$68.00 donated in past month
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Food Not Bombs co-founder Keith McHenry is facing three misdemeanor charges in Santa Cruz Superior Court as a result of his work to defend the rights of the poor. The original case stemmed from an action where McHenry replaced 33 "blue artist boxes" on Pacific Avenue that had been removed by the city.
On August 2, community members in Santa Cruz came together to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. "Let us recommit ourselves to a world without nuclear weapons and without war," an announcement for the gathering read. The evening began with musicians playing in front of the Collateral Damage statue, which was installed next to the Town Clock on the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombings as a memorial to all civilian casualties of war.
Founding member of the First Friday Oakland Art Murmur, Rock Paper Scissors Collective writes:
Eleven years ago, downtown Oakland was home to mom and pop shops, socio-economically diverse, occasionally dangerous; a sometimes eccentric, sometimes wonderful, and always dynamic community. A group of artists, crafters, organizers and makers found a vacant little storefront among a sea of vacancies. With a little volunteer elbow-grease and fundraising effort, the Rock Paper Scissors Collective (RPSC) was born — a destination where the community could come together, organize, share skills, knowledge and create. ALL were welcome in the space.
Now, after more than a decade in the same location, we are being forced out of our space on Telegraph and 23rd to make way for a new vision of the transforming neighborhood. The Collective’s long time landlord plans to charge market value for the space, well beyond what we can afford as an all-volunteer run nonprofit. Eleven years ago we could afford market value for the space, but thanks to our success in building a vibrant community in downtown, market rate is now far out of reach. The increase will more than triple our current rate.
As of August 31st, RPS community arts space will be without a home. Our lease is being terminated after ten years at the same location. Only with the help and support of the community can we continue to ensure a safe and open space for everyone.
 Read More |
Rock Beats Paper: On the Connections Between Art and Development |
A Defense of the RPS Collective and a Critique of the Critiques |
Another Contribution to the Dicussion of the Artists' Role in Gentrification
On July 1, hundreds came together in spirit, unity, and love to transform the unacceptable destruction of the mural on the outside wall of Galeria de La Raza in the Mission District of San Francisco. The mural installed by the Los Angeles Maricon Collective is a celebration of LGBTQ people, and accompanies the presentation in the Galeria, The Q-Sides. Speakers emphasized that unity must be maintained in the Mission, healing with love not revenge, even though the vandalism was a hate crime
Before dawn on Saturday, March 21, a fire erupted in a warehouse on 24th Street in Oakland. Two resident artists died, Davis Letona and Daniel “Moe” Thomas. The fire quickly spread to the adjoining warehouse on 23rd Street commonly known as the AK Press warehouse. On the AK side, three residential units sustained severe damage, at least one being totally destroyed, with a beloved cat succumbing to the smoke and heat. As a result of the three-alarm fire, other units sustained varying degrees of water and smoke damage. Businesses on the first floor are struggling with major damage from tons of stinky smoke-smelling water that rained down.
AK Press lost a large number of books and other inventory. 1984 Printing lost reams of printing paper, computers, jobs in progress, and more. In all, between businesses and residents, damages easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars, probably exceeding well over $100,000. Things became worse, with a much greater number of people affected, when the warehouse on 23rd Street was red-tagged by the City of Oakland on March 23 and the AK warehouse was red-tagged on March 24, meaning no residents or businesses are allowed inside either building, even if their units were largely unaffected by the fire, leaving dozens homeless and AK and 1984 unable to operate.
There is a memorial fund for one of the victims on 23rd Street. Surviving residents and businesses on both sides greatly need assistance now, too. A new relief fund has been created that will be evenly split three ways between AK Press, 1984 Printing, and affected neighbors. Please, give whatever you can.
Help AK Press & Friends Recover from Fire |
Devastating Fire at AK Press Warehouse: Lives Lost, Residences Destroyed, Dozens Displaced, Businesses Damaged |
Davis Letona: Memorial Service |
Fire Relief for AK Press & Friends
In Oakland, hundreds of people from more than two dozen groupings organized in response to the Anti Police-Terror Project’s call to come together for ninety-six hours of direct action over the Martin Luther King Day weekend. The first action announced was a protest inside Montgomery BART station in San Francisco at 7am on Friday. The weekend’s events culminated in a Jobs and Economy March for the People on Monday, January 19. Other groups organized more MLK-related events in Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Palo Alto, Santa Cruz, and throughout Northern California.
Claudia Tirado, a third grade teacher and tenant being evicted by Google's head of eDiscovery, Jack Halprin, queered her fight to remain in her home at the Folsom Street Fair on September 21. With other activists from Eviction Free San Francisco, Tirado handed out condoms for "eviction protection" at the annual kink and sex-positive SoMa fair in front of the Powerhouse bar. Halprin is active in the Powerhouse and leather community, and was part of the Powerhouse contingent during the 2014 Pride Parade. Eviction Free SF reported that many fair attendees agreed that housing is a queer issue and that it is unconscionable for Halprin to evict residents so that he can have a private mansion just three blocks from the Google bus stop at 18th and Dolores.
