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Kitchen check in and important information!

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Hi Food Justice Community!

The Oakland Kitchen wanted to give a shot out to all the amazing and powerful food people. The BBQ crew has been on it! We also have a ton of occupy oaklanders helping at the kitchen farm, also thanks to the crazy autonomous cook and his huge meal actions all over town…..you know who you are, suspenders and all. Its such hard work and a lot of us know what it takes to cook for dozens and dozens, if not hundreds of people.

We wanted to touch base with everyone and see if anyone wanted to do food for an upcoming action, or had other food related ideas?

We have been getting a ton of produce donations and have been processing a bunch. On that note we would love to get some continuous weekly food actions going….similar to food not bombs but Oakland style! Maybe at a park, a big intersection, a hospital or community center…….at least a few days a week. we need groups of people who want to cook certain days and kitchen space offered to cook in by-weekly. Please email us if this sounds fun and/or u have suggestions, ideas or a kitchen to offer. kitchen@occupyoakland.com

This Lets organize, open food centers and continue building for the future! Food revolution! Food Sovereignty!
Also please go support the farm in Albany on Marin and San Pablo. UC Cops are slowly taking access away from the community, and have just given a deadline of Saturday. We need people to be there, help farm, do night time security and to bring food. for more info go to takebackthetract.com. WITH LOVE!

 

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Update on Kali’s Sentencing

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KALI’S SENTENCING

Kali had a hearing this morning in Pleasanton where he plead to a deal negotiated by his public defender. He plead no contest to one felony count of 241.1 (assault on a custodial officer), with a sentence of 2 years. He also admitted to one prior “strike” for the purposes of sentencing, therefore doubling the two year sentence. He has thus agreed to 4 years of state time (the original offer was 6 years) at 80% time served (meaning he has to actually serve 80% of those 4 years). When accounting for time served pre-sentencing, etc… it means that he will do about another 2 years and 8 months of time (with expected release sometime at the beginning of 2015).

The deal also established that this conviction would not count as a strike (for future sentencing), and that his current probation would be restored without violation.

Kali has repeatedly expressed that he knows his “history” was going to make the outcome harsh for him, and that he wanted to minimize that as much as possible. At the beginning of this process he was facing the possibility of 25 years to life. From that perspective, this perhaps seems like a good “deal” – and that’s exactly what is so heartbreaking about it. Kali originally got picked up on a minor misdemeanor charge of obstruction in a routine raid like so many other Occupiers have over the months – but in his case, his “history” came to profoundly shape the consequences for him.

Formal sentencing is set for June 20th 8:55am in Hayward, Dept 513.

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Oppose Brown’s cuts in California

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Oppose Brown’s cuts in California

Statement of Jerry White, SEP candidate for US President 
22 May 2012

As the Socialist Equality Party’s candidate for US president, I call on workers throughout California to begin organizing mass opposition to the latest round of cuts demanded by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown.
With these cuts, workers in California are facing the same attack on social rights as workers throughout the world. As with their political counterparts in Spain, Italy, and Greece, the Democrats and Republicans are united in their determination to defend the corporate and financial elite by demanding a historic reversal in the wages and living conditions of the vast majority of the population.
In his latest budget proposal, Brown is calling for over $8 billion in cuts, primarily to health care and social services. More than $2 billion will be cut from Medi-Cal and CalWORKs, the state’s Medicaid and welfare-to-work programs. This comes under conditions in which official unemployment is over 10 percent, and nearly 100,000 Californians were just cut off extended federal unemployment benefits.
These cuts follow years of attacks against social programs upon which millions of people depend. Since the beginning of the economic crisis, $20 billion has been cut or deferred from the state’s education system, resulting in over 30,000 teachers being laid off. Tuition at public colleges and universities is soaring, and working class youth are being priced out of a decent education.
Mental health services have been cut to the bone, leaving the mentally ill in jail instead of hospitals. Subsidized childcare has been slashed, leaving working mothers unable to find safe and affordable day care.
With the willful collaboration of the states’s trade unions, Brown is also demanding further cuts in wages for government workers.
“We are going to have to go much farther and make cuts far greater than I asked for at the beginning of the year,” Brown declared in announcing that the state’s anticipated budget deficit for next year had ballooned from $9.2 billion to $16 billion.
Brown is packaging his attack on workers with proposals for increased revenue—aimed primarily at increasing sales taxes that disproportionately impact the working class. With typical cynicism, the governor is also proposing a slight increase in income taxes on the rich. This is merely intended to give political cover for cuts that go far beyond anything proposed by the previous governor, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. At the same time, if voters do not approve the tax increases, Brown is threatening further devastating cuts in public education.
What is happening in California is happening throughout the country and around the world. If ranked as an independent country California’s economy would be the 8th largest in the world, and the state accounts for 13 percent of the United States’ gross domestic product. Brown’s cuts will be used as a model for every other state, where governors of both big business parties have already enforced deep cuts in essential social services….

