In the News
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For press inquires please email: mbare@curyj.org
đ° Press Coverage
Recent news articles, editorials, and video coverage of CURYJ’s work and staff. Press the arrow to reveal more.
The Change Needed to Stop Saddling Young Black and Brown People with Massive Debt
Ms. Magazine | May 15, 2023 | View article
Imagine how happy you would feel after being told you can finally go home to your family and friends after spending your 18th birthday and over 200 days in juvenile hall. This was the case for Xochtil, who was eager to start a new life and never return. She was ecstaticâthat is, until she was given a $3,000 bill upon her release.She was relieved to be back with her community, but was working tirelessly to make ends meet while simultaneously juggling a full-time course load at a community college. The carceral debt loomed over, leaving her too stressed on money to focus on the far more important issues of her re-integration, two jobs or education.
MARIO GONZALEZ HONORED ON HIS SECOND âANGELVERSARYâ
Alamedasun | April 24, 2023 | View article
âI donât think the city has done a lot,â Majail-Blanco said. âThey barely do anything and community members sometimes trash the site. If anything, the city has procrastinated in trying to hold cops accountable and no justice has been served.â
Fruitvale safety summit brings community together to discuss violent crime
Oaklandside | April 18, 2023 | View article
Youth members of CURYJ said they donât want policing to be the solution to the neighborhoodâs systemic problems. âWe want this police money to go back into the community,â one young person said. âWhy are you talking about public safety when police murder our brothers and sisters?â
Business owners speak out against violent crime in Oaklandâs Fruitvale district
SF Chronicle | April 18, 2023 | View article
âIf you have the power and funds to open a substation, you should use that power to keep working with organizations like (Communities) United for Restorative Youth Justice that are run by people in the community,â a speaker said, âsince those who are closer to the problem are also closer to the solution.â
A TRIBUTE TO HARRY BELAFONTE: A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
Hard Knock Radio | April 27, 2023 | View article
Geroge Galvis, Executive Director shared, “Belafonteâs significant impact on his activism and the work he and others were doing to end mass incarceration, provide support for those returning home, and offer resources for marginalized individuals. His conversations and work with Mr B encouraged him to double his efforts. The jewels of wisdom he received from Harry Belafonte made him a better organizer”.
Grassroots Work to Undo The Harm of Incarcerating Young People with Jasmine Frye, Tae Thomas, and Dr Frankie Free Ramos
94.1 KPFA | April 19, 2023 | View article
Dr. Frankie Ramos, Director of Campaigns and Organizing, was featured in a live radio interview in a discussion about closing youth prisons  to talk about CURYJ’s latest efforts with the grassroots Dreams Beyond Bars campaign and the legislative effort of the PROMYSE Act.Â
Ex-Oakland, California, police chief appeals his firing
The Sacramento Bee | February 24, 2023 | View article
George Galvis, founder and executive director of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, said Armstrong’s firing was a first step âin holding OPD accountable for years of abuse and scandals.â
Though Thousands of Miles Away, Tyre Nicholsâ Death Affected Oaklanders
Post News Group | February 16, 2023 | View article
âI think itâs important to think that there are many Tyre Nicholsâ and while in this particular moment there is righteous outrage, as there should be for the blatant and egregious murder of a young Black man for a fraudulent traffic stop, we have many, many cases here in the Bay Area that we perhaps have more agency over as Oaklanders.â George Galvis, CURYJ Executive Director and Co-Founder.Â
Anger and sadness over Tyre Nicholsâ death prompts students to walk out and protest at Oakland Tech
Oakland North | February 6, 2023 | View article
RayâVon Jones, a former Oakland Tech teacher who now is a program manager at Communities United for Restorative Justice or CURYJ, heard of Zamudioâs plan to organize a vigil and block party for Nichols, she gave her full support.âItâs not easy as a student to organize something like this, so weâre really just here in solidarity, supporting with whatever they need,â Jones said. âBut theyâre running the show.â
Jones said the students meant for the action to be disruptive, noting, âThe point of an act of civil disobedience is to disobey a rule which is like being in school.â
The Oakland Police Departmentâs worst enemy is the Oakland Police Department
Bay Areaâs Newest DA is a Former Foster Youth
âWe understand that she has to maintain a delicate balance as DA, but her life experience could set her up to do some amazing things, especially if she gets the support,â said Rocky Hunt, our Participatory Defense Coordinator in The Imprint | January 10, 2023 | View articleCriminal Justice Advocates Release 100-day Agenda for New Alameda County District Attorney
âDuring the first 100 days of DA Priceâs tenure, our coalition of advocates will hold her administration accountable to commitments made during the campaign, including community calls for decarceration, decriminalization, and accountability. Only then will voters and systems-impacted folks know that DA Price is the change weâve been waiting for.â in the article by Ella Baker Center | January 3, 2023 | View article
No More Gun Violence in Our Schools
 âWe send our children to schools so that they are cared for and protected and they receive an education and not bullets,â says Mario Juarez in Telemundo | September 30, 2022 | View article
Want to Reduce Gun Violence in Oakland? Invest in Culture
 âThe safest communities do not have the most police. They have the most resources,â says Galvis of CURYJ in KQED | September 12, 2022 | View article
They made it through foster care. Now theyâre persuading this Bay Area county to pay it backward
Article written by Shwanika Narayan. San Francisco Chronicle | July 8, 2022 | View article
INVESTING IN YOUTH LEADERSHIP TO REBUILD A BETTER BAY AREA
Article written by Eduardo Gonzales. San Francisco Foundation | April 26, 2022 | View article
It's On All of Us: Close Youth Prisons, Build Youth Leaders
Op-ed written by Katarina Sayally, CURYJ DBB fellow. The Imprint | June 21, 2021 | View article
Alameda police release video showing officer pinning Mario Gonzalez down before his death
“Marioâs life was ended, he was murdered by the police. It was unnecessary, it was result of white supremacy itâs a result of the culture of policing and once again we donât need police protection, we need protection from the police,” Galvis said.