Halprin bought the 7-unit 812 Guerrero in 2012, and then illegally Owner-Move-In evicted one tenant, Susan, only days after her sister passed away. She filed a lawsuit against him, and won. In retaliation, he then proceeded to issue Ellis Act eviction notices to the other tenants in four other units in the building, including the unit where Claudia and her three-year-old son Valentino reside. Eviction Free SF has been demanding that Google pressure Halprin to rescind the eviction, utilizing tactics from bus blockades to demonstrations in Mountain View.
Read More |
Eviction Free San Francisco
DefendTheBulb writes: In Solidarity with People whose homes are threatened, In Honor of unpermitted public Art, In Defense of spaces free and wild everywhere, To Keep the Albany Bulb Natural and unlandscaped, To Preserve Habitat for Birds, Insects, and other migratory Animals, including Humans, We Declare the Bulb an Autonomous Zone , a space where Art and Music continue to flourish, where People assemble Freely, where Dogs run unleashed, and where long-term Residents can continue to maintain and improve their Homesteads.
On March 24, the California Department of Corrections (CDC), which practices culture jamming by "correcting" commercial advertisements, successfully apprehended, rehabilitated and discharged a billboard in San Francisco, located at Oakdale Avenue between Bay Shore Boulevard and U.S. Highway 101. With larger-than-life lettering the billboard reads, PAIN ISN'T ALWAYS OBVIOUS. LEARN THE SIGNS AT GUANTANAMO BAY. Next to its massive headline the ad includes logos for a California mental health agency and the tagline KNOW THE SIGNS.
The ad was released from custody two weeks after a landmark lawsuit, Hassan v. Obama, was brought before U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. to end force-feeding at Guantanamo Bay. Filed on behalf of Emad Abdullah Hassan, the lawsuit is the first case against forced-feeding since the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that federal courts can hear challenges by detainees to conditions of their confinement. Hassan is a Yemeni national who has been detained at Guantanamo Bay for twelve years despite being cleared for release in 2009. He has been on hunger strike since 2005 and has allegedly experienced over 5,000 forced-feedings, a practice that is violent, abusive and illegal, according to his lawsuit.
Although half of Guantanamo's inmate population has been cleared for release, 154 detainees are trapped in legal limbo at the U.S. naval base. Last year more than 100 Guantanamo detainees were on hunger strike demanding an end to their detention without trial. Currently, fewer than 40 people remain on hunger strike, 16 of whom are being forced-fed.
Read More |
CorrectionsDepartment.org
Previous Related Indybay Features:
"Corrected" Billboard Calls Out Corporate Tax Loopholes |
Liberated Ads Confront San Francisco Eviction Crisis |
Hollywoood Movie Billboard in SF Spoofed to "Honor" U.S. National Security Agency |
SF Vigil in Solidarity with Guantanamo Hunger Strikers Culminates with Civil Disobedience |
Orange Jumpsuit Protest in Palo Alto Marks Opening of Guantánamo 11 Years Ago |
Bay Area Artists Modify Islam-Bashing Hate Speech Advertisements on SF MUNI Buses |
8th Year of Guantanamo Commemorated With Giant Posters in San Francisco |
National Day of Protest: Close Guantanamo and End Torture |
Bay Area Billboards "Study In Israel" Modified by Guerrilla Advertisers |
Satirical Ads in Berkeley Poke Fun at Pro-Israel PR Efforts
The new documentary "The Ghosts Of March 21" focuses on March 21, 2009, when a shoot-out between Lovelle Mixon and members of the Oakland Police Department resulted in the death of Mixon and four police officers. The documentary examines the encounter’s underlying contradictions and challenges the mainstream narrative of the confrontation. The film opened in Oakland and Berkeley on March 20 and 21, San Francisco on March 22, and Santa Rosa on March 23.
This month's Bike Party theme in Santa Cruz was pie and pajamas. A colorful group gathered for pie at the Bike Church and then rode off into the sunset together on March 14 for Pi Day (3.14). Unlike the world-famous critical-mass bicycle rides, which are more political in focus and sometimes confrontational, Bike Party aims for a festive and friendly ride. The Santa Cruz Bike Party is gaining popularity and part of a larger movement, with the San José Bike Party being the most famous.
There were quite a few onesies and some great patterned pajamas worn. During the ride, there were fun lights, the Happening Couch that plays music provided free rides to people along the way, and the group stopped off for dance parties. After heading toward the San Lorenzo River and then riding along Ocean, the Bike Party made its way to the Westside and stopped off for beers at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery. The event was fun and a lot of people participated, which created a great opportunity to ride the streets with fellow bike-loving, pie-eating, pajama-wearing community members and friends!
Santa Cruz Bike Party happens every second Friday, usually around 7 pm.
Read More with Photos | See Also: Santa Cruz Bike Party Love Ride | Pedal-Powered Revelry with Santa Cruz Bike Party
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