Category: Justice

Organizer Cesar Juarez has been advocating for immigration reform for his community for years. Deferred Action was not what he fought for, but he puts the policy in the context of his own life, and the larger call for change.

Consumer advocates and union officials at a recent media briefing worried that if California’s Prop. 32 passes if could silence voices …

A victory for family and loved ones who have fought and supported the release of Elvira Zayas for the last 3 weeks. Arrested on charges that were up to 10 years max, Zayas was released on Tuesday night at 9:30pm and reunited with family and community yesterday. Photos are taken by Elvira's older brother Alex Zayas and Jean Melesaine.

When San Francisco Police officers falsely arrested 19 year old Latina superstar Elvira Zayas, they didn't realize how much community would come in force in efforts to support her release. While the trial continues, so does the support from the community of artists, community leaders, and caring members who fight for her arrival home.

As seniors and veterans try to fend off foreclosures, they find little relief from California's new bill to help homeowners which takes effect in January.

Elected and community leaders met with DREAM youth at San Francisco’s City Hall to celebrate the close of DREAM Summer.

Four years ago, Obama enjoyed overwhelming support from Muslim American voters. Today observers say that enthusiasm has waned.

Shifting attitudes toward prison reform, coupled with a terrible economy, may result in California voters approving Prop.36 in November.

As political leaders and law enforcement attempt to determine what has caused the tremendous bloodshed in the past couple of weeks in San Jose; writer, youth worker, and radio host David Madrid shares another perspective on the violence.

Steeda Mcgruder was incarcerated with a dream to help the women she was locked up with to find themselves. That dream has been made real with her counseling group "Sisters That Been There".

A report that the death penalty cost California $4 billion, plus increasing exonerations have built support in the fall election to end executions.

Sikh youth say the tragic events at Oak Creek earlier this month have only strengthened their sense of community and identity.

The San Jose Police Department verified that newspaper racks of several Bay Area publications, including La Oferta, were found in the recycling bin located behind the building of the San Jose Mercury News.

Recently, San Mateo County Coalition for Immigrant Rights held a county wide forum to urge decision-makers to stop reporting youth to ICE. More than 250 people attended.

California lawmakers are among those pushing for an end to the practice of arbitrarily denying employment and housing to former felons.

San Francisco's DA apologized last week for failing to respond to complaints from Chinese-speaking victims of elder financial abuse.

Having an incarcerated parent is disturbingly common for children in California, and the impacts are far-reaching.

In San Mateo County, youth as young as 10-years-old face deportation from contact with the criminal justice system. Youth United for Community Action gathered responses from families, lawyers and advocates on the impact on the county's practice. Learn more at: www.stopdeportingyouth.com

In the wake on Obama's "deferred action" policy, author and undocumented immigrant Juan Reyes recalls the challenges and struggles that comes with growing up as an American with no status.

At institutions of higher education across the nation, students have been engaged in efforts to create new Asian American-related programs.

The U.S. Criminal Justice system has uncharacteristically underreported instances of prejudice, discrimination and racial profiling against South Asians. Few cases have emerged and those that have, rarely gathered much momentum.

Though excited when he first heard about the Obama policy that would give work permits to young undocumented immigrants, after a closer read, the author sees more drawbacks than advantages to applying.

With the DREAM Act once again compromised, the words of Langston Hughes ring as true as ever: "A dream deferred is a dream denied."

Danny Pina recounts his journey that started when he got is arm dislocated and nose cartilage broken by a San Jose Police officer in 2009, to the ultimate jury verdict win in federal court a couple years later.

Over 250 Doubletree Hotel workers returned to the job on Friday, June 8 after a successful 4-day strike.

The California Catholic Conference and the Bishops of California announced their support of a new anti-deportation bill.

The heads of three of the most important, yet rarely talked about, legal institutions in the Bay Area are moving on. Author Raj Jayadev says the measure of their work can be found in the partnerships they formed with the communities they served.

New ways of collecting information – and sharing that data across government agencies – are raising concerns over privacy rights.

Block2Block radio host David Madrid talks with “Cathedral of Faith” youth director and gospel rapper “Brother Ig” about the latest break in the Sierra LaMar missing person’s case. His ministry is based in Morgan Hill, giving him insight to the hopes and fears of the South County community.

The insidious crime of financial elder abuse is growing, and ethnic elders are especially vulnerable to family, friends and even organized crime.

Rather then attempt to reduce incarceration rates, San Mateo County decides to build more space for incarceration.