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/may2012/cali-m22.shtml

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Charges Dismissed against the Ice Cream 3

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PRESS RELEASE

This morning, felony robbery and hate crime charges were dismissed against
Occupy Oakland activists, Nneka Crawford, Michael Davis & Randolph
Wilkins. The three defendants commend the District Attorney’s office for
dismissing these charges in the interest of justice, and encourage the
Alameda County District Attorney’s office to continue to dismiss future
cases that are without merit.

Ms. Crawford said: “These dismissals are very telling of how the Oakland
Police Department operates. I hope everyone realizes that despite how
horrible the charges sounded,the presumption of innocence is really, really
important. Please support other occupiers who face charges. It’s hard to
explain how felony charges are such a burden and weight, even when you know
you’re innocent.”

This case is a clear example of Oakland Police trying to meddle in politics
and its efforts to stifle free speech by creating a crime where none
existed. This case shows that OPD is not really concerned with public
safety but only in creating headlines and sensationalism. The day OPD
arrested Ms. Crawford and Mr. Wilkins, they dispatched a sensationalized
press release, which ultimately had no basis.

OPD needs to get out of politics and start doing its job. Public safety is
not served by OPD creating or manufacturing crimes. Public safety is not
served by OPD abusing its powers by arresting people simply to harass.

(Joe Rogoway, attorney for Randolph Wilkins, Randolph Wilkins, Nneka Crawford)

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Bank of America locks door because protesters rally – Albany, CA 5/21/12 – Photos

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On May 21st a group of over 5o peaceful protesters rally in front of a Bank Of America brunch located on Solano Avenue and Nielson Street, in Albany, California.

It didn’t take long after the Occupiers came to the location for the bank quickly closed their doors. Soon after, someone administrator/manager sent a security guard to the sidewalk to tell us to stop taking photos. Of course, we ignore his request.

There was life music from the protesters, and cheers and honks from people in cars passing by as signs of support.

The action was organized by OccupyBerkeley and supported by OccupyOakland after nine of the protesters, mostly community senior citizens, were denied a meeting with that brunch of BofA’s manager.

“Nine of us, mainly community senior citizens ranging in age from the early 60s to 85 years asked for a meeting with the manager. After he consulted with his superiors he refused to give us any appointment. Instead, we should submit our questions on paper without expecting a meeting afterward. In fact, the manager wouldn’t even give us his business card. When we tried to explain why we wanted to talk with him, his only response was to insist that we leave immediately.”

The Bank remained closed for about one hour, until 6pm.

 



		


Update 5/23/12 1:17am: Video by: raustean






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Justice for Alan Blueford: Rally at the DA’s Office, Wednesday, 5/23/12, 3:00pm

        
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Alan Blueford, an 18 year old Black student at Skyline, slated to graduate next month, was brutally murdered by OPD on May 6th in East Oakland.




