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Attend Justina Mutale’s Power Masterclass.

Dear Sisters, Colleagues & Friends, 

I am pleased to invite you to join my Power Masterclass on USA GLOBAL TV on Wednesday, 12 April 2023, at 6.00 p.m. British Summer Time.    

This is a FREE online television event.  However, all guests are required to register in advance.   

Please click on this Eventbrite link for details and registration: https://bit.ly/3KFgkUB

I look forward to having you with us at this exciting Masterclass!  

With kind regards.  

Justina Mutale  

Author, The Art of Iconic Leadership: Power Secrets of Female World Leaders  

Co-Author, Women on Corporate Boards: An International Perspective  

With features in FORBES Magazine and other global publications  

Theodore Roosevelt used his popularity to protect 230 million acres of public land

President Theodore Roosevelt, one of the most conservative Republilcan Presidents created the U.S. Forest Service and established 150 national forests, 5 national parks, 18 national monuments, 4 national game preserves and 51 national bird reserves.

Russian sponsored Trump instead is selling off the land, licenses it to polluters and seems to intent to ruin the parks. Conservation does not seem part of his vocabulary.

Instead of maintaining the parks and allowing the public to enjoy the beauty of this country, he uses park fees as his personal lunch money. He cut the budget set aside for much needed repairs of bathrooms, trail maintenance, and traditionally used for running campgrounds. And on top of that he uses the funds to hold fancy parties to which only donors and cow-towing Republicans are invited. For instance his “Dictator Phantasy” themed Fourth of July extravaganza was paid for by trail maintenance money from across the lands. Outside online states: ” The $2.5 million price tag of the July 4th celebration is compounded by the loss of an estimated $6 million in National Park entry fees during the government shutdown earlier this year.” They explain that the July 4th budget diversion could have funded the training of hundreds of rangers and much much more.

Roosevelt cherished this country

It is also vandalism wantonly to destroy or to permit the destruction of what is beautiful in nature, whether it be a cliff, a forest, or a species of mammal or bird. Here in the United States we turn our rivers and streams into sewers and dumping-grounds, we pollute the air, we destroy forests, and exterminate fishes, birds and mammals — not to speak of vulgarizing charming landscapes with hideous advertisements. But at last it looks as if our people were awakening.

Fast forward to the presents under

The Book “Healing Criminal Justice” by Judge Jeffrey Tauber now available!

 Healing Criminal Justice is available for a free download in July 2019 on Amazon. The book Healing Criminal Justice: a journey to restore community in the courts.

Twenty-Five years ago, a small group of judges, DAs, PDs, treatment specialists and others banded together to form the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP). The pioneers of the drug court movement made sacrifices, overcame challenges and persevered to create one of the most important voices for criminal justice drug reform in the world.

Over 1.5 million persons have entered drug courts since NADCP’s formation 25 years ago. Some 250,000 persons have been trained at its programs. And over 3000 drug courts have been established during that time.

Healing Criminal Justice’s central theme is the rediscovery of the healing power of community. Judge Tauber also lays out his vision of a future, in which society, recoiling from its overindulgence in imprisonment, returns to its historic reliance on community as the controller of criminal behavior. Finally Healing Criminal Justice speaks to how leadership from within can change the trajectory of a major institution, even one as immutable as the criminal justice system.

In Healing Criminal Justice, Judge Tauber describes his experience as one of the nation’s first drug court judges in Oakland and how a nascent field with a few scattered programs was transformed into a nationwide movement. He recalls his worldwide travels as well as his experience as a struggling saxman playing in Oakland’s blues clubs, and how both contributed to his understanding of one of the most vital elements in the criminal justice system: community.

Healing Criminal Justice: A Journey to Restore Community in Our Courts arrives just in time to celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP).

Book Excerpt

The year was 2010. Reentry Courts were a part of the larger Problem-Solving Court field; which were in turn, built upon the success of Drug Courts. Problem-Solving Courts had the potential to be a pathway forward for a nation overwhelmed by complex social justice problems, rooted in alcohol, drug, and mental health issues. Drug Courts were providing a template for a more humane and less punitive approach to treating the drug offender. To read the entire excerpt click here

About the Author Jeffrey Tauber

Judge Jeffrey Tauber ret., is a pioneer in the development of court-based rehabilitation systems, spearheading the development and growth of Drug Courts and other Problem-Solving courts across the United States. He was the founding President of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP,1994-2001) and Executive Director of the National Drug Court Institute (1997-2001).  In 2008 he was elected “president emeritus for life” of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. In June of 1999, the newly founded International Association of Drug Court Professionals (IADCP) elected him their first chairperson. In that capacity, he presented before the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Conference of Magistrates and other International organizations. As a judge in Oakland, California, Jeffrey Tauber initiated and presided over the design and implementation of the Oakland Drug Court Program, one of the first in the nation (1990) and was the first President of the California Association of Drug Court Professionals (CADCP).

He has written extensively on court-ordered rehabilitation systems and drug policy, including the first Drug Court Manual published, “Drug Courts: A Judicial Manual”, (California Center for Judicial Education and Research, 1994) and “Rational Drug Policy Reform: A Resource Guide.” (CSPC 2001). He has also written “A Proposal for a National Reentry Court Initiative: Four Policy Papers.” (Alexandria VA: National Association of Drug Court Professionals, 2009).

While on the bench, (1985-97) Oakland’s Drug Court received the Public Employees’ Roundtable Award for “Outstanding County-Run Public Service Program in the Nation” and the California Administration Office of the Courts’ “Ralph Kelps Award for Court Innovations”. Judge Tauber (ret.) was a member of the California Judiciary from 1985-1997. He is a graduate of the City University of New York and Boston University Law School.

