Greetings friends, check out what we’ve been up to:
On Wednesday (5/31), the War on Youth work group held our last class with students from Stem to the Future. The work group has been participating in a residency at Stem to the Future teaching students the basic principles behind community organizing. Students finalized the last details of their final project, a direct action demanding healthy free lunches at LAUSD. You can support the students by attending the action on Tuesday June 6th at 4:30pm in front of the LAUSD building at 333 S Beaudry Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90017.
On Wednesday we also said goodbye to our beloved Deputy Director, Steve Diaz, who after 20 years at the Los Angeles Community Action Network will be leaving for new opportunities. WE LOVE YOU STEVE!!
Thursday’s (6/1) episode of Radio Insurrection featured a great conversation with Black Lives Matter Los Angeles member Quincy Clemmons, who creates aren’t under the name Unyenz. Quincy discussed the importance of art in the work of liberation and how art informs how he organizes. Quincy also spoke about the intention behind the collective art space he has cultivated in Leimert Park called The Lion Gallery. The Lion gallery is located at 4325 Degnan Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008.
The second half of the show featured a conversation with Rafa Tapia of Stem to the Future. Rafa discussed her journey to becoming an educator and explained STTF’s mission of nurturing Black and Latinx youth, and encourage the usage of Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math to solve problems in our communities. Akhil Gopal also joined the second half of the show to discuss why the Coalition feels urgency around cultivating this culture of resistance among our youth. You can listen to the show at kpfk.org/archives.
That evening we held a town hall to introduce our report, Dividing and Conquering Familie(s). The report was created under the leadership of Victoria Copeland and in partnership with the Downtown Women’s Action Coalition. The town hall began with a summary and introduction to the work by Hamid Khan, followed by a panel led by Monique Noel featuring Hamid, Natosha, Lorraine, Sarah, and Markesha. The women on the panel graciously shared their experiences with the Department of Child and Family Services as did audience members in attendance. As a follow up to the town hall, the Coalition will be holding a reading circle on the report at LA CAN on Wednesday 6/14/23 at 4pm.
To plug in with any of the work groups listed above, or for more information about the Stop
LAPD Spying Coalition, email us at stoplapdspying@gmail.com.
If you or your organization are interested in hosting a teach-in or discussion regarding our report, Automating Banishment, please fill out this google form.