ABC 10| April 28, 2021 | View article
âWe Need Justiceâ: Mourners Demand Alameda Police Provide Answers in Death of Mario Gonzalez
“How do you take a healthy person in custody who has no health problems and then they mysteriously die? There’s not an uncanny correlation. It’s obvious he was murdered by Alameda police,” George Galvis said.
KQED| April 22, 2021 | View article
Multiracial mutual aid efforts help Chinatown senior citizens, Asian American communities
Black, Latino, Asian Americans are raising money and helping to escort senior citizens who might not feel safe.
NBC News | February 19, 2021 | View article
Incarcerated at home: The rise of ankle monitors and house arrest during the pandemic
Evelyn Canal, Dream Beyond Bars fellow and advocate for incarcerated youth, recounts what it was like wearing a monitor and now fights for young people’s rights while in the system.
NBC News | July 25, 2021 | View articleBay Area activists say prisoners deserve COVID-19 relief in new protest Sunday
Protesters call for early release for some inmates; vaccine distribution clouds debate
East Bay Times | January 31, 2021 | View article
Finding Justice, Fairness, and Joy in Your Community
Panel discussion moderated by Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, with Xochtil Larios of CURYJ, Pastor Mike McBride of Live Free, and Zach Norris of the Ella Baker Center.
Alameda County Library | January 27,2021 | View panel discussion
Oakland Activists Lead Car Caravan, Virtual Events Inspired by Teachings of MLK
âGrowing up in elementary school and middle school, as we were taught about Dr. King, we were taught this co-opted, sanitized, whitewashed version of Dr. King that was really meant about social control, it was about behaving well, it was about assimilation,â Galvis said.
San Francisco Public Press | January 18, 2021 | View article
An Interview with Daniel Mendoza â The California Endowmentâs Harrison Visionary Award Winner
Interview with former Dream Beyond Bars Coordinator, Daniel Mendoza
Bioneers | View articleâWhat privilege looks likeâ: Oaklanders reflect on mob takeover of U.S. Capitol
Oakland activists and advocates compare todayâs treatment of pro-Trump insurrectionists with what theyâve witnessed at local protests.
The Oaklandside | January 6, 2021 | View article
BYE DJJ: California to Close Youth Prisons
Editorial by Hayden Renato
Evident Change | December 9, 2020 | View editorial
Californiaâs leaders failed on critical police reforms. Whereâs the moral courage?
Editorial by Tom Steyer and George Galvis
Sacramento Bee | September 12, 2020 | View editorial
âWeâre suffering the same abusesâ: Latinos hear their stories echoed in police brutality protests
In a three year span, Latinos in California represented 46% of deadly police shootings â second to the rates for African Americans
The Guardian | June 12, 2020 | View article
đ Blog
Read blogs written by CURYJ staff and young leaders. Swipe to see more entries or visit our Medium page.
How we expanded our youth programming during a pandemic
by Fernando Vallejo
Jun 23, 2021 / Read More
How I stopped in-person drug tests for youth during COVID in Alameda County
Chris Quiej is 18 years old, lives in Oakland, and is a 2020 Dream Beyond Bars Fellow
Jun 22, 2021 / Read More
No Evictions On Stolen Land
I am 15 years old and I am the middle sister out of two brothers. My mother is dependent on me. I help out my mother on decisions with my...
Jun 22, 2021 / Read More
OPD Revives Super Predator Language to Criminalize Oakland Youth
On December 15th the Oakland Police Department released a dangerous statement to create fear and vilify Oakland youth. Using dehumanizing...
Dec 25, 2020 / Read More
CURYJ in the face of 2020
2020 has been a difficult year physically and spiritually. It has exposed many of the injustices Black and Brown people face. It has forc...
Dec 19, 2020 / Read More
Policy wins for 2020 and work for 2021
By J. Vasquez, Participatory Defense & Policy Coordinator
Dec 13, 2020 / Read More
No Youth Deserves To Be Punished In Alameda Countyâs Juvenile Justice System
By CURYJÂ Staff
Mar 22, 2019 / Read More
My Purpose
This is a piece I did for Hayward High Schoolâs Puente program. During this time in my life I would get kicked out of school for not havi...
Nov 25, 2018 / Read More
On November 6th Vote Like Your Life Depends On It!
By Daniel Mendoza, CURYJ Community Organizer
Nov 02, 2018 / Read More
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đ Culture of Storytelling
Our stories are sacred. In every story there is a teaching. Stories are part of the vehicles of how we can transform our communities and make social change.
George Galvis, Executive Director