Jeffrey Tauber is currently the Director/Editor of Reentry Court Solutions (RCS), an educational initiative that provides a national information website (reentrycourtsolutions.com), as well as technical assistance, training, and advisory services to the field. He has consulted and been an advisor to over a dozen nations.

More Details: To learn more about visit these links Healing Criminal Justice, to learn more about the NADCP to learn more about how you may wish to get engaged visit www.reentrycourtsolutions.com/

For more information about the book and Jeffrey Tauber please contact him at(510) 847-2374; jtauber@reentrycourtsolutions.com

Please feel free to use the YouTube Videos or this photo in your story or contact us to receive additional materials:

Judge jeffrey Tauber, author of Healing Criminal Justice and popular Bay Area Saxophonist

Please join our list of events producer, panels who like you believe that a better work/life balance is the answer to a higher standard of living for all. #Equity

We look forward to working with you for a better world.

World Environment Day reminds us of the reason once a year what we should work on each day.

Whales are endangered due to our careless and feckless behaviors and policies.

So far in the Western United States scientist of the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) shared more whales than ever have died and washed ashore in California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. So far 73 whales have washed up. Whales are dying due to malnutrition and it is suspected that the plastics causes indigestion and the microplastics in the water is damaging their organs. Whales are important to the eco balance of the oceans in ways we don’t even understand fully as yet.

Microplastics, which are tiny pieces of plastic, no larger than 5 mm, float around in the fill the water at the Monterey Bay according to Anela Choy. “Our findings buttress a growing body of scientific evidence pointing to the waters and animals of the deep sea, Earth’s largest habitat, as the biggest repository of small plastic debris,” said Anela Choy, the lead author of a study paper by the MBARI.

MBARI’s uses underwater robots to filter plastic particles out of seawater multiple times at two the Monterey Bay and in Moss Landing Harbor at the Pacific Coast of California. The study showed microplastic samples from five to 1,000 meters below the surface. They found identical concentrations of microplastic particles near the surface and in the deepest waters surveyed. However in the mid range, at 200 to 600 meters down, the pollution was 4x higher than at the surface. Shockingly they found that all of the animal specimens they surveyed had internal microplastic.

Why foster self respect for boys and men?

The media is not really helping in promoting positive role models for boys.

Many men feel they are judged as cruel or mean. Why?

The general media often portrays men as cruel, insensitive brutes who only think about themselves and don’t respect women and children. While this improves reader and viewership for the general media, it does not foster self-respect among our young men and older men.

We need to take this outcry seriously because men are genuinely under severe stress. 129 suicides per happen each day and there are 3600 suicide attempts each day. It is the 10th highest cause of death in the US now. We need to help men cope to feel protected and worthy, even if they prefer not to engage in the horrible behaviors that are often highlighted. Of course, white men can’t be protected instead of everyone else, but they need to be protected alongside everyone else.

These days the suicide rate among white men is at an all-time high and it is growing rapidly. The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention found in 2017:

  • The age-adjusted suicide rate in 2017 was 14.0 per 100,000 individuals.
  • The rate of suicide is highest in middle-age white men in particular.
  • In 2017, men died by suicide 3.54x more often than women.
  • On average, there are 129 suicides per day.
  • White males accounted for 69.67% of suicide deaths in 2017.
  • In 2017, firearms accounted for 50.57% of all suicide deaths.

The general media eager to sell subscriptions is focused on highlighting men who beat up women, defraud companies, cheats on their wives or girlfriends, and recently they are assisting politicians with exceedingly harmful policies. Devastating the environment, cutting sick people off medical care, engage in racist insults and killings, and commit fraud, abuse workers, and worse. White men are portrayed as self-serving, prejudiced, greedy, selfish and mean. This is most likely an important reason why men, especially young men and men in their old age feel disillusioned, unwanted and unloved.

Some old and even younger white men are causing this reputation

These Alabama men have decided that men have the right to impregnate women against their will, rape them and these rapists are rewarded by the state of Alabama forcing the raped women to carry the rapists’ children for nine to ten months against their will.

The lack of positive role models in the media is hurtful to men.

The current president lies consistently, is needy and greedy and often behaves rudely and has no respect for anyone but those who are willing to act out his will without question regardless how self-damaging it may be for their own lives.

The president thinks it is a show of strength if he reneges on promises made to partner countries, praises mass murdering dictators, pays shut up money to tricksters to silence prostitutes with whom he had affairs during his current wife’s pregnancy. He is proud that he shut these cheaters up in order to win the presidential election that he may have lost if the truth would have come to light before the electorate chose him as president against the will of the majority of American voters.

Is this what manhood is all about for all men? Of course not, however it is no surprise that so many white men and boys feel lost. If men live up to the general media’s “ideals” they are creepy, and if they are not willing to engage in these abhorrent and mean behaviors, they are called weak. Many choose death at alarmingly growing rates.

As a society we have a choice. We can choose to highlight and praise good men and restore the good name of men in general by focusing on genuinely great men and leaders.

Today Oakland is a model city that has pulled together to create a new future for all its citizens. Part 4

Jonah Melvon & Adesha will join the Art & Soul Festival this year. The most ethnically diverse fun festival on the West Coast. Great music, great food, great art and good vibes.

The citizens were ready for the change. It started to gentrify without pushing out locals. The East Bay Times reports that the Fruitvale district is a great example that this is possible: “Schildt said it’s possible to invest in a community without causing displacement — particularly if it’s public investment or community-driven. Oakland’s Fruitvale Village is held up as a national model. As Scott Morris reports, the mixed-use development near Fruitvale BART improved the socio-economic well-being of residents in the immediate neighborhood and preserved the area’s racial and ethnic diversity.”

Today 38% of people in Oakland hold secondary degrees, crime is down to the same level as San Francisco, aside of Long Beach California it is the most racially mixed town in the world. When researching the most crime ridden towns in the US no California town made it into the top 30 most dangerous towns in the US. Niche voted Oakland as the 26th best US city to live in.

