Archive for May, 2011
Tonight in NYC, Tomorrow in Amherst : The Revolution Starts at Home
9:04 am By Maegan La Mala · Amherst|Books|Canada|Events|Lo Que Hay|New York City|Philly|qtpoc|Violence · Comments Off
14 May 2011
A book that should probably be used as a reference and jump off for critical conversations and growth, The Revolution Starts at Home : Confronting Intimate Violence Within Activist Communities, edited by Ching-In Chen, Jai Dulani and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha is out and on tour.
The anthology took 7 years to pull together and even 7 years ago was long overdue as there are so many struggles within so-called activist spaces about how we treat each other.
“Was/is your abusive partner a high-profile activist? Does your abusive girlfriend’s best friend staff the domestic violence hotline? Have you successfully kicked an abuser out of your group? Did your anti-police brutality group fear retaliation if you went to the cops about another organizer’s assault? Have you found solutions where accountability didn’t mean isolation for either of you? Was the ‘healing circle’ a bunch of bullshit? Is the local trans community so small that you don’t want you or your partner to lose it?
“We wanted to hear about what worked and what didn’t, what survivors and their supporters learned, what they wish folks had done, what they never want to have happen again. We wanted to hear about folks’ experiences confronting abusers, both with cops and courts and with methods outside the criminal justice system.”
— The Revolution Starts at Home collective
Long demanded and urgently needed, The Revolution Starts at Home: Confronting Intimate Violence Within Activist Communities finally breaks the dangerous silence surrounding the secret of intimate violence within social justice circles. This watershed collection of stories and strategies tackles the multiple forms of violence encountered right where we live, love, and work for social change — and delves into the nitty-gritty on how we might create safety from abuse without relying on the state. Drawing on over a decade of community accountability work, along with its many hard lessons and unanswered questions, The Revolution Starts at Home offers potentially life-saving alternatives for creating survivor safety while building a movement where no one is left behind.
For more information:
http://southendpress.org/2010/items/87941
http://revolutionathome.tumblr.com/
revathome@gmail.com
For all of you Northeast Coasters, there are opportunities to meet some of the editors, hear from the book, and engage in conversation about why this book and where from here. Mala will be at the NYC release tonight so please stay tuned to our twitter account for live-tweets (as permitted). Read more…
It’s Only a Matter of Time : Police Abuse Chinatown NYC Musicians
8:00 am By Maegan La Mala · New York City|Police Violence · 3 Comments
13 May 2011Ever since I came back from Los Angeles, almost two weeks ago now, there has been a mobile police unit, basically a tricked out RV, parked down the street from my apartment. The police lights are always flashing their red and blue, always in a state of warning. Police form a line where workers, families walk past everyday. There has been no incident in the neighborhood to spark this. It’s supposed to make us aware, feel safer but it’s only a matter of time.
As police nationwide are being deputized into immigration agents via programs like 287g and Secure Communities, it’s only a matter of time before the already confrontational relationship between police and the communities they work in explodes. These officers generally are not part of the neighborhoods where they patrol. They are visitors, invaders, always a state of warning because they can and will stop you.
It’s only a matter of time.
From CAAAV, Organizing Asian Communities :
On Mother’s Day last Sunday, Yi Zhuo Wu, a Chinese immigrant, was pinned down by four NYPD police officers who beat him bloody and then handcuffed him in Chinatown’s Columbus Park. Wu, a musician, is a member of the Street Musical Club, a group that has played music regularly in Columbus Park for more than four years. Aggravating the situation even further, as the community was watching Mr. Wu being arrested and calling for him to be released, a police officer threatened to mace people who did not move back.
The graphic and possibly triggering video is after the jump.
Read more…
Shameless Plug: Getting Bi to the AMC
1:10 pm By BiancaLaureano · Allied Media Conference|Events|Media|media justice · Comments Off
12 May 2011Many VL readers know that the Allied Media Conference (AMC) is a space where Vivir Latino and it’s creators and contributors enjoy attending, presenting, building community, and reporting from. This year I’ve made it my goal to attend for the first time ever! As a result, I’m doing some virtual fundraising and asking folks to help Get Bi to the AMC!
Thus far I’ve raised enough money to pay for a plane ticket, which I purchased yesterday. Now I am fundraising to cover lodging, grub, and ground transportation. A full itemized budget is on my original call for support. Right now I need less than $200 to get the full conference funded and I know I can do it with the help of our community.
