ATTENTION DAYLIGHT NETWORK MEMBERS
Below you will find a message from Chuck Turner and much, much more…
FOR ANY FURTHER INFO FROM CHUCK,
GO TO THE ONLY DESIGNATED WEBSITE.
FOR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORGANIZING MEETING AND NEXT STEPS,
PLEASE GO TO THAT DESIGNATED WEBSITE.
CONTENTS
1. A Message from Chuck +
2. Bostonians for Youth Event Louis D. Brown Inst., Justice Resource Institute, Trinity
3. Eviction Blockade Update
4. 25 years after CRACK - The Effect of Crack Cocaine in
5. Boston City Council Hearing Calling for the hiring of 300 more Street Workers (Mon--4/11—9:30am)
6. JOBS…17-24 year olds can apply for good paying, CORI friendly jobs with Carpenters and Laborers Union (Mon—4/12…)
DETAILS BELOW…
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1. A Message from Chuck AND US Attorney Watch Organizing Meeting (Thurs--4/7—7:30pm) http://supportchuckturner.com
Message From Chuck 4-1-11
April 1, 2011
Dear Friends,
A week ago today, as I entered the Hazelton Prison, I was very resentful at the thought that I was sent so far from home, family, friends, community, and work. However, now that a week has passed, I again have learned that it is incorrect to make conclusions before you have fully experienced a situation.
While I still would like to be in MA or
The racial mix is balanced and half of us are over fifty which adds a level of maturity to our interactions. Most of the men are here for relatively short sentences from a few months to a few years. There are men who have eight, nine, ten years but they seem to be working their way down from other higher classifications.
The camp is very laid back. The main interactions with the guards are three times a night bed checks and the twice a day stand up counts. Otherwise, there is very little interaction with the exception of health visits, administrative issues, counseling, etc. What is most amazing is that we can move freely within the compound. The only restrictions are that we have to be in our dormitory from 12 midnight to 5 p.m. and have to be in the dormitory for the 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. stand up count.
The camp is in the hills of the Allegheny ridge. From the grounds you see small mountains in the distance on all sides. This is truly a rural, rustic area. Last night, I even saw three deer eating the apples that the men throw into the yard to feed them when they come at night. I have even been told that occasionally, they will take the apples out of your hand.
There is a maximum security prison on the site with 1500 men and a high level of violence. There is a woman’s prison with 200 or so, and they are building a minimum prison and an addition to the work camp. As you can see incarceration in
One of the purposes of the work camp is to provide workers for landscaping, warehouse, power house, maintenance etc. However, given my age, it seems likely that I won’t be assigned a job. So I plan to spend my days reading, writing, exercising in the recreation area. There are movies, a library, pool table, ping pong, a track, baseball diamond, basketball courts, etc. So as the men say while there are little occupational development opportunities, there are a lot of ways to use your time productively.
It seems that I will spend 2 years here (although after 18 months transfers can be requested) with the likelihood of being transferred to a half way house in the
There is so much more I would like to share. However, I will wait for future emails. I plan to send one early next week giving my views on the Council transition. I understand your concern about what will happen during the transition and want to share my thoughts on those issues. There are many other topics that I also want to discuss with you in due time.
I will be communicating on a weekly basis through SupportChuckTurner.com and the national black online magazine, Black Commentator which will publish an article from me each week. For those of you who want to communicate directly, please send your email address, telephone number, and street address so that I can put you in the data base. SEND THE INFORMATION TO…
Chuck Turner 80641-038
Hazelwood Penitentiary
Peace and Love,
chuck
PS: The
However, now that I have been convicted and expelled from office with them providing much, much help to the former US Attorney Sullivan in his plot to silence me (more on that later), I have no need, interest, desire, or willingness to ever talk to them again. I hope they are beginning to understand that if they want to know what I am thinking, they can access http://supportchuckturner.com.
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COMMUNITY ORGANIZING MEETING
Thursday, April 7th , 2011
7:30 pm
Dedicated to exposing serious injustices
committed by government prosecutors at the Massachusetts US Attorney's Office.
US Attorney Watch = http://usattywatch.blogspot.com/
Community Organizing Meeting = http://usattywatch.blogspot.com/2011/03/community-organizing-meeting.html
GOALS OF THE CAMPAIGN
· To expose the criminal collaboration of the FBI and the US Attorney in manipulating informants to frame innocent people.