How did Oakland do it? This is the story that Oakland born and raised artists “Jonah Melvon featuring Adesha” wish to tell. Their song 1099 available on Spotify tells the story of how cities need to pull together to become whole again. Jonah Melvon works closely with business leaders and educational and community outreach organizations to bring about a spirit of “togetherness, love, peace and understanding.” Adesha works with the Boys and Girls Club as a Community Relations Manager. They have lived the story and they want to help cities around the world to help create living conditions that are pleasing for all ethnic groups. It can be done! Oakland is proof that it can be done.

Jonah Melvon believes, as his lyrics explain, that we all need to support local businesses, make education available and accessable to everyone who wishes to improve their lifestyle and take part of a thriving economy. In Oakland, Peralta Colleges came together to provide educational access to everyone at affordable rates. Businesses cleaned up neighborhoods and provide access to comfortable yet affordable housing. Charities pitched in with Kindergardens and Schools. When all people, regardless of ethnic background join forces to create a nice place to live, with compassionate support for those least among us, and businesses create access to well paying jobs through education, mentorships, classes cities can be reclaimed. Today WeWorks, General Assembly, Kickstart Coding, App Academy, Springboard, help young and mature people find ways to succeed.

Most importantly the soul based neighborhood spirit that teaches belief in each of our ability to participate in a thriving economy creates a new mindset. Love is the answer. Diversity is beautiful. By opening people’s minds through the Peralta Study Abroad Programs and by offering genuine assistance the East Bay and especially Oakland are becoming a thriving metropolis again. http://web.peralta.edu/foundation/scholarships-and-grants/

This program is immensely successful and has brought peace and prosperity through education to Oakland. The Peralta Study Abroad program brings students from around the world together and allows them to see the world, broadening their horizons while boosting their confidence.

We can do anything, when we work together. When political leaders, business leaders, eduational leaders, and religious leaders come together with the single purpose to lift up everyone of its citizens success is within reach.

Since 2010 Oakland is a new shining star showing its can do spirit. Now, Jonah Melvon and Adesha want to share how it happened. They want to bring the knowledge that celebration of life, work, and family can bring amazing results and lead to a thriving, safe town. They are supported by Drew Gephart, International Services Manager at the Peralta College Group of fine educational institutions. This group of Junior Colleges serve as feeder schools to UC Hayward, UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco. All we have to do is believe and then act on our beliefs.

Jerry Brown leads Oakland and slowly the city changes to make Equality possible – Part 3

Oakland was named the most ethnically and economically diverse city

Oakland is the most diverse city in the country and the world.

Even before the city “hit bottom” Jerry Brown and business leaders stepped up to create a plan to fix the city. After a six year out of public service Brown returned to public life, serving as Mayor of Oakland (1999–2007). It took a lot of work to attract new investments. The police corruption that plagued cities all across California had to be dealt with.

A group of four corrupt police officers called “The Rough Riders” finally were dealt with after outrage grew too much that the city kept settling law suits to sweep the offences under the table. The clashes between the racially white police and the largely ethnic population caused much dissatisfaction and distortions about the way Oakland was perceived. Politico reported in their March/April issue of 2015: “Oakland’s cops, a legal advocate for victims of police abuse said at the time, might just be “the worst department in the country. Officer-involved shootings were frequent, and often fatal.” In continued: “Complaints of beatings, shakedowns and unwarranted arrests were rampant and cost the city dearly. All told, from 2001 to 2011, Oakland paid some $57 million for claims, lawsuits and settlements involving alleged misconduct by the Oakland Police Department—not just the largest sum paid by any municipality in California, but more than double what San Francisco, with roughly twice the population, paid in the same time frame. The police force seemed broken, brutal beyond repair.”

Accusations of corruption in Oakland were rampant in 2005 the FBI investigated Perata. The East Bay Times reported: Records show Perata’s son’s and daughter’s businesses have been paid at least $750,000 since 1999 by political committees under his direct control, even as Nick Perata and his businesses have been involved in real estate rentals and sales with his father. Also, Perata’s consulting business brought in more than $100,000 in 2003, and between $10,000 and $100,000 in each of the four years before that; his bigger clients during those years included his son’s business as well as two belonging to Staples. The case was stopped by Schwarzenegger’s call for a special election.

The citizens were ready for the change. It started to gentrify without pushing out locals. The East Bay Times reports that the Fruitvale district is a great example that this is possible: “Schildt said it’s possible to invest in a community without causing displacement — particularly if it’s public investment or community-driven. Oakland’s Fruitvale Village is held up as a national model. As Scott Morris reports, the mixed-use development near Fruitvale BART improved the socio-economic well-being of residents in the immediate neighborhood and preserved the area’s racial and ethnic diversity.”

Education in Trouble

Even in 2009 SF Gate reported that Schwarzenegger decided to California ranks 47th in per-pupil spending, according to “Quality Counts,” a report issued Tuesday from Education Week, a national newspaper specializing in public schools. It showed that while the national average is $9,963 per pupil, California spends $7,571, according to the report. Vermont spends the most, with $15,139. Utah spends the least, with just $5,964 per pupil.

Around the state, school administrators have begun looking at how many employees they can lay off next year and which programs they can cancel.

Equality is making comeback and business leaders join in to make it happen – Part 2

Oakland went through a period of decline during in the mid 20th century

https://youtu.be/Pp7Id9Qo3fU

Then came the 50s, 60s, and 70s which were a very tough time for Oakland. The city became every more dangerous, crime-ridden, and unlivable. First West Oakland was destroyed by the Nimitz Freeway and the Cypress Viaduct. Many homes and businesses were destroyed creating a period of poverty for West Oakland. Then in the 1960 West Oakland suffered from the construction of BART and the Main Post Office Building on 7th Street. Again local businesses suffered, more jobs and entire neighborhoods were replaced.

