“I am Jess Jakus, an artist and Oakland resident since 2005.  I am asking you to help free a transsexual mixed-race war veteran who is being held in San Francisco County Jail.

Athena Cadence is not a threat to herself or others and is in compliance with all of Judge Jeffrey Ross’ court orders.  However, she is being housed in the male unit of the jail, along with other transsexual, transgender, and intersex individuals.  This is in direct violation of the Sheriff’s policy to house transgender inmates in the units appropriate to their genders.  Athena has been on hunger strike since November 15th to protest this unsafe violation of trans rights.  Every day, Athena and other trans inmates are under threat of sexual assault, violence, and degradation.

Friends of Athena are asking your help in demanding that transgender, transsexual, and intersex inmates be housed appropriately and safely.  To that end we are asking that you call Judge Ross and Sheriff Vicki Hennessy on Monday, November 21–we are going to flood their offices with phone calls.  In your call:

-Demand that Athena and all transgender, transsexual, and intersex inmates immediately be housed in units appropriate to their gender
-Demand that Athena be freed from custody

Below is an example transcript, but feel free to say what is on your mind when you call:

“Hello, this is _________.  I am calling regarding Athena Cadence, who is a transsexual inmate at San Francisco County Jail.  As you know, the sheriff’s office has made a commitment to house transgender, transsexual, and intersex inmates in units appropriate to their gender.  Athena is a woman and it is unsafe to jail her in the men’s unit.  It is a violation of the Sheriff’s department policy to house her in the men’s unit.  We ask that you immediately house Athena and all transgender, transsexual, and intersex inmates in the units appropriate to their genders.  Furthermore, Ms. Cadence is in compliance with all court orders, and is not a threat to herself or others.  Given this, we ask that you release her from custody.”

Here are the phone numbers to call:
Judge Jeffrey Ross: (415) 551-0321
Sheriff Vicki Hennessy: (415) 554-7225

Additionally, if you can make it to Athena’s next court date, your presence would be very helpful.  Athena’s next court date is Tuesday, November 22, 9:00 AM in dept 21 (third floor) of the San Francisco Hall of Justice (850 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA 94103).  Please be quiet and respectful in the courtroom; no signs are allowed in the courtroom.

I and all of Athena’s friends appreciate your help.  Please forward this message to any interested parties.  Together we can hold our (in)justice system accountable and prevent the ongoing abuse of transsexual, transgender, and intersex people and all inmates.

Take action here!

Urban Shield is a regional, national and global weapons exposition and SWAT training. It is funded by the Department of Homeland Security via the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department. Every year, local police, fire and health departments from cities all over the Bay Area (and a few foreign countries) come together to perform drills and practices throughout the region, all mandated to have a nexus to terrorism.

By focusing the majority of the training given to local departments on extremely violent responses, Urban Shield immerses local SWAT teams in war-like practices and encourages disproportionately violent responses. Urban Shield events are filled with disturbing themes including macho t-shirts disparaging social justice movements (the best-selling one a few years ago was called “Black Rifles Matter”), glorification of  hi-tech military-style equipment flowing into local police departments including tanks and drones, and scenarios triggered almost inevitably by people of color as the villains.

For a video of an Urban Shield SWAT training – click here.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will be reviewing the 2017 funding request to Homeland Security on December 20 on January 10th.

Send an email to them now saying that you want them NOT TO APPROVE funding for a 2017 Urban Shield exposition in the Bay Area.

On 12/20, the fight to #StopUrbanShield continues. Use our easy two-click alert to send an email saying no more. https://t.co/R2friNCzm5 pic.twitter.com/vTPoGggXc4

— Media Alliance (@twrling) November 26, 2016

Take action here!

Urban Shield is a regional, national and global weapons exposition and SWAT training. It is funded by the Department of Homeland Security via the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department. Every year, local police, fire and health departments from cities all over the Bay Area (and a few foreign countries) come together to perform drills and practices throughout the region, all mandated to have a nexus to terrorism.

By focusing the majority of the training given to local departments on extremely violent responses, Urban Shield immerses local SWAT teams in war-like practices and encourages disproportionately violent responses. Urban Shield events are filled with disturbing themes including macho t-shirts disparaging social justice movements (the best-selling one a few years ago was called “Black Rifles Matter”), glorification of  hi-tech military-style equipment flowing into local police departments including tanks and drones, and scenarios triggered almost inevitably by people of color as the villains.

For a video of an Urban Shield SWAT training – click here.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will be reviewing the 2017 funding request to Homeland Security on December 20 on January 10th.

Send an email to them now saying that you want them NOT TO APPROVE funding for a 2017 Urban Shield exposition in the Bay Area.

On 12/20, the fight to #StopUrbanShield continues. Use our easy two-click alert to send an email saying no more. https://t.co/R2friNCzm5 pic.twitter.com/vTPoGggXc4

— Media Alliance (@twrling) November 26, 2016

Take action here!

Urban Shield is a regional, national and global weapons exposition and SWAT training. It is funded by the Department of Homeland Security via the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department. Every year, local police, fire and health departments from cities all over the Bay Area (and a few foreign countries) come together to perform drills and practices throughout the region, all mandated to have a nexus to terrorism.

By focusing the majority of the training given to local departments on extremely violent responses, Urban Shield immerses local SWAT teams in war-like practices and encourages disproportionately violent responses. Urban Shield events are filled with disturbing themes including macho t-shirts disparaging social justice movements (the best-selling one a few years ago was called “Black Rifles Matter”), glorification of  hi-tech military-style equipment flowing into local police departments including tanks and drones, and scenarios triggered almost inevitably by people of color as the villains.

For a video of an Urban Shield SWAT training – click here.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will be reviewing the 2017 funding request to Homeland Security on December 20 on January 10th.

Send an email to them now saying that you want them NOT TO APPROVE funding for a 2017 Urban Shield exposition in the Bay Area.

On 12/20, the fight to #StopUrbanShield continues. Use our easy two-click alert to send an email saying no more. https://t.co/R2friNCzm5 pic.twitter.com/vTPoGggXc4

— Media Alliance (@twrling) November 26, 2016