I need these pencils this summer to remind me of my needs and desires whilst writing my thesis project.
”
Government assistance in America is invisible until black people receive it. Then it becomes racialized, demonized and stigmatized.
Melissa Harris-Perry and Karen Finney (paraphrased), commenting on a recent New York Times editorial wherein black farmers were all but vilified as ‘lazy takers’ who gamed the system —for winning an historic discrimination lawsuit against the USDA: Pigford v. Glickman (via odinsblog)
(Source: nbcnews.com, via criticalqueer)
Who’s Getting Rich Off the Prison-Industrial Complex?
You likely already know how overcrowded and abusive the US prison system is, and you probably are also aware that the US has more people in prison than even China or Russia. In this age of privatization, of course, it’s also not surprising that many of the detention centers are not actually operated by the government, but by for-profit companies. So clearly, some people are making lots and lots of money off the booming business of keeping human beings in cages.
But who are these people?
Using NASDAQ data, I looked through the long list of investors in Corrections Corporation of America andGEO Group, the two biggest corporations that operate detention centers in the US, to find out who was cashing in the most on prisons. When we say “prison-industrial complex,” this is who we’re talking about.
Henri Wedell
The individual who’s invested the most in private prisons is Henri Wedell, who started serving on CCA’s board of directors in 2000, when the company was struggling with scandals related to prisoner abuse and mismanagement. He now owns more than 650,000 shares in the company, which is far more successful these days. Those shares are worth more than $25 million.I called Wedell to ask him what it was like to make a fortune from the incarceration of others, and whether it bothered him to profit off a system that puts more people in prison than any other country in the world.
“America is the freest country in the world,” he told me. “America allows more freedom than any other country in the world, much more than Russia and a whole lot more than Scandinavia, where they really aren’t free. So offering all this freedom to society, there’ll be a certain number of people, more in this country than elsewhere, who take advantage of that freedom, abuse it, and end up in prison. That happens because we are so free in this country.”
Presumably, when he’s referring to all the freedom Americans have, he’s not including the 80,000 inmates in 60 prisons operated by CCA.
Epic picture is epic.
I want this in the form of a sweater
Muchacha Issue #5, Spring 13’
“Brown Queen: Latina Voices of the 21st Century”Publisher: Daisy Salinas, Riotgrrrl56@yahoo.com, Etsy, Tumblr, Wemakezines
“Brown Queen” was created to honor, celebrate and promote the artistic visions of Latinas. This 50 pg edition features beautiful poetry, heartfelt short stories, powerful essays, awe-aspiring artwork, unique photography and a breathtaking performance piece from 24 diverse self-identified Latinas, Chicanas, Hispanics and Afro-Latinas. This issue also spotlights a 5-page interview with artist Cristy C. Road about her most recent graphic novel Spit and Passion, zine subcultures in the 90’s & today, spirituality and how she has learned to navigate her identity as a queer punk woman of color.
By providing a medium in where Latinas can share their unique voices, this issue, along with its Cinco de Mayo zine-release concert of the same name, has helped build a community of like-minded sisters of color. By sharing our stories and knowledge, “Brown Queen” challenges institutions, such as the mass media and education systems, which often exclude or misrepresent us. The continuation of our stories, knowledge and social-justice visions have the power to live on. “Brown Queen” is apart of the social justice continuum as it serves as time capsule to preserve our knowledge for future generations of women of color.Purchase your copy here for only $2!
Forgot to mention, I also have a Latina Musical Artist Spotlight section with info on Jessy Bulbo, Ana Tijoux, Jenni Rivera, Lila Downs, Alice Bag, Teri Gender Bender and Kumbia Queers!
DAISY <3 MY SISTA
So proud of my grrrl Daisy, who works so hard and kicks so much ass. Check out her zines, NOW.
Good morning. Here is the Tobias Funke audition reel you’ve been waiting for.
People being angry about ~dem gays~ on Target’s Facebook.
I just want to give my two cents on this and tell you a story.
A couple weeks ago, I was hired at Target. I have a job at Target. Not a big deal right?
It is a big deal because i’m a transman.
It doesn’t take a genius to conclude that it’s hard for me, my brothers, and sisters to get a job. There are legal restraints regarding the job and if you don’t pass, it’s hard to be taken seriously at a job interview.
Right on the application, it asks what your preferred name is. It also asks if there is anything that target should know. I put the fact that I am a transman, expecting not to get a call because usually when you put that down, people will throw out the application. I got TWO interviews.
At the interview, they asked me about it. I told them I am on hormones and they told me that they didn’t care. Not in the sense that they don’t emotionally care, but that it didn’t matter. I was male and that’s all that mattered. They also told me that they give sex same couples benefits in states that do not recognize them as a married couple.
At my job orientation, I was not misgendered once. Even my supervisors who weren’t sure of my gender avoided pronoun use, which I found only happens when you’ve had pronoun training. They gave me a name tag with my preferred name and didn’t ask questions. I felt safe and respected, which is huge for a trans* person.
TLDR: Target is amazing not just for the LGB, but also the T. Shop there for the rest of your life.
(via lipsredasroses)
Floating Sheep’s map charting hate tweets, which allows you to search on several flavors of hate, is a creative use of data and mapping to raise awareness.
(via npr)
