Posts Tagged ‘Eureka California’
SIGN Petition to City of Eureka: Safe places to sleep; Pardon Dane Carr for “crime” of sleeping!
Posted in California, campground, civil liberties, class war, cold, criminalizing, discrimination, Eureka, CA, homeless, houseless, human rights, illegality of sleeping ban, incarceration, landless, northern california, organize, People Project, police brutality, poor people, rights, safe haven, social justice, updates, tagged City of Eureka, civil rights violations, classism, criminalizing sleep, Cyndy Day-Wilson, Dane Carr, Eureka California, homeless, houseless, human rights violations, jail, life-sustaining behavior, Mitchell Brisso Delaney and Vrieze, necessity defense, Nicolas Kleoppel, no affordable housing, no place to rest, no place to sleep, no safe sleeping place, Northern california, physiological need, police harassment, poverty, prejudice, repression, sleep deprivation, social bigotry on December 28, 2013| 2 Comments »
Days Of Action Against Police Brutality, Oct 22-23 2013 EUREKA
Posted in California, civil liberties, class war, criminalizing, discrimination, Eureka, CA, homeless, houseless, human rights, illegality of sleeping ban, incarceration, Martin Cotton, murder, northern california, organize, police brutality, poor people, protest, racism, rights, safe haven, self determination, social justice, Uncategorized, updates, tagged a tent is affordable housing, Andy Lopez, annual protest, Canada, candlelight vigil, Carson Park, Cesar Chavez Park, chants, Christopher Burgess, civil rights violations, Clarke Plaza, community restoration, Criminialization of a Generation, Criminilization of Youth, Days of Action Against Police Brutality, demonstration, dignity, Eureka California, Eureka Police Department, extreme isolation, Gabrielle Fellows, high school, homeless, human rights violations, Humboldt County Correctional Facility, Justin Winkle, killer cops, long term solitary confinement, march, Martin Cotton, militarized police, Murl Harpham, music, national day of protest, neighborhoods, Northern california, october 22, October 23, police brutality, police intimidation, police murder, police terror, police violence, protest, radmul, Redwood Curtain CopWatch, resistance, Rodrigo Reyna-Sanchez, Rogue Planet News, safe sleeping place, Santa Rosa, school to prison pipeline, sharing food, state violence, tasers, teenager, Terence Liles, Terry Liles, Verbena, Zachary Cooke on October 27, 2013| 1 Comment »
Below is a reportback from Skye, a participant this year. Verbena, of Redwood Curtain CopWatch, wrote the following 3 paragraphs only to fill in what Skye was not present for.
Sending love & comfort & solidarity to young Andy Lopez‘ spirit and his family & community. 13 year old Andy was killed by Santa Rosa deputies on Oct 22.
from Verbena
On the night of Oct 22, 2013, while some protestors slept at Cesar Chavez park, a couple of us went, from midnight to 3am, to the Humboldt County Jail for “Welcome Out”! We sat in a car right near where people exit the jail, with a bin of warm socks and clothes, tobacco, and a sign on the windshield to welcome people out on the cold, blustery night. It is such a worthwhile and necessary activity; should be a regular thing. We encountered about 7 people who needed something warm, the use of a phone, maybe a cigarette, a friendly face and listening ears.
The next morning, October 23rd, people gathered for breakfast at Clarke Plaza, open to everyone who was hungry or wanting coffee or tea. One of Chris Burgess’ brother’s came by; this being the 7th anniversary of his brother’s death. Even those of us who never met Christopher during his short life, will always remember him.
After some music, some tears, and gathering up our signs, we marched and biked to Eureka Police Department where murder and cruelty are common practice. And where violent creeps, like Terence Liles, Rodrigo Reyna-Sanchez, Murl Harpham, and Justin Winkle, reside. We are not afraid to call that out. Then we moved on (happily) to the neighborhoods of Eureka, where we talked with folks, and people remember Christopher and show spirited agreement- from their cars, houses, and yards- with the messages in our chants and banners: STOP POLICE BRUTALITY, LILES IS A KILLER, BEING A YOUTH IS NOT A CRIME, R.I.P. ZACHARY COOK (DEC 23 1989-JAN 4 2007) KILLED BY EPD’S LILES, CHANGE IS POSSIBLE, WE REMEMBER CHRIS BURGESS. With dignity and strength, and care for each other, we decry and defy the intimidation of the police state. ~Verbena
from Skye 10-25-13
For the past eighteen years, cities across the United States have rallied on October 22nd to show solidarity against police brutality. I am learning that occurrences of police brutality are much more numerous and severe in the United States than they are back home in Canada. A sad truth that is only deepened through the discovery that such violence often leads to death. This sharp reality felt all too often in the communities of the most northern part of California where police brutality ranges from daily intimidation to outright murder, tasering to decades of confined isolation.