A 21-year-old transgender woman reflects on the murder of Brandy Martell and what it means for her generation.

Civil rights advocates are celebrating new legislation signed into law by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

San Jose poet Miguel Gonzales reads a poem in dedication to Trayvon Martin and other young men of color who's lives were unjustifiably cut short. Photos by Charisse Domingo, taken at a San Jose rally in support of Trayvon Martin.

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio is poised to release his version of the DREAM Act — one that would create a legal category of second-class citizens.

Last October, California began implementation of AB109 and AB117, laws intended to reduce overcrowding in its state prisons. Since then, more than 22,400 inmate…

The missing piece from the national attention on the tragedy of Trayvon Martin is the role of the prosecutor, and the enormous authority they have in any potential case to determine if a criminal act has, or has not, occurred.

While it is laudable that the Obama administration has decided to reduce funding for the immigration enforcement program, 287(g), harmful parts of it will continue to tear families apart.

Aging Latino parents of incarcerated children are often punished, too, unable to afford travel—often long distances--to visit an imprisoned loved one.

Congratulations to Danny Pina, who first walked into De-Bug with a dislocated elbow, a busted nose, and a false resisting arrest charge. Three years later, he finally found the justice he was seeking.

Ray Samuels, former Newark Police Chief, passed away recently at the age of 58. Aram James, a civil rights organizer and former public defender, found a friend and trusted ally in Samuels through their common campaign against the Tasers, and shares his memories of the man he calls both a friend and inspiration.

Cesar Flores has worked locally with families fighting for reforms in the Bay Area. Now, through connecting with legislative advocates in Sacramento, these families can influence the laws that govern their local criminal justice systems.

Chance for permanent residency, access to federal benefits hinge on cooperating with law enforcement.

I know an old man who bends down low, his hands calloused and eyes going blind. He looks at the fields he worked for decades...

A look inside the De-Bug Center and the bustling universe of activities conducted there, such as silk-screening, photography, music production, journalism and community advocacy. This video footage was captured and edited by San Jose State Film students.

Homeowners said that the $18 billion deal with banks still fails to fully address the damage done during the foreclosure crisis.

A look back at the 10-year-old Berkeley sex trafficking case that changed the conversation around trafficking in California.

Stacey McGruder found her own transformation and freedom from incarceration by drawing on the strength and support of women around her. Now she is sharing her self-taught model with other women.

A new measure advocates hope to get on the November ballot would increase penalties against human traffickers in California. The campaign was launched yesterday to coincide with National Human Trafficking Awareness Day,

An artistic rendering of De-Bug's Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project.

2012 could be a decisive year for the future of anti-immigration state laws, from the Supreme Court to the White House.

As part of a new effort to reduce potentially lethal confrontations between the police and those with mental health needs, the County is employing a new program called Post Crisis Intervention.

As participants of the Occupy movement protested in front of Wells Fargo, with the back drop of Christmas in the Park, De-Bug asked protesters what their resolutions were for the Occupy movement in 2012.

Santa Clara County Faith Leaders Convene to Discuss Their Role in Criminal Justice Realignment.

A bloody attack on a 56-year-old Sikh preacher in the city of Fresno last week has rattled the local community.

Elder abuse and neglect are growing problems with the rapid aging of the United States, but Chinese seniors in this country face special challenges, according to a new study presented at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) annual convention.

The Reyes sisters were among many Hyatt employees whose faces were pasted atop bikini-clad cartoon images on the company’s bulletin board.

Block2Block radio host David Madrid talks with union organizer Louie Rocha from the Communications Workers of America (CWA) about their current struggle with Verizon Wireless and their connection to the Occupy Movement.

An India Currents contributor and legal observer, shares her experience at the Oakland occupation that has attracted national attention.

As four former Tri Valley University officials pleaded not guilty to committing visa fraud, hundreds of the sham college’s former students have received notices from immigration officials which amount to the first step in deportation proceedings.

After spending a night in the tents, author Marco Reyes comments on the significance of the Occupy Wall Street movement locally in San Jose, and what the movement means in the backdrop of history.

In what has been heralded the most progressive policy in the nation, Santa Clara County today voted in a new set of guidelines for civil immigration detainers, which in effect ends the county’s collaboration with ICE.

Filipino Americans who joined the Occupy SF protest likened the movement to the Phils.' 1986 People Power Revolution.

