This is my American Shame.

Put it on a shirt and mail it to me, and I will wear it every day until it falls apart, or until something drastic changes.

These are the demands of Black Lives Matter Chicago listed in a joint statement with People’s Response Team: – We demand the name the officer who murdered Harith “Snoop” Augustus – We demand immediate charges filed against this officer – We demand immediate firing of this officer – We demand charges for cops who brutalized protesters – We demand all charges be immediately dropped against protesters // #harithaugustus #policebrutality #blacklivesmatter #harithaugustus #nocopacademy #stopthecops #abolishpolice #policebrutality #blm #chicago #chicagoprotest #southside #southshore #protest #visualjournal #seharsufi #visualsoflife #photojournalism #whitesupremacy (at South Shore, Chicago)

WE STAND WITH YOU

Both Me and Mod Sky stand and see and here you enough is enough #blacklivesmatter we stand and speak and yell for you and everyone who’s voices are being taken away Mod Sky herself is a POC my baby sister, my auntie and cousins and my friends are all POC and i fight to make sure none of them or anyone has to feel scared to walk outside or to be scared that if they drive they will be pulled over we may not have a big platform but we both want our followers and anyone to come across this to know that we stand with you we hear you and we are with you! love you all-Mod Angel

TONIGHT! NYC/Queens! 

Join us as we take to the streets with NYC Shut It Down: The Grand Central Crew #blacklivesmatter in memory of our fallen fellow worker Yang Song! 

We demand and end to police raids, we demand full decriminalization of all sex work now! Cops out of massage parlors! Join us at tonight’s People’s Monday at 7 PM at Macy’s in Flushing! 

Event details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/174880969822125/

For more information on this tragedy:

https://injusticetoday.com/after-deadly-massage-parlor-raid-advocates-say-end-to-prostitution-arrests-is-long-overdue-e61f4aae1bca

https://injusticetoday.com/family-former-attorney-of-queens-woman-who-fell-to-her-death-in-vice-sting-say-she-was-sexually-d67461a12f1

www.rt.com states Sergeant Cleon Brown says he received test results from Ancestry.com showing that he was part black. He shared the results with his colleagues, which is when he claims the racism started. In the complaint, Brown said the police chief Jeff Pratt had called him “Kunta” after the character in Alex Haley’s novel ‘Roots,’ while other officers would whisper ‘Black Lives Matter’ and pump their fists as they walked past. _________________________________________ When the department celebrated Christmas, Brown’s stocking on the on the tree contained a black Santa figurine with ‘18%’ written on its white beard.Brown also claims that the mayor, who retired in January, told racist jokes. He is suing for state and federal civil-rights violations, a violation of the state’s Whistleblowers’ Protection Act, and a asking for damages for infliction of emotional distress.The lawsuit was prompted by Brown filing a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on January 4. _________________________________________ Following the filing, Brown’s attorney, Karie Boylan, said the police chief and deputy then “conducted highly coercive, offensive, intimidating employee interviews asking only leading questions.” He was dropped from the annual charity basketball game, ignored, and the police chief asked him to return to patrol rather than sergeant duties. _________________________________________ City officials claim it was Brown that started “the joking and banter” and continued to do so after the police chief ordered racial comments to stop. _________________________________________ “Sgt. Brown, in a very joking and jovial manner, informed several of his fellow officers that he had recently taken a DNA test through Ancestry.com and the results showed that he was 18% African-American,” City Manager Jeff Mansfield told the Kalamazoo Gazette. _________________________________________ The city also argues that Ancestry.com doesn’t include “African-American” as a test result, only the country of origin _________________________________________ Ain't this some shhhhhh.....😒😒😒 #Donttrustthepolice #Stopthecops #Whiteprivilage

Stop The Cops!

https://www.facebook.com/JoinTheQSA/

Observation: The police have continued to arrest growers and possessors of Cannabis despite the Con-court ruling, resulting in a number of cases being thrown out of court and putting innocent people through traumatic arrest experience. 

Its is known that the commissioner of 

#JoinTheQueue #STOPTHECOPS is an initiative by Fields of Green for ALL and we’re here to help you if you are arrested and charged for possession, cultivation or trading in Cannabis / Dagga. It doesn't matter how much you were bust for, whether it’s half a joint or a whole farm. We will help you through the process to stop your prosecution. If you have been unlucky enough to come face to face with the wrong arm of the law, you or your loved ones must contact us as soon as possible. Before they can put you on trial we will apply for your case to be put on hold, pending the outcome of The Dagga Couple’s case, which is set to be heard in the North Gauteng High Court. The new court date will be announced soon.

Why: It is known that Police department leadership and the minister of justice are against the ruling and as a result have been reluctant in there endeavours to abide by the ruling and as a result there exists a lack of accurate information about cannabis and the laws within the Police department. 

They seem to be standing behind the fact that parliament is still in deliberation within the 2 years after the 2018 ruling, regarding the specifics around cannabis

Past: The police have dominated over the cannabis community for some time because of unjust laws and are reluctant to relinquish these powers. 

