The root of the problem of homelessness among formerly incarcerated people lies in the vicious cycle of White Supremacy. In America, Black and Brown people are historically and generationally forced to live in poverty, where we are over-policed, and disproportionately arrested and incarcerated. Then, after being released, we are given even less job opportunities than we were to begin with (as is evident by research). Only to end up where we started, in an over-policed under-resourced neighborhood, or worse, homeless (where we will still be in an over-policed and under-resourced area). Anyone who argues against this is disingenuous and ignoring the undisputed and well-documented history of enslavement and genocide by Europeans of indigenous peoples of the Americas and Africa (and other Black and Brown parts of the world too).
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The notorious white supremacist hate group, the Ku Klux Klan was founded back in 1865 operating through pure terrorism, has had the opportunity to dissolve and resurrect three times with thousands of active members still today. FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, the same director that took down the Black Panther Party, had to be told by President Lyndon Johnson to go after the Klan. The same president also launched a “War on Poverty” just 50 years ago in 1970, opening up opportunities for African Americans in schooling, housing, and the labour force. This led to affirmative action programs being developed and implemented to remedy the long term effects of such systematic discriminative prejudices.
[March 2019]: I had been locked away for 75 days already, unable to even imagine posting my $175k bail set. The reality was, I’d recently been extradited to Williamson County after 60 days in Travis County Jail without any contact with my hired lawyer. Learning that the 8th Amendment was concise but also very clear, I wanted to file a motion for bail reduction and was confident in a strong argument on TxCCP Article 17.15 & 17.151 grounds — since I hadn’t yet been formally charged, or indicted, thus far. In the case review I labored through in my first ninety (90) days. I knew that this meant the prosecution had to deem itself ready for trial. By my ninetieth day, I was denied a court appearance because my assumed representation had never filed upon my case, I wondered — what next?
Living in or around major cities my entire life exposed me to various culture, social and economic statuses in what felt like the entire world within my community. It was very unnatural for me not to see homeless people on a normal basis, especially under highway bridges, or woods. I am not as young as I once was so now I know how ridiculous, shameful and flat out morally inhumane it is to not see Housing as a basic human right.
Relationships can be beautiful, enriching and fulfilling. Most romantic relationships develop into civil unions or marriage. Becoming a dyad expands the availability of resources that may not be obtainable individually. Resources such as health benefits, life insurance policies, joint Tax returns, and land or homes. Among all the benefits and resources made available through marriage, gaining land or a home is by far one of the most beneficial assets one can gain.
Police accountability involves holding both individual police officers, as well as law enforcement agencies responsible for effectively delivering basic services of crime control and maintaining order, while treating individuals fairly and within the bounds of law.
Was this judge also a lawyer?¹ I had a feeling he wasn’t. I’d heard him before I saw him perched upon the bench — but I’d grown up around hogs, so I knew how people screamed at animals. I leaned against the wall and followed the herd ahead of me. The amounts that I’d overheard given for bail were outrageous — I wondered if I could talk to this guy?
Have you ever been intimated or have had a loved one face a fatal encounter with police? These encounters seem to be happening more and more likely in Brown and Black communities despite people of color being the least likely to call the cops. They fear the police escalating the situation and fear for the lives of their family. According to “Justice cant wait packet” made by Houston social justice groups along with others. It shows that Black Houstonians makeup, just 23% of the population, but 36% of police stops, 49% of citation- eligible arrests, and 63% of those shot by Houston Police Department. The current metro area population of Houston in 2021 is 6,491,000, a 1.88% increase from 2020.
I’d been charged with felony theft, which I didn’t understand whatsoever at the time. But these hard faces full of hatred inside of the police department, informed me of a more conflicted time ahead of me. I was struggling to remember any working numbers, having now been so dependent upon a cell phone at 19 years old. I was immensely disappointed with myself and before my tears broke through, I realized the truth at hand: I didn’t have any money on me. Truth be told, I didn’t have any money in my checking account.
I worked in Jordan, which is an Arab country in southwest Asia. Jordan is bordered by Israel to the west, Syria to the north and Iraq to the east. I lived in a tent with 100 other women. There was one showering facility to accommodate all the women on the site. Inside of the shower facilities were Ten shower heads, for all the women on the site. Approximately 134 women resided on the site, so easy math will show that we did not have an adequate living arrangement.
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March 2022
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