Block2Block Radio host David Madrid gives an update on the current California prison hunger strike at Pelican Bay State Prison, plus a touching call in commentary from Lupe Madrid, who's father is one of the strikers serving time in solitary confinement "Security Housing Unit" in Pelican Bay.

On September 14, 2011, over 200 attendees -- parolees, probationers, families, elected officials, law enforcement managers -- came together to participate in a community forum about Santa Clara County's criminal justice realignment plan.

Block2Block Radio host David Madrid talks with Mario Ozuna-Sanchez of the National Compadres Network about the mental health and healing needs of men & boys in our communities.

A 19-year-old East Palo Alto organizer speaks on behalf of hundreds of families in East Palo Alto regarding rent increases.

The recently formed taskforce gave a strong rebuke to the controversial Secure Communities program, yet immigrant advocates say the recommendations do not go far enough.

As counties across California develop plans to respond to the state's mandate to reduce the prison population, Santa Clara County has been gathering input on what makes for a successful re-entry of inmates into the community. Silicon Valley De-Bug interviews residents who have recently been released, as well as direct service providers.

As counties across California struggle to develop plans to respond to Governor Brown's mandate that they receive thousands of inmates from the state prison system, one local pastor has already developed a working blueprint.

Silicon Valley De-Bug's Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project presents a new publication that shares the stories of eight families who changed the outcome of their criminal cases through their active participation. The book is also a guide on how communities can measurably impact their local criminal justice system.

On August 15th the California Senate Appropriations Committee will decide whether California has the funds to pass the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, AB889, giving the estimated 200,000 nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers worker protections. Local members of the California Domestic Workers Coalition met with the office of Sen. Alquist to urge her to support the bill.

An attorney with Equal Rights Advocates argues that passage of the federal DREAM Act would have a direct impact on immigrant women.

A legislative mandate that California reduce its prison population has created an opportunity to dramatically change the state’s criminal justice system. But ultimately, decisions made at the county level will decide whether or not these goals can be achieved, says writer Raj Jayadev.

A week after Kenneth Harding was killed during an altercation with San Francisco police officers on a light rail train, his mother Denika Chatman talked with San Francisco BayView reporter Natasha Reid.

Weeks after SJPD announced they will bring on two federal immigration officers, they consider participation in an initiative which calls on local police and residents to be reporting agents for federal enforcement agencies.

After foreclosure, homeowners pick up the pieces and re-imagine the California dream of homeownership.

In the direct aftermath of a police involved shooting that ended the life of a 19-year-old San Francisco man, dozens of cell phone videos captured the scene.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reports that 6,600 prisoners in at least 13 of the state’s prisons have joined a hunger strike.

Though repeatedly stating their department would not work with ICE, budget cuts and a climbing homicide rate has brought Chief Moore to take on two federal investigators from Homeland Security.

Former Abercrombie and Fitch employee, Hani Khan, says she was told she had to take her hijab off at work. When she refused, she was fired.

Shortly after the publication of his tell-all essay in the New York Times revealing his undocumented status, Filipino-American journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize winner, sat down for a one-on-one interview with New America Media.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon made a rare appearance in the San Francisco Bay Area at a special town hall “Encuentro con la comunidad mexicana” with nearly 600 immigrant laborers, grassroots organizers, farm workers and other compatriots the Bay Area.

A recent Supreme Court decision highlights the “cruel and unusual” conditions of the California prison system. Community organizer Ernest Chavez says inmates with mental health needs, such as Jerome Wilson, illustrate an even deeper systemic problem.

The Gandhi legacy has returned to popular and scholarly venues as of late. Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan explores why and what Gandhian thinking means to today’s contemporary world.

Demetrius Campbell, also known as Yung Ghost, tragically lost his life at the age of twenty on May 4, 2011. Friends and family remember him as a unique talent, loyal friend and a man of integrity.

During a week of violence in San Jose a loved member of the community, just 18 years old, was stabbed to death and A-town in San Jose is left with a greater police presence.

In the week since the U.S. Supreme Court ordered California to make drastic cuts in its prison population, one thing has become clear: Local jails are in no position to take in more inmates.

Jeysson Minota, a permanent legal resident, faced deportation, stemming from a vandalism charge due to graffiti. After four years of being in and out of detention, he was able to beat the deportation order, and stay with his family in the US.

Fired Mi Pueblo workers, with the assistance of UFCW Local 5 and supporting communities, held a hunger strike to challenge the workplace standards of one of the largest ethnic markets in the Bay Area.

