GA Notes, January 20, 2013

January 21st, 2013 · · General Assembly 2 comments

Inspirational minute

We are here.

Agenda

Food Not Bombs servers warned by authorities of alleged trespass on Federal property yesterday (Saturday, January 19). Consensus of Occupy Santa Cruz to support Food Not Bombs servers in whatever way their collective sees as appropriate.  Next FNB meeting scheduled this Tuesday.

Bill Monning public event.  Scheduled for Thursday, January 24, at the legislator’s offices in the Santa Cruz County Building. 4 PM?–time unsure. Hope expressed for an Occupy Santa Cruz presence, attempt to demonstrate our solidarity with Linda Lemaster in her campaign against the California “Lodging Law” 647(e) under which she has been convicted and other Occupy Movement folks are still facing charges across California.  No action taken.

Occupy Open Mic at SubRosa.  Plan to initiate theme night to recur monthly, perhaps on first Thursday of each month 8PM.  Request for help–input of ideas.  Contact Raven.

Announcements

Santa Cruz 11 arraignment: Tuesday, January 22, 8:15 AM.  Three defendants’ court date.  Arraignment on three remaining charges.  Please come out to support if you can.

Other announcements, add your comments (sorry folks, “non-notes” from memory again;)

Subcommondante next project: “75 River St.” (working title)

January 12th, 2013 · · Arts & Actions, Perspectives One comment

Subcommondante Films is now editing a new project about “75 River St.” (working title).

It documents the audacious takeover and 3 day occupation of a vacant bank building and the effort by the SCPD & the Santa Cruz DA to remove and to prosecute a select few for the crimes of the many.

This project also investigates the history of this property as a way to question the sacredness of private property and investigates why there are 5 vacant bank buildings within a small area downtown.

Please consider supporting this project by donating to:

https://www.wepay.com/donations/75-river-street-documentary

Santa Cruz Eleven

December 28th, 2012 · · Arts & Actions, General Assembly 5 comments

Show community support for the Santa Cruz Eleven at a benefit on Sunday, January 6, 2013, at India Joze in downtown Santa Cruz starting at 3:30 p.m.

Enjoy a delicious plate of India Joze food, listen to local musicians and support The Santa Cruz Eleven, seven of whom still face charges arising from their alleged involvement with the occupation of a long-time vacant bank building late last fall, 2011. $10 – $15 suggested donation, No one turned away.

The defendants would also love to see you at their preliminary hearing, scheduled Monday, January 7th, 9:00 a.m. in Department 6 of the Santa Cruz County Courthouse.

GA Notes, Sunday, December 16, 2012

December 17th, 2012 · · General Assembly 5 comments

Apologies again, notes from memory (please add yours in comments section)

Agenda: 

  1. Discussion of Occupy Ashland.  Four campaigns, including “decriminalization of sleep,” “Move to Amend”– about fighting the Citizens United Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited corporate campaign contributions, anti-GMO, and anti-foreclosure.  Question about local contact for Move to Amend, does anyone have any info about this?  Please let us know, pass it on.
Announcements
  1. City of Santa Cruz Public Safety Committee Meeting.  Monday, December 17, 5:00 or 5:30 PM, City Hall.  Efforts to “clean up” to be watched for possible anti-homeless slant.  Continuation of activities started two weeks ago in Westside neighborhood, continued through this past weekend with river clean-ups.
  2. Santa Cruz 11 Support Committee.  Meeting tomorrow, Monday, December 17, 1 PM, SubRosa Cafe.  Topics include upcoming benefit/awareness-raiser scheduled for January 6.  Details to follow.  Court dates: Friday, January 4, readiness hearing; Monday, January 7, pre-trial hearing.
  3. Red Church Monday meal, 5PM.  Also, nameless committee on homeless issues to meet at 4PM tomorrow (Monday, December 17) in the fireside room.
  4. “Occupy Last Night” autonomous action.  Annual activity, December 31, 5PM–No details.

Reflections on “Smart Solutions”

December 7th, 2012 · · Perspectives 4 comments

After attending Saturday’s big show, “Smart Solutions to Homelessness: A Countywide Community Engagement Summit,” I gathered a smattering of feedback from “Occupy Folks” on how they felt about the event.  Consensus seems to be, “It was not very useful.”  We (tongue-in-cheek, but seriously) KNOW TOO MUCH.

I understand the need for governmental and non-profit entities to communicate with the public regarding their needs.  WE KNOW that volunteers are needed for the befriending, mentoring, and support of people in distress.  WE KNOW that material resources are needed to feed, shelter, and house people who are hungry and have nowhere safe to stay.  WE KNOW that there is no “one size fits all solution to homelessness.”  It is unfortunate that those who design the agendas of large meetings like this one are unable to withstand conflicting viewpoints about public policy priorities.

