• Sign Our Petition in Support of the Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2020 to Cancel Pigford Debt
    In 1997, the USDA released the Civil Rights Action Team (CRAT) Report, a condemning report that affirmed Black farmer narratives of pervasive government-sanctioned racial discrimination against them through the Farm Service Agency and county committee systems. Later that year, farmer-plaintiffs Timothy Pigford, Cecil Brewington, Lucious Abrams, George Hall, Eddie Ross, and Lloyd Shaffer filed class action lawsuits, charging the USDA with discrimination against Black farmers in the distribution of loans as well as failure to investigate complaints regarding widespread systemic racial animus. The goal of the Pigford lawsuit was to restore Black farmers and their agricultural land base through full debt cancellation, federal and state tax relief, monetary compensation, priority of lending services, and access to land. After the lawsuit, the vast majority of Black farmers were left with crushing debts originating from the racist misdeeds of USDA, threat of foreclosures, and no legal recourse to save their family farms. The $1 billion settlement was paid out mostly in $50,000 cash payments to 15,645 claimants. Only 4.8% of the $1 billion settlement went to debt relief. 6,906 farmers were denied the cash payments and debt relief. Most of the 6,906 were actual farmers with verifiable farm identification numbers. According to recent USDA, 17,000 Black legacy farmers are delinquent on their loans with USDA. Our farmers have been under threat of foreclosure ranging from 5 to 30 years. Over the years, aging Black farmers have delayed foreclosures by filing pro se complaints in federal court. The USDA continues to offset Black farmers’ tax refunds, social security, disability, and subsidy payments to cover outstanding debts. Decades of farmer-led organizing combined with our heightened efforts over the last three years laid the groundwork for the Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2020. Introduced by U.S. Senators Corey Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Kirsten Gillibrand the Justice for Black Farmers Act, is historic legislation that finally includes comprehensive debt cancellation for our Black legacy farmers. Due to Congress being out of session today, the Act will be officially introduced by U.S. Senators Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Kirsten Gillibrand on November 30th. In order to claim this victory for our farmers, we need to activate our collective power. Thank you to all of our supporters that have helped amplify our campaign and raise awareness of the plight of our Black legacy farmers. In the words of June Jordan, “we are the ones we have been waiting for.” The legacy of the Pigford lawsuit is the theft of Black farms through usurious debt. Now is the time to rectify this shameful chapter in U.S. history. We urge President-Elect Joe Biden and the new Congress to quickly enact the Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2020.
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    Created by Acres of Ancestry Initiative/ Black Agrarian Fund Picture
  • Put Public Enemy on a U.S. Postage Stamp
    In Fight the Power, Chuck D says “most of my heroes don’t appear on no stamps” Through their music and activism, public enemy is a hero of the American narrative. They deserve a stamp. Let’s do better for our kids: starting with a PUBLIC ENEMY stamp:
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    Created by Thomas Lennon
  • Wayne County and All Government Employees Bill for Hazard pay
    Because now its a matter of fighting for money to pay us for everday work function. A function that can take us away from our family. An uninsured family left to fill a void unrecognized for the danger of a everyday regular job, with either environmental, health, material,equipment, chemical,or natural dangers involved.
