Friday, December 7, 2007
UW Retains Coach Willingham
The Seattle King County NAACP supports the University of Washington's decision to retain Tyrone Willingham as it's head football coach for at least one more year. During his tenure, Coach Willingham has repeatedly demonstrated that he has the qualities that will lead the University of Washington back to national prominence. Perhaps, more importantly, Coach Willingham has demonstrated that the future of his student athletes are of great importance him. Coach Willingham's incredible work ethic, discipline and character is exactly the sort of example that we all should be following.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Community Meeting 10/22/07 at 6:30 (Seattle Urban League Building)
The Seattle Martin Luther King County Jr. NAACP will be holding its monthly community meeting on Monday, October 22 at the Seattle Urban League. This meeting will address issues relating to police and community member interactions. This is intended to inform community members of their rights when it comes to interacting with law enforcement.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education
October 6, 2007
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education Logistical Information
Theme: “Moving Up; Moving Forward”
Audience: Families and Students (K-20)
Date: Saturday, October 6, 2007
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Langston Hughes Cultural Center
Keynote Speaker: Larry Gossett (Topic: King County’s role in public education)
Sponsor: NAACP
Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education Background Information
The Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education is designed not only to engage King County communities, parents/guardians and students in public education issues and advocacy opportunities; it is intended to provide a wide variety of resources and information.
Featured Resources
College Preparation
o Testing Calendars (for two- and four-year colleges)
o College Applications
o Financial Aid Applications
o Scholarship Information
o Onsite High School Counselors
K-12 Informational Tables
o Education Issues
o Advanced Placement
o English Language Learners
o High School Graduation Requirements
o Low Income/Poverty
o Special Education
Post-secondary Opportunities
o Apprenticeships
o Two-year Colleges
o Four-year Universities
Citizen Empowerment
o Voter Registration
o Education Advocacy Opportunities
City, County and State Organizations
o Black Child Development Institute (BCDI)
o Casa Latina
o El Centro de la Raza
o Sea Mar
o Seattle Education Association
o Washington Education Association
o Washington State Special Education Coalition
Civil Rights
o Civil Rights Advocacy
o Process to Address Alleged Civil Rights Violations
Health Care
o Health Care Information and Resources
o Sexually Transmitted Diseases
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education Logistical Information
Theme: “Moving Up; Moving Forward”
Audience: Families and Students (K-20)
Date: Saturday, October 6, 2007
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Langston Hughes Cultural Center
Keynote Speaker: Larry Gossett (Topic: King County’s role in public education)
Sponsor: NAACP
Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education Background Information
The Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education is designed not only to engage King County communities, parents/guardians and students in public education issues and advocacy opportunities; it is intended to provide a wide variety of resources and information.
Featured Resources
College Preparation
o Testing Calendars (for two- and four-year colleges)
o College Applications
o Financial Aid Applications
o Scholarship Information
o Onsite High School Counselors
K-12 Informational Tables
o Education Issues
o Advanced Placement
o English Language Learners
o High School Graduation Requirements
o Low Income/Poverty
o Special Education
Post-secondary Opportunities
o Apprenticeships
o Two-year Colleges
o Four-year Universities
Citizen Empowerment
o Voter Registration
o Education Advocacy Opportunities
City, County and State Organizations
o Black Child Development Institute (BCDI)
o Casa Latina
o El Centro de la Raza
o Sea Mar
o Seattle Education Association
o Washington Education Association
o Washington State Special Education Coalition
Civil Rights
o Civil Rights Advocacy
o Process to Address Alleged Civil Rights Violations
Health Care
o Health Care Information and Resources
o Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Friday, July 20, 2007
NAACP FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST MORTGAGE LENDERS
Last week the NAACP filed a federal class action lawsuit against fourteen of the country's largest subprime mortgage lenders. This lawsuit is designed to stop these lenders from engaging in systematic institutionalized racism in making home mortgage loans. In part, the decision to file a class action was based on a 2006 study conducted by the Center for Responsible Lending. Researchers found that when creditworthiness and credit risk were equal, African-Americans were still 31 percent to 34 percent more likely to receive higher rate then their Gaussian counterparts.
Additionally, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition revealed that lenders on average made high-cost subprime loans to higher-qualified African-Americans 54 percent of the time, compared to 23 percent of the time for Caucasian, even when the Caucasian applicants were less qualified.