Typically a one day event, the March is extended to two days in Eureka to honour the memory of Christopher Burgess, a 16 year old who was shot by a Eureka police officer on October 23rd, 2006. The supporters met at noon on the 22nd to share in discussion, food, and sign making. Despite the cloudy skies and serious purpose, spirits were high with the anticipation to flex our vocal cords and work our legs during the march. The call went out to begin and we each picked up a sign and gathered outside the park on the street.
Marching along an unplanned route, the group walked past the high school as the students were being released for the day. Many showed their support to the idea of removing police from schools. An understandable reaction from students who are finding their schools resembling prisons more and more – security check points, undercover police, random locker searches, metal detectors. I hope we realize soon that treating people like criminals does not help in any way, especially when they are not. After a quick break the group continued to march through the city, waving signs, yelling chants, and throwing up peace signs to passing traffic.
Much to the group’s gratitude, the police encounters passed by without incident. Many people showed their support for our protest with honks from their vehicles as they drove by. The drivers who found themselves in a hurry were not too pleased with our presence on the street, even though we always left room for them to pass around. An understandable reaction to the injustice of having one’s life run by a clock – we wished them free time in response to their show of frustration. As the time to march came to a close, we stopped at another park to set up for the evening’s events.
An abundant feast was gifted to the sore footed group to nourish their bodies and hearts after the day’s walk. And while we ate, entertainment of the highest calibre was shared for our pure enjoyment. As night fell the community came a little closer together through the sharing of gifts and the exciting of our taste buds and ear drums. The live music provided reflection and introspection, as well as laughter and participation. Deeper connections were made as we were given space to share stories, jokes, and hugs. Through the coming together over a common surface problem, we are given practice to dive deeper into a shared community experience.
After dark fell, a humid, foggy candlelight vigil took the remaining group back to the day’s starting point for an overnight park camp out. This is where my path diverged – to return the next day in the late afternoon with one of my gifts – fresh cucumber mango guacamole and baked yam fries. Posted on a busy street corner with signs and free food for whomever was hungry, the group honored the fallen victims by sharing their stories with passerby’s. Another year to gather and remember those whose lives continue to be afflicted by the brutality of violence from those we give our trust to be protectors.
I am grateful for the opportunity to show support to a community bringing awareness to an important shadow of our culture – the disconnection that allows one person to take another’s life and to perpetuate violence of the most disgraceful sort. The pervasive and obvious favoritism, elitism, and corruption infecting the enforcement agencies of this area have left me stunned and humbled. I honor and acknowledge the challenges faced by a population of people who are dealing with such a horrible treatment on a regular basis. No being deserves oppression at any level – be it physical, psychological, or spiritual. To commit such acts of violence require a disconnection from one’s heart so vast that the whisper of consciousness seems to have disappeared entirely.
Somewhere inside, buried deeper in some, the spark of light resides and awaits its chance to be heard and felt. This light exists in all of us. A hell inside creates the horrors of our lives. The love inside creates heaven on Earth. In this dawning age of truth, justice, and integrity we are each asked to step into our highest expression and to take responsibility for the actions we take and words we speak. Are you looking at a badge, uniform, or costume – or are you looking into someone’s eyes and seeing them standing there – as scared as you are – as full of beautiful creative potential as you are? The resolution and healing processes being born through the new consciousness of humanity will seek not the false, demeaning, and inadequate deterrence and ‘punishment’ oriented solutions, but ones focusing on root causes, emotional healing, and collective community restoration. Sickness and health in a community is shared by all.