· To call for a review of pending cases where FBI agents and government prosecutors responsible for a pattern of wrongdoing have been involved.
· To call for serious sanctions against government prosecutors involved in rights violations.
· To stop the use of federal prosecution as a weapon against immigrants, indigent defendants and people of color in the service of a racist political agenda.
Join us in building the campaign for accountability!
On the 3/24 Forum and Northeastern University's Denial of Access
We would like to thank everyone who attended our forum on the crimes of the US Attorney's office on Thursday 3/24, and to apologize to everyone who tried to enter but was refused by security at Northeastern. Many people who were part of Chuck Turner's community--who have known him, organized with him, and shared his history of struggle for decades--were denied entry not only to the lecture hall, but to the building. Many waited for hours in the cold to say goodbye to him before he left for prison on the following day.
As people may know by now, the administration at Northeastern sent a message to student sponsors of the forum, one day before it was scheduled to take place, informing them of special harsh "security" conditions for the event: sponsors would be forced to pay police at overtime pay; the room would be capped at 130 and no overflow space provided. As we have already stated, we considered these discriminatory conditions to be illegitimate and objected to them. With more time, we would have organized people to fight the policy or would have chosen another venue.
As it was, the student organizers were negotiating up to the very last minute to ensure that the forum take place against threats from the administration to close it down. Since Chuck Turner had chosen to use his last night of freedom to speak at the forum, everyone felt that our primary responsibility was to make sure that the event take place.
We chose Northeastern as a venue for several reasons. We hoped to reach different audiences that we think are necessary for moving forward a struggle to fight the criminal abuse of power by prosecutors and FBI agents working under the Department of Justice in
· Communities that have been targeted for severe repression and abuse
· People with legal skills who are willing to use them in defense of basic rights and on behalf of communities denied those rights
· Civic, religious and political leaders willing to speak out against injustice on this issue
· Independent journalists willing to tell the story that the mainstream media has censored
We thought that Northeastern would be a good venue for bringing together some members of these different groups in the effort to launch a serious campaign. Law student activists were involved in the event as organizers, but also an important audience we hoped to reach. We also wanted to put the US Attorney on notice, with TV cameras rolling at a forum and venue that would be hard to ignore, that we are organizing a campaign to fight their criminal abuse of power.
The denial of access to so many good people who tried to attend the forum and show their support for Councilor Turner was unacceptable. We will be holding future events and organizing meetings in places that are accessible to the community. We hope that people who are outraged at Chuck Turner's imprisonment will get involved in this campaign.
Full audio of the forum can be downloaded from the following link:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/24338422/FTI_3-24-11_NEU.mp3
Chuck Turner’s speech alone can be downloaded here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/24338422/chuckTurnerSpeech.mp3
We will be posting a full video of the event on our website
(usattywatch.blogspot.com) as soon as it is available.
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2. Bostonians for Youth Event Louis D. Brown Inst., Justice Resource Institute, Trinity
Reminder!!!
The Bostonians for Youth Event is tomorrow night.
We're looking forward to welcoming you and know you will enjoy the short, provocative and action-packed program we have planned.
The reception begins at 6:00pm. Please be sure to arrive by 6:40pm so you will not miss:
· Governor Deval Patrick speaking on his administration's commitment to curb youth violence
· The premiere of award-winning filmmaker Topper Carew's powerful short film Trauma
· Robert Lewis, Jr. of The
· Thee Slap Bracelets - young dancers with a powerful message
· And, Ryan Williams - an incredible 13-year old treble soloist
Bostonians for Youth will be held at The Royale Ballroom - 279 Tremont Street,
located diagonally across the street from the
Parking available at the
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Trinity
Again, thank you for your support and we'll see you tomorrow night!
Sincerely,
Louise Burnham Packard, Trinity
Douglas M. Brooks, Justice Resource Institute
Clementina Chery, Louis D. Brown Peace Institute
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3. Eviction blockade
Aurora Bank is trying yet again!
FOURTH Eviction Blockade to Defend St. Simon family Wednesday.
We will block an eviction at 29 Charles St., HYDE PARK
Wednesday, April 6
Gather 10 am. Constable arrives at 11 am.
