In the News

Los Angeles Times | October 18 | Read more 

In a letter to the Editor of the Los Angeles Times on October 18th, Executive Director and Co-Founder of CURYJ, George Galvis, highlights the true intentions behind the Yes on Prop 36 ballot measure which arrived as a recent $1 million donation from the Yes on Proposition 36 campaign to the California Republican Party. Despite claims of bipartisan support for Prop 36, the large contribution reveals a partisan push to bring back “tough on crime” policies that disproportionately harm communities of color. Proposition 36 threatens to reverse the progress of Proposition 47, which successfully reduced California’s prison population and saved taxpayers over $800 million.

Incarcerating one person in California costs $132,860 annually, a figure that ignores the root causes of crime, such as poverty and lack of opportunity. Rather than reverting to failed policies, California should focus on investing in job training, education for incarcerated individuals, and community-based violence prevention.

This donation shows that Proposition 36 is more about political gain than public safety. Californians should reject it and prioritize policies that address the real causes of crime, ensuring justice and equity for all. “Let’s invest in fighting poverty, not filling prisons.”

KPBS |October 17 | Read more

In a recent article published by KPBS, our Policy & Legal Services Manager, J Vasquez, was quoted saying, “I remember the first time I saw a man cry, like he broke down because he had just lost his mother. And he was still forced to go to work under threat of punishment. It’s like the guy can’t even take a day off or a couple of days to grieve. These are the type of things that really undermine people’s healing, undermine rehabilitation — and really, it doesn’t make much sense, right?”

In California, tens of thousands of incarcerated individuals are required to perform jobs such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry, with refusal often leading to disciplinary action and jeopardized parole prospects. This system hinders rehabilitation by prioritizing forced labor over education and therapeutic programs.

The outcome of this vote determines whether California continues to uphold a system rooted in exploitation or embraces reform that aligns with the principles of justice and human dignity.

San Francisco Chronicle | October 14, 2024 | Read more 

In a letter to the Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle from our Executive Director and Co-Founder, George Galvis, stated

“Californians face a stark choice: regress to failed tough-on-crime policies that line corporate pockets or push forward with reforms that prioritize rehabilitation and true public safety. Let’s send a clear message: Reject Prop 36’s corporate-backed regression. Support Prop 6. Our criminal justice system should be shaped by what works, not what fills prison cells and balance sheets.”

This quote is in reference to California’s Proposition 36 being backed by major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Home Depot. However, there’s an overlooked connection: their support for Prop 36 is tied to Proposition 6, which aims to abolish forced prison labor. This link is critical because it reveals the corporate interest at play. These companies are not just concerned about shoplifting—they are part of a system that profits from the use of prison labor. A recent Associated Press investigation highlighted how corporations exploit incarcerated individuals, paying them pennies for labor that generates millions.

Proposition 6 seeks to end this exploitation in California, which puts corporate backing of Prop 36 in a new light. It suggests that their push for tougher crime measures may be less about preventing theft and more about preserving access to cheap prison labor. If Prop 6 passes, it would disrupt a system that benefits these retailers.

Ultimately, Californians face a choice: return to ineffective tough-on-crime policies that benefit corporations or continue reforms that focus on rehabilitation and reducing crime. The criminal justice system should prioritize what works to keep communities safe, not what fills corporate balance sheets.

KPIX CBS Bay Area News | October 9, 2024 | Read more

On October 9, KPIX CBS San Francisco Bay Area published an article and interviewed our Executive Director and Co-Founder, George Galvis, to discuss and comment on Oakland’s Public Safety Committee that’s in discussion about renewing the city’s 20-year-old ShotSpotter program, a gunshot detection system.

Here at CURYJ we believe that the push to renew ShotSpotter is politically driven, which makes us question the effectiveness of the ShotSpotter program, especially given the city’s $170 million budget deficit. We know that this type of program is not cost effective. Council member Noel Gallo said it’s because of the police department’s limited manpower that they must turn to technology.

Our Executive Director has this to say, “Our elected officials, I think, are concerned about being perceived as being ‘soft on crime’ or not supporting public safety. And so, that means they’re willing to actually get behind strategies that they know are actually ineffective.”

KTVU Fox 2 | October 8 | Read more 

On October 8,  KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco interviewed our Executive Director, George Galvis. The interview was around Oakland’s use of ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system, that is up for renewal after nearly 20 years. The Public Safety Committee will vote on Tuesday to decide whether to recommend renewing the contract, which expired on June 30, 2024.

Councilman Kevin Jenkins supports the technology, citing police data that ShotSpotter helped save lives between 2020 and 2023 by enabling faster police and paramedic responses to shootings. He also mentions the ongoing issues with Oakland’s 911 system, stating that ShotSpotter allows officers to bypass delays.

However, we know that this ShotSpotter system is unreliable and dangerous. All this system does is that it gives police the excuse to zero in on communities and neighborhoods and target and murder people who are predominantly black and brown. Larger cities like Chicago and Seattle have already abandoned ShotSpotter due to its ineffectiveness. What Oakland should do is invest in community-led violence prevention programs instead.

