Lean

Blog Post #6 - Feb 17

Space. I like having my own space–coming back from those long days and being able to finally relax in my own room. But, space is not only good for the individual; it is good for building community. The space in the Senate can be contentious and long, but some days, it’s a space of empowerment. It a place where communities can come before their elected senators and present their bills on issues or events that they are really passionate about. On that note, come check out the Senate space on Wednesdays at 7 pm, on the first floor of Eshelman. Meetings are open to everyone.

I also value the space that we have in our university. It is a space created from generations before us and from famous student movements. From the Free Speech Movement cafe to the Sproul steps, students have shaped how this university looks and feels. There are times though when space is hard to come by. If you are a student group or even someone who attempted to book a room recently, you know that there has been a room reservation fiasco and space has been tightening. The growing diversity of events and programs of Berkeley has really made it difficult to serve everyone. That is why attending LSSC (Lower Sproul Student Council) meetings are important. They are on Tuesday 8 pm @ 105 Dwinelle. Come be informed and engaged in how Lower Sproul would look for us in the future, who it serves, and how much it will cost. Your attendance there will help assure space not just for you but for generations on.

Blog Post #5 - Jan 7

Happy new year everyone. While resting on break, it is good that our governor has said in his state address that the public education system is important. The protests and various actions we did last fall helped him realize this. I am honored to be part of this movement. please read and re post what a fellow friend/ organizer of mines wrote.

—PLEASE REPOST AS NOTE, FORWARD WIDELY—

Dear CC, CSU, and UC Community:

Yesterday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced in his State of the State address that he will submit a constitutional amendment to the California legislature “so that never again do we spend a greater percentage of our money on prisons than on higher education.”

Despite recent efforts by UC administrators, such as Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, to take the credit for this shift, the governor’s chief of staff Susan Kennedy is quoted in the New York Times as saying, “those protests on the U.C. campuses were the tipping point. Our university system is going to get the support it deserves.”

As we re-enter school after a period of rest and months of organizing, protests, debates over tactics, passion, frustration, and exhilaration, let us reflect on what we have done in that short time. Together, across all levels of politicization, from those who joined facebook groups against the cuts, to those who informed their friends of impeding fee increases, to those who stood together in the thousands at rallies, to those who occupied buildings across the state; those of us who stood for and did something for what we believe in, forced the Governor’s hand. The Governor did not suddenly realize the value of public education after years of gutting it. It was our collective effort that moved him to change his mind. It was our work and determination that set the example, Governor Schwarzenegger was just following our lead.

Although many of us welcome this change in priorities, our struggles to protect the public good in this state are far from over. We must remember that words are only words. The battle against the cuts and privatization, not only to the UC but to the public sector as a whole, should not end when the rhetoric from the top changes.

The same day that the Governor announced his new-found respect for public higher education, the CA Senate passed legislation that opened the door for the privatization of our state’s public K-12 education system, which will intensify the inequality and segregation that currently plagues it. Even within his plan to increase funds for higher education, the governor proposed to do so by privatizing the state’s bloated prison system. This will establish the kind of private correctional system that led to the brutal and fatal beating of 14 year old Martin Lee Anderson at the hands of correction facility camp guards in Florida. Affordable higher education in California should not come at the cost of dignity and life for others.

There are still more opportunities for you to make your voice heard so that the state’s priorities are set by its people. I encourage you to take part in the state-wide letter writing campaign to create new revenues for higher education (instead of reallocating them away from other services), democratize the UC Regents, CSU trustees and other higher education positions, and fully fund the Cal Grant.

More importantly, I encourage you to take part in organizing for the March 4th state-wide Strike and Day of Action for Public Education as well as the March 31st state-wide action for the UC in Sacramento. Lastly, I encourage you to join the UC Berkeley collective action text message alert service if you are interested in being alerted every time a collective action takes place on or around campus, or create one at your own campus.

Letter Writing Campaign: http://freepubliceducation.org/campaign
March 4th Day of Action: http://bit.ly/5yXCnk
Text Alert Service: http://freepubliceducation.org
State-wide Student Online-Organizing Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/6Ua2xc
NYT Article: http://bit.ly/7Zc1eg
More info on privatizing K-12: http://bit.ly/6tegfx

The governor’s reaction to our protests shows us that our actions indeed matter. But he has, thus far, only heard part of our message. Let us continue to work together so that he can hear it fully. Please repost this note, or write your own note informing your friends about these recent developments. Thank you.

In Solidarity,

Ricardo “Bearcardo” Gomez, UC Berkeley Undergraduate

Blog Post #4 - Dec 25

Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays / Good break to everyone. As we dawn this new year, may we be able to reflect on where we are at in our lives and find rest for next year. This break I am going to do just that through my long awaited push pen sessions – poetry. I miss it so much.  Speaking of that…

If you are interested in submitting for Maganda Magazine, they are still accepting submissions for their 23rd issue. Have spoken word? poetry? scholarly writing? pictures? original music? paintings? any ART related to our theme: Our Resilience? Please submit by Dec. 31. Please spread the word and get your friends to submit also. All chosen contributors get a free copy of the magazine. Thanks everyone!