Future: The police are simply going to have to back off once the laws are finalised but because decades of arrests for Dagga related crimes may make this a hard pill for the department to swallow.

 - DB

5 Black Foundations You Can Donate to or Get Involved with to Honor Philando Castile

I simply don’t know what else to do. I don’t know how to make this right. I know a jury could have made what happened to Philando Castile right. He was a good man, no criminal record, a school staffer who knew all 500 of his students. He was complying with the officers’ request, and still somehow the officer managed to get away with the “feared for my life defense.” It is not right for white people to fear black people in the first place. What can we do? We can’t change the verdict, so we can at least donate to black-lead charities that are really doing the most for black people. 

The Black Youth Project 100

 BYP 100 sprang out of Trayvon Martin’s murder. In 2013, The Black Youth Project of Chicago University came together as a group of 100 black activists convened to deal with this issue. Their website states, “Out of that moment our group of individuals became a collective, ready to declare the value of black lives and transform our communities.” Based in Chicago and doing work in seven major cities, as well as online across the country, BYP 100 takes an intersectional approach. They have worked on things like Justice For Rekia Boyd, #StoptheCops, and their Agenda To Build Black Futures, “a set of economic goals and structural changes that could improve the lives of Black people living in America.” The agenda includes divestment, taking care of trans people of color, workers’ rights, and emphasizing the importance of women in the workforce. Donate here

Black Girls Rock

Black Girls Rock focuses on valuing young girls and women of color, challenging how they are portrayed in the media, and offering mentorship. The Black Girls Lead conference just occurred in June. According to the website, “the mission of the program is to offer girls ages 13-17 tools and resources to become dynamic leaders, innovators, and public servants.” They also host Black Girls Rock! Awards “to celebrate Black women who are trailblazers, change makers or dynamos in their respective fields.” Black Girls Rock is all about tapping into the potential of black women and girls. They also boast youth enrichment programs, and their mission statement and work focuses on empowerment, which is huge to a marginalized group. Donate here.

100 Black Men of America

100 Black Men of America works in 116 chapters across the country to enhance the position of all black people through several key avenues. One is health and wellness, and with the disparity in access to healthcare (especially mental healthcare) between black and white populations, this is so important. They provide health education and do all they can to raise awareness. They also focus on economic empowerment and leadership development. Their economic development programs include financial literacy, investment management, and career development. According to their website, “through comprehensive curricula and training opportunities, our organization works diligently to promote economic self-sufficiency and break the cycle of generational debt. It is the goal of The 100 to leave a legacy of wealth-building which leads to debt-free living for the youth and communities we serve.” Pick from many different campaigns and ways to contribute here.

The Colin Kaepernick Foundation

Kaep, as we call him in my area, has done so much good since his silent protest of taking a knee during the national anthem put him at the center of controversy. In 2016 he made a million dollar pledge (that he would donate a total of $1 million to different charities for black issues), and Kaep has been making good, donating to several different charities and nonprofits focused on things such as helping families who are victims of police violence.  What’s also so great about Kaep is The Know Your Rights Camp he funds for young black children to teach them how to effectively stay alive and out of the system with law enforcement. He hosted the first in my own backyard, in Oakland, and it’s really a wonderful thing, going beyond telling children to be respectful and hope for the best. Learn about the Know Your Rights Camp here.

Bonus: The Movement For Black Lives: Learn all about them here, there’s a lot to it! By clicking Join Us at the top once you follow that link, you’ll be able to endorse them and sign up for their e-mail list so you can help out directly. 

And of course, #BLACKLIVESMATTER

You probably know about Black Lives Matter, but do you know anything specific about the movement? It’s website has no history, but a Herstory: founded by Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors, “after 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was post-humously placed on trial for his own murder and the killer, George Zimmerman, was not held accountable for the crime he committed. It was a response to the anti-Black racism that permeates our society and also, unfortunately, our movements.” What’s equally important is that #BlackLivesMatter is intersectional, focused on elevating women, trans, and disabled black people to the forefront of the conversation. Black Lives Matter is the first to show up when a cop murders an unarmed black man, and they are the boldest voice we have championing Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile, and everyone else. Click here to get involved, and here to donate. 

Tweeted

CPD keeps killing Black people and trying to push Black people out. We won't let them. #StopTheCops #BuildBlackFutures #ObamaCBA pic.twitter.com/zi3fonFp1Q

— BYP100 (@BYP_100) July 15, 2018

This premium domain name (stopthecops.com) is now available. #domains #websites #startups via @mainprofiles

These are photos I took at a march/rally on 7/16/2018 for Harith Augustus near where he was killed by Chicago Police in South Shore this past weekend. Harith was a soft spoken, peaceful, quiet barber and great father as described by his family and friends.