photos from Rogue Planet News and radmul.blogspot.com
KIEM Channel 3: Oct 22, 2013 National Day of Action Against Police Brutality, EUREKA
Posted in California, civil liberties, class war, cold, criminalizing, discrimination, Eureka, CA, homeless, houseless, human rights, illegality of sleeping ban, immigration, incarceration, Martin Cotton, mental illness, murder, northern california, organize, police brutality, poor people, rights, social justice, Uncategorized, updates, tagged 2013, Channel three, Eureka California, KIEM, media, National Day of Action Against Police Brutality, Northern california, Oct 22 on October 27, 2013| Leave a Comment »
KIEM Channel 3 : http://kiem-tv.com/video/group-protests-police-brutality
Eureka Winter
Posted in Arcata, CA, California, civil liberties, class war, cold, criminalizing, discrimination, environment, Eureka Rescue Mission, Eureka, CA, homeless, houseless, human rights, landless, northern california, organize, police brutality, poor people, rights, safe haven, social justice, updates, tagged alcohol, Arcata Endeavor, Arcata Night Shelter, Arcata Police Department, Arcata Service Center, Bayshore Mall, breathalyzer, camp, civil rights violations, cold weather, crimes against homeless, criminalization of homelessness, death from exposure, denied shelter, deprived of belongnings, dignity, discrimination, econimic disparity, Eureka California, Eureka Police Department, Eureka Rescue Mission, faith-based shelter system, homeless, houseless, Humboldt County Coroner, hypothermia, inhumanity, John Shelter, Kathy Anderson, lack of services, lack of shelter space, locked dumpster, New Directions, New Life Discipleship Program, no place to sleep, no warm gear, Northern california, oppression, oppressive policies, police brutality, police harassment, police interrogation, police intimidation, politics of cruelty, poor people, poverty pimp, prohibited from staying in shelter, rainy weather, selective enforcement, stolen property, stolen survival gear, tarps, tent, theft by New Directions, theft from police, unlawful detention, unsafe situation, Verbena, violation of human rights, without shelter on March 7, 2013| 2 Comments »
Since winter started, people have died in Eureka because of the cold. Well, that’s not what the coroner’s office has documented, but that is the word on the street. The temperature is what killed them, but insensitive policies might be more culpable than the winter weather. Upon walking into the Rescue Mission in Eureka, one has a breathalyzer inserted into their mouth to determine whether or not they will be allowed to have a cooked meal, bathe, and sleep inside for the night. If one doesn’t pass, then they are cast out into harsh conditions.
When alcohol is consumed and makes its way into one’s bloodstream it usually gives a sensation of warmth. This is deceptive, because alcohol causes blood to thin and increases blood flow near the skin. This means that blood which is flowing near the skin will be rapidly affected by the cold,which then inhibits one’s body from maintaining homeostasis. This causes the human body to loose its ability to sustain a living temperature, which increases one’s susceptibility to hypothermia.
This is relevant when one is denied access to shelter for having a drink and is forced, out of bodily necessity, to sleep underneath a building, in the woods, or out in a field. When one sleeps outside in Eureka they have to be concerned about the Eureka Police Department harassing them throughout the night. This tends to happen either through selective enforcement or violence.
By selective enforcement, an officer giving one a citation for illegal “camping”, which one probably can’t afford later, and which may become an active warrant. Or sometimes selective enforcement takes shape in other ways. In Eureka and Arcata people are commonly profiled for looking poor and arbitrarily searched for drugs without probable cause or reasonable suspicion. Sometimes people who are profiled as being on the street are detained for no decent reason. For instance, a kid that I befriended while I was living at the Arcata Night Shelter showed me a detainment certificate one morning that he was given two days prior. When I asked him why he was detained, he told me that he didn’t know. Apparently, when he was walking down the street in Arcata, minding his business, a cop car rolled up, put him in handcuffs, and forced him into the back of the car. He was never told specifically why he was detained, the most that was told to him was that he looked like he was about to do something suspicious.
By violence, having your tent, tarps, or temporary shelter intruded upon, ransacked, and destroyed. Your belongings will be rendered unsalvageable and thrown into a locked dumpster. After being criminalized and dehumanized, there are few material possessions left to stay dry and warm which leaves one hoping they don’t die of hypothermia. Or sometimes violence takes shape in other ways. My friend “star gazer”, who I met during my stay at the Arcata Night Shelter, was lifted off of the sidewalk and thrown onto the concrete after she refused to communicate with cops who were asking her why she had blood on her forehead. She was unconcerned, minding her own business, and did not have any obligation to talk to the cops. They detained her and towed the car that she was living in which was parked at the end of the street. Because of this, she had nowhere to go after her car was impounded. Because she had nowhere safe to go after this happened, and because she was alone, she got taken advantage of one night and ended up getting raped. This would have never happened if her car was not impounded for no decent reason.