More information: magandamagazine.wordpress.com

Blog Post #3 - Dec 11

Last night, I was staying up to finish my history paper that was due today at 5 pm. With my creative juices circulating, I got an interrupting phone call from fellow CalSERVE senator Rahul Patel – they got all the Wheeler participants of “Live Week” in the basement handcuffed and ready to arrest them. As I approached Wheeler, all I could think of is the shadiness of arresting people at this hour, when students will not be present to see things. It reminds me of decisions made by administrations that affects students so much, yet is decided on in the summer. I wonder if they make these conscious efforts, and that if they do, that if they also know that it contradicts the very foundation of what Berkeley is known for. What a mockery to the multiple movements that have taken place in Berkeley, and the ones that are going on today – like the battle for public education. Below is a posting that is circulating. Please read, reflect, and respread.

Please repost!

Demand their release:
Chancellor Birgeneau: robertjb@berkeley.edu
UCPD: 510.643.9597 | ucpolice@berkeley.edu
Vice Provost Breslauer: 510-642-1961
Dean of Students Jonathon Poullard: poullard@berkeley.edu

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
UC BERKELEY “OPEN UNIVERSITY” RAIDED BY UC POLICE, 65 ARRESTED

Contact: Elias Martinez (559) 999-4964 and Ianna Owen (570) 977-0487

This morning, on the fifth and final day of a weeklong “Open University” held at UC Berkeley’s Wheeler Hall, University of California Police stormed into the building around 5am, arresting 65 people without provocation, witnesses said.

“People were not given a final warning – police burst in while people were sleeping and immediately started locking doors and arresting people. Many students have papers due today, and finals to take starting tomorrow,” said Elias Martinez, an undergraduate from Political Science. “There had been cops in here all week, they were acting like it was okay. We had no idea.”

The police raid at UC Berkeley came one day after students participating in an occupation at San Francisco State University, also railing against budget cuts to public education, were arrested by SFSU Police at 3am.

Douglas Virgos, an undergraduate student, spent the night in the UC Berkeley building but then left on a food run in the early morning. “I got back and saw that the police had put handcuffs on the doors. I was there all night and never heard police tell us we had to leave.”

Students and faculty supporters who gathered on the scene shortly after raid alerts went out say they saw the students, some of them without shoes and wearing only their underwear, being loaded onto Alameda County Sheriff’s buses headed to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

“We’ll be shuttling people out there all day on caravans to do jail support and camp out there until the protesters are released,” said Melissa Barker, an undergraduate of Interdisciplinary Studies and parent. “The fact that the cops drove 65 people all the way to Dublin makes me think that the charges will be way more than misdemeanor trespassing. We’re worried, but we’ll do everything it takes to support our folks. We’ll be there all weekend if it takes.”

Students have been holding public events, including teach-ins on the UC budget, study-ins, and live music shows as part of a “Live Week” of Open University events since Monday.

The week of events was scheduled to end with a free concert in Wheeler Hall, where the Oakland-based political hip hop artist, Boots Riley, would perform tonight.

“We are going to proceed with the event today, and this show will be larger than ever. We’ll continue to organize with students from other schools and build a worldwide movement of students fighting to retain and expand public education,” said a student who withheld their name, fearing university reprisals. “The police attack only makes us angrier.”

Blog Post #2 - Nov 22

In solidarity with UC Berkeley and rest of public education in California, UCLA had their own strike on November 18, 19, and 20 as well, in which I was present to see the amazing student power and voice. On November 18th, they had a Crisis Fest which encouraged students to protest with fun and festivity. Poetry, music, dancing, Frisbee games, art and more were everywhere! Students could do whatever they wanted. The motto was, “DON’T ASK FOR PERMISSION! LET’S TAKE BACK THE UNIVERSITY AND MAKE IT OUR OWN!” On the 19th, we linked arms and blocked the exits to a building where UC regents approved the increase in student fees. The “baton-wielding” police officers did not scare us. Some of the officers stood watch with bean bag guns.

Students are struggling to meet up with these outrageous fees. In a CBS News article, one student said that she might have to go to a community college next year if fees do not go down. She’s not the only one, as I know members from my community who are dropping out or graduating early. So far, both UC Berkeley and UCLA have had peaceful strikes about these financial crises with minor injuries and arrests, but who knows what will happen next. Strikes can get dangerous, but this is a way to remind the university and administration their priorities and really have us be heard.

Blog Post #1 - Nov 16

Hello everyone, my name is Lean Deleon. I am a third year majoring in Peace and Conflict Studies with an emphasis on culture and identity. I am double minor in education and South/Southeast Asian Studies. As a senator for the ASUC with CalSERVE I ensure that communities are not only heard in a space that historically denied marginalized people, but to advocate for their representation. With that said this week I will be doing the following –

Tuesday –

Store Operations Board (SOB) meeting at 6 pm in Senate Chambers. 1st floor Eshleman. – SOB will be meeting about the Bear’s Lair leases, Capital Projects Presentation, and Allocation

Curriculum Vitae- A Kapwa Celebration Night @ 7 PM in 122 Wheeler. – FREE FOOD! SINGING! CHILLIN’! Hear Kapwa Staff/Cal Alum David de Leon speak on directions in life, and what it looks like to really follow God in our context…should be fun! RSVP at link BELOW: http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176145637489&ref=ts