Additionally, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition revealed that lenders on average made high-cost subprime loans to higher-qualified African-Americans 54 percent of the time, compared to 23 percent of the time for Caucasian, even when the Caucasian applicants were less qualified.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE NAACP
IF AT ANY TIME IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW TOOK OUT A HOME MORTGAGE LOAN OR REFINANCED A HOME, WHETHER WITH ONE OF THESE LENDERS OR ANOTHER LENDER, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF THESE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES. PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THE PERSONS LISTED BELOW.
WEE NEED YOU TE HELP STOP DISCRIMINATORY LENDING AND TO RECOVER THE MONEY THE NAACP ALLEGES WAS CHARGED ILLEGALLY BY THESE LENDERS. PLEASE TELL YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.
NAACP
Angela Cicolo, Esq.
Interim Gerneral Counsel
4805 Mt. Hope Drive,
Baltimore MD 21215
(877) NAACP-98
(410) 580-5777
FEAZELL & TIGHE LLP
(877) 948-4842
KABATECK BROWN KELLNER, LLP
Brian Kabateck, Esq.
(866) 266-1800
Saturday, July 7, 2007
The Civil and Human Rights of People in Seattle must be Protected
seattletimes.nwsource.com/avantgo/2003771751_webchief02m.html
Imagine witnessing a defenseless individual in handcuffs being beaten with a club and fists by law enforcement. Imagine a police officer jumping on person who is laying on his stomach waiting for law enforcement to place him in hand cuffs (this person suffered a popped lung and cracked ribs). Imagine a law enforcement officer spanking your child. In each of these cases the Office of Professional Accountability found that the officers had committed acts of misconduct. To the shock of the people of Seattle, Police Chief Kerlikowske overturned the decision of the Office of Professional Accountability and exonerated these officers of any wrong doing.
These horrific incidents of injustice are just three of the twenty-two cases that Chief Kerlikowske has overturned in the past couple of years. We are concerned that the Chief is seeking to cover up acts of injustice that are committed by Seattle Police Officers at the expense of the public. We are concerned that the Chief is failing to put his reasons for disagreeing with the Office of Professional Accountability in writing.
The Chief has repeatedly demonstrated that he is willing to ignore the depth and reasoning of the Seattle Office of Professional Accountability in favor of officers. George T. Pattersons case is particularly disturbing. In the Patterson case, there was a 600 page investigation, a video tape, a forensic experts findings, warnings from the City Auditor and a ruling by a judge which suggested that the officers in the Patterson case had committed acts of misconduct. In spite of this evidence, the Chief chose to exonerate these officers. Even worse, he chose to misrepresent the issues to the public. He chose to slander Mr. Patterson and tried to infer that a weapon was involved in this case when everyone is well aware that there were no weapons present.
We need a chief who is willing to tell the public the truth and sanction those few officers who choose to violate civil and human rights.
Recently the Minority Executive Director's Coalition (MEDC) Joined the Seattle King County NAACP in calling for the Resignation of Chief Kerlikowske. People of color and the poor can no longer have confidence in the chiefs ability to protect their civil and human rights.
Imagine witnessing a defenseless individual in handcuffs being beaten with a club and fists by law enforcement. Imagine a police officer jumping on person who is laying on his stomach waiting for law enforcement to place him in hand cuffs (this person suffered a popped lung and cracked ribs). Imagine a law enforcement officer spanking your child. In each of these cases the Office of Professional Accountability found that the officers had committed acts of misconduct. To the shock of the people of Seattle, Police Chief Kerlikowske overturned the decision of the Office of Professional Accountability and exonerated these officers of any wrong doing.
These horrific incidents of injustice are just three of the twenty-two cases that Chief Kerlikowske has overturned in the past couple of years. We are concerned that the Chief is seeking to cover up acts of injustice that are committed by Seattle Police Officers at the expense of the public. We are concerned that the Chief is failing to put his reasons for disagreeing with the Office of Professional Accountability in writing.
The Chief has repeatedly demonstrated that he is willing to ignore the depth and reasoning of the Seattle Office of Professional Accountability in favor of officers. George T. Pattersons case is particularly disturbing. In the Patterson case, there was a 600 page investigation, a video tape, a forensic experts findings, warnings from the City Auditor and a ruling by a judge which suggested that the officers in the Patterson case had committed acts of misconduct. In spite of this evidence, the Chief chose to exonerate these officers. Even worse, he chose to misrepresent the issues to the public. He chose to slander Mr. Patterson and tried to infer that a weapon was involved in this case when everyone is well aware that there were no weapons present.