Houseless people continue to die and unnecessarily suffer. This is because they are denied access to shelter for drinking; because their possessions are looted and trashed; because of the callousness of John Shelter behind New Directions; because of the policies and the people at the Eureka Rescue Mission; because of the current policies, the lack of policies, and the lolly-pop lady at the Arcata Night Shelter; and because of the sick brutality of the Eureka Police Department.
New Directions claims to be an organization which stewards the environment by “cleaning up” trash left behind from people sleeping outside as well as “cleaning up” encampments themselves. New Directions also prides itself in giving houseless people opportunities to give their life a “new direction” by paying them to “clean up trash” and by providing them with temporary living quarters. This facade sounds endearing, but the reality is that “cleaning up” usually takes the form of abusive behavior that has included stealing people’s tarps, tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and personal belongings and throwing them into a locked dumpster so they can not be retrieved later. John Shelter is the man behind New Directions who started the agency, organizes the policies, and recruits new people to work for him. Prior to starting New Directions, he was the manager at the Arcata Service Center. Having been in these positions, one would hope that he would be considerate and respectful towards people who live outside. But, people who have collaborated with him seem to think otherwise. Kathy Anderson was the coordinator at the Arcata Endeavor from 1988 to 1995 which mainly operated to provide food to hungry people. She was also the director at the Arcata House for a period of time which mainly operated to provide transitional living for people. Kathy has conviction that one is entitled to live their life in any way that one is inspired to do so, and she does not rely on a “middle class standard” as a means to gauge how she should relate to other people. She had the opportunity to work alongside John Shelter as well as participate in community meetings with him. As a result of having relations with the same people, Kathy was able to observe how John Shelter relates to people who live outside or are in low income situations. She described him as not being for the people, as being completely loyal to his sources of funding at the expense of people’s livelihoods, and as being driven by a conquest for power, an attitude of self-importance, and the desire for prestige. While working at the Arcata Service Center he consistently exercised biases against people who drank alcohol or who he found a reason not to like. This discrimination took place through denying these people services such as food, when the only qualification to get food should be whether or not one is hungry. In short, his personal prejudices inhibited people from receiving services when they were in need of services. During the 5 years that Kathy Anderson ran the Endeavor she never had to call the police to resolve disputes among guests. According to her coworker, Verbena, she managed the Endeavor with integrity and respect. She worked with people by “having a program that fit the needs of the people rather than people fitting the needs of the program.” But, when the Arcata Endeavor began to accept federal funding in the form of block grants, and later when John Shelter came into the scene, things began to seriously change. Having worked at the Arcata Endeavor for three and a half years, Verbena witnessed these changes as they began to take place. John Shelter quickly garnered a reputation for relying heavily on police presence to run things. The cops began to come through the Service Center on a day-to-day basis to run warrant checks on people who were trying to get a meal or clean up. The programs became rigidly structured. Everything became computerized and every person who wanted to use services was documented into an electronic database. As the director of the Arcata Service Center, John Shelter began to determine who could be at the Service Center, how people had to behave, he would be inquisitive and intrusive about whether or not people were on drugs or alcohol, he antagonized people, and he consistently called the cops on people for suspecting their behavior to be caused by mental illness or the influence of intoxicants. This disrespectful mentality that the management pushed towards guests was indicative of internalized biases against houseless people and low income people. This lack of respect encouraged guests to have a lack of respect towards the management. The social relations continued to worsen between guests and management, and the Arcata Service Center gradually fell apart. John Shelter continues to operate within this framework of prejudice and discrimination through New Directions. John Shelter’s sick mentality continues to reveal itself through his current actions towards houseless people. These actions include his on-going collaboration with the Eureka Police Department. When New Directions is not merely picking up litter outside of the Bayshore Mall or cleaning up after an event, John Shelter and his co-opted recruits prowl around Eureka looking for tent or tarp situations to dismantle. After an outdoors living situation is scoped out, then the New Directions’ crew will contact the cops if the person is at the site. Depending on the situation, the police may detain and arrest the person who is staying at the site. Otherwise, people are issued a citation rather than being cuffed and taken away. But, what past instances have shown to be constant is that the New Directions’ crew will raid one’s tent or tarps, loot all of their belongings, destroy all of their belongings, and then throw them into a locked dumpster. As someone who works with youth who live outside, I regularly come into contact with people who have some sort of relations with the agency. Earlier this week, a kid who works for New Directions, came into my work to use services. I asked him about the agency and how “camps” are handled and he was pretty forward spoken about the procedure. He straight up described instances in which he has gone out with the rest of the crew to locate places where people camp out. On occasion, he said, the cops handcuff the person who is sleeping outside for “camping”, and then after this person is taken away, New Directions will raid and destroy their possessions at the site.
