Feature Archives

Laurel Krause writes: Ongoing medical marijuana busts throughout Mendocino County have been arresting local residents daily. I was one of five busts made and charged with two felonies (cultivation and intent to sell/distribute) on February 20th, even though I had my doctor recommendation and was growing with the guidelines published at the Mendocino County website.

Following a series of Town Hall meetings that have been held since the murder of Oscar Grant, the first in a series of Caravans for Justice traveled to the California State Capitol on February 19th to speak out and lobby legislators on the issues of Oscar Grant and police killings, repressive gang laws, Three Strikes, the San Francisco 8, environmental justice, and other laws and issues that negatively effect urban communities of color.

The sixth victim of death by taser in the city of San Jose was remembered on February 20th at a taser-danger awareness event and fundraiser. Jolted with a stun gun by a San Jose police officer on February 11th, Richard Lua died at the scene as he was returning home. At least 334 people in the United States have died after being shocked by a taser since 2001.

Diverse communities in the U.S. have been standing together to bring about social change at the grassroots level in an unprecedented wave of euphoria set off by the inauguration of Barack Obama. Whether in public meetings, workshops, or protests the unity of purpose and momentum is palpable. What will it take to translate that human energy into real change?

Phoenix, AZ — Organizations from around the country are calling for an end to the immigration raids of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and specifically to revoke his controversial contract with the Department of Homeland Security. A national organizing conference will be held in Phoenix, Arizona on February 27th, as well as a march on February 28th.

In lieu of recent high profile cases of police brutality and murder, some in the community remember that these atrocities are an ongoing epidemic in the Chicano and Black communities. On February 17, 2004, Rudy Cardenas, a father of five children, was shot and killed by state narcotics agent Michael Walker in San Jose. Jesse Villarreal, a nephew of Rudy Cardenas, was interviewed on February 14th about his uncle’s murder, the organizing efforts to bring attention to the issue, the results of the case, and how this incident is similar to the case involving the murder of Oscar Grant.

On Thursday, February 12th, community activists attended a BART Board of Directors meeting to voice their concerns about the inadequate response to the abuse and murder of Oscar Grant III on January 1st. Activists assumed control of the meeting and unfurled a banner in the room. Three demands were issued. Demonstrators then worked their way through the Board asking them one by one to publicly commit to the demands. Activists promised that "more, much more is coming," unless BART accedes to the community's demands for more accountability and transparency.