On January 12, 2010, two banners were strategically placed on the UC Davis main library, reclaiming public space as well as "announcing Happy New Year to the administrators who hoped we would disappear," according to an article posted to Indybay. The banners read “We are the crisis” and “Our education, our workplace, our university.”

The banners highlighted the connections between the struggles of UC’s students, faculty, and staff members. An article posted to Indybay states that the message of the banner hang is that, at the beginning of the new quarter in which students are being required to pay 15% more in fees for their education (with an additional 17% fee increase set to occur in Fall 2010), "resistance to the UC administration’s decision-making is alive and mounting."

Shields Library was reportedly chosen as a target for these banners because of the chronic underfunding of UCD library collections, staff, and resources. The action is a precursor to mobilize protesters for a statewide day of action against the privatization of public education on March 4th. Read more

New Posters from Students in the Valley | Napa Valley College shows solidarity with statewide protests and rallies. | Update on the protests at UC Berkeley | Students protest fee hikes: an interview wit’ journalist Dave Id of Indy Bay Media | Communiqués from the Valley: New pamphlet on Student Strugggle in the Central Valley | The Enemy Within | What We Lack is Life. | Reflections on Kerr Hall (by student participants)

Older Coverage: Eight Arrested at UC Berkeley After Concert & March | Students Occupy Business Building at SFSU | On the Occupation of Kerr Hall; Demystifying the University's Erroneous Claims | California Students Protest and Occupy as UC Regents Approve 32% Fee Hike

As another January 11 rolls around, giant posters appeared in advertising kiosks in San Francisco over the weekend. On January 11, 2002, the first groups of hooded and jumpsuited detainees were brought to Guantanamo. On January 21, 2009, President Obama pledged to shut down the camp, only one of many U.S. prisons where people are being held indefinitely without charge and in inhuman conditions, violating international and domestic laws. Read more

Study In Israel Billboards Modified by Guerrilla Advertisers | "Israel Truth Campaign" Commemorates Land Day with New Billboard

Despite growing up on heavy doses of MTV, comedian Jamie Kilstein emerged from years as an apathetic teenager to become a full-time activist. Raging Granny Ruth had a chance to chat with him recently as he was about to board a plane in New York to bring his comic performance to the west coast.

On January 14, 15 and 16, Jamie will appear at San Francisco's oldest comedy club, Punchline. Californians who despair that nationally known comics can only get laughs if they are racist, sexist, and homophobic are in for a treat.

Jamie's been on the BBC, and writes for The Onion, but his comedy bites way too hard for most American TV stations. He delves into the dens of the religious right and blasts corrupt US politicians. Left-leaners who just can't get it together to march in the streets come under attack with Jamie's ferocious brand of humor as well. He appears as part of Sketchfest San Francisco this week.

Read the Interview | Punchline Comedy Club | Sketchfest

Five years after police were exposed infiltrating the organizing group, the Last Night DIY celebration still refuses permission to bring a homespun tradition to Santa Cruz streets. In it's fifth year, the do-it-yourself, grassroots celebration with a family-friendly parade, street party and performers is set for a evening of adventure and entertainment.

Organizers say that it's, "More than an evening's entertainment, this is a parade with a purpose. The message is simple: We can do it ourselves. From its beginnings in 2004, the parade is not about merely celebrating, but celebrating what we as a community can do outside of governments, corporations, and institutions. It is a celebration of both our autonomy and the support we bring to each other."

This year on New Year's Eve, the celebration will meet at 5pm near the Saturn Cafe parking lot on Pacific Ave and Spruce Street.

Read more | Last Night Santa Cruz | Previous SC-IMC Coverage

Demonstrators staged a die-in at the feet of busy shoppers in front of one of San Francisco's busiest markets on December 5th. Posed by their side, members of satirist group "Billionaires for Wealthcare" dramatized the disparate treatment of rich and poor in America's healthcare system.

Activists for a single payer healthcare system that would provide medical care to people at all income levels said that the Stupak amendment to the US Congress' health care reform plan is an attack on women's rights, but especially on poor women's access to reproductive care. Their protest started when they fell as if dying in front of San Francisco's Ferry Building, then continued as demonstrators rose to solemnly march through the crowded farmer's market. They carried the mock coffin of a victim of poor healthcare.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Audio: 1 | 2

G. Melesaine writes: "When I saw the trailer for the new film 'Precious' I cried. This film made me think a lot about an old life I was too familiar with. It made me think about a lot of women that I am close to. It made me think about my sister in her Tenderloin days, about that loud funny girl in class that smacked her gum too loud, about that girl in West Point who had AIDS and everyone stayed away from her, about that girl walking up and down Folsom pretending she has somewhere to go, about that teacher I use to have a crush on in middle school, about women. 'Precious' women. This was their story.

"I couldn't be objective watching this film, it gave me a sort of PTSD watching it and I even cried on my BART ride home. There has been quite the controversy of the film because some believe it perpetuates the stigma of life for African-American women. But to me it brings light and advocates a new hero to the Hollywood industry.

"The film is based off of Sapphire's novel, "Push.” The film to me has arrived at a pivotal moment. It comes at a time where a 15-year-old girl in Richmond is gang raped, at a time where a lot of people call a famous pop star beating a woman a "small mishap" to his career, at a time where young women, especially of color or queer in the inner-city, are barely visible in the conversation of anything and ignored."

