Category: Politics

It’s On Us… (A BLM Essay)

On By Christina XuIn Art, Family Matters, Guest Blogger, Living Artist Project, Politics, Social JusticeLeave a comment

There is so much to be said and there is so much being said. Lack of efforts are not a good enough excuse ignorance and silence. Black people deserve to live full lives. They deserve to have joy, love, shelter, food, and opportunities… and if you (a non black person) continues to believe that they have the same opportunities as the rest of us, you’re still not listening. You’re still asleep. Policies need to change! We need to ensure protection for black humans.

🙏🏽 Join your city council meetings if you haven’t already done so. 🙏🏽
Policies need to change. We need to protect black people. We need to protect black trans people. We need to protect black women. We need to protect black children.

This painting has gone to a beautiful interracial family who just announced the birth of their first baby. I hope the future is a safe space for her. It is our job to ensure the future of all black children, children of color and queer children. The painting represents the strength, resilience, innocence, and beauty of black girls and women in all kinds of relationships–be it siblings, parents, and friendships. It represents the bonds and communities they create and all the curious and magical ways they continue to uplift themselves.

We don’t deserve them, but they continue to forgive and love us.

Untitled by Christina Xu for Living Artist Project

Christina Xu, is an artist and muralist living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been a Living Artist Project Contributing Artist since 2014. Find her work at www.christinaxu.art or follow her on IG @ChristinaXu_.

Barriers to Black Voter Turnout in 2020

On By Aria ZavockiIn Contributing Writer, Guest Blogger, Politics, Social Justice1 Comment

While discussion continues about law enforcement and its practices, other factors make this year a very critical one for Black voters. Here are some things to consider on the way to the polls come November:

Proper Allocation of Resources

Redlining, a term popularized in the 1960s by American sociologist John McKnight, has been long practiced in the United States. It has kept Black people away from the voter ballot and has dismissed their concerns. What makes redlining particularly painful to voters is the fact that it perpetuates generational wealth, medical, and food disparities, and those areas deemed “unsafe” 80 years ago are still low to middle-income today. 

Less money means more voter suppression and less political reach through lobbying and other means. While there are some well-heeled Black people in the United States, Black people as a class do not have wealth that is on par with other groups.

Imbalanced Use of the Census

Another example of this institutionalized segregation — illustrated in Christian Farias’ 2019 article Is There Racist Intent Behind The Census Citizenship Question? — wherein Farias explores how the ethnicity and citizenship information is gathered by the Census and used. 

Everyone is supposed to count, but that hasn’t always proved to be a positive experience. Because of this and other factors, there is public distrust of the Census Bureau, as the Census has been historically used to funnel resources away from areas that happened to have high populations of Black people. 

Health Concerns

Media discourse around COVID-19 threatens to discourage the use of voter participation as a way of biological redlining. With COVID disproportionally affecting Black people, voters have to remain engaged in political conversation, distancing or not. The rub here is that many constituents expect this to happen but will not respond accordingly. 

So what can we do to be prepared for months coming ahead? Some simple steps are:

  • Start or join a healthcare sharing group.
  • Find out more about the Census.
  • Research ways to become financially literate, or if you already are, share that knowledge with those in your community.

Dear Teenagers, (An open Letter)

On By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Human Development, PoliticsLeave a comment

I am doing this for you and every American teenager who has to miss so many important moments in order to keep your family safe. For every teenager who will VOTE the very first time on November 3, 2020, I want to make sure that wherever you are, without compromising your safety and with the confidence that your voice matters, because it does, that you can vote.

First, you have to make sure you can vote:

  1. Every US Citizen who is or will be 18 years of age on or before Election Day, has the right to vote. Learn more here: https://www.usa.gov/who-can-vote.
  2. Next, you must REGISTER to VOTE. Here is the link for you to RESGISTER TO VOTE while staying Safe at Home: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote
  3. Learn about what offices will be on the ballot in your community.
  4. VOTE! Election Day for the nation is Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

My husband and I think of and discuss you young people each day. We see the tremendous sacrifice you’re making for your family and community. You should be proud of yourself. It takes personal power to delay gratification for another year. Your courage inspires me. I also recognize that this is a very important time of your life. I wish you all the best, sincerely. May you thrive and find joy where you are. I hope you discover your real strength and get to know yourself well. That’s magic at any age. And, I hope you vote this year. Voting is one of the most important thresholds into adulthood that you can cross. Voting requires advanced planning, critical thinking and education. You matter. Make this year extra special.

Dear US Representative, (An Open Letter)

On By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Politics, Social JusticeLeave a comment

We the People need your help to ensure that EACH AND EVERY US Citizen can cast a vote this November. We understand that we will not likely have a cure for COVID-19 by November 2020, we can only slow the spread. Therefore, we need to have a plan to VOTE-BY-MAIL before November 3, 2020 so that every American Citizen can vote.