“Investment into the Department of Violence Prevention, community-led violence interruption efforts, those things have been proven to work.” – George Galvis, Executive Director, CURYJ

ABC 23 | October 3 | Read more

In a recent interview with our Policy & Legal Services Manager, J Vasquez, and Co-Founder of Time Done, Jay Jordan, sat down with 23 ABC News to discuss Proposition 6 and how it aims to end forced labor in California prisons, allowing inmates to focus on rehabilitation programs instead, and how rehabilitative programs can have an impact on the success of someone getting out of incarceration. Prop 6 would amend the California Constitution, ensuring that inmates are not punished with mandatory labor or penalized for choosing not to work.

Those who have been impacted by the prison system understand that forced labor hinders rehabilitation when there’s a focus on prioritizing work over programs like education, drug counseling, and mental health services.

J Vasquez mentions, “The forced prison labor really undermines rehabilitation in practice. Right? Because the way the prison system is setup, the way it works, is that work is prioritized over everything else. I know the importance that rehabilitative programs had on my healing journey and my accountability, and learning why I did the things that I did, why I believed all those beliefs at a young age. It really contributed to my success out here.”

KCBS Radio | September 25 | Read more 

The Mercury News | September 25 | Read more 

In a recent letter written to the editor published by The Mercury News, our Executive Director and Co-Founder, George Galvis, writes that Prop 36 threatens to reverse key justice reforms, burden taxpayers, and neglect proven crime prevention strategies. He mentions that Instead of wasting $132,860 per inmate each year, we should invest in education, housing, and mental health. Additionally, before Prop. 47, excessive prison spending pushed California to the brink of bankruptcy, something Prop. 36 threatens to bring back. By investing in proven solutions like education, social services, housing, and mental health care into our communities, we can achieve genuine public safety, not just the appearance of it.

NBC Bay Area | September 20 | Read more

Three Alameda police officers charged in the 2021 death of Mario Gonzalez appeared in court last Friday as they attempted to have their case dismissed. The officers, facing involuntary manslaughter charges for allegedly pinning Gonzalez to the ground during a scuffle, argue that prosecutors missed crucial steps in filing the case on time.

The defense claims the District Attorney filed charges just one day before the statute of limitations expired but failed to issue arrest warrants or summons within the required time frame. The prosecution, however, asserts the last-minute filing was due to awaiting an expert report.

This case, revived by District Attorney Pamela Price after the previous DA declined to file charges, is now under scrutiny. Price’s decision to pursue the case comes amid her own upcoming recall election, raising questions about the timing.

The judge is expected to rule within three weeks, with the next hearing set for October 11th. Mario Gonzalez’s mother, Edith Arenales, alongside supporters, the Anti Police-Terror Project, CURYJ, and 67 Sueños  continue to demand justice, hoping the case won’t be dismissed,

“I feel very frustrated that they did something with the case at the last minute, but I also feel fortunate that they opened the case of my son Mario,” Arenales said after the hearing. Because in many cases they don’t get that opportunity, that they put the case in court, and they take another look.”

CURYJ Organizing Coordinator, Amanda Majail-Blanco added, “It is unacceptable that a technicality could be more important than Mario’s life.”

KTVU 2 | August 14 | Read more

A recent roundtable discussion in Oakland, led by Congresswoman Barbara Lee highlighted the critical role of community violence prevention groups in reducing crime rates. The meeting, held at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, brought together public safety officials, community leaders, and nonprofits, including CURYJ.

The discussion emphasized the shared goal of making communities safer through collaborative efforts and highlighted the challenges these groups face in their work. The involvement of CURYJ in these discussions underscores the significance of grassroots initiatives in shaping public safety and justice policies across California. This gathering also pointed out the need for better communication of available resources to at-risk youth, as well as the importance of ongoing support from local and federal leaders in addressing the root causes of violence.

Our Executive Director, George Galvis was quoted saying, “If you look at just about every criminal justice, juvenile justice, police accountability, school discipline reform legislation that’s passed in California in the last 12 or 13 years, our fingerprints are on it. Oftentimes, a lot of our work can be hyperlocal and yet we’re dealing with the same issues as we are in Chinatown, as we are in Fruitvale, as we are in West Oakland and in other parts of her district and so unfortunately sometimes that work happens in silos.”

Our Community Healing Manager, Michael Muscadine, was also quoted saying, “I want to be part of the work and I want to be part of the solution and not just leave my city in crumbles. We do a lot of community outreaching, working with young folks formerly incarcerated or directly impacted and also folks that are coming home from incarceration.”

This roundtable served as a reminder of the power of collective action and the necessity of continued investment in community-driven solutions to combat violence and promote social justice.

Mercury News | August 2 | Read more

On August 2, 2024, Three Alameda Police Department officers appeared in court, charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 death of Mario Gonzalez. Officers Eric McKinley, James Fisher, and Cameron Leahy are accused of causing Gonzalez’s death by restraining him. They were allowed to remain out of custody while awaiting their next court hearing on October 11.

