yjc know justice, know peace part 1

KNOW JUSTICE KNOW PEACE

Part 1PO Box 73688, L.A., CA 90003 / www.youth4justice.org / freelanow@yahoo.com

WITH CREDIT GIVEN TO: THE YOUTH AND FAMILIES OF THE YOUTH JUSTICE COALITION WHOSE WISDOM AND EXPERIENCES GAVE RISE TO THIS WORK; JUSTICE MOVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WHO HAVE INSPIRED AND GUIDED US; AND THE COMMUNITY ELDERS AND ANCESTORS WHO LAID THE GROUNDWORK. AS THE YORUBA PROVERB SAYS, “If we stand tall, it’s because we stand on the backs of those who went before us.”

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KNOW JUSTICE KNOW PEACE

THIS PRESENTATION IS DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS: (1) CITY OF LOST ANGELS explains why the Youth Justice Coalition (YJC) was forced to address violence and crime, and why transformative justice was the only logical path for us to take towards peace. (2) ROOTS OF THE SCHOOL-TO-JAIL TRACK, YOUTH CRIMINALIZATION AND MASS INCARCERATION covers some of the history that led to America’s addiction to prisons. (3) BUILDING A MOVEMENT FOR YOUTH JUSTICE describes the YJC’s Transformative Justice Process and includes

comparisons with the traditional U.S. court system and Restorative Justice.

THIS IS PART 1.

The Youth Justice Coalition was forced to engage in transformative justice. We were causing harm to ourselves, our families and communities. We were suffering mentally and physically and medicating ourselves with prescription and street drugs to the point of zombification in order to escape the violence we had witnessed and experienced. We were burying youth in the grave one day and in prison the next. We had to be able to protect our center, families and communities without relying on either the racist injustice system or

the brutal justice of the streets.

We were here...

The YJC has buried 38 youth and young adults over the past 3 years - victims of street or police violence; five youth were killed in the spring of 2012 alone; and all of us have been locked up or have family members inside.

YOUTH KILLED IN THE PAST THREE YEARS…

Ivon Bryant, killed by a hit and run driver as he crossed the street on Centinela a few blocks from Chuco’s.

Brandy Brown’s brother, Fenton Brown Jr. -- known to his friends as “Man” -- was shot and killed. He was 19.

Michael Moore, 20, was shot several times while talking to a friend outside his home on Chester Avenue in Inglewood.

Edwin Joseph Cobbin, 17, was killed in Hawthorne on Cordary and 134th on June 8, 2009. He was shot three times. His friends, including Damien Parker, heard the shots and saw their friend die. Edwin was Damien’s “homeboy and a best friend” since elementary school.

Jeremy Burrell was shot and killed on Victoria a few blocks north of Chuco’s. He was on track to graduate from FREE L.A. High School. His son was born a few months later.

Joshua Jackson killed himself after being bullied at his school and online.

Christopher Moreland, shot and killed a few blocks from his mother’s house in Inglewood.

Dante Willis, shot and killed in front of his uncle’s house just a few blocks west of Chuco’s on May 8, 2010.

Veronica Martinez’ cousin Alex “Dopey” Guzman was shot and killed in front of his house on 118th and Main in South Central on April 1, 2010. Had the ambulance not taken so long to arrive, he might have survived.

On April 15, 2010, Tina Sanchez was found shot in the face and wrapped in a sleeping bag on Crenshaw Blvd. and 73rd Street a few blocks from Chuco’s. She was known as a kind neighbor to the youth.

On July 18th, 2010, Javier Sanchez, 15 was shot and killed walking home from a party just a few blocks from his home directly behind Chuco’s. Hearing the shots, his friends ran and found him bleeding to death on the sidewalk. He was a childhood friend to several youth at the YJC.

Luis De Paz, 20 was shot and killed in front of his home on 71st Street and Victoria on July 20th, 2010. He was a friend and brother to many youth at the YJC.

D-Money, Semaj, Digums and Lil’ Kidd2 were all killed in the blocks across the street from Chuco’s.

“From all those who have fallen and gotten our wings, it’s so great that all of you are graduating, because so many of us didn’t make it. You are facing a lot of obstacles. Take this accomplishment as the gateway to the rest of your life. Don’t ever take life for granted.”

On August 14th, 2010, Rene Guardado, 21 was leaving a party with two of today’s graduates - Luis Falcon and Sergio Hill on 66th Street near Crenshaw. A car rolled up, banged on them and shot. Rene died on the sidewalk a few steps away from his cousin’s house.

Montae “M-Bone” Talbert, 22, was shot and killed on May 15, 2011 in Inglewood. He was known by many in the YJC. Cali Swag District shot his tribute video at Chuco’s.

Corey Wiley, 23, was shot Sunday, July 31, on Doty Avenue in Hawthorne.

Sylvester Tellez, 28, was a founder of the YJC. He was in the morgue for two weeks before his family found him. He used hard drugs for more than 18 years in CYA - the state’s youth prison system, inside state prisons and jails, and the

streets of L.A. before overdosing.

