“Tariq Nasheed: Return of the Yellow Peril”
DEMOCRATS AND THEIR PRIORITIES
Local Art in San Francisco
San Francisco Women’s March 2018 ( Photo Essay)
PHOTO ESSAY AND VIDEO FROM SAN FRANCISCO WOMEN’S MARCH 1-21-17
Tens of thousands of citizen activists came together in San Francisco, California, standing united against President Donald Trump’s racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.
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 :
Death by Gentrification: Alex Nieto Killed by Hail of Police Bullets in a Changing San Francisco
A look at the case of Alex Nieto, a 28-year-old Latino man fatally shot by San Francisco police in March 2014. The police officers accused in the killing claimed that Nieto pointed a stun gun at them, which they mistook for a pistol. Officers Richard Schiff, Nathan Chew, Roger Morse and Lt. Jason Sawyer fired dozens of shots at Nieto. According to the medical examiner, he was hit by at least 10 bullets. Last month, a jury unanimously found that the police did not use excessive force in responding to Nieto. Nieto’s family had filed a federal wrongful death civil lawsuit in August 2014, arguing in court that Nieto did not act aggressively and was carrying the weapon for his job as a security guard. We speak with Adriana Camarena, a writer, community advocate and co-founder of the Justice for Alex Nieto Coalition; and author Rebecca Solnit, who wrote a piece for The Guardian headlined “Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco.” Camarena also talks about last week’s San Francisco police killing of a homeless man, Luis Gongora, within 30 seconds of their arrival.
A BRIGHT MOON, PARTIALLY HIDDEN BEHIND PASSING CLOUDS, DURING A LATE SAN FRANCISCO NIGHT!
THE SMACK OF THE SAN FRANCISCO ELLIS ACT: (POEM/ESSAY)
BY:LEON KWASI KUNTUO-ASARE
The fact is the San Francisco Ellis act is a smack in the face and wallet of residents
who love this city and have through good and bad times remained solid
Anyone who bought into the slogan and theme of the San Francisco dream
Corporate thieves and political greed have turned the San Francisco dream into the San Francisco nightmare
Full of evictions and despair for lifelong residents forced to beg like peasants!
The current tech boom in San Francisco is bringing back both the economic prosperity and social-economic devastation of the dot.com boom of the late 1990’s, as many landlords are now forcing out many longtime residents of the city by the bay.
In areas of the city like the mission district ( a predominantly Hispanic and immigrant area) and the Bayview-Hunters point district ( a area with a largest African-American population in the city ) , two regions of San Francisco with a rich ethnic history and unfortunately an economically disenfranchised past. Many low income families are being forced out of the city. According to a Newsweek article by journalist Joe Kloc, from April 15, 2014, Joe writes: “In many cities, people are pushed farther from the city center and must grapple with longer commutes, higher crime rates and a drop in services. But in San Francisco, where Silicon Valley’s tech boom has driven up evictions by 115 percent.” Leaving the newly vacant apartments available to be rented by highly paid tech company employees, who can afford the over priced rent that obviously many long time residents can’t afford, unless they take the risk and use services like Airbnb, which allows tenants to rent out parts of their apartment to complete strangers, which can help them pay their rent.
What ever politicians in San Francisco needs to keep in mind, is that every boom or bubble will burst, so eventually that same thing is going to happen to the tech boom that happened to the dot.com, sooner or later the gold rush always ends. The city by the bay may want to think twice before allowing its longtime loyal residents to be forcefully sent off from the city like inmates to Alcatraz, because they committed the crime of being economically disenfranchised!
SAN FRANCISCO DREAMS! (POEM)
Here is where a proud person once stood
She now smells like concentrated urine and garbage and she is so misunderstood
By everyone who turns their back on her
When she sleeps on the sidewalk in their upper-class neighborhood
Which is only two blocks away from the crime and drug infested hood
Gone is the hope for tomorrow, dope is the tool that ends her pain and sorrow
But only for a few moments then she starts the whole cycle over again
tomorrow!
-LEON KWASI KUNTUO-ASARE
AMERICA DIVIDED WE STAND?!
A COLLECTION OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL POETRY
NOW AVAILABLE FREE (FROM 6-17-14 TO 6-22-14) ON AMAZON KINDLE
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