An advisory board member reports back from the group's first meeting, and says how the new San Jose Police Chief handles the upcoming Cinco de Mayo weekend may be an important indicator for the future of community-police relations.

As states across the country look to enact their own immigration laws, the immigration debate has shifted to state capitols.

On the heels of the one-year anniversary of a historic Supreme Court decision, attorney Angie Junck and organizer Raj Jayadev share lessons learned from a case of a San Jose man who beat a deportation order.

Susana Ruiz, artist/video game designer and co-founder of Take Action Games, presented her work at the Euphrat Museum of Art in Cupertino, California. Her games take on social justice issues such as criminal justice and gender violence.

Author Kevin Weston says three very different high profile cases tell important stories of the conditions and realities facing African-Americans in the Bay Area.

Author Jean Melesaine reflects on how preconceived notions of size and physicality impact her two younger brothers and a generation of Polynesian young men.

An Egyptian born San Jose writer shares her view on the historic revolution and the new insights on family that came with it.

In a unique bridge building effort that rose above prison walls, Abe Menor, through the efforts of United Playaz, facilitated a writing project where the women from Chowchilla Prison wrote letters to San Jose youth about their lives, prison, and their hopes for the community.

Filipino-American caregivers are grateful that California legislators are recognizing their rights as workers. Last month, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights was introduced and if passed it will ensure domestic workers protections under the law.

David Madrid of De-Bug’s Block to Block Radio interviews Ali Rahnoma, a San Jose temporary worker and labor organizer, who says Wisconsin’s union issues are relevant to Silicon Valley and the next generation of American workers.

AD Avila was selected as one of a handful of community leaders from around the country by the Knight Commission to present a digital story of his immigrant experience. Through his artwork and advocacy he breaks down the fear of the American immigrant.

Newly appointed Chief Moore sat down with La Oferta reporter Nahui Ollin to discuss his plans to regain trust with ethnic communities.

The early months of 2011 have already registered 11 homicides in East San Jose. Young men of color have been both victims and perpetrators of the attacks. De-Bug gathered young men from the Eastside to talk about what they are seeing on the streets, and what can be done to stop the violence.

Read the digital version of De-Bug's print magazine. Entitled "Under the Skin of San Jose," this issue features articles from downtown hustlers, homeless youth and a new generation of cultural entrepreneurs.

San Jose has already registered seven homicides in 2011, nearly matching half of the total killings from the previous year. The victims are often young and brown. Marcos Reyes, who lives in the same neighborhoods where sidewalk memorials are springing up, describes what it feels like to be a part of a community in peril.

Days before news broke that the City Manager had picked the Interim Chief Moore as the next San Jose Police Chief, CJA sent a letter detailing why Chief Batts was most qualified to meet their community criteria. The City Council is expected to make their decisions regarding Chief Moore on Tuesday.

A compromised crime lab might be more endemic than an exception, and according to defense attorney Aram James, points to a larger flaw in the mechanics of the criminal justice system.

As the City goes into the final stages of selecting the next police chief, the Coalition for Justice and Accountability presents their Community Input Report, which shares the findings compiled from 3,000 hand-filled surveys, conducted in three languages, on what San Jose's diverse communities say they require in the next chief.

When community organizer Ernest Chavez began assisting Marian Taylor on helping her son get a transfer of his parole placement, he started on a journey navigating through a parole system that has left him with unanswered questions, and a mother still waiting for her son.

Sacred Heart Community Services, one of the largest basic needs provider in the county, held a forum on the selection of the police chief. The agency also presented the findings of their survey project on community/police relations in their surrounding immigrant neighborhood in West San Jose.

The Vietnamese community of San Jose came together to discuss their criteria for the selection of the next San Jose Police Chief. The dialogue centered around officer-involved shootings and building back trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.

De-Bug's Block2Block Radio host David Madrid talks with Adam King of the New Skin Adult Tattoo Removal program, a new non-profit in the South Bay that provides job search assistance along with removing visible gang related tattoos at an affordable price.

In 2006, Art Calderon's father, who was 68 at the time, was beaten by SJPD officers. The Calderon family was given a $97,500 settlement by the city of San Jose as a result. In episode #5 of this series, Art Calderon Jr. speaks about how the new chief can create new positive relationships in the Latino community.