YJC student Lynnard Baker, 17 was shot and killed in Baldwin Hills. His organs saved four people.

Jeshai Jones, a student at the YJC, and two of her sisters were killed in a car accident in

South Central L.A. All together, they left behind five children.

YJC student Cris Carter, 17, was shot and killed on Century and Van Ness. His organs saved five people.

Former YJC student, Jackie Castillo, 20, was hit by the Metro Blue Line in Watts -

the nation’s most deadly train line.

Just a few of hundreds of YJC members who are locked up. (L.A. leads the world in incarceration and deportation.)

Pablo Arroyo, Jr. (left) was shot by an off-duty LAPD officer at a church carnival in Compton, then sentenced to 5 years for assault on that same officer. He was unarmed. He took the deal, because the DA was charging all 4 youth at the scene with attempted murder (on the police), carrying a minimum sentence of 25 years to Life for each person. His guilty plea enabled the other 3 youth to come home after being detained for more than a year going back and forth to court.

Carlos “Flaco” Burns

(Self Portrait Top Left)

Kenny Calderon (right) showing his high CAHSEE test score is serving 30 months in prison.

Ten youth in Compton are facing 30 years to life up to Life Without Parole for Conspiracy -- talking on the phone about “wanting” to shoot someone who had shot one of their friends.

Raymond Crockett (left) originally served 9 months in state prison for graffiti. He was sent back to state prison for the third time for missing Parole appointments.

He just came home.

Jose Garcia, 16 and Steven Menendez, 14 were each sentenced to 50 years - Life in state prison for being at the scene of a shooting. They were not accused of being the shooters. The shooter was 26 and has since been killed on the street. Steven’s first parole hearing will be at the age of 64.

Isaac Gonzalez’ son Enrique was sentenced to 35 to Life. He was accused of being at a party where someone was shot. Police suspected that he knew the shooter who was never identified.

Isaac Gonzalez with other YJC parent leaders.

At the age of 17, Nesta Wellington is facing Life Without Parole. With the help of YJC/FREE L.A. students, his first trial resulted in a hung jury - 11 not guilty, 1 guilty.

Jose “Axion” Gutierrez (left) did 2 years in state prison for graffiti. He was sent back to twice for a total of two additional years on technical parole violations - association - even though the people who he was with were his own brothers. He recently returned home.

Tonisha “Chocolate” Mendoza (right - pictured here working to get out voters in Watts)

is facing 2 years in state prison for a domestic disturbance where no one was hurt.

Mario Rodriguez just returned home after serving 31/2 years for using a BB gun in a robbery.

Mario Rodriguez

Travis Manning was sentenced to 19 years for using a BB gun to steal two games from a Game Stop in Compton. He has two small children.

Sammy Padilla was sentenced to 187 years - Life. He was 14 when he was arrested. He was not accused of being the shooter. This was his first arrest.

Sammy Padilla, 14

Tedi Snyder was arrested at the age of 15 and convicted of being at a shooting where no one was killed. He was not accused of being the shooter. He was facing 80 to Life. Due to court support from the YJC including packing the courtroom, several rallies, press conferences and testimony in court, Tedi was sentenced to

32-Life, the minimum the judge could give under the law.

Joe Wilson was convicted of two robberies on the street -- one where he allegedly took a baseball cap, and another where he allegedly took an I-Pod. The DA offered him two strikes and 3 years in state prison in exchange for a guilty plea. If he didn’t accept the deal, he was facing 12 years. With the deal, another arrest in California no matter how small will “strike him out” with 25 years to Life. He was just re-incarcerated on a technical parole violation.

Joe Wilson

Several families we work with had their sons killed by the police over the past three years. (Nearly 200 people have been killed by the police in L.A. County since

2007. Several police departments in L.A. lead the nation in police violence.)

A Sheriff killed Woodrow Player on Imperial Highway. He was shot in the back while running away. He was unarmed.

An Inglewood Policeman killed Marcus Smith as he walked down the stairs from a party. He was unarmed. The federal government is investigating Inglewood P.D.,

because they lead the nation in the killing of civilians.

Marcus Smith’s Nephew

The Sheriffs killed Darrick Collins at his home. They claimed that they saw Darrick go for a gun in his waistband. But the investigation revealed that the officer shot him through a

wooden gate over 6’ high, that the officer had no ability to see Darrick, and that Darrick was unarmed.

Oscar Grant was shot in the back by Bay Area Transit Police while laying face down, handcuffed on a train platform. The BART police officer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, and spent 4 months in jail + Probation. The officer claimed he was reaching for his taser when he “accidentally” shot Oscar. Oscar’s family and the Coalition in Support of Oscar Grant both made Chuco’s their base of operation for the trial.

On October 7, 2010, James Davis III, 18, was was shot in the back and killed by LAPD officers

in Imperial Courts housing development in Watts. He was a childhood friend of many at the YJC.

On October 10, 2010, Johnathan Cuevas was shot and killed by the L.A. County Sheriffs. He was also a childhood friend of many at the YJC. He was unarmed.