Saturday, May 8, 2010

Doodå (Absolutely No!) Desert Rock Power Plan

he community of Chaco Rio in the Navajo Nation (SW of
Farmington, New Mexico) has been blockading entry to
the site of a proposed 1,500 megawatt coal fired power plant
since December of 2006. Desert Rock would be the third coal
plant within a 20-mile radius, in a region already suffering from
extreme levels of toxic emissions.

SPEAKER: Elouise Brown

Elouise Brown is a Diné (Navajo) traditionalist and president
of the Doodá Desert Rock committee. She will speak about
dangers posed by the coal industry, the exploitation of indigenous land by energy companies, and the ongoing struggle to prevent the Desert Rock plant from ever existing.

http://brownberets.info/506

Posted by Ramiro Andrade

Xip Xop Oaxaca & Indigenous Strategies for Hood Liberation

This presentation identifies several specific institutions, which threaten the lives of average everyday people everywhere. From banks and corporations to non-profits and universities, to prisons, weapons and drugs; what role do these institutions and industries have in making the poor stay poor, while making the rich get richer? This workshop also shows how the devaluation of traditional forms of self governance and self determination, has lead to the criminalization of entire sectors of society. Finally this presentation shares some indigenous strategies for self determination as guides for urban community (hood) liberation.

8pm Film: Xip Xop oaXaca

The implications of conscious hip hop have reverberated around the world, from south east Asia, to Chile, to Palestine, to Oaxaca, Mexico. Hip Hop has proven itself to be a recurring primary path towards a positive recovery from the trauma inflicted by poverty, repression and social unrest. The indigenous people of Oaxaca have been in resistance to colonialism for over 500 years. In the summer of 2006 Oaxaca, Mexico a city of one million, erupted into a six month popular uprising against the extremely repressive governor, Ulises Ruiz Ortiz. The uprising was met with state violence, which left hundreds incarcerated, 26 dead, and an unknown amount of disappeared. 30+ years after the birth of Hip Hop, its influence as a tool of community liberation and community mental health, is evident in the streets of Oaxaca, Mexico. This film demonstrates that the taking back of identity, territory, and community through the 4 elements of hip hop culture, is alive and well today.

http://brownberets.info/510

Posted by Ramiro Andrade


Rallying for immigrant rights

A wet, cold rain fell from dark, gray skies Friday afternoon, soaking the handful of people browsing the farmers’ market in Watsonville Plaza, and prompting the cancellation of the annual May Day march and rally.

But the weather didn’t stop about 50 people from gathering in front of the Wells Fargo Bank on Main Street, for the kickoff of what organizers hope will become a nationwide boycott of the bank chain.

According to organizer Ramiro Medrano, the San Francisco-based bank owns stock in The GEO Group, a company that builds prisons and has facilities throughout the world, including one in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Protesters accuse the company of violating the rights of immigrant detainees.

http://brownberets.info/394

Posted by Ramiro Andrade

Confronting the Police State and Imagining Alternatives.

The Friendly Fire Collective held a panel discussion titled “Confronting the Police State and Imagining Alternatives” at AK Press in Oakland on May 22nd. The panel consisted of members of San Jose Copwatch, Silicon Valley De-Bug, the Watsonville Brown Berets, Petaluma Copwatch, O22, Cop/Migra Busters, and Critical Resistance.

http://brownberets.info/416

Posted by Ramiro Andrade


Watsonville Brown Berets Present: The Clash of Hip-Hop

WATSONVILLE BIKE SHACK
555 MAIN STREET
WATSONVILLE, CA

Come support the community at the Bike Shack with the Brown Berets and local Hip-Hop artist. there will be an art work shop and a bike raffle to help raise money to give back to the community.

http://brownberets.info/

Posted by Ramiro Andrade


Election to replace Maldonado set for August; Dems protest date over politics, cost

Central Coast residents will choose a successor to state Sen. Abel Maldonado on Aug. 17, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Tuesday -- a date that brings the burden of yet more elections this year and could dim former Santa Cruz Assemblyman John Laird's chances of winning the office.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/elections/ci_14973514

Posted by Ramiro Andrade

Election Digest: March 28

WATSONVILLE

Alejo wins nods from Dem clubs

Mayor Luis Alejo has won the recommendation of local Democrats for the state party's nomination in the 28th Assembly District race.

Alejo won the recommendation with 84 percent of the voting delegates at a pre-endorsement meeting held March 20 in Salinas. The recommendation now goes for a final vote at the California Democratic Party Convention, which will be April 16-18 in Los Angeles.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/elections/ci_14773401

Posted by Ramiro Andrade

Proposition 15: Another stab at publicly funded campaigns

SANTA CRUZ -- Proposition 15, one of the lesser-known ballot measures this June, is a small step toward a big goal: limiting the influence of money in politics.

Riled by the recent Supreme Court decision that removes caps on corporate contributions and the record cash in this year's governor race, supporters of the measure want public funds to be used for political campaigns in exchange for strict limits on candidate spending and fundraising.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/elections/ci_14834929

Posted by Ramiro Andrade

Watsonville voters could shift city's direction in 2010

WATSONVILLE -- Watsonville voters will get a chance at changing the direction of their city in November.

Four seats on the City Council are up for election, and the holders of two others are seeking higher office.

If Mayor Luis Alejo and Councilman Emilio Martinez are successful in their bids for state Assembly and county Board of Supervisors, respectively, six of the seven council seats could be up for grabs.

In any case, with a majority of seats in play, the balance could shift on a council that often splits 4-3 on important votes.

So far only Mayor Pro Tempore Nancy Bilicich has committed to running for her seat. Other incumbents either are termed out or undecided.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/elections/ci_14292092

Posted by Ramiro Andrade

Tony Campos, Emilio Martinez file for supervisor seat; Caput seeks signatures

WATSONVILLE -- The race for the 4th District supervisorial seat was expected to be a three-man race. But only two candidates are officially in the starting blocks.

Tony Campos and Emilio Martinez have lived up to their promises to run, officially filing for the office. Greg Caput, who also announced he would run, has yet to file.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/elections/ci_14496430

Posted by Ramiro Andrade

Watsonville Councilman Emilio Martinez pushes to allow voters to pick mayor

WATSONVILLE -- For the third time in five years, a campaign is on to change the way mayors are picked in Watsonville.

Councilman Emilio Martinez is the latest to push to have mayors elected by city voters.

If successful, in 2012 voters would choose a mayor for the first time since 1989 when a federal judge ordered the City Council to be elected by district and for the council to pick a mayor from its ranks.

Martinez filed a notice of intent to circulate petitions to put the question on the ballot with the City Clerk on Thursday.

After a year on the council, he said he's convinced an elected mayor is needed to focus on bringing new business to the city.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/elections/ci_13736461

Posted by Ramiro Andrade