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    Created by President Darlene Buffington
  • Black's Beach Recreational Scandal "STOP Commercialization and privatization of SD Parks"
    Hello Friends of our public We would like to see a discussion of the Torrey Pines Gliderport (which is owned by the City of San Diego) be added to the agenda for the next LJ Town Council meeting. We have been requesting this for many months and have been given many excuses in return. The Torrey Pines Gliderport is city land that has been leased - for FREE - to a private FOR PROFIT business since 1998. It was originally a 5 year lease with an option to be extended for ONE additional 5 year term. So it expired in 2008 and yet continues to this day. In about 2006, the City was sued for the many abuses of the Gliderport business, and the City settled the lawsuit in the complainant's favor and agreed to create a Torrey Pines City Park Advisory Board containing all interested stakeholders. The City (Mayor Sanders) created the "Board" under the wrong section of the City Charter (43b rather than 43a - look it up), and that enabled the City to both limit and terminate the Board to keep it from correcting the ongoing problems and abuses. To this day there is no oversight by the City and the business brings in millions of dollars every year without a dime going to the City itself. The Torrey Pines Gliderport is a poster child for the corruption in San Diego, We want the La Jolla Town Council to investigate and address the Issue with the City Council to fix it. (Closure) We have the 1998 lease agreement which I believe is still in effect to this day. Feel free to verify that this lease is current with the City's Real Estate Assets Division. Thank You I also welcome anyone contacting Me personally for more details. Ernie Casco (858) 568-1384 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Speech LJ Town Council Nov 12th 2020 Hello my name is Ernie Casco La Jolla resident, senior pilot TPGP We need LJTC help, protecting our La Jollas recreational freedom at the Gliderport. We have a proven Recreational public Waiver, that would end the dispute, An Easy fix could be done within a week. Currently Working in LA , Colorado, and Yosemite I believe. This would ....Effectively split Tandem /School operation... from public recreation freeflight. The waiver would,... Stop mandatory Club fees. Stop Insurance Fees. Both, ridiculous amounts of $. By No contest, are illegal collection of funds. (not required by law.) The waiver would also,... Stop the signing of current unfair Wavers. Stop the monopoly, the threat of violence, personal loss, false report and arrest, as they fight over power control & personal profit. The Tandem/School would,... Pay for their own insurance. (required by Law). Pay for their oversight... needed for Public Safety. San Diego City liabilities are already covered by California Recreational Statues Law. A Recreational Waiver is working at other locations, where needed. There are No waivers required at any of the other San Diego Sites. The Recreational waiver restores public access. Secures our recreational rights and freedom. Provides a Safe Tandem /School operation. It's a Win for the City, LJTC and the public rights ... I'm asking LJTC to bring this to Agenda, Provide recommendation & letter in support Show Fair representation and End the dispute.
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    Created by Ernie Casco
  • Change Street Parking times at Bent Creek Preserve
    This rule isn’t in the best interest of the Bent Creek community as a whole. We will never be able to have holiday parties or any kind of get together after dusk without our friends and families being towed. This rule is excessive.
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    Created by Eileen Gabriel
  • Support the SF Good Neighbor Policy
    SF Black Wallstreet was formed in June 2020 by seven Black SF natives amid the COVD-19 pandemic and the global Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality. We are committed to securing business, cultural space, and homeownership for Black San Franciscans. This summer, SFBW and members of our community rallied around Cafe Envy -- one of the few Black-owned restaurants in the Bayview corridor to remain open during COVID-19 restrictions-- in response to excessive nuisance and compliance complaints being filed by a neighbor. Cafe Envy, located at 1701 Yosemite Avenue within the African American Arts and Culture District -- has been a site for Black locals to gather and socialize for more than 40 years. Thanks to city and community partnerships, Cafe Envy continues to be a welcoming space for Black people to legally and safely eat, drink, and celebrate our culture during the pandemic. Despite the value Cafe Envy brings to our community as a whole, one neighbor continues to terrorize our community by weaponizing his privilege, filing complaints against Cafe Envy, bullying, and intimidating the restaurant staff, patrons, and other neighbors. This week, those complaints materialized into a written petition and an organized effort to shut Cafe Envy down permanently. Fortunately, Cafe Envy remains open for business with all legal permits and staffing in place, but it is now under heightened surveillance and subjected to over-policing. White transplant residents using anti-black bullying tactics to intimidate long-term Black, Latinx, and marginalized residents by weaponizing complaints and code violations is a National issue. The underlying motive of these complaints is to shut down our businesses, over-police our spaces, and erase our culture in an attempt to make us feel unwelcome in our own neighborhoods. We can no longer allow the discomfort, fears, and expectations of privileged SF transplants to disrespect our community, regulate our community activities, or strip away our cultural identity. SF Black Wallstreet and community stakeholders are calling on city and community leaders to adopt an SF Good Neighbor Policy, a code of conduct that guides respectful engagement with the Black, Latinx, and native SF community. The Good Neighbor Policy would also penalize 311 callers for using the line to file unsubstantiated and malicious reports. The “Good Neighbor Policy” will be crafted by a coalition of Black, Latinx, and SF natives who organize and advocate on behalf of their respective communities. Black San Franciscans, like all other communities in San Francisco, are entitled to spaces where we are welcomed, celebrated, and appreciated. Sign our petition to support Cafe Envy and encourage city officials to close the loophole on 311 complaints and enact a Good Neighbor Policy to guide respectful engagement with our Black, Latinx, and native SF community!