Gonzalez’s family and supporters, including CURYJ Organizing Coordinator, Amanda Majail-Blanco, have have been critical of the charges, calling for more serious charges. CURYJ Organizing Coordinator was quoted saying:

“They are charging with manslaughter, which is the minimum of three years, It should be murder, it’s on video. Any other person behind me, myself included, would go straight to criminal court.”

The case has drawn comparisons to the 2020 murder of George Floyd and highlights ongoing debates about police accountability. Stay tuned for updates.

The Final Cut | June 17 | Read more

On June 10, 2024, indigenous rights activists, including Native American elders from various tribes, rallied across the country, holding prayers and ceremonies for the compassionate release of 79-year-old Leonard Peltier. A member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), Peltier was sentenced to life in prison after a deadly 1973 standoff with federal agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

His attorneys claim prosecutorial misconduct, witness intimidation, and evidence tampering led to his wrongful conviction, making him the longest-serving Native American political prisoner. Peltier, who has spent nearly 50 years in prison and maintains his innocence, is a member of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa tribe. Supporters hope his declining health and previously suppressed evidence will lead to his release.

Attorney Moira Meltzer Cohen, part of Peltier’s legal team, highlighted during a parole hearing update the harsh conditions of the Termination Era, when the U.S. government sought to terminate the sovereignty of Indigenous tribes, leading to poverty, family separation, and the loss of language, culture, and spiritual practices.

Our Executive Director, George Galvis was quoted saying,

“My elders told me that you don’t really know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been, and for us, culture is our strength, culture is our healing, and culture is our recovery from over this 500 plus years of colonialism, and one form of genocide is ‘culturicide. By stripping away our culture and the things that have kept us healthy and strong since time immemorial, stripping us of our identity through violence, assimilation, synthesization, and hegemony, is a way of us becoming lost so we don’t continue to resist as Indigenous people rooted to the land.”

The American Institutes for Research (AIR)| July 11 | Read more

American Institutes for Research (AIR)’s mission for the Neighborhood Opportunity & Accountability Board (NOAB) evaluation is to incorporate the perspectives of those impacted by their research. To achieve this, AIR has integrated two community-based research activities into the evaluation. One such activity is the Bay Area Youth Participatory Evaluation Project, which Xochtil Larios, CURYJ’s Youth Justice Coordinator, and Swai Lakai, Dream Beyond Bars fellow, serve as part of The Bay Area Youth Research Advisory Team . In collaboration with Youth Participatory Evaluation (YPE) experts from Alliance for Girls, AIR guided three young individuals affected by the justice system in researching diversion programs. The aim was to humanize young people’s experiences and enhance restorative justice practices to better meet the needs of these youths and their families. The youth researchers presented their findings and recommendations in a final report.

The primary research question was: What do youth with offenses and their families need from a diversion program to achieve restorative justice? With support from AIR and Alliance for Girls, the research team conducted three focus groups with youth (ages 15-24) and their family members (ages 25-60). During these focus groups, participants discussed desired changes to the system and what could have been improved to create a more positive and effective environment for families, youth, and diversion programs.

Key needs identified by participants included mental health support, community and connection, and rewards for positive behavior in diversion programs. They also emphasized the need for more programs offering a variety of activities that promote fun and community engagement.

The youth researchers believe that by centering and affirming the voices of young people and their families, restorative justice in diversion programs can lead to a more equitable juvenile justice system supported by community and connection.

 Interview, Malcolm Marshall | April 26th | Read more

The Pulse sat down with Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, CURYJ’s director of community peace, to discuss the group’s work with California’s Stop the Hate initiative. This conversation has been edited.

CC Pulse: What kind of services do you offer for victims of hate crimes and incidents?

Ricardo Garcia-Acosta: Because of the work we do, we are in a unique position to be a strong partner within the Stop the Hate cohort to work with young people that are at the center of violence.

There’s a spectrum of how marginalized communities experience victimization, everywhere from the bigoted, racist, pure hate crimes to people victimized because they’re easy targets in a marginalized population: our AAPI community and the immigrant newcomer Latino community and Indigenous community — Central American Mam that don’t speak English or Spanish, they often get victimized, robbed and taken advantage of on the streets of Oakland. Not necessarily because people hate them for being Indigenous or hate them because they’re Latin-speaking or resemble that culture but more so because they’re easy targets. They’re easily marginalized. They don’t report crimes, and because they’re undocumented most of the time, it’s well-known they carry a lot of cash.

 Henry Lee & Jana Katsuyama | April 19th | Read more

ALAMEDA, Calif. – The annual vigil in Alameda took on a different tone Friday, as dozens of people gathered for the third anniversary of the death of Mario Gonzalez in Alameda police custody, just a day after Alameda County prosecutors announced criminal charges against three officers.

“When I first heard the news, just yesterday…I was actually in tears,” said Amanda Majail-Blanco with the group Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice. Majail-Blanco says she lost her own family member in an incident with the CHP. “I think it’s important for all families. We need to stay united as a front because we’re the voiceless community.”