Directions:
(take
Then immediate left on Charles)
- Aurora Bank will try again to evict Herbert St. Simon, his wife Naomie, their elderly mom aged 79, and their 5 children (ages 5-14).
- Aurora Bank will seek to evict even though the St. Simon family is willing and able to pay rent; they have paid rent whenever the Bank has accepted it.
- Aurora Bank will seek to evict even though a loan modification including a principal reduction would have prevented the foreclosure and actually saved the bank a lot of money.
-
- Aurora Bank will seek to evict even though Wall St. Banks have received extraordinary bailouts.
There is no reason for this eviction. Sell this property occupied and stop the eviction.
This case is so simple. This eviction is not right. It doesn’t make sense to evict a family who is willing to pay rent.
Herbert and his family are taking a courageous stand based on principle. It is extremely hard to go through four eviction blockades. But he feels, and we feel, that no matter what happens on Wednesday, we cannot sit by and watch Banks evict families needlessly.
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4. 25 years after CRACK - The Effect of Crack Cocaine in Boston's Black Community on Saturday, April 9th, 2011 at 9am - 4pm : RSVP ALL Ages!
25 years after CRACK -
The Effect of Crack Cocaine in Boston
on Saturday, April 9th, 2011
9am - 4pm
25 years after CRACK - The Effect of Crack Cocaine in Boston's Black Community ( 1986 - 2011 ) A Greatest MINDS Retrospective Discussion and Symposium
Join 25community leaders, non-profit agency directors, social workers, ministers, health professionals, judges, university professors, law enforcement officers, youth, former drug-dealers, former crack users, youth advocates and ex-offenders for a retrospective discussion and symposium on the arrival of crack cocaine and how 25 years later it has effected Boston's Black communities and families. Join us as we work together across generations for a community building planning session. This will help develop solutions to build a new infrastructure of our Black communities.
Saturday, April 9th, 2011
9:00am - 4:00pm
Hibernian Hall
25 Years After Crack Facebook Invite is here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=183296871715016 RSVP! or email greatestminds@gmail.com
Sponsored by
The Greatest MINDS Civic Engagement Initiative came out of the need for
The National Black College Alliance (NBCA) is a network of alumni, college students, and community members who are committed to mentoring the next generation of community leaders. The NBCA encourages community volunteerism, career exploration, and college education to high school students, college students, and young professionals while promoting college completion from local community colleges and institutions as well as supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The NBCA’s Greatest MINDS Civic Engagement Initiative is the organization’s civic convening programming arm.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact:
NBCA/Greatest MINDS
857.312.6340 - cell phone
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5. Boston City Council Hearing Calling for the hiring of 300 more Street Workers to assist in the prevention of neighborhood youth crime. (4/11—9:30am)
YANCEY + ARROYO
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6. JOBS…17-24 year olds can apply for good paying, CORI friendly jobs with Carpenters and Laborers Union this Monday April 4 and April 12....
Dear Community and Youth Organizations,
There are some opportunities beginning this coming Monday for young adults aged 17-24 to apply to get full time good paying jobs with the Carpenters Union and the Laborers Union.
* These jobs require a high school degree or GED and passing a drug test.
* People older than 24 can apply too.
* People with CORI's can get these jobs.
You are applying to be accepted as an apprentice which is a full time paid job if you get it.
High School seniors can apply for the Carpenters Union apprenticeships with a letter from their school stating they are eligible to graduate in the next 3 months.
Here's where to apply:
1. Laborers
*Apply April 12 between 7:00 AM-2:00 PM at 12 a
If you go to the corner of
2. Carpenters Union--
*For
at their office at
(If you miss this time, you can apply on other first Monday's of the month). 800-275-6200
For all other parts of the state, follow this procedure of applying at one of these 10 locals around the state, see list of addresses in the attachment, by April 7 at 3:00 and then attending mandatory informational session on Wednesday April 20 at 6:00 PM at the New England Carpenters Training Center 13 Holman Street, Millsbury, MA. Interviews then held on April 29 but can only get an inteview if first apply by April 7 and attend the April 20 informational meeting.
Thanks,
Lew Finfer (617) 822-1499
for the Coalition for Equal Access to Jobs
Youth Jobs Coalition
Safe Teens/Safe Communities Coalition
STAY TUNED AS THIS STRUGGLE CONTINUES!!