The Eureka Rescue Mission has a questionable reputation amongst many people who have stayed there, and is loaded with a lot of terrible associations for a lot of people who have spent time there. From personal experience, I would rather sleep outside behind a building rather than going back to the Mission for provisions. I associate the Mission with a man that I met there one night when I was eating dinner. I was new in town and did not really know my way around. It was my first time eating dinner there, and he offered to take me to a better spot to stay for the night after I finished eating, and I went along with it because he came across like a decent person, and because the Mission is incredibly dispiriting. He even said that he did not want to ask me for anything. He told me that it was rare to have someone want to help you without expecting anything in return. We walked across town, stayed at the devil’s playground, and then he molested me. It is difficult to communicate the sensation of powerlessness and helplessness over myself within the situation and within the dynamic with him. I felt sexually violated and like my dignity was completely compromised. I was pretty clueless as to where else I could go, or what to do, or how to handle the situation. It was like I did not take myself to be capable of somehow leaving the situation. We were sleeping in one of the abandoned chambers where timber used to be stacked. He was able to pick up on me being queer, but tried to suggest that I was “like him” through subliminal questions and provoking mind-games inside of my head. He was wearing an ankle brace, I think that he had raped other people before. He tried to create a complex inside of me. I think that it was my second day in Eureka. I am much more familiar with how to handle situations like this now, especially how to handle situations with older men who have special interest. Anyways, that is what comes to mind when I think of the Rescue Mission, and I have consistently heard sleazy memories being elicited with the mention of that place. My friend Jimmy told me about an experience that he had with the Mission. He had one beer earlier in the day, went to the Mission later in the evening to eat and rest, and was then denied access because the light in the breathalyzer falsely indicated that he was intoxicated. One should not be denied access to food and shelter for being under the influence of alcohol. There are many people on the street who have a physical dependency on alcohol. Because of this addiction, they are not able to actively get around, communicate, and do things if they are forced to suddenly stop all alcohol consumption. When one is going through withdrawal from alcohol, and the body is detoxing itself, one is increasingly dysfunctional if they do not have lesser amounts of alcohol to help their body and mind work through the dependency. A girl that I met on the streets in Portland comes to mind. If she did not have a beer by mid-morning, then she would be overwhelmed with nausea, she told me that she can’t stop herself from throwing up when this happens. It is not fair, decent, or reasonable to expect guests at a shelter to immediately conform to a standard of sobriety that they may not be physically or psychologically capable of meeting because of their past levels of alcohol use and because of their current dependency on alcohol to function. The Rescue Mission offers a New Life Discipleship Program, which serves as a “clean and sober” program, but it is not without conditions. Despite one’s belief system, value structure, or spiritual orientation it is required that one must complete a minimum of 600 hours of “structured bible study” by the end of the one year program. One should not have to study the Bible for 600 hours for a temporary residential situation to become sober. The side of the Rescue Mission van that drives around town states in bold lettering “ Rebuilding broken lives, one life at a time.” Similar to the prison system, the faith-based shelter system aims to subdue people into states of obedience, compliance, and powerlessness. This happens through manipulating one’s sense of self worth, compromising one’s integrity, and by convincing one that they are “in the wrong” and that they need to “change their ways.”