This year the whole VL family would like to be present at the AMC. If you can donate in any way please do (paypal link is below and feel free to choose the “friend/family” option where they don’t charge you a processing fee), if you would like to send a donation via snail mail please send us an email at info@vivirlationo.com, and if you cannot donate please help by spreading the word and sharing this link!
If any VL readers will be at AMC and want to get together and meet in 3D please let us know as well!
Many thanks in advance!
Today in Puerto Rican History
9:54 am By Maegan La Mala · history|Puerto Rico · 3 Comments
12 May 2011With so much focus on Obama’s recent immigration speech and it’s potential impact (or not) on the Latino vote, some Puerto Rican events have fallen off the radar. I think it’s important to draw attention to them remembering that during Obama’s original Presidential run, he courted Ricans hard.
113 years ago today the bombardment of San Juan, Puerto Rico happened, as part of the Spanish-American War, where the United States engaged in imperial battles to gain control over Caribbean nations. A few months later, on July 25th, US troops would invade Guanica and never leave.
I think it’s important to recognize how Puerto Rico was taken as a spoil of war especially in the context of the recent arrest of 65-year-old Norberto Gonzalez Claudio in Puerto Rico. Gonzalez Claudio, had been living underground ever since the 1983 armoured truck robbery of about $7 million in Connecticut that was attributed to the Macheteros, a pro-independence guerilla organization. You will read
Gonzalez-Claudio called a terrorist in many of the mainstream newspapers with no acknowledgement of the current colonial status of the island.
In other Puerto Rican history – 34 years ago today I was born.
DREAMers Arrested in Indiana Yesterday on Hunger Strike
8:39 am By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Immigration|Indiana · 3 Comments
10 May 2011Earlier, when I wrote about President Obama’s immigration speech, I mentioned the arrests of five DREAM Activists in Indiana.
Erick, Omar, Lupe, Paola and Sayra were arrested yesterday in Gov. Daniels office in Indiana protesting two immigration laws that passed in the state legislature. Senate Bill 590 is similar to Arizona’s SB1070 and would make local police into de facto immigration agents. HB1402 forces undocumented Indiana students to pay out-of-state tuition rates – triple the cost of in-state rates in some cases. The protesters demanded a meeting with Daniels, a request he denied.
Now incarcerated, the Indiana Five started a hunger strike, refusing to be bonded out of jail, until the Governor vetoes HB1402 and SB590. The media is reporting that a spokesperson for Daniels says the governor is expected to sign the bills into law.
There is a petition you can sign urging Governor Daniels to veto Senate Bill 590 and House Bill 1402 immediately. The DREAMers are also requesting donations towards a bail fund.
What to Expect and Not Out of Obama’s Immigration Speech
6:50 am By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Immigration|Obama|Politics|Secure Communities · 1 Comment
10 May 2011Today in El Paso, President Obama is scheduled to make a speech on immigration. According to background information from the White House, the focus will be immigration in the context of security and the economy – in other words how can this exploitative system of getting U.S. capitalist desires met keep working on the backs of immigrant communities. There will be the call for a need to a bipartisan legislative solution that not one person in Congress has taken seriously. There will be talk about how in a post-Osama world the U.S. is safer but not safe enough which is why we need a militarized border. There may even be a head nod acknowledgement to the DREAM Act the DREAMers.
What there will not be: a moratorium on deportations of anyone – not even the DREAMers and others that fall within the so-called “good immigrant” pool. Obama will reaffirm how the U.S. is a nation of laws and lie about how he has no power to take executive action.
Obama will not acknowledge the DREAMers that were arrested yesterday outside Gov. Mitch Daniels’ office in Indiana protesting both a mandatory E-verify bill and a bill that denies the right of undocumented students to be acknowledged as state residents for tuition purposes.
There will be no talk about the real consequences of all this security on the border and how safety, a mind trick more than anything tangible, is reserved for certain people, people not including those killed by border patrol because they are near their homes on either side of the frontera.
There will be no acknowledgement beyond imperialist pride of the increased deportations under Obama. The higher numbers, like the assassination of Bin Laden, will be used as macho political cred even as who comprises those numbers is questioned in states like Illinois y nationally.
Clearly my expectations for today’s immigration speech are low. Maybe I will be surprised and be forced to take back my criticism of the administration. However, given the number of speeches and meetings while immigration policy gets continuously more abusive, there where probably plenty more room for criticism and calls for action.
Original Pelo Diva Mirta de Perales Passes
6:46 am By Maegan La Mala · Celebrities|Cuba|Culture|Entrepreneurs · 2 Comments
10 May 2011
This isn’t usually the story I would write about but I would be denying a huge part of my NY Rican upbringing if I didn’t give a moment to acknowledge the passing of Cuban beautician Mirta de Perales at the age of 88 in her Miami home.
