Feature Archives

The satirical song warbling Raging Grannies have been both booed and applauded up and down the San Francisco Peninsula and excitement is building as the premiere of Pam Walton's documentary *Raging Grannies: The Action League* comes to the Cinequest Film Festival this weekend. The San Jose Mercury News puts the spotlight on this documentary saying it's "what's hot at Cinequest" and the Metro News Silicon Valley calls it a PICK of this year's annual 10 -day film festival. The 55 minute documentary premieres in San Jose on March 7 and 8.

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?

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.

Two American Jewish women, Donna and Darlene Wallach, left their lives behind in San Jose six months ago to break the Israeli siege of Gaza. Courageously sailing on the first two Free Gaza boats, SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty, they had no idea of their fate at the hands of the Israeli navy, which has maintained a total sea blockade of Gaza since the 1970s. On January 25th, the two sisters arrived at Mineta San Jose International Airport to a heroes’ welcome.

On Sunday, January 11, more than a thousand people demonstrated against Israeli attacks on Gaza in a suburban shopping district in San Jose, California. This was the second Sunday in a row that demonstrators, many dressed in the colors of the Palestinian flag, started their protest by chanting and wielding signs in front of a typical 1960's era shopping strip. They then stopped traffic as they filled the streets a block away in a fashion district featuring luxury retailers.

In an open letter to the Lesbian and Gay community during his campaign, president-elect Obama promised, "I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans." On January 10th, three South Bay activist groups came together to lead a rally calling on Mr. Obama to hold true to his word. The downtown San Jose rally was part of a national day of action to gather a million signatures to demand equal rights for the gay community. The signatures are to be delivered to Obama on January 20th, Inauguration Day.