West Coast Government harassment of Homeless

Anaheim Activists Arrest filming cops

November 2nd deactivate your Facebook for 24 hours to support homeless rights.  Dont worry you can log in regularly and it will come back in as you left it.

Anaheim homeless activists who film exposing the harassment and mistreatment of the homeless as well as theft by police targeted and arrested by police. They are part of the California Homeless Bill of Rights trying to decriminalize severe poverty, which uses 22 basic human behaviors to arrest on 33 mistermeaners they zones the poor out of business areas and removes people seen as trouble makers or provocateurs. They also offer christian outreach to the homeless as part of their spirituality and activism. You may remember Anaheim not for Disney but the Case of Kelly Thomas , who was a homeless disabled man beaten to death by near by Fullerton Police on Camera, to this day no officers have been convicted.

 Both Roussan Joshua Collins and Lou Noble are well known in the homeless activist community , they have continue to show the misuse of police conduct and non accountability by local government, which has continued even out of the Kelly Thomas fall out. Ron Thomas still calls for accountability and justice for his son. Meanwhile city's like Tucson where the mayor is friends with the Anthem Mayor , works to bring a 5 point urban camping ban to his area and has spent over $5 million to end a homeless protest via criminalization.

 In Portland we find Ibrahim Bilal Mubarakk another homeless activist in the Portland Area. There is organizing protests over sweeps in his area. A sweep is when the local government comes with social services and law enforcement telling the homeless to move along or be arrested. The average houseless person is sleep deprived, getting less than 3 hours of sleep, is not employable for lack of hygiene opportunity and lack of storage. Reports from news agency's easily found on a google search shows housing cost less than criminalization. 

But than why this writer asks is that not being done? If you speak with the mayors in each town, they are all friends. If you watch Brave New Films they show how the urban camping bans like are supported and funded by groups like ALEC, you also help lobby for the private prison industry, bail bonds industry, health care and telecommunications. They document how going after the poor and other disenfranchised Americans and even immigrants we guarantee inmates to them, and keep over 500, 000 Americans working. According to other justice reports not only are Western states facing a drought but they are facing a lack of drinkable water by 2025, as well as states like California, Arizona, Texas and Florida, will only have 1 our of 10 citizens will be able to pass a background check. Meanwhile speak with Carlos Miller with Photography Isnt a Crime or CopBlock.Org about the legal right to film the police. If people matter, government accountability matters, and reform is to made, than the 10,000 stories in street shall be told.

Angry Mob Press Culture Change

A Potter's tale

The evening was young yet Emily had woken up t a busy day. If you were to see her you might mistake her for an angel or mirage, but she is not but a ghost. While most think of a ghostly activities as haunting a houses, pulling practical pranks and so forth; it couldn't be farther from the truth. Ghosts like many of us humans work, go to school and create families. Emily is young, easy on the eye and as smart as she is mischievous. She had done softball practice and a full day of school.

Now on her way home she noticed a rising breeze coming from the east. A cool chill was setting in and it looked like the moon would be full. She hurried not wanting to miss dinner. Tonight she felt would be a great night and she missed her family. She was not sure why she felt joy inside but she knew it wouldn't be long before she remembered. Up the path she could see the dark mid evil house she called home peacefully laying on the hill where the path ends. She started a jog in excitement.
The door creaked as it opened she called out hello to her grandmother. Her parents had moved on and her grandmother was all she had. Close they were and a matching pair of kindred personalities. No one replied back. Emily placed her stuff in the closet and called out again. Still no reply. This peaked her interest. She began searching room by room not sure where her grandmother was and not sure whether she was entering a game of hide and seek unwillingly. As Emily traveled threw the rooms she flickered on the lights and called out. One by one she knocked out every room in the big three story house. Nobody was home. No notes were found. Was everything OK? Did her grandmother go out in a hurry and forget to leave a note? Out the house Emily went.