When I was staying there, we would refer to the Arcata Night Shelter as The Island. It is on the outskirts of Arcata and the only way that one is meant to come or go is by the van that comes to town at designated times. Most of the time the van driver is the head staff member who I will refer to as the lolly-pop lady. I only stayed at this shelter for around two months, but this was enough time to get insight into the poor decisions she made and the people that were directly affected. The first memory that I have of her was when I boarded the van one afternoon outside of the library. I did not realize that she didn’t notice me inside until she accused me of sneaking on the next morning when she was driving us back into town, told me that she was “at capacity,” and that I should try to get into the Rescue Mission in Eureka instead. I was not willing to stay at the Rescue Mission because of my past experiences and associations. I shared the news with someone who worked at the drop-in that I was going to, they told me I was being discriminated against, and were able to open up a space for me by calling and voicing that suspicion. I was then given intake and accommodations, but during my stay there I saw person-after-person turned away day-after-day. The usual excuse for rejecting people in need was that the shelter was “at capacity”, but the meaning of “capacity” was unspecific. Some afternoons when capacity was asserted, there would be no more than 15 or 16 people. Then, some evenings there would be around 20 to 25 people sharing the space with one another. Capacity was relative to the lolly-pop ladies mood at the time of pick-up. Occasionally, new faces would be allowed to come to The Island. Usually, they would be turned away, with absolutely no help or concern as to what they would do that night or where they could go instead. Not only would people in need be excluded from services, but people in need would also be sporadically kicked out for two weeks. My friend “canary” had been staying at the Night Shelter for three nights, did not have any better alternatives, and did not have any belongings other than the clothing she was wearing. One afternoon, when she was walking to the laundry room to get her bedding and a towel, a host’s son accused her of being on pills once he was out of ear-shot of anyone else. He responded to her frustration at this accusation by phoning the lolly-pop lady. She drove the van back to the shelter several hours later, picked up “canary” despite her wanting to stay, and despite there being nothing to suggest that she had consumed pills, and dropped her off that night somewhere in town. I haven’t seen her since then. A month or so later, a friend of mine was accused of stealing some tobacco from a fellow guest. Despite there being no evidence to prove that he had done this and no legitimate reason to suspect this, he was prohibited from returning to the shelter for two weeks because of this accusation. He did not have anywhere to go, and he did not have sufficient gear to be staying outside. The last time that I saw him was a few days after he had been 86’d when he dropped into my work and told me about what went down.
There needs to be alternative shelter options in Humboldt. There needs to be different policies at the current shelters in Humboldt. There should not be an imperative on sobriety at these shelters that causes people to be denied services. There needs to be enough room to accommodate every person who wants to sleep inside. People should not be denied food for arbitrary reasons. People should not be marginalized for being perceived as mentally ill. People should not be demeaned, reduced, talked down to, or dehumanized by anyone, but especially through agencies that claim to help people in need. People should not have their belongings stolen from them, destroyed, and thrown into a dumpster by agencies that claim to steward the environment. People should not be given citations for sleeping. People should not be searched without probable cause or reasonable suspicion. People should not have to endure acts of violence from the APD and the EPD. People who look poor should not be questioned, handcuffed, and apprehended for no decent reason. People who live outside should not have their lives threatened by hypothermia because they are not allowed a place to stay inside.
Take the poll at KIEM! Raise wages in Eureka! Channel 3 News on Fair Wage Act
Posted in California, Eureka, CA, interview, northern california, organize, poor people, press releases, social justice, updates, tagged $12, channel 3, Eureka California, Eureka Fair Wage Act, Fair Wage folks, higher minimum wage, KIEM, labor, Minimum Wage Ordinance, News, Northern california, poll, workers on February 12, 2013| 1 Comment »
KIEM is Channel 3 in Eureka area.
Here’s a link to the February 8, 2013 6:00pm story on the Fair Wage Act http://kiem-tv.com/node/4758
Take the poll about the Eureka Fair Wage Act! http://kiem-tv.com/node/4756 .
If it just shows you results then it has already counted your vote.
PLEASE Open Safe Sleeping Space, Yes You!!
Posted in autonomy, California, class war, cold, Eureka Rescue Mission, Eureka, CA, homeless, houseless, human rights, illegality of sleeping ban, landless, northern california, organize, People Project, safe haven, self determination, social justice, updates, veterans, tagged blankets, cooperation, dangerous weather, dignity, emergency, Eureka California, Eureka Rescue Mission, freeze to death, freezing weather, garage space, gate-free space, guidelines, homeless, houseless, PARC, People Project, Peoples' Action for Rights and Community, police brutality, police harrasment, rotating sleeping space, safe sleeping space, safe space, sleeping bags, support, temproary sleeping space, vulnerable community members, warm clothes, welcoming, wet weather, without shelter on February 12, 2013| 2 Comments »
January 14, 2013
This morning, a man staying at the Eureka Rescue Mission (an evangelical Christian shelter unavailable to many] was told by a staff member the following: a young man who the shelter turned away the night before because he didn’t pass the required BREATHALYZER to eat or sleep at the Mission, died in the cold. Froze to death. IT’S TIME, FOLKS. TIME TO RISK YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND SAVE LIVES. WE ARE READY TO ASSIST AS EXPLAINED BELOW. More blankets and sleeping bags need as well. ~Verbena (707)442-7465
EMERGENCY- Freezing weather and people with no shelter.