 Davis Vanguard | March 31 | Read more

Davis Vanguard published “Community Advocates Stand in Solidarity with District Attorney Pamela Price’s Decision Not to Charge Children as Adults” covering the “Dozens of community advocates stood on the steps of the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland last Tuesday to show support for District Attorney Pamela Price’s campaign promise to not charge juveniles as adults. This press conference followed in the wake of the “tragic killing” of Jazy and Angel Garcia in 2022 by a 17-year-old who has since remained in the juvenile justice system.”

Members of the CURYJ team, Executive Director George Galvis and Policy & Legal Services Manager, J. Vasquez spoke about their own experiences, J. Being tried as an adult at 16 and serving 25 years, especially about the positive impacts they’ve made since returning home.

CBS News | March 30, 2024 | Read more

This article discusses views of those in favor and opposed to “the installation of roughly 500 new cameras in Oakland and along East Bay freeways to monitor and record criminal activity.”
Community activists sounded out against community surveillance which inevitably leads to a return of over-policing of Black and Brown communities.

CURYJ Executive Director George Galvis said: “What it will potentially do is create privacy abuses. I think that it can also open up the opportunity for these cameras to be misused,” pointing instead to the need to invest the money in youth programs, mental health and affordable housing. “The safest communities don’t have the most police, the most surveillance or the most jails. They have the most resources,” Galvis said.

CBS News | March 25, 2024 | Read more

In a recent article titled “Alameda County DA declines to charge youth accused of killing teen brothers as adult”, published by CBS News. The article discusses the decision made by Alameda County DA Pamela Price to refrain from charging a juvenile as an adult who is accused of the killings of two teenage brothers in Oakland, California. Despite the tragic incident in November where the victims, the decision was made on the basis that the suspect was 17 years old at the time of the crime.

Our Executive Director, George Galvis said, “You cannot hold someone to the same standards when they’re a teenagers as you would an adult. Prisons are not the answer. The safest communities don’t have the most police, they don’t have the most prisons. They have the most resources.”

An estimated 76,000 children are prosecuted, sentenced, or incarcerated as adults annually. Each time a prosecutor charges a child as an adult, or opposes transferring a child’s case back to juvenile court, prosecutors fail not only the child, but entire communities by undermining public safety and creating barriers to rehabilitation.

As part of DA Price’s 10-point Campaign Platform, she was elected under a commitment to stop over criminalizing our youth. Which stated to stop over-criminalizing our youth, stop charging and/or incarcerating youths under the age of 18 as adults, and establish age-appropriate programs to address criminal violations by youths between 18 and 25.

The Davis Vanguard | March 20, 2024 | Read more

The “Protect The Win” campaign, which supports sitting Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price, held a news conference to address concerns about widespread signature gathering fraud. The campaign called for U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey to look into the investigation of signature fraud, after repeated calls for action to Attorney General Rob Bonta, the campaign said, have gone unanswered. The campaign presented evidence of fraudulent activities during the signature collection phase aimed at removing Price from her position. Allegations include coordinated efforts to deceive individuals into signing petitions under false pretenses. Consequently, the campaign is urging U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey to investigate thoroughly. Civil rights advocates express concerns about regressive motives, emphasizing the importance of criminal justice reform.

Our Executive Director, George Galvis said, “My fear is we’ll go back to a system that’s devastated our communities. Crime went up under the previous DA, we didn’t not see these players who use the language of law and order when crime went up under the previous DA. Yet from when we elected DA Price there was almost immediately an effort to recall her. This is not about public safety.”

The Mercury News | February 6, 2024 | Read more

Governor Gavin Newsom has taken action to address rising crime levels in Oakland and the East Bay by deploying 120 additional California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers. This surge, one of the largest in recent memory, aims to combat various criminal activities such as vehicle theft, retail theft, cargo theft, and violent crime. The CHP officers, equipped with specialized units and advanced investigative technology, will collaborate with local agencies.

This influx represents a significant increase in law enforcement presence in Oakland and Alameda County, prompted by persistent high crime rates and a surge in business closures attributed to robberies and car break-ins. Despite the pandemic’s impact, crime rates in Oakland have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.

However, the deployment raises concerns among community violence prevention nonprofits and police accountability groups. Some question the sudden increase in officers and the lack of transparency in the decision-making process. Our Director of Community Peace, Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, expressed frustration at being uninformed about the surge until learning about it through media reports, highlighting the need for community involvement and transparency in such initiatives. Ricardo said, “we as a community-based provider are in the dark.

94.1 KPFA Radio | January 25, 2024 | Listen here

On January 25, George Galvis and Deputy Director for the Anti Police-Terror Project, James Burch, sat down with Cat Brooks on KPFA Radio’s Law and Disorder to discuss and re-examine Operation Ceasefire.

In Oakland, there’s an ongoing examination of the potential reintroduction of a former police program called Operation Ceasefire. This program employs a combination of incentives and consequences where the police department identifies individuals deemed to be violent. They offer these individuals social services and support structures while also threatening them with significant criminal enhancements like state and federal charges in the case that they are arrested for any crime. But have the incentives of Operation Ceasefire had a positive impact?