For those of you who don’t know, Mirta de Perales is cult legend, seen in between the novelas your abuela used to watch and Walter Mercado’s show or Iris Chacon’s show (depending on the night), Mirta used to advertise her extensive product line that included shampoos and conditioners. Her segments were more than just mere commercials. She told you the right way to wash and brush your hair (with her branded brush of course). I particularly remember one of my childhood babysitters using the lemon shampoo with conditioner, bright yellow in a clear, small bottle with green lettering. According to El Nuevo Dia, Mirtha became interested in hair at the age of 11 after having some undisclosed hair issues. She grew her business into an empire, apparently even earning some sort of award from President Reagan.
Rest in Peace Mirta and may all your hair days be good ones.
Illinois House Tries to Get Smart with It’s Immigration Policy
8:41 am By Maegan La Mala · Illinois|Immigration|Secure Communities · Comments Off
9 May 2011Following Illinois Gov. Quinn’s letter opting out of Secure Communities because of the way the enforcement program targets all undocumented immigrants, not just the so-called criminal ones, Immigration and Customs Enforcement head John Morton went to Springfield. Morton’s intentions were not to respect the will of the state government but rather to reinforce the idea that S-Comm is not something one can just opt-out from. On Friday, the Illinois House of Representatives responded by passing the Smart Enforcement Act (HB 929).
The bill, which passed by a vote of 66-43, with 17 Republican votes in favor, states that if Illinois is forced to participate in S-Comm it will do so we will do so based on terms that match Illinois values: accountability, local autonomy, effective law enforcement, due process, and respect for families.
Specifically, the Smart Enforcement Act will
· give counties the choice whether to participate in “Secure Communities”;
· offer a full accounting of the program’s impact and costs to local law enforcement; and
· require that this program be used only to identify and deport convicted criminals.
The bill is expected to move to the Illinois State Senate yet, but I have to wonder what the impact will be beyond rhetoric. I wonder of the possibility of local governments to sue the Feds for forcing an unconstitutional law that no matter how it is painted separates families and allows for more racial profiling within our communities. I suppose that within the confines of U.S. policy, bills like Smart make sense, but within the confines of humanity, outright resistance makes more sense.
Someone Tell ICE Under Obama : Federal Agencies Remind Public Schools All Children Have Right To Public Education Regardless Of Immigration Status
2:20 pm By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Education|Immigration|Obama|Secure Communities · 2 Comments
7 May 2011Yesterday the Department of Justice and the Department of Education sent out a letter reminding school districts nationwide of their obligation under federal law to provide equal educational opportunities to all children residing in their districts, regardless of their race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, or the immigration status of their parents and guardians. The guidance responded to discriminatory enrollment practices, documented in part by the American Civil Liberties Union, that unnecessarily and unlawfully inquire, directly or indirectly, into the immigration status of students and their families and foster the fear that the attempt to enroll in public school may bring students and their families to the attention of the immigration authorities.
The guidance made clear that a school district may not:
• ask about a child’s citizenship or immigration status to establish residency within the district; or
• deny a homeless child, including an undocumented homeless child, enrollment because she or he cannot provide the required documents to establish residency.
The guidance further specified that a school district may not prevent a child from enrolling in school because:
• a child has a foreign birth certificate; or
• a child or parent chooses not to provide the child’s social security number; or
• a child or parent chooses not to provide the child’s race or ethnicity.
This is not a new policy rather the letter was meant to reinforce established policy. Problem is that the directive fails to address how at the Federal level policy and practice is discouraging immigrant parents and their children from participating in education through the use of fear.
Remember what happened in Detroit? Read more…
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Asks for S-Comm Moratorium
3:34 pm By Maegan La Mala · Illinois|Immigration|Politics|Secure Communities · 5 Comments
6 May 2011Let’s face it, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus isn’t known for it’s bravery when it comes to facing the reality of comprehensive immigration reform. When it was clear that CIR was pretty much a dead issue, the CHC refused to rally behind the DREAM Act until the zero hour. Perhaps though, recognizing the error of their ways, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is calling for a moratorium on the “Secure Communities” deportation program due to problems similar to its predecessor, 287(g). The call was made via a letter sent to the White House
From the CHC Letter :
“Evidence reveals not only a striking dissonance between the program’s stated purpose of removing dangerous criminals and it’s actual effect; it also suggests that S-Comm may endager the public, particularly among communities of color…”
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