Here are a few “Smart Solutions” — my public policy priorities:

  1. Decriminalization of “survival behaviors” such as sleeping at night, camping in your car, or using a blanket to keep warm
  2. Legalization of drugs, and, hand-in-hand, helping people to learn ways of coping with the emotional pain that can result in addictive behaviors
  3. Creating safe places to camp
  4. Subsidizing low-cost permanent housing
  5. Providing resources to mutual aid and self-help networks for material and emotional support of all people
  6. Supporting families so there will be fewer children put into foster care
  7. Transforming the economy so that there will be safe, environmentally sustainable, and meaningful work for everyone at a living wage
     I despair over the lack of compassion actually expressed at the meeting, which seemed scant, aside from a “before and after” set of pictures of one homeless man who became permanently housed in Los Angeles. The “problem” that the “smart solutions” seem to be set to solve is “inefficient allocation of public resources.”  So the work being done “to end homelessness” is framed in terms of money to be saved instead of lives to be saved.
          At Saturday’s meeting I summarized a small exchange of perspectives between of five or six persons on the question, “What will the future look like without homelessness?”  I said that there would be personal dignity, care for each other in community, and good feelings about everyone.  I’m afraid that was the wrong question to ask.  My question to you is, “What are you going to do about the reality of homelessness in our community right now?”

Food Not Bombs Feeding

December 7th, 2012 · · Arts & Actions One comment

Food Not Bombs feeding tomorrow Saturday 4pm Louden Nelson
GA Sunday 2 pm post office
please spread the word
please attend
we need your help

GA Notes, Sunday, December 2, 2012

December 2nd, 2012 · · General Assembly One comment

informal notes (notetaker showed up late)… please add your announcements as comments…

Report back on “Smart Solutions to Homelessness Summit” yesterday at Cabrillo.  Variety of perspectives.  Some thought it was overly controlled in terms of the “Housing First” message, which is federal policy, top-down, and highly professionalized.  Those wishing to bring forward a “bottom-up” agenda on self-help, repeal of the criminalization of sleep at night, the “blanket ban” or other local laws, the establishment of a safe “sanctuary” camp, or other action steps need to find other means of doing so.  Announcement: the Association of Faith Communities has its monthly meeting on Thursday, December 6, 5 PM, at the Red Church.  On the agenda will be to discuss working towards establishing a campground.

Old Business

No action taken yet to poll the community about the viability of continuing a Wednesday GA of Occupy Santa Cruz.  Contact Robert if you have an opinion that you would like captured (or comment below).  Question of how to continue: as is; in another way that is more practical, such as moving the meeting to an indoor space; or to remove the Wednesday GA from the calendar.

Announcements

[Note: these were made at the India Joze restaurant benefit for Linda Lemaster]

  1. Linda’s Sentencing Hearing:  changed again, to Thursday, December 6, 4 PM, Department 5.  Note changed department–apparently they get moved around.  Please send your letters of support to Judge Rebecca Connolly ASAP.  If you can be present at the hearing, that would be a very special way to offer your support to this longtime homeless advocate.
  2. “Occupy Sandy” is getting little press but deserves attention.  Look it up and pass it on.  Occupy folks are showing FEMA how to feed large groups, for example.
  3. Proposed changes to public library policies on “smelly people” and other rules regarding sleep in the library, storing of belongings, service animals, and penalties to be applied.  Library Board meets tomorrow, December 3, 6:30 PM, Scotts Valley library.  King’s Village Road, next to the Post Office.
  4. Lemaster event organizers wish to thank Joe Schultz, Grant Wilson, Gail Williamson, and Leslie Dinkin, as well as the Santa Cruz Eleven.  Thank you Becky Johnson, David Silva, Brent Adams, Robert Norse, Steve Pleich, and the speakers: Jonathan Gettleman, Kate Wells, and David Beauvais.  And Linda Lemaster, for sharing her thoughts and her poetry.

 

GA Notes, Sunday, November 25, 2012

November 27th, 2012 · · General Assembly No comments

Thank You to all for your dedication and persistence.

Urgent Announcements

  1. Occupier in Dominican Hospital, call to offer your support, Room 2134.
  2. Occupier, facing ticket for allegedly “sitting on the sidewalk after being told to sit by an officer” while performing an anti-police-harassment-watch of a homeless person on Pacific.  Court appearance 8:15 tomorrow morning (Monday, Nov. 26) in Department 10, downstairs at the County Courthouse.  Will be requesting new judge instead of Commissioner Basket.
  3. “Report” homeless people in your neighborhood, facebook page.  How ugly?  To talk to the City Council during oral communications period, Tuesday 5 PM, City Hall.
  4. “Creating Smart Solutions to Homelessness: A Countywide Community Engagement Summit” — they didn’t use my words, which were “engaging community compassion” but I’ll get over it ;) –LD.  Saturday, December 1, 10 AM – 4 PM, lunch provided.  Cabrillo College, Dining Room in Building 900, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos.  You must register in advance to attend.  Go to indybay.org/santacruz and look for the calendar posting at the top of the page for details on how to register.
  5. Book recommendation.  Anders Corr.  No Tresspassing: Squatting, Rent Strikes, and Land Struggles Worldwide.  Boston: South End Press, 1999.
  6. New City Council “Coronation.”  Tuesday, December 11, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, after the City Council meeting–estimated time 7:30 PM.  Food provided.
  7. Food Not Bombs serving at Laurel Park, behind Louden Nelson center.  Saturday, December 1, 4-5 PM.
Agenda
Planning for a camp.  Discussion of resources available and resources needed.  Referral to the Association of Faith Communities monthly meetings, which will have a sanctuary camp on the next meeting’s agenda.  Meets first Thursday of each month.  Next meeting December 6, 5 PM, Red Church.
Santa Cruz Eleven Support.  A test of the level of interest for an activity within the next month.  Contact Robert if you are interested.
Benefit for Linda Lemaster, “Sleep Criminal.”  Scheduled for next Sunday, 3:30 PM – 6 PM.  Invite your friends.  India Joze restaurant.  $15 donation requested.
Forward planning for March 2013: Keith McHenry in Santa Cruz.  Desire to host benefit for FNB and other local causes.  Long range planning, details to come.
Wednesday GA.  Has anyone attended in the last month?  Does anyone plan to attend in the next few weeks?  Does anyone want to offer a concrete proposal to either remove it from the calendar or move the meeting to an indoor space?  Consensus for this query to be emailed around to attempt to achieve a fuller consensus on the future of the Wednesday evening GA from the entire Occupy Santa Cruz community.