East Bay Express | January 23, 2024 | Read more

On January 23, the East Bay Express published “Reimagining Public Safety in Oakland.” The publication interviewed George Galvis about how struggles within various and intricate systems contribute directly to California’s high incarceration rates, which are surpassed only by Texas.

Almost 100,000 Californians are currently behind bars, with around 39,000 on parole. George emphasized that police, prisons, and the threat of incarceration aren’t effective solutions for crime prevention. The safest communities do not have the most police — they have the most resources.

“We’ve strategically named our space the Oscar Grant Youth Power Zone at Fruitvale Station because he represents the people that we work with. He was a 22-year-old youth and they tried to weaponize the fact that he had previously been incarcerated to rationalize the irrational and defend the indefensible. We say, ‘Never forget,’ and ‘Never again.” — George Galvis, Executive Director, CURYJ

SF Foundation | December 28, 2023 | Read more

On December 28, the San Francisco Foundation published “Fifteen Years After Oscar Grant’s Death, a Center Near the Site of the Killing Focuses on Youth Empowerment,” written by Charity Whyte. Whyte mentions that as an Oakland resident, she’s witnessed the impact of CURYJ’s vital work. 

The Oscar Grant Youth Power Zone, a transformative space in Fruitvale, will be a beacon for community-led public safety, violence prevention, and youth leadership. The San Francisco Foundation is proud to support CURYJ in empowering young people, preventing incarceration, keeping them safe, and creating economic opportunities for them. By investing in safe spaces for young leaders to thrive, the Oscar Grant Youth Power Zone aims to move our society away from youth incarceration.

The Oakland North News | December 13, 2023 | Read more

On December 13,  The Oakland North News, published an article titled Change could be coming for future Alameda County recall elections, where our Participatory Defense Coordinator, Rocky Hunt, was quoted saying, “With all these crimes going on, people want to arrest their way out of it. We know that doesn’t work. When you try to arrest your way out of it, you don’t make it safer. We all want people to be safe, and putting programs in place, teaching people, and helping people will get to the root of the problem.” Rocky also added that recalling Price would not reduce crime rates effectively.

It’s expected that Alameda County voters will get a chance to change recall election rules in March, which is causing concern among those supporting and opposing a recall campaign. Fewer than a year into Price’s tenure, residents and business owners started a recall campaign, citing her soft stance on violent crime. Since then, that effort has intensified. Those behind the recall, Save Alameda for Everyone, or SAFE, claim that Price’s progressive policies contributed to a spike in crime and that she failed to address crime victims’ needs. In Alameda County, the recall process may now be changed.

94.1 KPFA | December 4, 2023 | Listen here

On December 4, 2023 our Executive Director George Galvis was on KPFA’s Hard Knock Radio to discuss Kali Akuno’s book Jackson Redux and its upcoming event. Other topics addressed were Fred Hampton’s legacy and commitment to building bridges and fostering solidarity.

California Healthline | November 28, 2023 | Read article

On November 28, 2023, California Healthline published an article titled ‘Everybody in This Community Has a Gun’: How Oakland Lost Its Grip on Gun Violence. In this article, the author examines how Oakland is dealing with spikes in gun violence following the COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, and a spike in gun sales. Also, our School Site Violence Interrupter, Francisco Cisneros, speaking on confronting gun violence, was quoted saying:

“Students are hard-wired not to share information, not to be a “snitch” or open up about themselves or their home life, especially to an adult. And they don’t want to talk to fellow students from another network, group, or gang. If we catch them at an early age, right now, we can change that mindset.”

941.1 KPFA | November 9, 2023 | Listen here

Today, our Executive Director, George Galvis, along with Morning Star Gali  went on 94.1 KPFA radio to speak on the upcoming Indigenous Solidarity with Palestine Rally that’s happening Thursday, November 9th from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Oakland’s Federal Building located at 1301 Clay Street, Oakland, CA.

George mentions, “there’s a common pain, and there’s a common oppression, and there’s a common struggle. There’s also a common humanity and spirit. U.S. policies towards indigenous people has been used as a framework. It’s the same settler colonizer playbook that Israel has used against our Palestinian relatives.”

To listen to this segment, visit the link here: https://shorturl.at/suA18

ABC 7 NEWS | October 26, 2023 | Read article

Yesterday, our Executive Director, George Galvis, and HEAL Program Manager, Michael Little Bear, were interviewed by ABC 7 on the opening of the Bikes 4 Life bike shop.

George mentioned, “When formerly incarcerated people, who are coming home, between a Clipper card and a bicycle, they should be able to get anywhere in the Bay Area they need to go for jobs, opportunities, services.”

As the shop grows, so will the number of job opportunities. Michael Little Bear, program manager for HEAL, or Healthy Eating, Active Living, has already launched a food pantry as part of Bikes 4 Life. He also runs the bike shop. He also once served time behind bars.

“This program will help formerly incarcerated people get back on their feet. It will show them dignity and show them that somebody does care out there for them,” said Little Bear.