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    Created by SF Black Wallstreet Picture
  • Appoint an Indigenous person as Secretary of the Interior
    The Department of the Interior oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs as well and the Bureau of Indian Education. The US has never had a Native American in this position, making decisions that affect every aspect of Native life. Tell President Joe Biden that the US needs a Native person in this vital role.
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    Created by Angela Patrick
  • Help Stop Fox News from spreading lies and misinformation
    Because facts matter and misinformation hurts Americans.
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    Created by Jodi Ippolito Picture
  • TELL JOE BIDEN: Cancel Student Debt by Executive Action
    COVID-19 has made crushing student debt exponentially worse for Americans -- Over 45 million people have student loan debt and many are struggling to get by during the pandemic. Canceling student debt would ensure that families can afford food, supplies, and medications if they face layoffs or smaller paychecks because of the pandemic. This is a matter of economic survival for millions of people. Student debt threatens the economic security of the entire country -- Before the COVID-19 pandemic, America’s $1.6 trillion student debt total was a major drag on the economy. Now, a pandemic-induced recession and record levels of unemployment are making the problem worse. Debt cancellation would stimulate the economy by boosting GDP by up to $108 billion a year and adding up to 1.5 million jobs per year. Research shows that student debt cancellation will help address inequities and reduce the wealth gap -- Black and brown communities carry a disproportionate student debt burden and are also facing the brunt of the impact of the pandemic. People of color carry more student loan debt, they face higher rates of lost hours and layoffs, and persistent systemic barriers have resulted in racial inequities in incomes and wealth. The pandemic has also caused a disproportionate number of women, and especially Latinx women, to leave the workforce. There is growing energy and bipartisan public support to enact student debt cancellation -- A recent poll showed a majority of voters support canceling student debt during the pandemic. It also found strong support from Democrats and Republicans. On top of that, over 1.3 million Student Debt Crisis supporters already signed a petition to cancel student debt to boost the economy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic since March. Joe Biden campaigned on student debt cancellation, but gridlock in Congress will make it difficult -- The Biden administration must do all that it can to keep that promise. In a recent resolution, Senators Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren made clear that the president has the legal authority to direct the Secretary of Education to cancel student debt based on powers outlined in the Higher Education Act. Since the president has the power to cancel these debts, we urge Joe Biden to use executive action to cancel student debt.
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    Created by Natalia Abrams Picture
  • Michigan Senators: The election is over. Stop undermining the results.
    The election is over. Joe Biden is our President-elect and Kamala Harris is our Vice President-elect. We know the work isn’t over and our fight to build a better Michigan will continue well beyond this election. But despite votes being finalized in Michigan, there are some legislators that are attempting to undermine our election. Will you join us in urging the Senate Oversight Committee respect the decision of Michigan voters? Just over the weekend, the Oversight Committee held a hearing to try to prolong the process. Elected officials need to hear from us directly about how important it is to respect the democratic process. The votes have been counted fairly and according to the law. The decision of the people needs to be respected.
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    Created by Art Reyes Picture
  • Immigration Reform Now
    The life of millions of broken families will be better when they are able to work legally in the United States. Undocumented people need to have driver licenses and basically, they need to exist as legal members of this country.
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    Created by Gustavo Verzbickis
  • Demand GSA administrator Emily Murphy recognize President-elect Joe Biden
    It is important she recognize President-elect Biden for these reasons: 1. She is hindering a peaceful transition until Trump exhausts all legal recourse, which means the transition team pretty much can only get an office to plan the transition and not much else. 2. Her refusal to recognize president-elect Biden has National Security implications because the Department of Defense cannot work with the transition team until the GSA recognizes the results of the election. 3.Her refusal to follow the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 is a clear refutation of the democratic process and severely undermines confidence in free and fair elections in this country.
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    Created by Diane Yoder Picture