Technorati Profile
Plans & Dreams for a new East Oakland

We are talking again about launching another Carpa del FEO: Fandango in East Oakland later this spring! In 2006 one-hundred and forty eight young men of color -- African Americans, Latinos, Indigenous immigrants -- and others died in violent shootings. The press, those concerned might say: drug-related, turf wars, drive-by's, gang violence, black on black, brown on brown, black on brown, brown on black, brown and black on immigrant.

The 148 deaths are a milestone in the implementation of Reaganonomics, U.S. version of neoliberalism in its 26th anniversary in east Oakland and elsewhere.

The 148 deaths represent 148 families in mourning, in anguish. 148 nieghborhoods with a disappeared neighbor. 148 fathers, sons, uncles, cousins, friends lost forever. And then you multiply 148 by workplaces, stores, schools, churches, businesses, communities and the violence has a crippling impact, a crater of an explosion we must not ignore.

When we began La Carpa del FEO, our goal was to start retaking our neighborhoods, our communities, from those who come from the outside and even from the inside but who do not have our tranquility, our stability, our health and interests in mind. They become land dealers, social speculators, gentrifiers, big-box hearted, displacers, police-mentality leaders passing themselves off as concerned citizens who want the best for the community -- while they line their pockets with money, property and dirty deals.

Instead of offering jobs, they offered 100 new police officers. Instead of offering hope, they gave illegal police stops, racial profiling. Instead of offering safe spaces, they closed down schools. Instead of providing treatment, they offer coercion in jails and prison.

We need cultural centers, plural! We need bowling alleys, after-school art workshops and places where anyone can hang out, talk, hear music, do your homework over tea, coffee, dessert, soft drinks, pleasant and healthy spaces where anyone can spend some time and walk home safely.

So El FEO is planning a new tour. Our goal is not too far away. We have a new mayor in Oakland, Ron V. Dellums, who has given his word that together we can create a a new and hopefilled city.

El FEO stands for a community of communities; where we can be who we are freely, without fear, coercion, intimidation. To do that we have to have courage to be community, to do things together, to talk away our problems and differences. To resort to peaceful dialogue and words first. To resort to music, poetry, hip-hop. son jarocho, huapangos, blues, rock-n-roll, jazz, improvise our way out of the violence, the illnesses, stop treating each other and anyone else as strangers in our own communities and neighborhoods.

In lak es:tu eres mi otro yo: you are my other I

c/s