This article raises some pertinent questions surrounding Harith’s murder and the body cam footage released by the Chicago police:

https://www.theroot.com/what-is-the-chicago-police-department-hiding-new-quest-1827668951 1. Why is there no sound? 2. Why did the Chicago Police Department only issue one angle of the video? (There were multiple officers on the scene. All of them should have audio and video of the event. It is mandatory per CPD directive). 3. Were any of the officers involved ever cited for misconduct or excessive use of force? (A source inside the CPD contacted The Root alleging one of the officers on the scene received many civilian complaints) 4) Did Harith inform the officers that he was carrying a weapon? (Audio could possibly confirm this. Authorities have verified that Harith was indeed a licensed gun owner) 5. What was Harith holding in his hand? (The video, slowed down, shows he had something in his hand resembling a FOID card which indicates that he could have been complying w/ the police before he was confronted) 6. Why did officers attempt to restrain Harith from behind? (Harith is shown to be calm until additional officers approach him. Why the need for restraint? He then starts to retreat, at no point being aggressive.) 7. When was the first shot fired? 8. Where is the NRA? 9. What is the CPD hiding?

Chicago: Solidarity with Queens Sex Workers! No More Raids!

Media Contact: [email protected]

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chicago, IL - Sex Workers and their supporters will hold their “Solidarity with Queens Sex Workers! No More Raids!” taking place at 12PM in front of Sheriff Tom Dart’s office, in Daley Plaza, on Sunday, December 17th, 2017. December 17th is International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, join us to demand an end to police terror.

We are horrified that the police continue to raid massage parlors in the name of “rescuing” sex working people. 38 year old Yang Song died after a raid on her workplace in Queens conducted by the NYPD the previous evening. If these massage parlor raids continue more workers will die, be incarcerated, deported. Stop criminalizing sex work. Stop criminalizing working people. Stop targeting parlors.

Sheriff Tom Dart has pioneered stings and raids against sex working people and their clients. The rest of the country learns from his office’s practices. The NYPD’s raids are destroying families, criminalizing survivors, deporting hard working people and terrorizing communities! Get out of parlors and stay out!

How can these massage parlor raids be justified when women are dying?!

We want safe working conditions. For ALL sex workers.

We want rights not raids.

We want self-determination and an end to criminalization.

This event is endorsed by Support Ho(s)e, The Sex Workers Outreach Project- Chicago chapter

The event details are: https://www.facebook.com/events/382365525521304/

Follow the hashtags:

#JusticeForYangSong

#RightsNotRaids

#ProtestParlorRaids

Black Lives Matter Chicago |Website|Facebook

Thursday, May 26th, at approximately 7:08 PM, Chicago Police Officer Rodarte, with badge number 19762, assaulted an autistic Black young man by the name of Brandon Bragg, who was rolling skating in front of his home on the 5300 block of Lowe. Officer Rodarte came around the block of 53rd and Lowe several times and on the final time, jumped out of his vehicle and ran up to Brandon with his gun pointed at him. He then grabbed Brandon and placed the gun against Brandon's head. Officer Rodarte gave no warning, issued no questions and made no attempt to calmly engage Brandon who offered no threat to Officer Rodarte or anyone else. Brandon, who is severely autistic, routinely roller skates back and forth on the sidewalk in front of his house for a distance of approximately 50 feet. When witnessing Officer Rodarte pull his gun on Brandon, community members, including a former police officer, immediately responded by running out of their homes to stop Officer Rodarte from pulling the trigger and killing or severely harming Brandon who was posing no threat to anyone and was merely roller skating in front of his home. The strength of this very close knit community who all know each other and take care of each other prevented a potentially deadly situation from occurring. The community of 53rd and Lowe saved Brandon's life from what is an endemic crisis in Chicago and across the country, that of unrestrained police violence. There is irony in the fact that Brandon was wearing a "Stop the Violence" t-shirt while this violence was enacted upon him. The community of 53rd & Lowe responded with courage,  bravery and love against an unjustified potentially deadly situation enacted by Chicago Police Officer Rodarte. The community's response was life saving in contrast to a City government which continues to condone vicious acts of police violence, terror and killing by refusing to hold accountable officers who commit these heinous acts. More and more we are witnessing that it is our very selves who organize to save our lives against the police terror which continues unrestrained in Chicago. We give love and respect to the community of 53rd and Lowe and we demand that Officer Rodarte be stripped of his right to carry a gun after endangering Brandon's life and that of the community at large. These types of instances create terror within our communities because we know that police officers can and do use deadly force without provocation and will not be held accountable for such acts. We refuse to accept this violence as normal and demand that Officer Rodarte be held accountable. Approximately half of all fatal police interactions involve persons with psychiatric disabilities. Until severe changes occur in consequences to police officers who use excessive force become real, these types of fatal and near fatal incidents will continue. We demand that Officer Rodarte be stripped of the right to carry a gun. In Solidarity, Black Lives Matter Chicago

This premium domain name (stopthecops.com) is now available. #domains #websites #startups via @mainprofiles

#StoptheCops and #FundBlackFutures #BYP100NC16 #durhambeyondpolicing