HER RACE TO END PTSD (ARTICLE & INTERVIEW )
BY: Leon Kwasi Kuntuo-Asare
On Saturday, October 15, 2016, early on a foggy, San Francisco morning, hundreds of activist-athletes and good Samaritans, of all faiths and even those without, came from a rainbow of races, nationalities, sexual orientations, and gender identities converged at Lake Merced Park.
After months of donations, given by a multitude of contributors, over a hundred thousand dollars was raised to support the children affected by the crisis and blockade in Gaza.
Proceeds from the Gaza 5k walk/run went to the UNRWA’s community Mental Health Program for Palestinian children in Gaza suffering from Psychological issues and posttraumatic stress disorder, due to the prolonged crisis of 2014 and the continued Israeli blockade in the Gaza area.
At the event there were several awe-inspiring and wonderful people of various ethnic backgrounds and cultures, united for this one great progressive cause, but the one person who stood out the most to me was fellow activist-athlete and a person I call friend, Chelsea Swall, her toughness still continues to blow me completely off my feet . Chelsea is what many millennials would refer to as a sociopreneur, for those of you unfamiliar with that term, a sociopreneur, according to UrbanDictionary.com is : “An enterprising individual that starts a venture not merely for profits but for inclusion of the communities that so far have been left out of the main stream.”
Well before the age of 30, she has already earned her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy /Counseling , worked at places like San Francisco suicide Prevention, USF Center for Child and Family Development, continues to volunteer in her community and has recently began practicing as a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern at a San Francisco private practice. What is most amazing to me is how she has turned her family’s tragedy and unimaginable personal “Pain into a Passion Fueled Purpose”, having lost two family members to suicide, she fights valiantly everyday to help people suffering with various types of psychological issues and mental Trauma. For Chelsea this is not about politics or religion ,it’s about curing a disease that according to the World Health Organization , over 350 million people are suffering from worldwide. An agonizing disease that at its worst, can lead to suicide, the World Health Organization states: Over 800 000 people die due to suicide every year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds.”
I am pleased to say Chelsea and I have become good friends over time. Here is some of our conversation from the event :
Me: where are you originally from?
Chelsea : San Diego
Me: What made you come to San Francisco?
Chelsea : I came here for graduate school at San Francisco State University . I also loved the openness of alot of the people here.
Me: what age were you when you decided psychology was the path you wanted to take in life?
Chelsea: in high school I took a psychology class and volunteered at a hospice, but junior year of college is when I knew for sure, that I wanted to work in mental health.
Me: what do you want to accomplish by being here today?
Chelsea : bring awareness and raise money for a good cause.
Me: do you plan to continue to do community volunteering and activism for mental health causes?
Chelsea : yes
For those of you interested in seeing an amazing therapist in the Bay Area, use the link below to contact Chelsea Swall :
Pictures from this beautiful event:
Video of celebration after the race.
For additional information on The on the crisis in Gaza, please use link below :
For additional information on Mental health use link below :
“What Is Being An Activist? | VeganPirateNinja”
NEW BOOK!
Hello friends and family, I have a book coming out the beginning of July.
The book is titled the Revolution Will be Downloaded! A manifesto : How to Fight a Peaceful Revolution with Tools From the Tech Revolution
It’s a guide on how to use social media to fund progressive candidates, grassroots causes and form our own businesses in these tough economic times using social media tools.
“”It’s a Revolution”: Actress Rosario Dawson on Why She Supports Sanders for President Over Clinton”
“”Love Trumps Hate”: Actress Rosario Dawson on Why She Supports Bernie Sanders for President”
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE FOR JUSTICE !