It was now cold and chilly.
The streets were extra crowded for some geeks and goblins were cheery; not to mention in a hurry. It was quickly becoming a blur. Emily turned a corner. It was now empty. Near by was a racoon looking around closely. She walked up to the racoon. "Sir" she asked," i see you are on hunt as i perhaps we can help each other?" The racoon looked up in a/surprised shock. Emily could see him hiding something behind him but couldn't make it out. His face changed a sly grin behind a furry mask. " oh yes " he replied now continuing," help me find a winter home for my bags and i will help you find what you need." Emily want so sure about this masked stranger but she could use an extra hand. She continued on not wanting to slow down. Round another corner and through the river. It seemed the world was having less and less beings. She felt alone it was getting late. She would continue on.

More buildings came in to view. Still no people. Where did everyone rush off to? She thought to herself. At that moment a pair of ravens sirened in . "Hello", they said, "Can we help you?" Emily had heard of these legendary bird but never met them. A omen but she couldn't remember if it was good or bad. She told them her circumstance. They seemed more interested in the raccoon then her grandmother but had offered to help. Away they flouted back the way she had came.
Soon they were back at the racoon who seemed to be finding some places for hiding his bags. The ravens flew quickly catching the racoon in mid carry. One raven had scratched a hole in one of the bags. Coins had slammed to the floor and away they flew with him not saying goodbye. Alone again. She decided maybe it would be better to get home. She started back , slowly now tired.
She was getting close. She could see the house. She felt a breeze swoop on her. It was the ravens. The rambled on about the racoon being a known thief and how they were heading ahead to a house with suspicious activity and offered her to fly with them. She could use the rest and agreed.
She walked the steps and opened the door. The house was dark; she entered. Emily and the ravens looked for the light switch. Emily found it: lights went on. "Hello grandma?", she said. No answer. She entered the next room. A shout let out and more lights went on. The ravens and swooped down and tossed Emily in the air. "Surprise" and "happy birthday" they were singing. Her grandmother caught her and buried her in hugs and kisses. Emily was home. The town had given her a surprise party on the birthday Emily had for gotten. Candy was now being showered down.
                                                              THE END

Public Bullying Call Shanty Bar 4th Ave

tpd corpral clark criminalizing addiction for for profit prisons

homeless laundry mat

Roofless, a person without a roof or having a temporary one. We know that this effects 12 million plus Americans, more throughout the world. We do not have any real count of how many we have in Tucson. My goal is not to shift responsibility to anyone because that devised and as a community we must come together to get solutions made. The root of the issue is personal crisis. We know the issues are places to sleep, a lack of resources, hygiene, safety and more.

In looking at this Ken Lee in 2014 did a survey of more than 99 urban nomads in the Heart of the city. The people answered their top needs as a campground, a place to shower storage and more. The community answer is housing first. What about the hygiene issue?

According to Michael Kieth's information, Tucson gives more money dollar for dollar than any other city its size. Bravo to Tucson for standing up ,especially with having one of the top 6  poverty rates in Tucson.

The average roofless person in Tucson wears the same pair of clothes for 4-7 days. Some like my friend James can go 30 before getting a new pair. After wearing them they will dispose of them at a non profit that provides showers or at a shelter, others will find a bird bath somewhere and discard them.. Park and rec workers like many others find them in parks, alleys , sidewalks and else where. Why though would they be disposed?

No laundry mat is available to the majority of the homeless. If you are disabled you can do it through HOPE, INC. If you are a vet you can do it at the VA, a limited amount can do it at the Poblobero House, woman can do it at Sister Jose. People actually able to get into a shelter program can do it there. The majority that are left camping, on a friends couch or rotating through shelters have none. When you have 85% of donated clothes going to waste, it becomes priority to create a laundry mat, that keeps them being used. If we wish to tell the homeless to get a job, we may need to help those with no resources to look professional . Not Financially saving 85% of donated clothes is not good for accountability, saves resources and provides a foundation for Maslows Hierarchy of needs.

