Crime

Opinion: Send Cards to Incarcerated Moms for Mother’s Day

Published

8 years ago

May 3, 2017

Oakland Post

By Simone Thelemaque, President – BWOPA Oakland/Berkeley Chapter

This past month has felt very heavy, as I found myself deeply triggered by the violent attacks on women from estranged lovers and spouses.

Say Her Name: Rashanda Franklin in Richmond and Karen Smith in San Bernardino. These are two of the women whose deaths left me wondering: “How?”

Following this strange wave of violence, the Huffington Post posted an article “Five Women Black Women Open Up About Being in Abusive Relationships” (Trigger Warning)

I learned that many women end up in jail for self-defense from an abuser. This should not have been a surprise to me, but for some reason, the reality has left a deep burning hole in my heart.

I thought of those women, their children, friends and family and how our system continues to participate in victim blaming.

Enough is enough.

Although I cannot change the entire world, what I can do, what we can do, is uplift those mothers behind bars.

We may not know how all of them arrived in that space, but many of them are mothers.

I would love to personally invite you to join me, and the women of Black Women Organized for Political Action in our efforts of distributing 400 cards by May 9.

What to include: messages of love, hope, unity, encouragement, and solidarity. We cannot live in this world of borders, walls and separation. Our sisters need us just as badly as we need them. We are doing this for our children, their children and our collective futures.

Who are we serving?

1. Elmwood Complex Women’s Facility in Santa Clara County, which is a 500-person institution, 300 of whom are mothers. There are two mothers in juvenile detention, who will also receive cards.
2. West County Detention Facility in Richmond. We are not sure the numbers at this time, but we are expecting at least 100.

In Oakland Simone Thelemaque is the contact person. The Oakland drop off location is AU Lounge, 2430 Broadway. You may come in and make cards anytime between 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. and drop off ANYTIME between 6:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.

In Richmond Kathleen Sullivan, president of the Richmond BWOPA chapter, is the contact person. She can be reached at ksullivanwill2@gmail.com to arrange to drop off.

In the South Bay Shanta Franco-Clausen is your contact person. She can be reached at shanta.franco.clausen@gmail.com

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Activism

‘Donald Trump Is Not a God:’ Rep. Bennie Thompson Blasts Trump’s Call to Jail Him

“Donald Trump is not a god,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

Published

4 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Congressman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he not intimidated by President-elect Donald Trump, who, during an interview on “Meet the Press,” called for the congressman to be jailed for his role as chairman of the special congressional committee investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Donald Trump is not a god,” Thompson told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

“He can’t prove it, nor has there been any other proof offered, which tells me that he really doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said the 76-year-old lawmaker, who maintained that he and the bipartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee – which referred Trump for criminal prosecution – were exercising their constitutional and legislative duties.

“When someone disagrees with you, that doesn’t make it illegal; that doesn’t even make it wrong,” Thompson said, “The greatness of this country is that everyone can have their own opinion about any subject, and so for an incoming president who disagrees with the work of Congress to say ‘because I disagree, I want them jailed,’ is absolutely unbelievable.”

When asked by The Grio if he is concerned about his physical safety amid continued public ridicule from Trump, whose supporters have already proven to be violent, Thompson said, “I think every member of Congress here has to have some degree of concern, because you just never know.”

This story is based on a report from The Grio.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 11 – 17, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 11 – 17, 2024

Published

5 days ago

December 13, 2024

Oakland Post

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Activism

Outgoing D.A. Pamela Price Releases Report on County Gun Violence Epidemic

The 84-page report is divided into two parts: the Public Health Impact of Violence and the Contribution of Structural Inequalities; and the Public Safety Impact of Gun Violence and the Regulation of Firearms. Each section documents trends in rising gun violence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with special attention to the rise in gun-related deaths of women and children in Alameda County. Each section advises innovative approaches for the County to address gun violence and build safe communities.

Published

1 week ago

December 8, 2024

Oakland Post

Exclusive interview with County D.A. Price days before recall election. Photo by Ken Epstein.

Pamela Price was recalled in the election on Nov. 5. File photo.

By Post Staff

Criminal Justice Reformer District Attorney Pamela Price, who is leaving office this week after losing a recall election, released a comprehensive report on the gun violence epidemic and public health emergency in Alameda County: “Tackling Gun Violence Epidemic in Alameda County: A Public Health Emergency (2019-2023).”

This report represents an unprecedented collaboration between public safety and public health partners and provides data and recommendations to guide the County’s continued work to reduce violence while advancing justice reform.

Each section documents trends in rising gun violence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with special attention to the rise in gun-related deaths of women and children in Alameda County. Each section advises innovative approaches for the County to address gun violence and build safe communities.

“Between 2019 to 2023, an average of three residents were killed by firearms each week in Alameda County, and behind every statistic is a shattered family and community,” said Price.

“Under my administration, the DA’s office has taken bold steps to combat gun violence while promoting equity and healing for survivors,” she said.

The report highlights strategies for keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Last month, the DA’s office secured a $5.5 million grant from the California Judicial Council to help improve compliance and case management for gun cases and gun relinquishment orders —the removal of guns from people prohibited from possessing a firearm – with law enforcement and court partners.

This effort builds on Price’s work in 2023 and 2024 in attacking the gun violence epidemic.

“We launched an innovative Gun Violence Restraining Order Outreach Project to educate communities about the availability of tools to remove guns and ammunition from people who are a danger to themselves and others and the intersectionality of domestic violence and gun violence and convened gun violence roundtable conversations with our law enforcement partners and collaborated with the Alameda County Public Health Department to produce this comprehensive report,” she said.

“We supported Oakland’s CEASEFIRE program through its transition and implemented a pilot Mentor Gun Diversion Program with our collaborative court partners, offering non-violent youth in possession of a gun pathways to interrupt the potential for escalating harm.” added Price.