A recent decision to move the criminal trial of Johannes Mehserle – the former BART officer who shot and killed Oscar Grant on New Years Day – to Los Angeles has again once thrust the city to the forefront of controversy involving police abuse and murder.

"Pre-Prison Diaries" is a series from the Community Rights Campaign in which organizers, students and parents share stories and observations about truancy tickets, police in schools, zero tolerance, and other "pre-prison" conditions and experiences. Jackie Hill, current freshmen at Dominguez Hills, shares how the recent budget crisis and the increased spending on prisons in the last 25 years have impacted her life as a young Black woman. 

I learned by experience what transformative organizing is, it is when we transform ourselves by having our values and actions aligned. Even though none of us are perfect, we should try to live our lives with full integrity...

"Pre-Prison Diaries" is a new series from the Community Rights Campaign in which organizers, students and parents share stories and observations about truancy tickets, police in schools, zero tolerance, and other "pre-prison" conditions and experiences. Ashley Franklin starts the series with a look at the effects of the truancy ticketing law on one high school graduate.

Please join us in supporting ally and friend Alex Sanchez, internationally recognized peacemaker and co-founder of Homies Unidos in Los Angeles. Alex was arrested in June on conspiracy charges brought by the FBI. Alex was denied bail on June 30th. The bail appeal hearing is now scheduled for Monday, October 19th, 2009 and your action is needed to support the campaign for a free a trial.

We are pleased to announce that LAUSD Board Member Tamar Galatzan and Councilmember Tom LaBonge have withdrawn their motions to deputize police officers to issue LA Municipal Code 45.04 Daytime Curfew Citations, popularly known as "Truancy Tickets," inside LAUSD schools. Ms. Galatzan will now be chairing an agenda item on Truancy and Attendance at the October 20th Board meeting, where Community Rights Campaign organizers will be presenting. To advance this breakthrough, important next steps are still needed....

We had students from Westchester and Cleveland High School organizing and helping folks make phone calls to Board member Galatzan. It was inspiring to see the students from coming out of Manual Arts High School (off Vermont and King) asking questions about our campaign and making calls to Galatzan. The energy on the street was great and the drum and chant crew just made everyone even more pumped up.

"Teachers, Not Tickets!" Even though it's been well over two hours ago, I still feel the energy of today's rally! It was so inspiring to see all of the dedicated students that took their day off of school from Westchester High and Cleveland High and came out to support the Community Rights Campaign!