With the county in a recession, it is those who are often heard the least from — youth and elders — who are baring the brunt of a deep economic crisis. The moment of dwindling resources though may by an opportunity for a now veteran youth movement to lead, not just for other youth, but for all generations.

Participants at a recent press conference by SIREN — the largest immigrant rights advocacy organization in Santa Clara County — discuss the DREAM Act, scheduled for a congressional vote before the turn of the year.

In episode #4 of Message to the New San Jose Police Chief, Richard Babcock, an artist and mental health client, shares his experiences with SJPD, and his hopes for a new training protocols. The Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA) has initiated this multimedia project to inform the police chief selection process.

The African American Services Community Service Agency held a forum that brought the African-American community together with leading San Jose city elected officials to discuss the selection of the next police chief. The effort was done in collaboration with the Coalition for Justice and Accountability.

Vinh Pham, father of Daniel Pham, who was shot to death by police last year, shares his hopes for the future in police/community relations. The Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA) has initiated this multimedia project featuring San Jose residents' experiences to inform the police chief selection process.

In late October the Service, Immigrants Rights and Education (SIREN), in coordination with the Coalition for Justice and Accountability, held an open forum at the Tully Library. The dialogue, held in Spanish, brought together Latino immigrant families to discuss their concerns with the police and offer selection criteria for the next San Jose Police Chief.

Silicon Valley De-Bug and the Coalition for Justice and Accountability presents a "Message to the New San Jose Police Chief" — an ongoing multimedia project profiling a diversity of San Jose residents offering their advice and hopes for the next San Jose Police chief. This week's feature is on David Madrid, an East San Jose community member.

When California Governor candidate Meg Whitman was found to have employed an undocumented immigrant, many of the public expressed shock. Commentator Gil Villigran says what was exposed in the Whitman home speaks to a legacy of how immigrants are treated in this country.

With youth unemployment reaching an astounding high, one commentator talks about the feeling of being reborn through finally finding the ever elusive job.

When Judge La Doris Cordell took office as the new San Jose Independent Police Auditor this Summer, distrust between communities of color and police was at an all time high. In this two-part radio segment, Demone Carter sits down with the newly appointed San Jose IPA to talk about civilian oversight, Oscar Grant, and her plans for the future of the office.

A reported 352 rapes occurred in Santa Clara County in 2009. Law enforcement and other support agencies have developed numerous ways to offer the community protection against these attacks.

The Mexican Consulate is recognizing Labor Rights Week from August 30 to September 6. Together with key city agencies, officials and the Department of Labor, the consulate is offering panel discussions, labor workshops and assistance to the community all week.

With the Police Chief retiring, a new moment of possibility has arrived for building trust between communities of color and the police department. How the community is included in the selection process will set the tone for years to come.

On July 22, 2010, Hyatt Santa Clara workers and community supporters rallied to push for a contract with the hotel as part of a nationwide series of actions. Nearly a dozen workers and community members were arrested in an act of civil disobedience at the rally.

Commentator Demone Carter reflects on the larger meaning of the Mehserle verdict as it speaks to the history of law enforcement's relationship with communities of color.

A not-guilty verdict in the Johannes Merhserle case involving the killing of Oscar Grant by the former BART cop will likely trigger a reponse from youth of color. Commentator Demone Carter explains the combustible context that surrounds the jurors' decision in Los Angeles.

When 19-year-old Steven Powell was shot and killed at the Pink Party in San Francisco during the Gay Pride festivities, there were some unexpected reactions. Commentator Jean Melesaine, who saw a fallen Powell at the event, says the response by some in the gay community reveal underlying tensions around race and class.

Educational opportunities in prisons have been taken away, and society, not just prisoners, will be hurt in the long run, writes Malik Alayube, an inmate at High Desert State Prison. Alayube, 24 years old, is originally from San Jose, where he hopes to return one day.

Silicon Valley NAACP President Reverend Jethroe Moore II has been a leading advocate for civil rights since he was elected into office in 2007. Moore speaks with The Globe on the NAACP's legacy and the organization's ambition to reach out to other San Jose communities.

Ramon Vasquez was facing a life sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. Due to his perseverance, he was not only released, but given a “factual finding of innocence” — a rare court order which clears his name.

On May 10, 2010 the family of Daniel Pham, the 27-year-old Vietnamese man who was shot and killed by the San Jose Police a year ago, held a vigil at City Hall.

Female ex-offenders often struggle to find employment and hope for a new lease on life. A Santa Clara County program called the Ladder Project is giving them a way to accomplish their goals.