Social Justice
CA Justice Organizations Advocate for Child Welfare Reform
California justice organizations gathered at Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Courthouse on May 4, 2022 to demand a radical transformation of the child welfare system.
California justice organizations focused on ending mass incarceration, reforming the criminal justice system, and easing reentry for formerly incarcerated people gathered on the west steps of the Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Courthouse on May 4, 2022 to demand a radical transformation of the child welfare system.
The purpose of the rally is “to demand that California and all its counties dismantle policies and practices that continue to harm our families and communities,” said Vonya Quarles, Founder and Executive Director of Starting Over, Inc. “Three of my children were adopted out, and it was challenging to get my grandchildren out of the CPS system some twenty years later. It’s generational—I was in foster care, my children were in foster care, and my grandchildren—the harm the system causes over generations proves it’s not working.”
Those leading the protest stated the Child Protective Services—which currently operates as a family regulatory system, with its current practice of criminalizing poverty and treating low-income families as neglectful—should work towards ensuring that all children have access to their families and that all families have free access to the resources needed for children and parents to thrive.
Existing system demands, such as counseling sessions, mandatory drug testing (even in cases with no substance abuse), housing demands, and class requirements cost time and money, a challenge for low-income families who often must work multiple jobs to provide for their families. “The CPS system places demands on parents that are often impossible to meet,” said Diane Figueroa, an All of Us or None Organizer with A New Way of Life. Reflecting on her experience of abuse as a child within the foster care system and later losing custody of her children as an adult, Figueroa continued, “Families are treated like animals—the system breaks us.”
Rally participants discussed the need for a system that recognizes the strength and importance of family, community, and culture in a child’s life and prioritizes family members as the first option for the placement of children. “The care of my daughter by my aunt made it a lot easier for me to be involved in her life and gave me the strength and encouragement to get myself together,” said Chantell Waterhouse, an All of Us or None Organizer with A New Way of Life. “This is what all parents and children deserve.”
The rally consisted of over 35 community activists and members of the public and was organized by A New Way of Life Reentry Project, All of Us or None, CripJustice, Family Reunification, Equity & Empowerment (FREE), Underground Scholars, and Starting Over, Inc.
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Social Justice
San Francisco man victim of two hate crime incidents
San Francisco’s Harvey ‘Terry’ Williams was a victim of not one, but two hate crimes and has launched a GoFundMe to protect his family.
San Francisco’s Harvey ‘Terry’ Williams was a victim of not one, but two hate crimes.
San Francisco hate crime
On the morning of April 26th, he was delivered a package containing a black doll with a noose wrapped around its neck, with his name and a picture of his face. The doll, along with the other contents of the package, were covered in horrifying racial phrases and slurs.
A week later, he received a second racist package containing similar items, but this time the threats were escalated.
San Francisco police say they’re investigating both incidents.
Neighbors have rallied behind Williams, helping him build a network of security cameras to help keep a closer eye on their area.
GoFundMe
A GoFundMe was launched to help pay for security cameras, help Terry relocate until the police know more, and help take some financial pressure off the family during a very difficult and scary time.
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Social Justice
Family of Black teen shot in head after ringing doorbell of wrong home sues gunman and HOA
The family of the Ralph Yarl, the Black teenager who was shot in the head after ringing the doorbell of the wrong home in Kansas City, Missouri, last year, has filed a lawsuit against the White man who shot him and the residential homeowners association where the house is located.
The family of Ralph Yarl has filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew Lester, the 85-year-old white man who shot the teen last year on his doorstep, along with Lester’s homeowners association.
Ralph Yarl family sues
The lawsuit, filed by Yarl’s mother Cleo Nagbe in the circuit court of Clay County, Missouri, accuses Lester and the Highland Acres Homes Association, Inc. of “careless and negligent conduct.”
“At all times relevant, Plaintiff (Ralph Yarl) never posed or issued a threat to Defendant, Andrew Lester,” the lawsuit states, adding the Highland Acres Homes Association “was aware of or should have been aware of Defendant, Andrew Lester’s, propensity for violence, access to dangerous weapons and racial animus.”
Yarl’s mother said in a news release that the case is not just about seeking justice for her son. By including the Highland Acres Homes Association, Inc., Nagbe said the lawsuit “underscores the importance of collective responsibility in safeguarding our communities.”
“Their knowledge of a potentially dangerous individual in the neighborhood without taking adequate precautions is unacceptable,” Nagbe wrote. “This case is not just about seeking justice for Ralph but about advocating for systemic changes that prioritize the safety and well-being of all children.”
Nagbe said she also hopes the civil suit will create a conversation about the “importance of responsible gun ownership and community safety measures of using words, not weapons.”
Suspect
Lester has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action.
He was released on $200,000 bond and his trial is set to begin October 7.
Ralph Yarl shooting incident
On April 13, 2023, Ralph Yarl, now 17, went to the wrong home while trying to pick up his younger siblings. After ringing the doorbell, Ralph was shot in the head and arm.
Lester was detained the night of the shooting but released two hours later. After a public outcry, he was arrested and charged nearly a week later.
The 85-year-old claims he was scared to death of the boy’s size. Meanwhile, Yarl is 5ft8in and 140 pounds.
Yarl survived the shooting with serious injuries. Those close to the family said he had a prognosis of a full recovery, but may possibly suffer long-term brain issues.
According to the civil lawsuit, the teenager “suffered and sustained permanent injuries, endured pain and suffering of a temporary and permanent nature, experienced disability and losses of normal life activities, was obligated to spend large sums of money for medical and attention and suffered other losses and damages.”
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Crime & Justice
Paramedic involved in Elijah McClain’s death sentenced to probation, work release and community service
Jeremy Cooper, a former paramedic who injected Elijah McClain with a fatal dose of ketamine, has been sentenced to probation and community service.
Jeremy Cooper, a former paramedic who injected Elijah McClain with a fatal dose of ketamine, has been sentenced to probation and community service.
Paramedic Jeremy Cooper sentenced
He had faced up to three years in prison but was sentenced to four years probation, 14 months of work release and 100 hours of community service.
Cooper and another paramedic, Peter Cichuniec, were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in December in the death of McClain, 23, who was subdued by police and injected with ketamine on August 24, 2019.
Both paramedics had pleaded not guilty to the felony charges. Cichuniec was sentenced in March to five years in prison, the minimum.
Police stop turns fatal
McClain was walking home in August 2019 when the 23-year-old Black man was confronted by police officers who forcibly restrained him. When Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec arrived, they injected him with ketamine.
He went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance a few minutes later and died three days after that.
The McClain family sued the city of Aurora for Elijah’s wrongful death and received a $15 million settlement.
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Unheard Voices Magazine LLC is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.
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