Activism

Black Lawmakers Push Package of Bills to Regulate Police Brutality

Published

4 years ago

August 20, 2020

New York City - NY - USA - October 24 2015: Little girl rides on father's shoulders in Manhattan during Rise Up October march against police brutality. istock photo.

The California Supreme Court ruled on Aug. 11 that Los Angeles County had to pay $8 million to the family of Darren Burley, an unarmed Black man who died under circumstances similar to George Floyd.

In 2012, Deputy David Aviles placed his knee on Burley’s neck and back while restraining him. Aviles weighs 200 lbs. Burley died 10 days later in the hospital.

The violent murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police has inflamed the country and sparked protests in California and around the nation and the world.

But the disproportionate use of excessive police force against Black men, too often ending up fatally, is not new to California.

“From Rodney King in 1991 to Stephon Clark in 2018, California has a bad history with excessive use of force by police officers,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden (D- Pasadena) in a news release.

In response to this, the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) has authored a series of bills to reign in police violence. Those bills include:

AB 1196, which would ban the use of the chokehold. It passed in the state Assembly and is now under review in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1506. This would require police shootings to be investigated by a division of the Dept. of Justice. The State Assembly passed the legislation. It is currently under review in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 2342. This would allow parolees to reduce their terms by attending college or volunteering. It passed in the Assembly and is now under review in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1022. This bill would require officers to report incidents of excessive force. The bill passed in the Assembly and the Senate Public Safety Committee. It is under review in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1185. This would require an oversight board for sheriff’s departments. It passed in the Assembly and is now under review in the Senate Public Safety Committee.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra praised Holden’s AB 1022, which is also called “the George Floyd” law.

“Americans across the nation demand more accountability in our criminal justice system,” said Becerra. “It’s going to take sustained, thoughtful reform like Assembly Bill 1022 to help answer the call. At the California Dept. of Justice, we’re committed to partnering with our legislators and stakeholders across the state to help get the job done.”

Becerra said he commends Holden and the bill’s other legislative supporters for getting it through the Senate Public Safety Committee. “Its time for important policies like a peace officer’s duty to intervene to be more than just recommendations. We’re ready for them to be the law of the land,” Becerra said.

Holden said Americans were shocked that officers didn’t intervene when they saw Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin choking the life out of Floyd. Instead, they formed a protective cordon around him and held off the crowd.

“We were outraged when we watched the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer from a knee to the neck,” said Holden. “Equally disturbing, was the lack of intervention from the police officers who witnessed a clear use of excessive force.”

Manny Otiko | California Black Media

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

17 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Activism

Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

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Activism

WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.