Cold weather, especially over an extended period of time, takes a heavy toll on the health and well-being of the most vulnerable members in our community.
A few years ago, a small household in Eureka, made its garage available as a safe sleeping space for people with no shelter. The household and a group of friends (many PEOPLE PROJECT folks) organized the space in response to the dangerous weather and police conditions on the street. It was actually quite simple. Prior to opening the safe sleeping space, we discussed how we thought it would work best. One of the things decided beforehand was that we would make the space available for 11 nights (December 21-31), and would be explicit about that time frame, so that people sleeping there could depend on a stable schedule.
At this time, opening your home or some covered space is imperative. We were so grateful for the garage, and all went well. Being only a temporary situation, we are reaching out to you, asking you to open your garage, yard, or big room for whatever time you decide is possible.
We imagine a rotating emergency sleeping space.
We have found that when a community cooperates and shares in the protection of its most vulnerable members, the result is a vital sense of security experienced by all.
The people who shared their garage and those of us who supported and helped coordinate that emergency shelter space are available to talk with you about our experiences. We are eager to assist you in many ways if you are able to open up a sleeping space.
Ways we can assist you include: collecting floor padding, blankets, sleepware, and other necessary warm things (the garage just used had a cement floor); driving folks who need a ride to and from the space; and being present in the sleeping space overnight. The volunteer-run PARC (Peoples’ Action for Rights and Community) in downtown Eureka fully supports the creation of temporary or permanent dignified community sleeping spaces. PARC is available, for any set-up you may provide, as a phone contact, a donation drop-off, and a dedicated resource for people offering or utilizing a safe shelter.
Please Call PARC: (707) 442-7465
People can and do freeze to death in cold or wet or windy weather.. here we have all three at once. And the police continue to harass people and ruin their gear in the rain and cold. Please call and/or email if you want to talk about opening a space up yourself. It is freezing at night, and we can make a way through these hard times together.
Please Call PARC: (707) 442-7465
The following are the guidelines that were posted on the inside of the garage. You may have some different ideas for your place. We believe that emphasizing honor, dignity, and relationship makes for a truly “safe space.”
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ WELCOME ///////////////////////////
This is a hate-free space. that means…
NO racism, sexism, homophobia, etc
* please no physical or verbal violence
* smaller room is for women only
* bigger room is for all
To protect this safe sleeping space…
– no drinking alcohol or doing drugs (including pot) here
– use lights, not candles
– every night, come through front house door when you first arrive;
then use the front gate to go in/out.
– use bathroom in the house (walk in back door, then to right)
– quiet after 9pm, and during cigarette breaks
You are welcome to sleep here…
– every night through the night of Dec 31st.
– Please come in no earlier than 6pm and no later than 10:30pm
-mornings, out by 9am please
Please do not leave your belongings here,
as no-one is here to protect them
Please communicate theses guide-lines with newcomers
If you need anything, please feel free to ask.
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What is Occupy Eureka? (one video perspective)
Posted in autonomy, California, civil liberties, class war, cold, criminalizing, discrimination, Eureka, CA, homeless, houseless, human rights, illegality of sleeping ban, incarceration, interview, landless, northern california, organize, police brutality, poor people, protest, rights, safe haven, self determination, social justice, tent city, updates, veterans, tagged autonomous space, capitalism, Celebration of Our Determination, civil liberties, civil rights, civil rights violations, classism, corporate control, demonstration, encampment, Eureka California, Eureka City Council, Eureka Police Department, financial inequity, first amendment, government repression, harassment of homeless, Highway 101, homeless, houseless, human rights, Humboldt County Correctional Facility, Humboldt County Courthouse, Humboldt County Sheriff's Department, Northern california, Occupy Eureka, Occupy Wall Street, overnight camping, protest, reclaiming commons, right to survive, social inequity, Solidarity, stolen signs, tent city on March 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Group Bicycle Ride To Mass RALLY at CalTrans, Feb 7th
Posted in Arcata, CA, autonomy, California, class war, Eureka, CA, gentrification, human rights, northern california, organize, protest, Richardson Grove, rights, safe haven, self determination, social justice, tagged Arcata California, Arcata Plaza, bicycle, Califronia Department of Transportation, CalTrans, demonstration, Eureka California, group bike ride, protest, rally, Richardson Grove, Richardson Grove Action Now, road widening on January 31, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Bicycle to Save Richardson Grove
Monday, Feb 7th
Group Bicycle Ride to Mass Rally at CalTrans in Eureka!