The Oaklandside | October 18, 2023 | Read article

Last Tuesday, as part of her first State of the City address, Mayor Thao outlined her vision for investing in violence prevention, public safety, and economic development. However, Public safety is once again a top issue for Oaklanders. According to recent OPD data, crime has been up 21%; there have been 104 homicides, roughly the same as last year, while robberies are up 35% and motor vehicle thefts are up 51%.

As a result of Thao’s leadership, Oakland recently increased its foot patrol from 6 to 12 officers and deployed them throughout the city. A power outage this summer caused brief service disruptions to the 911 system, which was funded with an additional $2.5 million. Moreover, the funds will be used to hire more police dispatchers.

CURYJ’s Director of Community Peace, Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, said it’s short-sighted to scapegoat a new mayor for longstanding public safety problems. The OPD is overspending at a time when other safety net services are underfunded. For the mayor and other stakeholders to achieve permanent change, he stressed that social inequities must be addressed.

“Oakland is hurting,” Garcia-Acosta said. “We all need to heal in so many ways, and no one administration is going to do that for us.”

FOX 2 KTVU | October 4, 2023 | Read article 

As a result of police shooting and killing Erik Salgado and injuring his pregnant girlfriend, the California Highway Patrol has settled a lawsuit for $7 million, renewing calls for criminal charges to be brought by the newly elected Alameda County District Attorney.  Salgado was shot 40 times by officers, 24 of which struck him directly. The majority of the shots were fired from behind. Brianna Colombo, his girlfriend, was injured in the car accident. Sadly, her unborn child did not survive. 

In an article published yesterday by FOX2 KTVU, Amanda Majail-Blanco, sister of Erik Salgado, and Organizer Associate for CURYJ said: “Why is it that police cases get settled with money and never criminal charges? This settlement will not bring my brother back, and our tax money will continue to be funneled to the same institution that caused us harm.”

Erik’s family has asked Pamela Price to reexamine the case and file criminal charges against the CHP officers. As of now, she has not done so or indicated that she will. 

Local News Matters | September 6, 2023 | Read article 

In the last year, the public furor surrounding the murder of George Floyd and other police killings has subsided, and in recent years, calls to defund the police have diminished. In contrast, support for police has grown, or at least become more vocal. 

As a result of the pandemic, some organizations, including traditionally progressive civil rights groups, are noticing an increase in certain types of crime. In any event, advocates of police reform and police abolition both agree that we must change how our society views law enforcement and how we hold it accountable.

Police use of unwarranted force is cited as one of the main reasons for their calls for reform or abolition.  Our Organizer Associate, Amanda Majail-Blanco, and sister of Erik Salgado, who California Highway Patrol officers killed during a traffic stop in Oakland in June of 2020, says  “Just because the police shot them doesn’t mean that it’s justified.”

Since the killing of her brother, she has been on the front lines of several community-led organizing efforts, including the Justice in July Block party held in Oakland that called for all officers responsible for killings in Alameda County to be charged with murder.

Advocates for abolishing police forces as they currently exist argue for law enforcement to be created and controlled by local communities. 

The Davis Vanguard | September 2, 2023 | Read article 

According to the Alameda County DA Accountability Table (ACDAAT), a coalition of community groups, the District Attorney has prioritized youth rehabilitation by pledging to keep as many juveniles as possible within the juvenile justice system rather than transferring them to adult court. But studies have shown that juveniles in juvenile facilities are more likely to receive “age-appropriate rehabilitation opportunities” that foster their ability to contribute to society, such as biannual progress checks, educational opportunities, certification programs, and restorative justice programs.

Our Policy & Legal Services Manager, J Vasquez, said, “All youth are sacred, and young people should be seen for more than their worst mistakes. We should instead invest finite county resources into community-driven solutions that hold youth accountable without causing them, their families, and our communities long-term harm. Our government structures and investments must provide wraparound services for everyone affected by harm.”

Witness L.A. | August 31, 2023 | Read article

In an article written by Taylor Walker from Witness L.A. titled “CA Bill Would Shift Restitution From Juveniles To State”, our Youth Justice Coordinator, Xochtil Larios, was quoted saying, “I can’t worry about who I am becoming because I still have to fix my past.” After years in foster care and juvenile justice, our Youth Justice Coordinator, Xochtil Larios, entered adulthood with $3,500 in restitution debt. Despite her determination to move forward, the restitution debt she owed from a teen crime felt overwhelming.

The article discusses Assembly Bill 1186, which proposes ending youth being charged restitution fines. Restitution fines are amounts owed to victims by those who commit crimes and are found guilty. #AB1186 suggests that the California Victim Compensation Board, rather than charging youth, pay restitution directly and immediately to crime victims. The bill is on the suspense file in the Senate Appropriations Committee and is expected to be heard in September.

EdSource | August 23, 2023 | Read article 

In an article by EdSource titled “New bill would shift restitution from juveniles to State.” our Youth Justice Coordinator, Xochtil Larios, was quoted extensively. The article discusses Assembly Bill 1186, which proposes ending youth restitution fines, which are amounts owed by those found guilty of crimes and paid to victims. In contrast to charging youths, AB 1186 proposes paying the restitution directly to crime victims. By September, the Senate Appropriations Committee will address the bill on the suspense file.