Call the Cops - Traducido al Español - Rob Hustle ft. Bump

A Disservice to Addicts

Drugs, are everywhere, some are legal, some  arn't.  The Untied States annually spends 20 billion dollars on its War on Drugs. War on Drug funding goes to law enforcement, recovery programs, medical assistants, education and more. Unknown fact is that through the drug war law enforcement actually gains over $20 trillion in seized property. That's enough to eradicate poverty in America or fight a new war somewhere. I would not recommend the latter as making orphans around the world isn't our best chance as safety over time. But what about homeless people who are addicts, how do they receive help?

In Tucson like many other cities we offer plenty of for profit and non profit recovery centers, 12 step programs , etc. In fact that is the biggest industry in South Tucson. Most are faith based, others are mental health agencies and community hospitals. We offer 4 shelters and that's where the disservice lies.

At the homeless shelters, you are asked to take a Breathalyzer to get in. If you test .08 or higher you are not allowed in. People appearing to be high or smelling of drugs are automatically turned away. This means that any addict indulging in their addiction, cannot receive help. This leads them to try to find a safe place outside. Many go to Safe Park, A protest for the criminalization of homelessness. The city has spent over $5 million dollars trying to get these persons out of the downtown area,only to fail. This causes more suffering, more sleep deprivation, more likely to use. 

Maslows hierarchy of needs, shows us that for a person to be happy, health and successful in life or treatment, the people must have a safe environment, have access to food, community , health, and safety. Without that they cannot go on to long term goals or success. On the streets they run into outreach workers, fellow addicts, activists and more. There they are treated as a person first and not judged on their addiction. The addicts are more willing to open us, share their experiences and you here a desire to quit at some point. 

Back at the shelter, those people are not present. There yo u can find ads on the wall about where to get information or assistance with recovery but the people needing to read that were turned away. Near by at the Sourthern Arizona Aids Foundation they are taking a different approach. They speak to addicts as fellow living beings. They take interest in the clients current situation, they talk to them about their addiction. They educate them on safety, how the different drugs effect them and the changes they will see over time. They offer fliers on places that can be more assistance on things they don't offer. Mshape is a drop in center they offer for adults and ION Lunge for minors. Here they have counselors on hand, soft couches, movies shown, a computer study lab, a food pantry and more. Shower are offered with no strings attached. People here, are getting off of drugs, staying away from more harmful drugs and practices. People are leaving the insanity of the streets and finding a place to live indoors, mending family relationships.

As you can see there is a different vibe, there is a change. A social program working the way it should. Not saying they don't have their own issues, but they deal with them quick. Funding is a issue here like anywhere in the state of Arizona right now , where tax revenues are not coming in and education and social assistance is slash over and over.  Volunteers and staff step up to the plate and fundraising and getting grassroots donation drives going. A current one is a sock drive, any one wishing to donate socks can drop them off at the SAAF office on Euclid and Broadway.

Some changes I would recommend to the shelter like Primavira , Salvation Army and the Gospel Rescue Mission are:

Change the no tolerance policy to a honor code asking addicts to not use, sell or trade on their property and let people know they may enter if they act responsible. Accept the person, educate the behavior.

End the lock down policy. There is no reason for a person to check in at 2 in the afternoon, and not be able to leave to get a soda or hang out with family. Treat people as adults and watch them rise to the standard. Let people know what your standard is, its easier to be mindful of a standard than to memorize rules. Have the cut off time for leaving being 1030 pm and allow people to leave after checking in.
Aid people in level 1 businesses so they can earn their own income while looking for a steady job.

Non Profit changes:
1. specialization- each one specializes in something, but not everyone in one thing.
2. provide all groups wishing to help with a list of tasks ranked from high cost to low cost , letting each group pick for them selves.
3. Income must be equal to those you are supporting or working in solidarity with.
4.Boards cannot earn more than 5 times what the lowest employee is paid.
5 spend funding on permanent solutions not band aids.
6. fill empty positions with clients when left unfilled for 2 months or more.