Oakland become the home of the motorcycle gang the “Hell’s Angels” named after Howard Hughes movie, and eventually grew ever more corrupt and crime ridden. Eventually it became the market place of Fred Mitchell who ran a crime symposium changing Oakland into a hotbed for the sale of Crack Cocaine, a very harmful substance that ruined many people’s lives. Additionally, the crime wave sent a lot of middle class inhabitants packing and many of the people who remained lost business. They eventually were unable to keep buildings, street, school and the city services in good repair. Crime attracted more crime and the lack of policing opened the door for more crime.

By the end of the 70s crime was twice as high in Oakland than it was in San Francisco. Most of the Police Officers were white, frightened and entitled. As a result police brutality created ever more problems. This in turn brought impoverished communities together to forge alliances such as the Black Power Movement to help each other by “policing the police.” They created kindergardens and food pantries for the poor, but grew ever more militaristic. Unfortunately, this turned the city into a gang run town, the Symbionese Liberation Army, the Crips and the Bloods, the People and the Folk, the 35th Street Gang, Norteños, Border Brothers and Sureños.

From the 1980s to 2000 Oakland suffered from a Crack epidemic that is now rivaled by the Opioid Crisis

By 2010 it was estimated that Oakland’s population of gang members had grown to over 10,000 members. The situation of both, the crime level, corruption and problems with the police became untenable.

Education

Even in 2009 SF Gate reported that Schwarzenegger decided to California ranks 47th in per-pupil spending, according to “Quality Counts,” a report issued Tuesday from Education Week, a national newspaper specializing in public schools. It showed that while the national average is $9,963 per pupil, California spends only $7,571 per pupil and three times that much on prisoners. Vermont spends the most, with $15,139. Utah spends the least, with just $5,964 per pupil.

Around the state, school administrators have begun looking at how many employees they can lay off next year and which programs they can cancel. Then citizens, business leaders, charities, and religious groups decided to get involved.

Equality is making a comeback and business leaders are joining in. Your town can succeed as well. Part 1

Oakland was a thriving town about 100 years ago. It went through many phases and now once again is a thriving town.

Oakland might be a poster child for our future.

Oakland had a most impressive long history as a thriving industrial center.

Oakland was first incorporated as a town in 1852. It had always been a popular place for thousands of years before by the Muwekna Ohlone who were part of the original Californians the Miwoks who spent winters near Temescal Creek and Lake Merritt for thousands of years. In 1772 the Spaniards occupied the land in the name of their king. Peralta, a Spanish soldier was deeded 44 thousand acres by the Spanish crown and his deed was confirmed when Mexico declared their independence. The land was divided up by his 4 sons. As much of California this region was covered by Oak trees and this is how it eventually got its name. During the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in the mid 19th century during the gold rush Mexico gave up the land to the US. Ever more and more squatters ignored the land ownership and a team of Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo roving soldiers led by three men from nearby San Francisco established “Contra Costa.”

In 1853 John Coffee “Jack” Hays took up residence while he served as the sheriff in San Francisco. On March 25, 1854, Oakland was once again incorporated as the City of Oakland with Carpentier one of the San Francisco war lords as the Mayor. However he was quite corrupt and was quickly voted out of office and replaced by Charles Campbell as Mayor on March 5, 1855. Thanks to the fact that the several railroads ended up in Oakland it quickly became a major industrial hub. In 1868, the Central Pacific ended at the Port of Oakland. The Long Wharf also served as the terminus for the Transcontinental Railroad and the Southern Pacific, which was localed initially at  16th Street Station located at 16th and Wood.

In 1902 a deep channel was created for large ships and this is how Alameda become an Island separated from the mainland. Due to the earthquake and subsequent fires in San Francisco in 1906 the population doubled. This is when Mayor Frank Kanning Mott launched the “Beautiful City project” establishing the many parks, lakes and oak rimmed boulevards the city enjoys to this day. In 1914 he founded the Oakland Civic Auditorium which cost $1.4 Million dollars. It was used briefly as a hospital during the 1918 flue epidemic. Oakland was one of the most wonderful places to live and jobs were plentiful. Employers included General Motors, Chevrolet, Chrysler, and several other major auto companies.

Motorama “Dream Car” by Chevrolet 1954

The city also housed companies such as Kaiser, Bechtel, Phelan, Dreyer’s, Rocky Road Icecream, Western Union, Del Monte, and too many others to mention here. The high employment rate and associated growth of a strong middle class allowed Oakland to fashion itself into a world class city with the Golden State Theatre, Fox, Blumenfeld, Orpheum, Turner & Dahnken, the Grand Lake and the Paramount among others. By 1949 Oakland had a seating capacity of over 43 thousand theatre goers. Theatres came and went including the Hippodrome, Lurie, Premier and Roosevelt. Thanks to the start of commercial aviation Amelia Earhart , the Alameda Navel Air Station, and the 1930’s Howard Hughes’ movie the “Hell’s Angels” Oakland was one of the romanticized the epicenter of the West Coast.

100 Year Celebration of the ACLU – now more important than ever.

Join Jonah Melvon featuring Adesha on Saturday March 30 to celebrate the 100 Year ACLU anniversary at Jack London Square at 3:30pm

“Jonah Melvon featuring Adesha”

March 28, 2019

Join us to celebrate Year 100 of the ACLU at Jack London Square this Saturday, March 30, 2019, at 3:30pm with a concert by Jonah Melvon featuring Adesha

March 29, 2019, Jack London Square, Oakland, CA, at 3:30 pm Jonah Melvon featuring Adesha will perform to celebrate the ACLU 100 Years celebration, which will go on the entire weekend. See entire line up here.

