POOR Magazine

Standing in Revolution- A Love-Uary for SisSTAR comrade, Laure McElroy who joined the ancestors BlackAugust 31st 2018

I would rather die on my feet, than live on my knees. Emiliano Zapata

The subject of whether or not Black students and other children of color receive harsher punishments than their counterparts has been a conversation that’s been ignored for too long.

i can’t exactly describe the sound of an aluminum walker being crushed by a Dept of Public Works (DPW) truck - but its a special sound of material violence unlike any other- with each crunch-clap - another unhoused disabled life is metaphorically and actually dismantled, while the truck continues to chew like a dog on a bone- our precious momentos, pictures, medicine and lives are now reduced to trash and our own bodies , no longer awarded the respect of being considered humans swept, cleaned up, removed..

"Nobody should be put out alone into this cold night," said Benita Turner, mother of Jessica St Louis, who died after being released from Santa Rita County Jail at 1:30am on July 28th. 

IT’S GOING DOWN!  NATIONAL PRISON STRIKE AUGUST 21ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 9TH.

Salt, grease and fried meat filled the air. with just hint of burnt sugar thrown in. My mind wandered to breakfasts past sizzling in a greasy diner. The only thing was, i was on my bike, riding past an empty lot in East Oakland at 6:30am. No houses or restaurants were remotely close. And then i saw the smoke,and heard the sizzle. It was coming from one of a long line of late model Subarus, Hondas, BMW’s, Acura sedans, and even a Mercedes, no car older than 2015, parked along this hidden street.

Politricks and poverty - go together like milk and sour honey

“Bart needs to step it up!”- Mother of Nia Wilson

At a candlelight vigil at MacArthur BART held for 18 year old Nia, she was remembered as a beautiful, kind soul who had a passion for music and helping people.

As a kid, I found difficulty finding logic in why people committed brutal acts of violence and the motivation behind the crimes. From ordinary citizens to law enforcement the “jones” for violence and death has become the frightening norm for today’s way of life in our “sodom and gomorrah” -like country.