Read More | Armond White: Precious is the Most damaging Film to the Black Image Since ‘Birth of a Nation’

On November 14th, students in the EA Hall Middle School MEChA Club held a free community arts event at the Brown Berets Bike Shack warehouse in Watsonville. The event was initially supposed to be held at the city owned Youth Center, however City Staff were opposed to a fee waiver for this event due to the "political nature" of the bands lined up to perform. This has created a stir with some conservative people in the community who are afraid of anything that promotes Mexican or Xicana/o identity.

Boca Floja, Para La Gente, Poetic Stimulator, Shannon Michelle, the Guerrilla Queenz and the young MC's from EA Hall brought together folks of all ages from the community. Parents, students, teachers, and others came out to do graffiti art, listen to music, eat and build solidarity with the MEChistas from EA Hall. It was a positive, powerful and peaceful event.

Read more and listen to audio

Rainbow Theatre, the only multicultural theatre arts troupe in the UC system, will be kicking off their 16th season on November 5th and continuing through November 15th. In the tradition of Teatro Campesino, the San Francisco Mime Troupe, and Theatre of the Opressed, Rainbow strives to bring the untold stories of people of color to light. This year Rainbow's plays are feminist oriented, focusing on issues of queer identity, domestic violence, rape, abortion, interracial relationships, and homophobic violence.

Read more | Descriptions

About 200 advocates of a single-payer health care system, which would eliminate the private health insurance industry, chanted and sang in front of the Market Street offices of United HealthCare starting in the early morning of October 28. At about 8:00am they then marched to the Blue Shield office on Beale St., where 30 of the demonstrators staged a sit-in, blocking access to the health insurer's office.

The San Francisco demonstration was part of a national day of direct action against the insurance industry. Protests at ten other locations took place the same day in other cities; a similar national day of civil disobedience at insurance company sites was held earlier this month. Protesters advocated a single-payer system in which the state or federal government would create one system of health insurance to cover everyone, as would be created by Rep. John Conyers’ H.R. 676.

At the Beale Street location, protesters were joined by a local contingent of “Billionaires for Wealthcare” in formal wear and accompanied by a maidservant. The Billionaires held signs supporting the status quo and sang several numbers including “We Shall Overcharge” to the traditional tune "We Shall Overcome". Other artistic action included music and chants led by Brass Liberation Orchestra and a giant "Octopus of Death" representing insurance industry profiteering. The octopus extended large tentacles choking protesters who portrayed needy patients denied care by Blue Shield.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | Mobilize for Healthcare

On October 11, San Francisco’s Arab Cultural and Community Center will present the 15th Annual Arab Cultural Festival, the largest celebration of Arab heritage in Northern California. This day-long event will showcase the arts, entertainment, food, traditions, and most importantly the spirit of the Arab and Arab-American people, and their contributions to the Bay Area’s cultural landscape.

Since 1995, the Arab Cultural & Community Center has produced this one-day event celebrating the diversity and beauty of Arab and Arab-American cultural expression. Taking place in Golden Gate Park, this event marks the largest celebration of Arab heritage in Northern California. Enjoyed by Arab and non-Arab audiences of 4000-6000 each year, it celebrates a rich tapestry of performing and visual artists, food, traditional clothing, and other cultural traditions.

Read more

15th Annual Arab Cultural Festival

Ten years ago Indy Arts was founded to provide resources for media, arts and cultural programs and producers left out of the mainstream of traditional forms of support. The celebration of a decade of help for independent artists culminated in a huge display of some of the best and most innovative acts in the Bay Area, integrating live acting, music, dance, art and media production demonstrations in Golden Gate Park.

Tabling on the Music Course brought to light some little known independent documentary producers and a representative from CounterCorp, San Francisco's anti-corporate film festival. San Francisco 'Zine Fest was one of the most popular booths for young adults, while children sang along to new lyrics put to old tunes by the Raging Grannies promoting healthy eating. Visitors of all ages crowded around demonstrations of recycled art projects including Trash Mash-Up, where plastic bags were instantly turned into hats and accessories before a wide-eyed audience.

Non-profit Independent Arts and Media/Indy Arts provides production, sponsorship, promotional, and other services that are always free or affordable. Their stated goal is to "strengthen a culture of democracy in which individuals fully participate in their communities through vibrant arts, media and public affairs experiences".

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

Independent Arts and Media

About 300 protesters gathered in front of Anthem Blue Cross' San Francisco headquarters September 22nd to bring attention to the company's opposition to health care reform. Demonstrators converged on California's Blue Cross office before noon and continued their loud protest for over two hours. They set up two sound systems, one for entertainment that playfully mocked the health insurance company's large profits, a second for speakers who told emotional stories of their problems with denied claims and treatment at the hands of one of the nation's largest insurers.

Satirizing the wealthy lifestyle of investors who profit from health care companies, a street theater group called Billionaires for Wealthcare gave speeches insisting that profits must be considered before the needs of people. They aped the rich with fake diamonds, golf clubs and top hats, and hoisted a placard reading "Blue Cross/Palin 2012". Following the Billionaires' exuberant performance, speakers, including real doctors and patients, took to a second sound system to chastise Anthem Blue Cross for what one person called the company's "unforgivable arrogance".

Later while the gathered crowd marched around the building chanting loudly, fifteen delegates from the protest attempted to enter Anthem Blue Cross' 13th floor office in the Embarcadero Center with a list of demands. Blue Cross personnel refused to open the door but listened to the delegates through an intercom, giving no response. The Billionaires, who joined the delegation to the high rise headquarters, insisted that they be allowed to enter the office saying, "after all, we OWN you." They were also rebuffed.

Video | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Billionaires for Wealthcare