IT’S ON IN APRIL: Faith Leaders Step Up, Youth-led Town Hall Coming Up

IT’S ON IN APRIL: Faith Leaders Step Up, Youth-led Town Hall Coming Up

=== EARLIER THIS MONTH ===
=== Film Screening for Bay Area Faith Leaders A Huge Success! ===

On April 5, leaders from faith communities throughout the Bay Area came together for
a unique and profound event. More than 30 pastors, rabbis, ministers and leaders of
a broad range of religious and spiritual traditions attended a special screening of
Books Not Bars' award-winning documentary “System Failure: Violence, Abuse, and
Neglect in the California Youth Authority.” Special thanks to Downs Memorial United
Methodist Church and the FAITHS Initiative for sponsoring the screening!

Following the film presentation, we engaged in a rich discussion about solutions to
the CYA crisis. The dialogue between these faith leaders and Books Not Bars staff
and members was moving and inspirational. By the end of the event, attendees
committed to take action steps in support of our campaign! We are so excited to
build connections with faith leaders to grow the movement for a new juvenile justice
system!

=== COMING UP ===
=== APRIL 28: BNB Youth Present "SOLUTIONS" Town Hall Meeting! ===

Please join Let’s Get Free for a special “SOLUTIONS” Town Hall Meeting to hear young
people’s perspectives on the issue of violence prevention in Oakland.

WHEN: April 28th 2005 5-7:00pm

WHERE: The East Bay Community Foundation
De Domenico Building
200 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Oakland, CA 94612
(Next door to City Hall in brick building)

ACCESSIBLE BY: Bus 51, 51a, 40, and 43,13,14 Bart get off 12th street

PLEASE RSVP to Venus @ 510-428-3939x244 or venus [at] ellabakercenter.org

Over the last year, youth from Let's Get Free (the youth organizing component of
Books Not Bars) and AYPAL (Asian Youth Promoting Advocacy and Leadership) have
learned about the abusive, costly and ineffective CYA youth prisons. Now it’s time
to hear from youth about what youth need instead.

Youth from Let's Get Free and AYPAL surveyed nearly 300 of their peers through
workshops in high schools and community outreach to find out what young people need
to be successful. We also conducted a research trip to Santa Cruz to hear about a
county system that has worked with the community to make remarkable improvements in
their juvenile justice system over the last 10 years.

We want you to attend and hear what we learned! Young leaders from AYPAL and Let's
Get Free will present the findings from our research, and lead a panel discussion
about how we can move from a system that hurts youth and hinders rehabilitation to
solutions that affirm young people's worth and facilitate our success.


=== AND MAY 2: KEEP AN EYE ON CYA ===
=== What Will The New Juvenile Justice Model Look like? ===
=== Send a Postcard to the Governor! ===

Remember what happened in January because of the lawsuit brought by the Prison Law
Office? CYA promised to design a whole new model for itself -- based on
rehabilitation -- by May 2, 2005. We’re hoping CYA officials will go the distance
and close the CYA prisons as part of their plan to transform juvenile justice. We’re
watching intently to see what they make public on May 2.

Let the Governor know you support prison closures as part of the new system! Send a
postcard today! Use our website at http://www.booksnotbars.org/postcard

BACKGROUND: After the Prison Law Office sued the state of California in 2003 for the
horrific conditions inside CYA, the CYA admitted to its wrongdoings, settled the
lawsuit, and agreed to clean things up. Last year, after touring other states like
Missouri and further negotiations with the Prison Law Office, CYA officials agreed
that they had to do more than merely "clean up". They had to go back to the drawing
board. They committed to May 2 as the deadline for delivering a new model for CYA.
On May 2, Books Not Bars will be sure to send you an update about what's happening!


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