Bike riders meet at 9:30am at the Arcata Plaza
Start ride to Eureka at 10am sharp!
RALLY at Wabash and Union in Eureka at NOON.
For more info, call Stella at (707) 602-7551
YouTube about Feb 7th Richardson Grove Rally & Events Leading Up!
Posted in autonomy, California, civil liberties, class war, Eureka, CA, gentrification, organize, press releases, protest, rights, safe haven, self determination, updates, tagged Bob Marley, California Department of Transportation, CalTrans, CalTrans District 1, corporate invasion, demonstration, Department of Defense, Eureka CA, Eureka California, Federal Highway Administration, federally funded project, Garberville, Highway 101, highway expansion, mass rally, militarization, Northern Humboldt, old growth forest, people power, protest, rally, redwood curtain, Richardson Grove, Richardson Grove Action Now, Save Richardson Grove, Southern Humboldt, STAA trucks, STRAHNET, Strategic Highway Network, Tagged ancient redwoods, Wabash and Union, youtube on January 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Michael Graves, Houseless, Died After Being Kicked Out of the Mission Monday Night
Posted in California, class war, cold, criminalizing, Eureka Rescue Mission, Eureka, CA, homeless, houseless, human rights, illegality of sleeping ban, northern california, poor people, rights, safe haven, social justice, updates, tagged alcohol, died from exposure, Eureka California, Eureka Rescue Mission, froze to death, homeless, homeless death, homeless shelter, houseless, Humboldt County, hypocracy, Michael Graves, remembrance on January 14, 2011| 4 Comments »
Rest In Peace Michael Graves
Michael Graves was in the “Program” at the Eureka Rescue Mission, but he got drunk Monday night. So, the Mission would not let him sleep there, and he was out in the cold- drunk. He wasn’t belligerent, he had been allowed to sleep off a drunk at the Mission before, but not the other night in the freezing weather.
We heard about his death from someone else who is houseless. Our dates may be off, meaning it may have happened Monday night or Tuesday night. But, what we heard is that he died trying to get through the night in the field across from Has Beans.
I understand not wanting a disruptive person staying at a shelter, but someone who has been drinking needs to EAT. The Mission breathalyzes before dinner (which can only be eaten if you’re present for the sermon). A person who has been drinking needs to SLEEP SOMEWHERE WARM. Otherwise, s/he, who’s body temperature has dropped from alcohol, will not feel the cold, and not wake up or do things to get warmer. [Then again, even if someone is freezing and they know it- where should they go in the middle of the night?] So, the Mission’s policy is not only COUNTER-INTUITIVE, but also involves a lot of judgment- NOT a Christlike quality.
Can we all learn something now? or do something new? soon? Please?
These are personal words from an admirer of Michael’s for the past couple of years.
Michael was very compassionate towards other people. He cared a great deal about how other people felt. He always tried to say and do the right things so that people would feel good about themselves. He was a light. No matter who he came in contact with, you could see that light inside him- and now that light has been snuffed out. he’ll be sorely missed. We can all remember Michael Graves of one of many who die on the streets. All the talent, all the ideas and dreams and hopes gone.
END THE WAR ON THE POOR
DO WE REALLY HAVE A CHOICE?!
Won’t U Read the Signs?!
December 21, HOMELESS MEMORIAL DAY/NIGHT
FOOD NOT BOMBS , EUREKA
Every Sunday at Clarke Plaza, Old Town (3rd and E). Yummy vegetarian food about 3:00pm.We Need Some SAFE GROUND
See this youtube video from the 32 night Safe Sleep Space we set up in the Eureka City Hall parking lot.Cool Quotes
Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed. --Herman Melville
...the law in its majestic equality forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread. --Anatole France
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