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Coalition on Race, Poverty, Equality, & Justice meets 3:30 PM at City Council Chambers (5/5)
Activist Lloyd Ellis of the Coalition For a County Dialogue on Race, Poverty, Equality, & Justice called Free Radio Santa Cruz yesterday and announced that the Coalition will meet today, Monday, May 5th, at 3:30 PM at 809 Center St. at Santa Cruz City Council Chambers. The Coalition is concerned with documenting and publicizing cases of discrimination, as I understand it. It involves non-profits like the UN Association, the Resource Center for Non-Violence, and the Inner Light Ministries as well as activists like Simba Kenyatta and Wanda Knight.
The meeting is in preparation for a larger public meeting on July 30th in Council chambers, as it was explained to me. The group hopes to generate a safe place where people can come and tell what happened to them. Racial profiling and discrimination or "the crime of being other than white" will be a prime topic. "To hear from people what the problems are" is one of the goals of the Coalition.
LLoyd noted there's be a follow up meeting in August in Watsonville.
Sorry I don't have more details. Apparently this group has had a number of meetings privately, but is only now beginning to go public. I also apologize for the short notice. Lloyd only called me this morning, asking me to post.
LLoyd noted there's be a follow up meeting in August in Watsonville.
Sorry I don't have more details. Apparently this group has had a number of meetings privately, but is only now beginning to go public. I also apologize for the short notice. Lloyd only called me this morning, asking me to post.
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Becky Johnson recently sent out the following e-mail to HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) activists on the recent article that appeared in the Sentinel on the Coalition's upcoming meeting.
Aside from deleting the date, time, address, and contact numbers for the first meeting, Bookwalter's article also prompted a number of bigoted bellows on-line. If any further evidence is needed of racist sentiment in the County, check out http://www.topix.net/forum/source/santa-cruz-sentinel/TLNEUINSE6K6FCQP0 as well as the commentary on Johnson's story about differential police treatment of African-American tarot card reader Jason Paschal. When Paschal was called a nigger and spat upon, police arrested him instead of the perp. See http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/04/29/18495698.php .
NOTE TO READER FROM BECKY JOHNSON: Sentinel writer, Genevieve Bookwalter doesn't feel it is necessary to tell readers when and where this event is being held! All Huffies should know this event is being held on WED. May 14, 2008 from 6:30 to 9:30PM at the Felton Presbyterian church located at 6090 Hwy 9 in Felton.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_9221427
Talks focus on fighting racism
Genevieve Bookwalter - Sentinel staff writer
Article Launched: 05/11/2008 08:00:54 AM PDT
SANTA CRUZ - A group of county residents is hoping to bring the national conversation about race started by this year's Democratic presidential primary to a local level.
The discussion will start with a series of four "community conversations" around the county, where all residents are invited to share their views and experiences with race and racism.
"Racism is America's biggest problem because we don't talk about it," said Santa Cruz resident and organizer Simba Kenyatta. "We're just trying to figure out how people are treated in this county."
Santa Cruz Councilman Tony Madrigal said he hopes residents will build on the discussions of race that have been taking place at the national level. The issue has been in the spotlight as Democratic candidate Barack Obama seeks to become the first black presidential nominee.
Both Madrigal and Kenyatta said they expect audience members to talk about issues of equality, class, discrimination and immigration, among many others.
The first four meetings will be held in various parts of the county. Organizers hope to draw a crowd in regions as varied as Watsonville, which is 70 percent Latino, to Felton in the San Lorenzo Valley, which has had problems with white supremacy groups.
Participants are invited to share their experiences with racism and may contribute anonymously, Kenyatta said.
Findings from each session will be brought to a larger meeting in October, organizers said, where participants will discuss potential solutions.
County Supervisor Mark Stone said he is excited about the sessions, and hopes they produce results similar to town meetings held in Boulder Creek in 2005. Residents of that small mountain community grew concerned three years ago after a group of white men began confronting minorities.
"It gets most people realizing that when they're offended or feeling afraid, they're not alone," Stone said. "What comes out of it is a broader sense of the community."
Kenyatta said he hopes the sessions shed light on a problem that many might deny exists in a county that prides itself on tolerance.
"In Santa Cruz, we like to think about ourselves as these wonderful, enlightened people," Kenyatta said. "But we're just like everybody else."
Contact G. Bookwalter at 706-3286 or gbookwalter [at] santacruzsentinel.com.
Aside from deleting the date, time, address, and contact numbers for the first meeting, Bookwalter's article also prompted a number of bigoted bellows on-line. If any further evidence is needed of racist sentiment in the County, check out http://www.topix.net/forum/source/santa-cruz-sentinel/TLNEUINSE6K6FCQP0 as well as the commentary on Johnson's story about differential police treatment of African-American tarot card reader Jason Paschal. When Paschal was called a nigger and spat upon, police arrested him instead of the perp. See http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/04/29/18495698.php .
NOTE TO READER FROM BECKY JOHNSON: Sentinel writer, Genevieve Bookwalter doesn't feel it is necessary to tell readers when and where this event is being held! All Huffies should know this event is being held on WED. May 14, 2008 from 6:30 to 9:30PM at the Felton Presbyterian church located at 6090 Hwy 9 in Felton.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_9221427
Talks focus on fighting racism
Genevieve Bookwalter - Sentinel staff writer
Article Launched: 05/11/2008 08:00:54 AM PDT
SANTA CRUZ - A group of county residents is hoping to bring the national conversation about race started by this year's Democratic presidential primary to a local level.
The discussion will start with a series of four "community conversations" around the county, where all residents are invited to share their views and experiences with race and racism.
"Racism is America's biggest problem because we don't talk about it," said Santa Cruz resident and organizer Simba Kenyatta. "We're just trying to figure out how people are treated in this county."
Santa Cruz Councilman Tony Madrigal said he hopes residents will build on the discussions of race that have been taking place at the national level. The issue has been in the spotlight as Democratic candidate Barack Obama seeks to become the first black presidential nominee.
Both Madrigal and Kenyatta said they expect audience members to talk about issues of equality, class, discrimination and immigration, among many others.
The first four meetings will be held in various parts of the county. Organizers hope to draw a crowd in regions as varied as Watsonville, which is 70 percent Latino, to Felton in the San Lorenzo Valley, which has had problems with white supremacy groups.
Participants are invited to share their experiences with racism and may contribute anonymously, Kenyatta said.
Findings from each session will be brought to a larger meeting in October, organizers said, where participants will discuss potential solutions.
County Supervisor Mark Stone said he is excited about the sessions, and hopes they produce results similar to town meetings held in Boulder Creek in 2005. Residents of that small mountain community grew concerned three years ago after a group of white men began confronting minorities.
"It gets most people realizing that when they're offended or feeling afraid, they're not alone," Stone said. "What comes out of it is a broader sense of the community."
Kenyatta said he hopes the sessions shed light on a problem that many might deny exists in a county that prides itself on tolerance.
"In Santa Cruz, we like to think about ourselves as these wonderful, enlightened people," Kenyatta said. "But we're just like everybody else."
Contact G. Bookwalter at 706-3286 or gbookwalter [at] santacruzsentinel.com.
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