This weekend’s Bay Area Celebration is part of a national tour. https://www.aclu100.org/aclu-100-experience/ which was started at SXSW. With celebrations in Phoenix, and Los Angeles. The key focus this year is to encourage everyone to join the effort to remind US citizens and voters that “Voting is a Right, not Privilege.” The Gerry Mandering and Voter Suppression have affected the countries leadership in a way that the majority of the voters are not heard:

Voting rights have come under attack across the country.  States have passed laws that have made it harder for people of color, the elderly, students, and people with disabilities to cast a ballot. Experience an interactive exhibit about the many barriers erected throughout American history to prevent people from voting.

Learn how you can help ensure that everyone has the ability to exercise their right to vote.

There are many other ways to give. You may designate your support for the ACLU of Northern California (not tax-deductible) or the ACLU Foundation of Northern California (tax-deductible):

  • Honor a friend’s birthday, wedding, or graduation with a special gift
  • Celebrate the life of a loved one with a memorial gift
  • Make a gift of stock
  • Leave a legacy. Make a planned gift to keep the ACLU strong after your lifetime.

If you are interested in making a gift to support LGB T rights by giving a gift to the FrontLine Fund, please contact us. For assistance, please contact the Development Department at giving@aclunc.org or (415) 621-2493.

Networks with Bay Area and California Non-Profits

We are honored to collaborate with these non profits that make positive changes happen:

  • Ella Baker Center for HumanRights
  • Heyday Books Initiate
  • Justice League of Women Voters
  • BOSS: helping the homeless, poor, and disabled people achieve health and self-sufficiency
  • ACILEP network for immigrant rights
  • Youth Speaks
  • Oakland Public Library
  • Secure Justice
  • Design Action
  • Planting Justice
  • ARC: The Anti Recidivism Coalition
  • TGI Justice Project for transgender freedom and survival
  • ACCESS Women’s Health Justice

It takes a village to raise a child and a community to shape and strengthen a city. The Oakland, CA is known to have a population of which 38% hold secondary degrees. This is largely due to the effective education successes, strong family support, and a community that believes that everyone is created equally and should be treated as such under the law. Naturally, we need to reinforce these values on a daily basis to continue our history of civil rights successes.

Our History

The ACLU-NC was alone in standing with Fred Korematsu and against the forced detention of Japanese-Americans during WWII, in a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. We dared to oppose obscenity laws in the prim 1950s, defending Lawrence Ferlinghetti for selling Howl, the groundbreaking book of poetry, in his San Francisco City Lights bookstore. In the years after 9/11, the ACLU pushed back on a wave of bigotry and fear mongering to protect the civil rights of Muslims and people of Middle Eastern and South Asian decent. In recent years, as discrimination has shifted to target Latinos and others perceived as “foreign,” the ACLU has stamped out anti-immigrant laws around the country and challenged unlawful policing in immigrant communities in California. We may be best known for litigation, but through our history the ACLU-NC has been powered by the passion of our activists. The organization was forged through the courage of trade workers and labor organizers in the 1930s. We aided the growing civil rights movements of the 1960s, providing legal protection to campaigns by African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, as well as anti-war protestors and LGBT activists. Over the decades, battles have been fought and won by ACLU activists in fifteen chapters across Northern California and student groups on California’s university campuses, from the activists who launched the Free Speech Movement at UC Berkeley in 1964 to the UC Davis students who endured pepper spray while exercising their free speech rights in 2011.

The ACLU of Northern California is one of the largest ACLU affiliates in the nation with nearly 170,000 members. We have a critical role to play. We must use our decades of experience in impact litigation, legislative advocacy, and fearless organizing to fight these un-American policies and protect our most cherished rights and freedoms. We are the resistance. Join us.

Did you know that prisoners get paid only $1.45 per day to put their life on the one fighting fires?
Maybe they are in jail because they could not afford their bail, like wealthy citizens. Equity for all!

About us and how to get in touch for further conversations, interviews, etc.:

The ACLU of Northern California is an enduring guardian of justice, fairness, equality, and freedom, working to protect and advance civil liberties for all Californians. To learn more about the ACLU in Northern California please contact Carmen King at 415.621.2493 | cking@aclunc.org

To learn more about Jonah Melvon and the Rainwater Project, please visit his website at https://www.jonahmelvon.com/

See you at the show! To set up an appointment or for request for additional materials with the label, college, get photos, video links, or more please text Edie Okamoto, Media Relations, 
at 510-693-0166 or facebook or linked in

You may also mail a check to our office at:

ACLU Foundation of Northern California
Attn: Development Department
39 Drumm Street
San Francisco, CA 94111

About the Rainwater Project

You can hear the music on Spotify or purchase them on Amazon.

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Big Business and Customer Experience Attitudes – Google

Google is one of top three companies in the world and the customer experience is unreliable.

Sundar Pichai CEO, Google Inc
Sundar Pichai CEO, Google Inc.

Today’s news clip from 360 Law:

“The U.S. Supreme Court appeared skeptical of whether Google Inc.’s so-called cy pres settlement of a privacy class action was fair, under which $2 million went to class counsel, $5 million went to third parties chosen by class counsel and the company, and zilch went to the 129 million Google users who made up the class.

Google’s earnings more than doubled over the last 5 years, their  share Price went from $513.52 to  $1,090 this morning.

I use google as a customer.  I like their email program services for business and at home, not for mass mailings mind you.  That services is very overpriced and doesn’t come with core features.  I have a separate service provider for that.  I also use google analytics, its pretty ok. It should be considering they make their money by tracking web traffic. It could be quite better from my point of view. Google’s big issue is that their instructions are horrible.