Thank you to everyone for reading my blog, please leave me your feedback, Please share with friends, family and co-workers. feel free to subscribe. #peoplematter

Poverty to Entrepreneurialship. Invest Local. empower people

Impoverished Entrepreneurial Stand

April 10, 2015 at 12:09pm

PublicFriendsFriends except AcquaintancesOnly MeCustomClose FriendsSears HoldingsSee all lists...tucsonphxTucson, Arizona AreaFamilyActivistOccupy Public LandAcquaintancesGo Back

Mission Statement:
To establish a platform for impoverished persons to pursuit self sustainable income through level 1 trade using unused sidewalk parcels and local sponsorship.

Seller:

Level 1 trade is designated as limited on site services, crafts and music.

Each participant will get a 3 foot by 3 foot square to conduct business at a rate of $3-5 per hour. The participant may pay more if the square is not already rented. No limit is given , but participant can only sign up for 1 hour at a time. All participants prove they are below the poverty line via government documents and that the products are not gained through illegal means.

Sponsorship:

Local businesses may purchase sponsorship for this program. The company will gain marketing advertisements that this program is made possible thanks to them. Local means the owner and business is Tucson owned and operated. Tucson is referred to as greater pima county.

Packages:

Contributor: $100 per month- Publicly Recognized verbally. noted on all documents as a financier of success, marketing of business in area.


Visionary: $300 per month - Named on site in small print, always named in discussion of program, name placed on all advertisements of program. named as friend of successful business marketing allowed in area.


Game Changer: $500 a month- Big Name on all displays, first named in all conversations and speeches, marketing allowed everywhere the program is mentioned or displayed, named as primary sponsor, tax rebate.

Ask about Life Giver Recognition when added to your will or donating larger amounts.

Tucson Homeless Bill of Rights

Tucson Homeless Bill of Rights by Anthony Potter

April 10, 2015 at 11:14am

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At a time of city wide economic hardship and a lack of city funding for those hardest hit by the economy and political choices out of their control. Where an environment of criminality is placed on such people as the cheapest avenue to deal with the matter; where money and property is considered speech and is able to out number and silence a mass group of people making them harder to be seen or represented and such culture is growing in the city and across the nation. The City of Tucson recognizes that the rights of its citizens are not limited to property or income ownership, but to everyone in its boundaries indoors or out. Therefore the city recognizes that a disenfranchised community exists and whose rights as citizens is not always protected as others. Tucson claims the need to designate this group of people  be  protected as other easily targeted groups based on race, religion, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, creed, national origin, gender or sexual orientation. In the name of diversity , equality and the pursuit of happiness those seeking to be protected by the constitution and certain unalienable rights granted by their creator are recognized as Homeless, Houseless, or nomad cannot be denied the following based on lack of income or property ownership.

No person shall be mistreated, harassed , manipulated, coerced,forced upon, threatened , made to conform religiously,  segregated or discriminated against for a lack of income, a lack of property ownership.

No person shall be denied the right to provide themselves with shelter from natures elements.

No person shall be denied the right to rest on public land or have designated camping areas.

No person shall be denied a place to relieve themselves when a restroom is available nor be harassed , mistreated or criminalized when none is available.

No person shall be denied the right to travel or be denied access to public places or services.

No person shall be denied the right to provide themselves with proper hygiene as long as the area can be secured and undamaged by the activity.

No person shall be denied the right to storage on public land or  to acquire property as long as it is kept neat and organized to health standards.

No person shall be denied the ability to conduct business or transactions the business requires.

No person shall be denied the right to be educated and treated for self medicating rather charged criminally.

No person shall be denied employment on past nuisance charges or displacement trauma.

No person shall be denied the right to gain food, share food, or give food to other disenfranchised persons.

