In prepration for our upcoming Earthday film event, we viewed a compelling documentary film called Voices from the Front Lines which relates the rich history of the Strategy Center fighting for environmental justice during the late 1980s and early 90s. The Labor/Community Watchdog campaign organized residents of Wilmington, Carson and others in the harbor region to fight the big oil tycoon Texaco and other corporate polluters who for decades profited while poisoning the surrounding Black and Brown communities.

Jorge Lopez, social activist in East Los Angeles and world history teacher at Roosevelt High School, recently got involved with our "No to Pre-Prisons" Campaign. After feeling frustrated and angry at the increased ticketing of his students he began referring his students to us for legal services and support. Questioning the real intentions about the "truancy" sweeps at his school he writes in his blog: "I believe that if the Mayor had no interest in ticketing our students, there would not be one of his point persons overseeing the operation, and LAPD...."

On March 16th I had the chance to participate in the Transportation Equity Network's Advocacy Day in D.C. One of the most significant events of my visit was a press conference called by Senator Sherrod Brown, Congressman Russ Carnahan and Congresswoman Betty Sutton to introduce Senator Brown's Transit Operations Marker Bill.

Members of Transit Riders for Public Transportation, the Transportation Equity Network, Bus Riders Union, Urban Habitat, Public Advocates and WEACT led four workshops earlier this week (3/15-16) at the Transportation Equity Network's conference "A Seat at the Table."

The BRU rallies after our Press Conference at MTA Headquarters to demand a stop to MTA's racist fare increase. BRU calls public attention to MTA's staff attempt to silence the public by denying them their rightful opportunity to speak on the impacts that another fare increase will have on the lives of half a million Black, Latino and Asian working class bus riders!

The San Fernando Valley Sun has been raising a public debate between us, the principal of Cleveland High, and LA School Police Dept Interim Chief Bowman. They've already written 3 pieces in a series. We need you to send letters to the editors because...

Operations Service Cuts are crippling Mass Transit in Atlanta

Jazmin Martinez, a senior at Manual Arts High School, blogs about being searched in a round-up with an auditorium full of students for being tardy. She writes about the need to end the racialization of the "war on drugs" by creating forms of prevention, intervention and ultimately decriminalizing drug usage in her blog, Prevention Beyond Just "Say No".

After weeks of nervous speculation, a victory against a court system that fails time and time again to convict and sentence police officers for murder. For Black people in particular, this perpetual lack of legal re-dress for one of the oldest problems impacting our community has created deeply entrenched pain, fear and anger. No matter the social status, economic class or skin tone, almost every Black person in America has experienced a nervous moment whenever a cop came near. This is not because we are a community of cowards. rather it is because...

The first pre-trial hearing for Johannes Mehserle - the Ex-BART officer who shot and killed Oscar Grant on New Years Day 2009 - brought out a tapestry of emotion and activity. The Foltz Criminal Justice Center was abuzz with scores of brave protestors, media representatives, and agents of the legal system all taking part in the early morning rush.
It was an amazing scene considering that the hearing itself was rather basic and bland. The biggest developments of the day included...