I like to be treated well, by knowledgeable, well-trained people who have a humane attitude.  I am not alone.  Customer Service  or more precisely our Customer Experience is now so bad that it is quickly becoming the  New Frontier in generating or negatively affecting ROI.

Google at its absolute worst. 

I rent cloud space.  I guess because  one of my drives  is linked to a free Gmail account the young man displayed an attitude problem.  He assumed it was free even thought it was not. Maybe he didn’t have access to my account details? Or was too lazy to look?  He claimed that when Google Drive lost much of my data, that was:

a) because I only use the  consumer version.  Never mind that I pay twice than what I pay for the business version that I also use.
b) I could not have lost data from before 2012 because they didn’t even offer google drive before then.

Customer service should not drive up your blood pressure, nor should it make you angry.

The young man’s attitude was horrible. He was rude, arrogant and clearly not very bright. The idea that you may back up other storage that included data from prior years entirely escaped his universe of thoughts.

For the business drive I got a young man on the phone – after looking forever to find a phone number – who was clearly able to read his script and while he was not the brightest person I have ever encountered, he was diligent,  thorough and polite.  He got the job done, eventually, after studying the manual and talking to his boss a few times. Due to his positive attitude I was able to remain patient and polite more easily.  Attitude matters!

Google has its shares of problems.  Every large international company has problems.  Google apparently has hired horrible Ku Klux Klan loving men who created havoc for the company.  More here.

The above mentioned lawsuit very much reflects the conversation I had with the Google Drive young customer experience man – he was rude, intellectually challenged, and despite the fact that I am a paying customer, his attitude was inhumane.  The young man for the business account which costs less was diligent and polite.  On the big business side people are down right courteous.

What I glean from this is that Google does not believe that we are all created equal.

I am the same person with three different level of services and I am treated entirely different in each scenario.  This should not be!  Does it really  matter whether I call as an individual or as a business client?  Please, Google hire better people and  train them better.  By having more than one type experience with a large company I can’t trust you in any area of your business.

Google  has  a hierarchy of value systems  or let it fester and they don’t promote women through the glass ceiling.  You  should, you would do better.

Mr. Pichai, trust is build on a relationship that allows each person to count on the other person to do the right thing.  The Supreme Court of this land ruled that “Corporations are People.”  So Google, why can I only rely on you if your employees consider me worthy, and why does it change from scenario to scenario?

How about just one link with help to get to the right person? I want a better customer experience.

VigilintsHeart™ Launches “Shop, Save, Donate” helping parents save money while donating to schools and non-profits.

Vigilints Newsletter
Vigilints Newsletter
Working together to create a better world for our kids.
VigilintsHeart™ Launches “Shop, Save, Donate” helping parents save money while donating to schools and non-profits.

RioVida Networks is happy to announce the creation of the new VigilintsHeart program that will allow parents to shop online in over 1200 stores that offer special savings.  The portal which can be reached via a link on the VigilintsHeart tab or direct by visiting the store directly.

The customer signs up and receives the sales prizing from the overall stores directly, but because the shopping is done through the portal the customer an additional small savings.  And, more importantly this customer “VigilintsHeart” savings is matched and collected from the purchase of all the participants.   This collective affiliate fee is then donated to various school programs through Micro Donations addressing teachers concerns.

The VigilintsHeart™ “Shop, Save, Donate” community outreach program will provide micro donations to individual school teachers. Often these dedicated professionals reach into their own pocket to purchase school supplies for our kids.  The average teacher spends over $400 out of pocket each year and they really need pencils, paper, books, computer programs, chalk, rulers, glue, and many other items that they use during their instructions.  Many parents are either unable to financially assist the teacher or they “assume” that these supplies are provided by the schools. Unfortunately, school administrators often are burdened with safety needs, building maintenance, and salaries.

There are many wonderful people at the PTA that diligently raise money to help with the bigger issues, school trip, music lessons, art classes and new recess areas.  Often the “little things” – what the teacher actually needs to liven up their class room for the kids on a daily basis rescinds to the background.

Together we can help!   Just move your online shopping to the portal, get your friends and family to do it, and Vigilints will donate their portion of the  affiliate fee to teachers and non-profits.

The VigilintsHeart™ “Shop, Save, Donate” program is simple. Parents join the program FREE by signing up to shop online through the VigilintsHeart™ portal, they receive the discounts offered by the affiliates. The participating list of major stores includes nearly everyone’s favorite store, including Macy’s, Kohl’s, Sak’s Fifth Avenue, Best Buy, Old Navy, Disney’ and many other popular stores. Participants shop and save. The Loyalty Superstore receives 25% for licensing of the software platform, program managers, customer experience center, and maintenance team, and the rest of the affiliate commission will be donated to the VigilintsHeart™ program who will provide funds to the organizations.

Shop Save Donate

Click on picture to sign up for the shop, save and donate program

This program does not alter the other VigilintsHeart™ Educational Programs which provide product and donations to teacher’s class rooms and programs. We invite classrooms and teachers to submit their donation requests.

“We are excited to help schools, children and non-profits through VigilintsHeart™,” said Martin Berns, CEO of Loyalty Superstore. Mr. Berns continued, “Loyalty Superstore is dedicated to serving the needs of its affiliates, customers, and the community, and are proud to be a part of the VigilintsHeart.”

The VigilintsHeart™ “Shop, Save, Donate” program is reaching out to other companies who wish to participate or add funds through sponsorship. To sponsor or learn more about the American classroom’ needs and the donations VigilintsHeart™ make  by contacting Edie Okamoto to discuss how you may wish to participate as a co-sponsor.