If the bill passes this fall, it would only end the restitution that youths have paid. Future legislative cycles will determine how to fund the bill, which is estimated to cost about $12 million annually in restitution amounts plus additional staffing costs.

“Juveniles are set off to be pioneers, leaders, start joining the workforce, education, but the justice system doesn’t think about the weight, the heavy stuff that we’re carrying,”

As a result of CURYJ’s help, Xochtil has managed to stay on track after her release. In Alameda County, she learned about CURYJ while being detained and applied for a job once she was released. She’s now worked in CURYJ for five years, supporting research development and leading training on youth rights, among other things.

YouthToday.org | August 18, 2023 | Read article 

our Youth Justice Coordinator, Xochtil Larios, was featured in Youth Today news. During an interview with journalist Brian Rinker, she discussed how her experiences in the juvenile justice system and working with CURYJ shaped her advocacy for reforms.

“At some point in jail, I met advocates with the Oakland-based Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, CURYJ. They encouraged me to get involved in youth leadership and activism. In addition to helping me with transportation and housing, they told me they would assist me when I got out.”

YouthToday.org | August 17, 2023 | Read article 

In yesterday’s article titled “Are California counties ready to handle juvenile offenders now that state youth prisons are shuttered?” from Youth Today our Executive Director, George Galvis, was quoted saying, “The state opened up Pandora’s box, and now we’re trying to manage this disaster”

In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a shutdown of the state’s youth prison system, which would trim juvenile justice budgets. He and state analysts assume that the move might improve a young person’s chances of being redirected onto a more beneficial life path by giving them more access to their families.

Many agree that Newsom’s intentions are good. But, they argue, the transfer of those youth from state to county custody has not been well-timed or well-planned. 

KTVU FOX 2 | July 18, 2023 | Read article  

A total of 45 unarmed people across California were shot by law enforcement officers in the last two years, and California’s Attorney General is charged with investigating whether those killings were justified. 

But the pace of AG Rob Bonta’s inquiries has upset victims’ families, criminal justice activists and those in uniform alike.

AB 1506 went into effect in 2021, a bill that’s changed the dynamics of how police-involved shooting investigations are handled by eliminating the influence of local law enforcement agencies and district attorneys in 58 counties. At the time, progressives and police unions both opposed it. And they still do.

CURYJ’s main opposition is that the AG’s office is still too close to police to fairly determine whether an officer-involved shooting is justified.

“It’s not going to be a perfect system by any means, but we believe it will be a more meaningful and more productive system to hold officers accountable.” – J Vaquez 

Open Vallejo | July 11, 2023 | Read article

In a statement to Open Vallejo Friday, California Senate Bill 1421’s author said withholding police records violated the bill’s intent. 

“California’s police transparency laws, SB 1421 and SB 16, guarantee public access to records related to a range of law enforcement misconduct, including cases involving death, excessive use of force, and sexual assault,” wrote Skinner, who authored both laws. “Those laws do not contain any exemption for records when a victim or witness is a minor.”

Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, which helped write SB 1421, co-founded by George Galvis, told Open Vallejo last month that legislators would need to clarify the law by passing a trailer bill clarifying the need to disclose records of police violence against juveniles. 

Open Vallejo | June 28, 2023 | Read article 

Due to state and federal laws, government agencies have long been prohibited from publicly disclosing information about juveniles’ interactions with the legal system. In addition to reducing barriers to employment, housing, and higher education, these laws aim to protect justice-impacted youth from social stigma. However, the police have exploited these laws to evade transparency when they use force against children.

“It’s very clear to me that this is an abuse. It’s really concerning that they’re abusing the spirit and intent of SB 1421 in this way…I can tell you that, as one of the sponsors: that was not the intent. We would never have ever allowed that.” – George Galvis

AP New | June 17, 2023 | View article 

By Out Of The Margins. Shared by Andrus Family Fund  | June 16, 2023 | View article

Organizing for Abolition. Envisioning Liberation. Hosted by AFF Director Mishi Faruqee, each episode in this limited series will feature grantee partners, youth leaders and/or allies who share their visions for community-centered approaches that support youth and families.   
 
In this first episode, we hear from Brenda Gomez and Xochtil Larios of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ) in Oakland, CA. They discuss their journey from being incarcerated as teenagers and being empowered by CURYJ to their continued evolution as youth leaders in the abolition movement and how CURYJ continues to support young people to #DreamBeyondBars. 

Learn more about CURYJ:
curyj.org
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Music by Bre Stoves, “Untold Story” from Care, Not Control (The Album)

Learn more about AFF:
affund.org
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook

This podcast is produced by Sol Design.

KQED | June, 16 2023 | View article 

It will take creative thinking to solve this problem in Oakland, according to community groups and the city’s Department of Violence Prevention (DVP). From Friday and through July, DVP will bring back Town Nights, an arts and culture series aimed at providing resources and positive social outlets. So why do some of the city’s leading gun violence prevention groups say this programming effectively stops gun violence? A KQED associate editor of arts and culture, Nastia Voynovskaya, addresses this question in a Bay episode. 