BY:LEON KWASI KUNTUO-ASARE
PLEASE SIGN THE MOVEON.ORG PETITION, CREATED BY THE NAACP, TO DEMAND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, OPEN A CIVIL RIGHTS CASE AGAINST MURDER, DOMESTIC ABUSER, AND PUBLIC DANGER, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, A MENANCE WHO HAS BEEN ARRESTED SIX TIMES FOR VIOLENT CRIMES, INCLUDING THE MURDER OF TEEN TRAYVON MARTIN . THERE ARE OVER 618,000 THOUSAND SIGNATURES, ONLY 7,000 MORE NEEDED TO REACH OUR GOAL OF 625,000, PLEASE SIGN AND HELP US REACH THAT GOAL AND GET JUSTICE FOR ALL OF US.
IT’S NEVER TO LATE FOR JUSTICE!
SIGN THE PETITION BELOW :
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/open-a-civil-rights-case/?source=search
SUPER DELEGATES IN THE DNC, LET WE THE ✊ PEOPLE DECIDE!
BY: LEON KWASI KUNTUO-ASARE
I grew up believing we here in America lived in a true democracy, but now I see that was a fallacy, told to me in school and on tv , because America in actuality is an oligarchy.
Still don’t believe me? Look no further than the super delegates in the Democratic party, that has already selected, not elected, Hillary over Bernie.
The truth is Clinton and Sanders in pledged delegates are neck and neck, but the corporate media or the elitists in the DNC won’t tell you that, because they’re looking out for the 1%, and have zero interest in watching our back.
SIGN THE PETITION BELOW IF YOU BELIEVE OUR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE DECIDED BY WE THE PEOPLE AND NOT A FEW HUNDRED PARTY ELITES.
IT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY 200,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING MYSELF, VOTE FOR WHOMEVER YOU WANT, HILLARY OR BERNIE, THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE, DEMOCRACY IS.
This will be delivered to the Democratic party and their super delegates.
http://pac.petitions.moveon.org/sign/tell-the-democratic-superdel?source=none&fb_test=0
JUSTICE FOR ALEX NIETO!
BY: LEON KWASI KUNTUO-ASARE
On March 1, 2016 the local activist community in San Francisco, came together to demand Justice for Alex Nieto, who was a young man, who reportedly had a history of strange and erratic behavior , but who also was a community organizer, college student, security guard and a family man.
FAMILY, FRIENDS AND THE COMMUNITY, COMING TOGETHER MEMORY OF ALEX NIETO, BEFORE THE NIETO FAMILY’S CIVIL SUIT AGAINST THE SAN FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Nieto was shot by SFPD two years, allegedly in a barrage of over 40 bullets, police claim they mistook the taser that Nieto used for his security job, for a gun.
Hundreds of people from a rainbow of various ethnic backgrounds, came together in solidarity in front of the Federal Courthouse in San Francisco, for the first day of the Nieto’s civil suit against the San Francisco police department.
VOICES FOR JUSTICE AT THE JUSTICE FOR ALEX NIETO RALLY!
LOCAL ACTIVIST AND POET GIVES SPEECH ABOUT ALEX NIETO.
A YOUNG POETESS PERFORMS AN EMOTIONAL POEM ABOUT ALEX NIETO.
PUBLISHED POET, BLOGGER AND SAN FRANCISCO ACTIVIST, SPEAKS ABOUT ALEX NIETO, SFPD, RACISM, AND POLICE BRUTALITY.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION USE LINK :
http://m.sfgate.com/crime/article/Civil-trial-to-start-in-shooting-by-police-in-6859592.php
OAKLAND OUTREACH!(PHOTO ESSAY)
BY: LEON KWASI KUNTUO-ASARE
On Saturday may 16, 2015 in the economically disenfranchised and rapidly being gentrified Eastside of Oakland, California, in the early morning where many of the local residents were asleep literally and many more are still asleep (like sleeping beauty) figuratively, local and rising activist Shawn Wolf and his grassroots organization The Bay Area Black Community held their second town hall meeting and community outreach at the Williams Chapel Baptist Church. Some of the other speakers at the event were local activists: Richard Nelson, Marshall Walker and former Black Panther Dedan J. Jaga.
If anyone would like to checkout or donate to this grassroots organization, please visit: Bayareablack.org
Here are several photos from the event:
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