About VigilintsHeart™

Vigilint Biosensors strives to provide fun and safe solutions to families with children: communications and learning for children and peace of mind for parents. The combination of the best location technologies (GPS, GNSS, A-GPS and sensors) will easily locate your child, anytime and anywhere. Vigilint Biosensors is dedicated to improving the quality of care that parents and senior caregivers provide through a complete 360º intelligent family care assistant, that connects family members together via smartwatches. Vigilint Biosensors provides the family/caregivers with a cloud infrastructure bringing devices and software services together, which strives to improve time management and reduce stress by improved non-intrusive care for kids, seniors, and other loved ones in need. This is achieved through the most modern application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies to life data that provide alerts, if and when needed. “When those we care about are well, we can relax and focus on our day.” www.vigilint.store

Vigilint Biosensors

For introductions and appointments with the appropriate contact persons or to receive further Viglint Biosensors press materials, whitepaper links, or investor packages please contact Edie Okamoto at +1 510 693 0166 or edie.okamoto@riovida.net

Loyalty Superstore

The Loyalty Superstore Officers and Board have 50 years of successfully experience in the Loyalty and Rewards space. We have extensive experience in launching and operating public companies. Loyalty Superstore, Inc. (“LSS” or “the company”) began developing proprietary loyalty and rewards solutions in early 2013. The company has been servicing a niche market for mid-large brands that wanted a private branded, Value Add customizable online loyalty rewards platform, both nationally and locally. To learn more about the www.loyaltysuperstore.com

We love to learn more about your ideas on how we can grow this program. You may reach Edie Okamoto with your request or to learn how we could set up a school specific program for you.

And don’t forget to join our growing community of professionals and parents atTwitter & Facebook.

Attention writers and parents:  Please feel free to share your accomplishments, advice for other parents on the Vigilint Biosensor   blog

Feel free to reach out for an interview and for consideration of recommended products or services for review. We will be glad to consider featuring highly recommended products or services in our advice columns, as long as, we deem them to match well with our desire to support only high quality products that represent our core values and that we may consider reselling through our app(s) or store(s).

 

Brandi Carlile echoes Joan Baez in more ways than one

When you are depressed, get help. People care! Many more people than you may realize, care about you.

Brandi Carlile has a most amazing voice with perfect elocution. Her voice is beautiful and haunting. It stays with you after you heard it. A bit of a siren call like Joan Baez. You can’t unhear their voices. Once you did you know that voice.

Another way that Brandi is impactful like Joan Baez use to be is that she sings ballads that actually talk about things that we care about. Feelings and issues. Relationships gone wrong and the feelings we may experience as we work them out.

When you are depressed, get help. People care! Many more people than you may realize, care about you.
When you are depressed, get help. People care! Many more people than you may realize, care about you. (Official version… click on photo to play)

“By the way, I forgive you.” is related to a friend of Brandi’s who committed suicide when they were in High School. “Hold out your hand” is about gun violence. Brandi supports the effort by Seattle school children who don’t want to get shot. The students behind “March For Our Lives” in Seattle made a video and Brandi decided to support their effort with her song “Hold out your Hand.”

On facebook Brandi exclaims:

“These young people are asking for a change – are you listening?

Responsible gun laws are on a spectrum and as much as we’d like it to be, it isn’t black and white. Some of these kids hunt with their parents, some of them are enlisting into service and will carry a weapon in defense of your way of life. Don’t make the mistake of broad brushing what they’re asking for.

We can’t allow ourselves to be divided and conquered any longer by organizations that profit from our division. There can be and there IS a way that we can create change from the center of the debate.”

A singer songwriter activist who is also amazingly talented like Brandi, doesn’t come along very often.  Let’s support her by purchasing her new album.

http://bytheway.brandicarlile.com/

Or, even better go see her live.  It surely will be an experience that stays with you. You can catch her at the Mondavi Winery in Napa, CA on July 14th, and at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA on August 22nd, 2018.   She is actively touring the entire country.  Check her website for dates near you.

You may also enjoy her YouTube channel.  Or say hello to her on facebook.

Vigilint Biosensors and School Districts in California work together to increase school safety.

San Jose, California –  May 1, 2018 – Vigilint Biosensors, leading supplier of Family Assistant Parental Services through smartwatches, is extending its Educational Support Programs which increases school safety, helps child learning and raises money for Educational Foundations, Schools, PTAs, and Booster ClubsAfter successful pilot programs in San Ramon and Sacramento California school districts, Viglint Biosensors is offering the program to qualified organizations in all fifty states.

“Vigilint Family Assistant Services provide parents with life-altering insights collected from the kid’s smart watch that can inform parents of a child’s location and allows them to speak when needed,” said Kris Narayan, Chairman of Vigilint™ Biosensors. Mr. Narayan continued, “I am grateful Vigilint Biosensors can get our smart watches to the children, parents and schools that want the help kids with deal with stress and adversity to improve our children’s emotional resilience.”

Vigilint Biosensors Education Programs allow school districts to raise money while they provide kids smart watch phones and software to parents and their children which increase school safety. Modern tools like Vigilint Family Assistant help working parents stay in touch with their kids via calls, chat and the ability to guide the kids 24/7.  Kids have access to parents each time they need their parents’ input and feedback.  Hawkeye kid’s smart watches and the Vigilint Family Assistant app allow parents to create custom SafeZones™. School safety is increased when at the moment the child moves out of the SafeZone™, parents are alerted.

Knowing exactly where and how our children are is a major comfort for parents and kids.  Each kids smart watch holds up to 20 parent-selected numbers that children can call. Kids are able to speak to their siblings and close friends through a direct kid-to-kid “walkie-talkie” connection. The more parents and kids communicate the less stress they have due to wondering and worrying. Relaxed parents enjoy happier and more confident kids that have a better, healthier and smarter life thanks to increase emotional resilience as recent studies by the Harvard Child Development show. For more information regarding kids smart watches and child learning, please click here.