Listen here. 

The Oakland Side | June 15, 2023 | View article 

Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention is getting some bridge money to carry it through the summer, but the department’s community-based contractors, who do much of its work on the streets, fear the added funds won’t save them from the chopping block when the council finalizes the city’s next two-year budget before the end of June.

“That’s just throwing a Band-Aid on a broken bone,” said Alex Toris, a cultural activist for Communities United For Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), which is one of the recipients of department grants. 

“What we’re asking for is not for City Council to put the money where their mouth is, but to keep it there,” Joseph Griffin, executive director of Youth ALIVE! Said during a press conference on May 30. “That’s really what we need to keep our programs going.”  

ABC 7 News | June 14, 2023 | View Story 

At a rally in front of Oakland City Hall, community groups demanded no cuts to city funding for many of their programs — ahead of Wednesday’s city council budget meeting.

SF Chronicle | June 9, 2023 | View article 

One of the biggest differences between Oakland teens and those nationally was witnessing violence: Nearly one in three Oakland teens reported having seen someone assaulted, stabbed, or shot, compared with one in five nationally.

36% of Oakland high school students said they witnessed someone in their neighborhood get shot, stabbed or beaten, outpacing their peers in California and around the country. In the United States, 20% of students agreed.

“A majority of the kids I deal with have been victims of violence, have perpetrated violence, have seen people get hurt or shot,” said Francisco Cisneros, a violence interrupter from Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice at Fremont High School in East Oakland. “They’re living in an environment that resorts to violence. It makes them feel like violence is almost the first thing they should resort to solve their problems.”

SF Gate | June 6, 2023 | View article 

Three years have passed since Erik Salgado was shot, killed, and lost his baby at the hands of California Highway Patrol officers in Oakland on June 6, 2023.

The family of Erik Salgado, CURYJ, the Anti Police-Terror, and Addie Kitchen, a grandmother of Steven Taylor, who was killed by law enforcement, gathered outside Rene C. Davidson’s Oakland courthouse yesterday morning to make their case.

As a result of the shooting and death of Erik Salgado and the loss of his baby, a new district attorney has been elected, Pamela Price, who has vowed to file charges against killer cops and reopen the case closed by her predecessor Nancy O’Malley to charge the officer involved in Erik Salgado’s murder. The family awaits justice and accountability despite ample evidence against Sgt. Richard Henderson.

“It really makes me upset that these police officers have this immunity and these bills of rights that protect them,” said Amanda Majail-Blanco, Salgado’s sister.

SF Chronicle | June 4, 2023 | View article 

Over the next two years, Mayor Thao proposes reducing funding for the Department of Violence Prevention from $48 million to $41 million. Clearly, Thao’s campaign promise to double violence prevention funding would be reversed by these cuts.

Swai Lakai says she’s benefited from violence prevention services. After serving time in prison, the 21-year-old now works for CURYJ, which organizes Town Nights for the city, an event that brings young people off the streets into spaces where they can interact with mentors and life coaches in order to prevent them from engaging in criminal activity.

Swai says, “Young people need the services, they need the mentors, they need the things these organizations offer to keep them out of trouble”

Fox KTVU 2 | May 30, 2023 | View article 

Dozens of community leaders rallied outside Oakland City Hall on Tuesday, urging city officials not to slash the city’s Department of Violence Prevention budget.

A proposed budget released by Mayor Sheng Thao calls for a reduction in contracts between the violence-prevention department and community-based groups that reach out to those at risk.

Ricardo Garcia of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice said, “What we’re demanding the city is to equally invest in our frontline people, our folks who are putting their lives literally on the ground, to be able to make sure they’re supporting families.”

Swai Lakai told the crowd, “The police do not keep us safe, we keep us safe.” Lakai told KTVU she’s a beneficiary of community-based programs.

“I’m a formerly incarcerated student, and it helped me because I used to be in a lot of trouble, and me being able to go to these programs have helped me,” Lakai said.

SF Chronicle | May 28, 2023 | View article 

George Floyd’s murder sparked calls to end police brutality and racism. California has experienced a decline in overall police killings three years later, while the U.S. has increased.

Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice executive director George Galvis says these problems stem from racism in policing in America.

“When you think about the problems with policing in this country, you think of the system’s roots, which go back to slavery and slave patrols, police violence, police terrorism, has always been a part of policing and that won’t change overnight.”

ABC 7 News | May 24, 2023 | View Story 

“Instead of reigning in police spending, the city is considering defunding vital services for violence prevention, jobs, shelter for the unhoused.”

Andrus Family Fund | March 30, 2023 | View Story 

AFF is launching a new video and podcast series that centers youth in the movement to abolish harmful systems and who are envisioning community-centered approaches to supporting youth and families. Watch now to get a sneak peek of the topics we’ll address.

“During the first 100 days of DA Price’s 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 we’ve been waiting for.” in the article by Ella Baker Center | January 3, 2023 | View article