Global Blogging Day of Action for Troy Davis

SJP, at Sojourner’s Place is taking the lead on this and asking bloggers to write about the Troy Davis case in conjunction with Amnesty International’s Global Day of Action for Troy Davis on May 19. Here’s the case, in a nutshell from Amnesty International:

Troy Davis was convicted of murdering a Georgia police officer in 1991. Nearly two decades later, Davis remains on death row – even though the case against him has fallen apart. Davis’ conviction was not based on any physical evidence, and the murder weapon was never found. Since his trial, seven of the nine eyewitnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony, and one of the remaining witnesses has been implicated by nine others as the actual murderer.

Troy Davis’ stay of execution will expire May 15. I encourage folks, along with SJP, to take part in this event by blogging about Troy Davis and his case on May 19 in solidarity with the Global Day of Action.

Troy Davis’ stay of execution is set to expire on May 15. On May 19, groups and individuals all around the world will be organizing demonstrations, vigils, teach-ins or other public events to show the state of Georgia that the execution of Troy Davis would be an unacceptable travesty of justice. We need you to be as visible and as loud as possible!

For more information (courtesy SJP):

Fact sheet on Davis’ case

Innocence on Georgia’s Death Row

Where is the justice for me?

Listen to Troy tell his story

Join the discussion

Hear from Troy’s sister

Troy Davis’ website

My Birthday Wish List

Yes, today is my birthday, and you better bet I have a Wish List. Don’t worry, it’s not long or expensive.

Those of you that have been around these parts for a while know that I have in the past participated in fundraising efforts with DonorsChose.org. This year I’m participating in the Give-Back Birthday program. I’ve set up a nice little Give-Back page, and if you are so inclined, it would be great if you threw a couple dollars for one of the Arts and Music projects for schoolchildren that are in need.

The BDPA Foundation is currently holding a fundraiser to raise $500 in one week to help send a BDPA student to college. Please consider dropping a few dollars their way. You have until 7 May to do so.

Granted, my own list may seem small, but here’s the good part. My Wish List is open to other folk’s wishes. Anyone that knows of other good causes that are in need of funding should feel free to post a link to a donation page in comments. Obviously, any requests for donations should be of the progressive sort. Organizations that support education, women, anti-racism, the disabled, etc. need only apply.

I understand that times are hard and money is short, but consider this little effort an act of investing in the future. Leave some links, donate 5 bucks where you can, and let’s do this.

Speak! CD

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
*March 7, 2009*
*SPEAK! WOMEN OF COLOR MEDIA COLLECTIVE** RELEASING SELF-TITLED DEBUT CD*
*UNITED STATES *

SPEAK! Women of Color Media Collective, a netroots coalition of women of color bloggers and media-makers, is debuting March 7, 2009 with a performance art CD, accompanied by a collaborative zine and classroom curriculum for educators.

Compiled and arranged by Liquid Words Productions, the spoken word CD weaves together the stories, poetry, music, and writings of women of color
from across the United States. The 20 tracks, ranging from the explosive
“Why Do You Speak?” to the reverent “For Those of Us,” grant a unique
perspective into the minds of single mothers, arrested queer and trans activists, excited children, borderland dwellers, and exploring dreamers, among
many others.

“We want other women of color to know they are not alone in their
experiences,” said writer and educator Alexis Pauline Gumbs, one of
the contributors to the CD. “We want them to know that this CD will
give sound, voice and space to the often silenced struggles and dreams of
womenof color.”

The Speak! collective received grant assistance from the Allied Media
Conference coordinators to release a zine complementing the works featured
on the CD, as well as a teaching curriculum for educators to incorporate its
tracks into the classroom environment.

“*Speak!* is a testament of struggle, hope, and love,” said blogger
Lisa Factora-Borchers of A Woman’s Ecdysis. “Many of the contributors are
in the Radical Women of Color blogosphere and will be familiar names… I
can guarantee you will have the same reaction as to when I heard them
speak, I was mesmerized.”

To promote the initiative, the Speak! collective is coordinating
listening parties in communities across America, creating short YouTube
promotions illustrating the CD creation process, and collaborating with organizers and activists online and offline.

The CD is available for online ordering at the SPEAK! Media Collective site on a sliding scale, beginning at $12.