Any and all violations shall be considered aggravating circumstances under criminal law and be dealt with in civil court. No person shall be denied access to the courts or proper representation. No funds are mandated for providing any of these rights unless otherwise mandated under law.

1 Day Block Party ( a view from ground zero)

This Weekend the Tucson Pima Arts Council, the Human Project and the Southern Arizona Aids Foundation, Downtown Parnership and with some other local groups for 1 day Block Party. A fundraiser meant to help local charities and provide a community facing lots of hardships with a good time.  The volunteers and organizers got up early to get started, they came energized to have a great time to meet new people, and raise money. Stone Ave was blocked off between Pennington and Congress, Porta-poties were placed in the Library plaza, DJ's lit up the area with a variety of hip hop and Techno. On hand was the mayor, a barber battle, and more. The theme was calling for unity a community without hate, bias or class warfare. All things that separate people. It seemed just what the city needed, but the city was not ready.

 The location is known to part of the downtown business district, a place filled from 9am to 5pm weekdays with the hustle and bustle of lawyers, bankers, business professionals, and people checking in with the courts. Yet after 5 pm and weekends it becomes a ghost town. The entertainment district is a block up the way. Businesses in the area were closed for the Easter Weekend. The only thing usually found in that part of downtown, is the homeless population that migrates from the library to the Park where they protest being criminalized. You will find young skaters rolling around and performing tricks with friends, a few tourists following the historical turquoise trail. A party to liven up the area is perfect for a part of downtown that is still economically dormant. But to do so, you need the neighborhood support.

As the party got started , people in the area lead by the music came to check it out. The ticket holders asked for $10. The homeless asked what it was about and how they could help. Without $10 they could not and walked away disgruntled and letting others know who came and let them know its not right to discriminate. Others with money felt $10 for a party without beer or performers was asking to much, even for charity. Others needed to get access to the area because inside was the the only atm their bank offered in downtown. Others needing to get in the buildings to get to work. The security and cops on hand spent much of their day not dealing with supporters over indulging in the party but people not in the party trying to get in for other needs, or running down people jumping the fence to sneek in for free.

As the day went on, the party had trouble getting more than thirty people in at any given time, the average was about 5 to 10 people. As a way of dealing with potential supporters they dropped the price of entry to $5 or a donation. More people flowed in, others still felt that was too much, others being the poor and homeless still felt segregated. friends of the organizers, volunteers and security were let in free, this not done in hidden view but in public where those being asked to contribute see the good ol' boy system in plain sight. The media form local networks came by to help promote the fundraiser to the community to bolster attendance. Local artists came by showing their support, one being Shawn Harris, a local rapper. Organizers said they choose not to get a alcohol permit, because its about promoting a healthy lifestyle.
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The party kept going into the night, as it did you could find the security a little bit more tipsy, Staff enjoy themselves but felt frustrated at the lack of community support. Those who did pay to go in and those allowed in because they knew someone, had a blast and with a wrist band came and went, hoping between the establishments of the Tucson night seen and coming back when funds are gone, The homeless in the area were upset because a block away where they sleep on the sidewalk for noise keeping them from sleeping. The night seen downtown was low, most likely because of the Holiday weekend and it being the beginning of the month when people stay in because their bills emptied their bank accounts. The college crowd was not interested for the lack of adult beverages. Baby-boomers passing by, paid to get in just because its for a cause.

At the end the workers did a great job, they were not so sure they had made enough to really walk away with added funds. The homeless didn't sleep that night, and party goers got a little bit more of a scene in a place not offering it, local businesses like Rae's Place and Bernardo's Taco Shop lost an opportunity. Many vendors voiced it should have been better promoted.

The question becomes , how do we follow this up? How do we better promote such events? How do we get the poor involved who benefit from such charities events or keeps them from being left out? How do we get businesses to better participate by being open for such a fundraisers? The community wants beer and performers, the poor want to belong, the businesses want to make money, the charities need resources to act responsible in their calling. Unity means allowing everyone to come together, the poor are not going to allow for segregation or discrimination in the name of charity, the community cannot stand divided. Communication and cooperation is to vital success.

