is a member of the Bay Area Black Journalists Association (BABJA). She writes for ColorLines Magazine and can be reached at ccarter6@gmail.com.

Read more »

The President Refuses to Let America Fail

Presidential Address to Congress


Tonight, Obama was successful at reassuring Americans that he will not let us down. Between the long applauds and standing ovations Obama's words were very strong and I could tell that he truly cares about the state of our economy and his dedication to the recovery of the current recession.

He stated that he cared more about the well being of his people as opposed to spending billions on the war. He promised to raise the pay of active military and to give full medical benefits to war veterans. He will also end the tax breaks for the wealthiest two percent. If you make less than $250,000 a year, your taxes will not be heightened a "single cent." Obama has seen how a small percent of people have benefited from the tax cuts and bailouts. On top of these bailouts the banks still have not distributed the money to the streets. Instead they are giving their CEO's bonuses and sending them on extravagant vacations. Instead of giving these corrupt individuals bailouts, we should be bailing out the people who are getting their homes foreclosed on, or the people who are receiving less than minimum wage. What about these people who need it the most.

Regarding education, he plans to draw seven million more Americans into higher education if they promise to volunteer in their community. "By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world." Being that the economy has a vested interest in the university and higher education, Obama's idea is excellent. Imagine the quality of life that people will enjoy if they were given a chance to pursue their interests more while not having to worry how they will eat of afford books. Why didn't we see this before?

As inspiration he put the spotlight on a banker who received a hefty bonus and instead of keeping the money he gave it to the people who worked for him as well as the people who worked for him in the past. He said that he "didn't feel right keeping it." He also pointed out a young 8th grader who wrote a letter to congress asking them to help repair her school. She said that she and her peers want to aspire to be doctors, lawyers and one day president. She went on to say that "we are not quitters."

Along with these inspiring people, Obama said that he will put more money into energy and health care. Hopefully this will consist of "going green" and pushing people to quit smoking by giving money to smoke free ad campaigns!

The President's Economic Stimulus has passed and now it is time to see the results. He said that the stimulus checks on their way. Please let us know when you receive that check. We want to make sure he is delivering.

Read more »

In Collaboration With...

Read more »

Activists Meet to Discuss Race and the Economy.

Concerned citizens from all walks of life spoke today about how they can implement policies into the economic stimulus that will not leave out low income communities and people of color.
As a call to action, the Applied Research Center, organized a conference call that took place today at 1pm. As a first of seven bi-weekly meetings that will take place in order to assess the first 100 days of the Obama Presidency, moderator Tammy Johnson asked the question, "Is the economic stimulus package a real solution or illusion?"

Here are the facts:

The $275 billion in tax cuts that will go towards business and homebuyer tax credits recieved a low score from panelist Andrea Batista Schlesinger, Exec. Dir. of the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy. "This is not going to help our community because the majority of people rent houses and do not own businesses."

$30 billion dollars for highway projects and $12 billion for transit and rail projects is a good start but it must focus on people on communities of color in order to benefit. We need to be able to get the word out to communities of color that these jobs will benefit them. Instead of hiring outside contractors, hire contractors with in the community.

An extra 33 weeks of unemployment benefits to single mothers will help communities of color recieved a thumbs up.

$80 billion to state schools
$13 billion in Title 1 funds which are dedicated to improving the academic achievement of the "disadvantaged" recieved a thumbs up as well.

$20 million to health information technology recieved a thumbs down.

The stimulus bill has passed in the House of Representatives and a similar version is now being debated in the Senate. The GOP along with 11 democrats were not in agreeance of the package but Obama hopes to have the legislation on his desk by the middle of this month.

Question from The Explainer:

How is the stimulus package supposed to stimulate the economy and create jobs?

President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats say that government spending on infrastructure projects, law enforcement, research and development, schools and other areas will pump money into the economy through increased public sector hiring, government contracting and grants to private companies. The plan also includes direct payments to individuals through tax credits, unemployment benefits and welfare programms, for example, and assumes people will spend much of the money.

The package includes tax breaks intended to put more money in people's pockets.

What would you suggest that Obama include in his stimulus package? Please respond.

Please refer to www.arc.org for more information on their bi-weekly sessions.

Read more »