All inquiries for review copies should be directed to us at speakcd@gmail.com. Proceeds of this album will go toward funding for mothers
and/or financially restricted activists attending the 11th Annual
*Allied Media Conference* in Detroit, MI from July 16-19.

[Tip o' the Fedora: Elle]

WTF Moment of the Day

{Fedora Tip to Melissa of Shakesville.}

Usher:

The comments made during a recent recording session amongst friends were taken out of context and blown out of proportion. I apologize on behalf of myself and my friends if anyone was offended. The intentions were not to pass judgment and we meant no harm. I respect and wish the best for all parties involved.

Here’s what Usher said, which apparently warranted an apology:

“I’m a little disappointed in this photo,” Usher says about the shots of Brown, as singer/songwriter Johnta Austin bounces around the room and makes some off-color jokes about boxing. “After the other photo [of Rihanna's bruised face posted by TMZ last month]? C’mon, Chris. Have a little bit of remorse, man. The man’s on jet skis? Like, just relaxing in Miami?”

So yeah, Usher rightfully calls Chris Brown out, and he’s the one that ends up apologizing?

There should be no respect and no best wishes given to Chris Brown at all. Chris Brown should be continually called out for the abusive ass that he is.

Oscar Grant Punched in Face before Being Shot

As this story unfolds, it gets uglier and uglier. It appears that another cop punched Oscar Grant in face, knocking him to the ground, before the final tragic episode where Grant was killed took place.

So now, all of you folks in comments that are, in effect, arguing that Grant got what he deserved because he didn’t play nice with the police, are you now going to claim that if Grant had just “taken it like a man” and just understood (or perhaps remembered is the better word) that police beat people down for little to no reason all the time he would still be alive today?

Yeah, you probably are.

As always, Color of Change is on it:

Dear ColorOfChange.org member,

It wasn’t just one cop attacking Oscar Grant on New Year’s Eve. A new video shows that before Grant was killed, officer Tony Pirone punched him in the face without cause, hitting him so hard that he dropped to the ground. Experts have called it criminal. So why has the District Attorney said he’s not pursuing charges?

It took two weeks and thousands of people speaking out before the DA charged Oscar Grant’s killer with murder. Clearly, it will take continued public pressure to see that justice is served throughout this case. This is a moment to demand accountability, and your voice is critical.

Please take a moment to click the link below. By adding your voice, you’ll help us publicly confront District Attorney Tom Orloff, and put pressure on California’s Attorney General to keep an eye on how Orloff handles the case. It only takes a second. And please ask your friends and family to do the same.

http://www.colorofchange.org/grant/

What You Should Be Reading – The Justice for Oscar Grant Edition

MattBastard: Under Siege: On Oscar Grant and Other Victims

Color of Change: Demand justice in the killing of Oscar Grant

Sign the pledge to demand justice for Oscar Grant.

Electronic Village: Justice for Oscar Grant: The Fight Continues

Jose L. Vilson: Before You Become President (Dear Barack Obama)

Keep It Trill: The New Open Season on Black Men: Is It Obama Related?

Womanist Musings: Oscar Grant, Police Violence, and the War on Black Men

Angry Black Bitch: Pondering Justice for Oscar Grant

Ding: We are All Oscar Grant (and Dymond Milburn, Michael Cho, Adolph Grimes…)

Changeseeker: Is Open Season Ever Going To Close?

Johannes Mehserle, Oscar Grant’s Killer, Is Arrested

Well, this is good news:

The BART police officer who fatally shot an unarmed man on an Oakland train platform and then refused to explain his actions to investigators was arrested Tuesday in Nevada on suspicion of murder, authorities said.

Johannes Mehserle, 27, of Lafayette was taken into custody in Douglas County, Nev., said Deputy Steve Velez of the Douglas County sheriff’s office. The arrest was also confirmed by David Chai, chief of staff to Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums.

Mehserle was arrested in the New Year’s Day shooting of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old supermarket worker from Hayward who was lying facedown after being pulled off a BART train by police investigating a fight. An Alameda County judge signed an arrest warrant alleging murder, and Mehserle surrendered without incident, authorities said.

Now let’s see if anything comes of it. And yes, you will have to excuse me for being cynical here.