Tonja Jarrell, Principal of Paso Verde School, in California’s capital city: “Partnering with Vigilint Biosensors provides a valuable resource to our school community. We work with families and the community to offer solutions that increase school safety, allows our staff and scholars to focus on teaching and make our students feel safe enough to learn thereby increasing their outcomes.”

Th improved communications via kids smart watches help teachers deal with children’s and faculties’ anxieties about the fears regarding school safety related to the recent increase of shootings at schools:  “My experiences in the educational community, have shown that these tragedies affect all of us, not just the families involved,” said Nancy Phelps, President Coyote Creek Learning Fund. “Vigilint Biosensors software and smartwatches help protect our kids while providing parents peace of mind.”

Every school, school program, non-profit or educational program manager is invited to join the Vigilint Biosensors Education Program, thereby increasing funding for vital programs, raising awareness of how to help children learn better and increase school safety.

About Vigilint Biosensors

Hawkeye kids smart watches from Vigilint Biosensors provide fun and safe solutions to families and younger children: communications and learning for children and peace of mind for parents. The combination of the best location technologies (GPS, GNSS, A-GPS and sensors) will easily locate your child, anytime and anywhere. Visit http://www.vigilint.store/ for complete product details.

Vigilint Biosensors is dedicated to improving the quality of care that parents and senior caregivers provide through a complete 360o intelligent family care assistant, that connects family members together via wearable devices like Hawkeye. Vigilint Biosensors provides the family/caregivers with a cloud infrastructure of devices and software services, which strives to improve time management and reduce stress by improved non-intrusive care for kids, seniors, and other loved ones in need. This is achieved through the most modern application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies to life data that provide alerts, if and when needed.  “When those we care about are well, we can relax and focus on our day.” www.vigilintbiosensors.com

Learn more about our dedicated team:  Vigilint Biosensors 

Learn more about our products and services:  Vigilint Store

Vigilint Biosensors
20315 McKean Rd
San Jose, CA 95120

bizdev@vigilintbio.com

 

Vigilint Biosensors and Coyote Creek Elementary School partner to achieve Peace Of Mind for Parents

Artificial Intelligence & Wearables to Transform Parenting

“The child supplies the power but the parents have to do the steering.”
-Benjamin Spock

Vigilint Biosensors launches School Programs across California

SAN JOSE, Calif., Apr. 23, 2018 – You drop your child off at school and relax. With an Hawkeye Smartwatch on your child’s wrist, you can breathe a little easier again. Hawkeye will let you know where your child is all day and connects you to them at any time. Vigilint Biosensors, a leading supplier of Parental Assistant Service through smartwatches, has launched a joint program with the Coyote Creek Elementary School to help parents provide Hawkeye smartwatches to children through their school and donate to STEM programs. Nancy Phelps, President of Coyote Creek Learning Fund, stated, “Vigilint software and its Hawkeye smartwatches help protect our kids while providing parents peace of mind.

Hawkeye smartwatches inform, protect and reassure parents/caregivers. The watches allow parents to create custom SafeZones™. The moment the child moves out of the SafeZone™, parents are alerted. The watches also offer a step tracker which kids love, as they compare their physical activities with other kids during recess. Parents can check on their physical fitness via a convenient app.  Each watch holds up to 20 parent-selected numbers that children can call. Kids can also speak to their siblings and close friends through a direct kid-to-kid connection. You can even add two other trusted family members to be contacted in an emergency.  No more scrambling for phone numbers when it is least convenient—like when you are stuck in traffic somewhere or a meeting runs overtime. Simply call your child and activate your back-up plan. Problem solved. Relaxed parents enjoy happier and more confident kids.

Vigilint Biosensors Non-Profit Support Programs generously offers Hawkeye smartwatches for $99 plus a $10 monthly Parental Assistant Service subscription, and Vigilint Biosensors will donate 20 dollars to their child’s school for each watch purchased. Win-Win. Vigilint is also providing Hawkeye smartwatches to schools for auction with proceeds going to support STEM and safety programs. Vigilint Biosensors is currently expanding this program throughout the United States. “I realize parents need a lot of support for the care of their kids during these hectic times,” said Vigilint Biosensor Co-Founder, Kris Narayan. Vigilint Biosensors was founded specifically with that goal in mind, by Kris Narayan and his long-time colleague Jodie Hughes. They joined forces to help bring fun and communications to kids and feeling of safety parents via Hawkeye Smartwatches.

About Vigilint Biosensors

Hawkeyes Smart Watches from Vigilint Biosensors provide fun and safe solutions to families with younger children: communications and learning for children and peace of mind for parents. The combination of the best location technologies (GPS, GNSS, A-GPS and sensors) will easily locate your child, anytime and anywhere. Visit www.vigilintbiosensors.com

Vigilint Biosensors is dedicated to improving the quality of care that parents and senior caregivers provide through a complete 360o intelligent family care assistant, that connects family members together via wearable devices like hawkeye. Vigilint Biosensors provides the family/caregivers with a cloud infrastructure of devices and software services, which strives to improve time management and reduce stress by improved non-intrusive care for kids, seniors, and other loved ones in need. This is achieved through the most modern application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies to life data that provide alerts, if and when needed.  “When those we care about are well, we can relax and focus on our day.” www.vigilintbiosensors.com

Learn more about us and our dedicated team: Vigilint Biosensors or contact as us at:

Vigilint Biosensors
20315 McKean Rd
San Jose, CA 95120

to get an introductions and appointments with the appropriate contact persons or press materials and white paper links.

edie.okamoto@meet3chords.com

Call Edie Okamoto at +1 510 693-0166 or contact the company directly at +1 408 497 1197

Learn about how your school can join our program.

Vigilint BioSensors

To learn more about Vigilint BioSensorsVigilint STEM School Program and how to join our school program School Program or our Non-profit Program