We need a chief who is willing to tell the public the truth and sanction those few officers who choose to violate civil and human rights.
Recently the Minority Executive Director's Coalition (MEDC) Joined the Seattle King County NAACP in calling for the Resignation of Chief Kerlikowske. People of color and the poor can no longer have confidence in the chiefs ability to protect their civil and human rights.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Arrested for Protecting a Student (The illegal arrest of Rajnii Eddins)
Rajnii Eddins, a well known spoken word artist and educator, was preparing youth for a play called the Tobacco Monologues when one of his students came running up to him in a panic. The student explained that one of her friends was being arrested. Out of concern for his student, Rajnii went to the area in which the student's friend was being arrested. Upon arriving at the scene, Rajnii attempted to ask the officer for information that he could relay back to the arrested youth's parents. Rather than seeing Rajnii as a concerned instructor, the officers viewed him as a threat. One officer responded to Rajnii's request for information by telling his co worker, "check him for drugs and guns." Shortly thereafter Rajnii was handcuffed and placed in the back of the patrol car and taken to jail and charged with obstruction.
Rajnii has never been in trouble with the law in his life. While he was growing up, his mother shared there home with over 50 children. He is dedicated to helping children to develop to their full potential. He does not deserve what is happening to him.
Nearly 150 people showed up for Rajnii's arraignment. At his arraignment the prosecutor offered Rajnii a deal that would have lead to dismissal of all charges in exchange for community service. Instead of accepting the plea offer, Rajnii stayed true to his heart and set the case for trial. His trial is now scheduled for mid July in Seattle Municipal Court. Hopefully justice will prevail and Rajnii will be found NOT GUILTY.
It is time for the people to stand up for justice. Stay tuned for more information.
Rajnii has never been in trouble with the law in his life. While he was growing up, his mother shared there home with over 50 children. He is dedicated to helping children to develop to their full potential. He does not deserve what is happening to him.
Nearly 150 people showed up for Rajnii's arraignment. At his arraignment the prosecutor offered Rajnii a deal that would have lead to dismissal of all charges in exchange for community service. Instead of accepting the plea offer, Rajnii stayed true to his heart and set the case for trial. His trial is now scheduled for mid July in Seattle Municipal Court. Hopefully justice will prevail and Rajnii will be found NOT GUILTY.
It is time for the people to stand up for justice. Stay tuned for more information.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Police Misconduct in Seattle
That justice is a blind goddess is a fact to which we Blacks are wise,
her bandages hide two festering sores that once perhapse were eyes.
Langston Hughes
At the time that Langston Hughes authored this poem, African Americans were experiencing the injustice of segregation. While separate but equal policies have been deemed unconstitutional, it is apparent that we still have a separate system of justice for people of color and the poor. This separate system is most pronounced when people of color and the poor interact with law enforcement. Even when people of color have concrete evidence that a law enforcement officer violated their constitutional rigthts, little to nothing is done. To add insult to injury, people who file complaints often find that the department will exonerate the officers and demonize the person who was brave enough to walk through the doors of the police department and ask for justice.
The Seattle King County NAACP has taken the lead in protecting the civil and human rights of those that have encounters with law enforcement in our jurisdiction. We receive and investigate hundreds of cases each year. Because the Seattle Chief of Police and the Seattle Office of Professional Accountability have failed to adequately protect people of color and the poor, we will be sharing many of our completed investigation with the public. It is our hope that the public will stand and demand a stronger system of accountability and greater protections for people of color and the poor.
her bandages hide two festering sores that once perhapse were eyes.
Langston Hughes
At the time that Langston Hughes authored this poem, African Americans were experiencing the injustice of segregation. While separate but equal policies have been deemed unconstitutional, it is apparent that we still have a separate system of justice for people of color and the poor. This separate system is most pronounced when people of color and the poor interact with law enforcement. Even when people of color have concrete evidence that a law enforcement officer violated their constitutional rigthts, little to nothing is done. To add insult to injury, people who file complaints often find that the department will exonerate the officers and demonize the person who was brave enough to walk through the doors of the police department and ask for justice.
The Seattle King County NAACP has taken the lead in protecting the civil and human rights of those that have encounters with law enforcement in our jurisdiction. We receive and investigate hundreds of cases each year. Because the Seattle Chief of Police and the Seattle Office of Professional Accountability have failed to adequately protect people of color and the poor, we will be sharing many of our completed investigation with the public. It is our hope that the public will stand and demand a stronger system of accountability and greater protections for people of color and the poor.
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