Alan Blueford’s family and community activists are calling for a 3pm rally in front of the Alameda County DA’s office this Wednesday, May 23, 3:00 p.m., to make the these demands:




    

  • Release the cop’s name
    • 

  • Take him off paid leave
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  • Charge him with murder
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  • Fire him
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The DA’s office is located at 1225 Fallon Street. – directions here –




There is also a townhall with 6:00 Acts full gospel 1034 66th Avenue. – directions here –




We will non-disruptively participate in the townhall meeting.


(Folks are gathering at Coliseum BART at 5 and traveling to Acts Full.)




Please contact the DA’s office with the above demands:











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Boots Riley: Art, Culture and Resistance

        
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Saturday, June 16, 6pm


Redstone Building, 2940 16th St.


San Francisco


One block from 16th Street BART




Provocative and prolific, Boots Riley has written lyrics as the frontman of underground favorites The Coup for two decades. An activist, educator, and emcee, Riley’s singular lyrical stylings combine hip-hop poetics, radical politics, and the wry humor of the everyman — all woven-through with Bay Area swag. Boots’ book, Lyrics in Context, 1993-2012, is forthcoming and will be available in August from Haymarket Books.




Join us for an evening with Boots. We will discuss the crises facing working class people — from the economic crisis to the racist attacks on people of color by police, immigration authorities, and armed vigilantes. Most importantly, we will talk about resurgent grassroots resistance — whose opening salvos in this country were marked by the Madison, Wisconsin labor uprising and the birth of the Occupy movement — and what we can do to build upon these struggles.


This event is a fundraiser for Socialism 2012.


$5 – $10 donation requested; nobody turned away for lack of funds.


The event will be followed by an informal reception with music and refreshments.


 




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Occupy Oakland  mother asks for letters of support to regain custody of her son from State of Nevada on her son’s birthday 5/23/12

        
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Nevada State not letting Oakland Occupy seven years old boy come back to California, mother pleads for help. 5/20/2012
Nevada State not letting Occupy Oakland eight years old boy come back to California, mother pleads for help. 5/20/2012


 


On Sunday May 20, 2012 during the Occupy Oakland General Assembly, Karla (name maybe misspelled) mother of a eight years old, Phenix  pleaded for help so that the State of Nevada releases her son and let him return to California.


Phoenix birthday is on May 23rd. Please send him a letter or presents in sign of support. He is one of ours that you may have seen with a Mohawk.


Please watch the video for more information.


I consider this a time sensitive case, so please act as soon as you can. Those letters or presents of support for Phenix should tell Nevada that we care and are supporting Karla and her son Phoenix. We Want Phenix Back!!


If you would like to send Birthday presents, or letters of encouragement: send to the following address:




Phenix Wakefield


C/O Hallie Kirk


DCFS 1677B Old Hot Springs Rd.


Carson City, NV 89706


 




* Please check again later on for more information.


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Events Committee Revised Meeting Times: Tues @ 5, Thurs @ 4

        
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In order to better accomodate folks with 9-5’s, the Events Committee will be meeting at 5 pm on Tuesday and 4 pm on Thursday at the Brown Couch Cafe at 14th and Webster. If you’re late, don’t worry; its quite easy to catch up and contribute in our meetings


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Judi Bari Day 5/24/12 6pm – Oscar Grant Plaza

        
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Join Occupy Oakland and Earth First! for




JUDI BARI DAY   Thurs, May 24




Bringing the Spirit of Redwood Summer to Oscar Grant Plaza


on the anniversary of the bombing of Judi Bari & Darryl Cherney in Oakland in 1990




~a commemoration & celebration of revolutionary resistance and movement solidarity




Oscar Grant plaza


14th & Broadway, Oakland


gather 6:30 pm




Music, Speakers, Stories from Redwood Summer: the “forest occupation before there was occupy”.




Sponsored by Earth First!,


Events Committee of Occupy Oakland,


Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters Info: 510-548-3113;



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