Fundraiser for Linda Lemaster

November 27th, 2012 · · Perspectives 11 comments

 Linda Lemaster, longtime advocate and writer faces up to six months in jail for falling asleep once in Santa Cruz during a peaceful demonstration against inhumane laws.

Sheriff’s and the DA used a little-utilized provision of the State Code which outlaws illegal “lodging.” Lodging is not defined in the code anywhere, and was used to break up an otherwise legal protest on the steps of the courthouse in 2010. While Linda Lemaster was not homeless on the date of her citation (Aug 10 2010), she had opted to stay atop the steps that night to watch over Christopher Doyon, who was ill with pneumonia. While she tried to stay awake, around 4:30AM she dropped off, only to be cited for illegal lodging. On November 9th, a jury convicted her. She faces up to SIX MONTHS in JAIL for one act of involuntary sleeping which the DA described as “illegal lodging.”

On Sunday, Dec 2nd, beginning at 3:30PM, India Joze Restaurant and master chef, Joseph Schultz will prepare an exotic feast for all attendees. Attorneys Jonathan Gettleman, Kate Wells, and David Beauvais will speak about their experiences fighting a series of anti-homeless laws against sleeping, loitering, and quality of life laws.  Linda Lemaster will also read one of her poems.

Steve Pleich will serve as Master of Ceremonies

 

Suggested donation is $15 per person.

Even is sponsored in part by HUFF, Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom and by the Santa Cruz Eleven

Please contact Steve Pleich  spleich@gmail.com  or Becky Johnson becky_johnson222@hotmail.com  for more information,

or leave  a message on the HUFF line at 831 423-HUFF


GA Notes, Sunday, November 18, 2012

November 18th, 2012 · · General Assembly No comments

Urgent Announcements

  1. Food Not Bombs:  December 1, 4PM, Laurel Park (behind Louden Nelson Center).  Meal to be served.
  2. United Nations Parade:  December 2, noon.  UNA website for more info.
  3. Community Garden in Santa Cruz beach flats: offer of a tour.  More info to follow.
  4. Occupy Monterey:  Really Really Free Market, 1st Sunday of the month (next will be December 2), 11 AM to 3PM, Friendly Plaza, corner of Addison and Pacific.  Gift economy market and food share.  Also a continuing solidarity network of homeless/activists/students.

Agenda

Linda Lemaster says:  ”Thank you to everyone for your immeasurable support during my recent lodging trial.  I owe Occupy for my sanity.”  Discussion of related matters… members of the Santa Cruz 11 support committee are planning to stage a benefit for Linda to raise awareness, good vibes, and money for an appeal of her case. Scheduled for Sunday, December 2, 3:30 to 6 PM, India Joze restaurant, 418 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz.  ”Change the Lodging Law!” 647 (e) campaign to begin with Bill Monning’s office.  Letters to the editor welcomed for the Santa Cruz Sentinel and other publications (see indybay.org/santacruz for “current chatter”).  Quaker “legislative issues” committee for California, an intention to raise awareness on the issue of using “lodging law” against political activity and necessary sleep.  Contact Linda for further action on any of these fronts: homes4everyone [at] yahoo.com

Announcements

  1. Free Radio Santa Cruz:  Meeting in the foyer of the Resource Center for Nonviolence, Monday, November 19, 7 PM.  Open meeting.
  2. Brianna the street performer vs. Officer Warren court date:  Tuesday, November 20, 1:30 PM, Santa Cruz County Courthouse, department tba.  She is asking for public support of her right to free expression on public sidewalks downtown–[what she is charged with was not clear to the announcer].
  3. Smart Solutions to Homelessness Summit. 10 AM – 4 PM, December 1, Cabrillo College, Dining Room in Building 900, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003.  See calendar item on indybay.org/santacruz to register.  LUNCH PROVIDED!