Need more jobs? Creating a business is the answer

Emotional Hardship of Homelessness

Homelessness, many of us have become familiar with this term, because its on the rise around the western world, even in America the foundation of the world economy. Many of us , know of it because we have experienced it first hand by being there or having a family or friend experience. We can speak of the numbers all day, but what is the emotional toll? 

On fist look, we know that one of the root causes is personal crisis.For reasons out of your control( ie: family disputes, job loss, addiction, metal illness, past or current behavioral issues) you face the emotional distraught of knowing you did not do enough,, you let yourself and others down, you end up segregated against your comfort zone, you face discrimination, you lose all material belongings, you face large debts. A loss of control at every turn. You do this all alone, friends helping where they can. The responsibility is placed on the person, though, many things they did not control.

From here, we travel with a new member of a nomadic group wondering our streets. Here everything comes with an agenda, and strings attached. Not the welcoming site for someone fresh to trauma caused by a personal financial crisis. In this new world, you can be who you choose, you can make your own story, your own new name. No privacy is given, no trust is offered, everything has a catch. Safety is knowledge and withheld information. freed from debt, you find a world of time to do as you wish, limited access to your basis needs. Any college graduate could tell you here we find a total lack of foundation for Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. More than that we can see a slow, separation of personality, a disconnect from common societal values, a more primal being taken over.

Add sleep deprivation, lack of hygiene, lack of nutrition, added anxiety and you have a strong need for self medicating. This leads to a soothing addiction. A little something everyday, to numb the emotional trauma, the reoccurring displacement , the physical strain on the body, the spiritual depravity, and the mental lies played on the mind. It quite possible at this point, a person homeless, actually loses mental stability. A new person is born, unable to reach the hurt person that was traumatized, re-traumatized and repeatedly displaced. As a young lady once told me and others, everyone who has been homeless one day suffered from Post Traumatic Syndrome disorder.
While the original trauma was never dealt with and worked through, the effected person was forced to continue living in their circumstance. This means finding a place to stay, staying in motels, alley ways, tunnels, shelters, sidewalks, etc. A lack of storage and a hardship of not being able to obtain new property, leads to loss of property by theft, arbitrary government regulation, Each time the person is made to leave their place of existence and rest, they remember the day they originally lost everything, they struggle with not being able to stay. The feel the let downs, guilt and memory disconnect as that original day. every time they lose an item , it sets off that memory. In the course of seeking help or trying to survive and recoup, we as a society without knowledge further traumatize, those hardest hit by poverty. We then wonder how to break down their walls to treat the source of their trauma. 

The old person, was outgoing, charismatic, positive, willing to help. The new person is disconnected, unable to properly maneuver through basic government or daily tasks, emotional unstable and self serving. We then misunderstand why when we offer services meant to help. the person refuses to accept, not because they don't need them but because the emotional and traumatic toll, the mistrust with authority is highly present and placing a wall. 

So where do we go from here? That I do not know, other than to seek help. I would suggest funding permanent solutions rather than band aids, criminalization. Advise anyone if you want to help, first you educate yourself, second you listen to those you are trying to help, third you listen to those already trying to help , fourth you look at the gaps and missing pieces. Last you act accordingly. 10 million+ homeless in america, and whose listening? Not Wall street, not Washington. There is something wrong when you can gather over 50 people in one place and nobody is trying to get their hands dirty for a good cause. The trama needs to be treated, the houseless community must be made part of the conversation as well as being allowed to lead the solutions they call for, as well as a houseless bill of rights for a disfranchised people whose rights are not respected by those in power. Otherwise we are treating the homeless no different than every other minority group in america and furthering the agenda of aristocratic Europe, the oligarchy of wall street, and the jim crow south.