How long would it take you to fire a teacher who told your child to drink bleach or Lysol? Trump’s actions in the White House are reprehensible and unacceptable to most of us. We the people want to fire him as soon as possible. That means that EVERY state in the US needs to have a VOTE-BY-MAIL option by November 3, 2020 so that American Citizens can vote him out of office.

Bottom line: The Presidential Election is Tue. Nov. 3rd. We need VOTE-BY-MAIL in all 50 states. Pre-emptively, let’s discuss the “Fraud Argument” often brought up by Republicans to DISENFRANCHISE PEOPLE OF COLOR from our right to vote. Congress Person, we the people are smart enough to figure out how to have a valid and fair election. Just in case, here are my considered solutions:

  1. Countless US Citizens Abroad have voted with the Absentee Ballot from overseas and military bases for decades. through Absentee Voting. We’ve never had a problem. We know it works.
  2. Perform an accurate 2020 Census. If you want to know how many citizens there are in each county, COUNT US ALL in the 2020 Census. After that, you can stop counting votes when they hit that magic number.
  3. Create a new VOTE-BY-MAIL option for November 3, 2020. This requires we keep the United States Postal Service (USPS) open for business. Trump is already trying to shut the USPS, the most egalitarian institution the American people have.
  4. A VOTE-BY-MAIL option is Russia and cyber-tampering proof.

Fascism, Racism, hate-mongering and blatant stupidity are unacceptable methods of running the United States of America. The world is watching us. We are failing our children. WE THE PEOPLE, DEMAND ALL CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE A VALID, FAIR ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2020. We elected you to support us. Get to work. We deserve better.

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Demanding Democracy,

All US Citizens

 

 

 

 

 

Get in Touch with your representatives:

U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 224-3121
TTY: (202)-225-1904

Tell them LA County is leading the way! https://patch.com/california/pacificpalisades/all-la-county-registered-voters-get-mail-ballots

Dear US Senator, (An Open Letter)

On By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Politics, Social Justice, UncategorizedLeave a comment

How fast would you fire a teacher who told your kid to drink bleach?

I’m contacting you to let you know that Trump’s action in the White House are reprehensible and unacceptable. We the people, want to fire him as soon as possible. That means that EVERY state in the US needs to have a VOTE-BY-MAIL option by November 3, 2020 so that American Citizens can vote him out of office.

Bottom line, we need to #FireTrump now. The Election is Tue. Nov. 3rd. We need VOTE-BY-MAIL in all 50 states. Pre-emptively, let’s discuss the “Fraud Argument” often brought up by Republicans to DISENFRANCHISE PEOPLE OF COLOR from our right to vote. Senator, we the people are smart enough to figure out how to have a valid and fair election. Just in case, here are my considered solutions:

  1. Countless US Citizens Abroad have voted with the Absentee Ballot from overseas and military bases for decades. through Absentee Voting. We’ve never had a problem. We know it works.
  2. Perform an accurate 2020 Census. If you want to know how many citizens there are in each county, COUNT US ALL in the 2020 Census. After that, you can stop counting votes when they hit that magic number.
  3. Create a new VOTE-BY-MAIL option for November 3, 2020. This requires we keep the United States Postal Service (USPS) open for business. Trump is already trying to shut the USPS, the most egalitarian institution the American people have.
  4. A VOTE-BY-MAIL option is Russia and cyber-tampering proof.

Fascism, Racism, hate-mongering and blatant stupidity are unacceptable methods of running the United States of America. The world is watching us. We are failing our children. WE THE PEOPLE, DEMAND ALL SENATORS WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE A VALID, FAIR ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2020. Get to work. We deserve better.

goes-well-with-bleach-70624167

Demanding Democracy,

All US Citizens

Make History Nov 3rd, 2020 with a Vote-By-Mail Election!

On By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Politics, Social JusticeLeave a comment

It’s clear by now, to most of us, that we will not be back to normal right away. COVID-19 is still highly contagious and has two known mutations so far. That means long-term planning for civic partition is necessary. I don’t care what your political leaning is, WE  NEED A NATIONAL VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT IN ALL 50 STATES.

The time to organize this is now. We will not be able to vote without it. I’ve been voting by mail since 2003, when I lived overseas for two years. The Russians will have a very hard time tampering with the United States Post Office. Here is how we get this done:

  1. Contact all 100 US Senators. Demand the VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT IN ALL 50 STATES, Nov. 3rd, 2020. (https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm)
  2. Contact all our mand US Congressional Representatives. Demand the VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT IN ALL 50 STATES. (https://www.house.gov/representatives)
  3. Call relative in other states, make sure they Register to VOTE.
  4. Call relative in other states, make sure they also call their representatives to demand the VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT IN ALL 50 STATES.
  5. Keep the USPS open so we cast our ballots. Trump is trying to close the United States Post Office. That is the only way to keep your vote.

Exercise your right to vote. Organize NOW to make history Nov. 3rd, 2020. Our lives depend on it.

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Let’s Face It: Everything Is Political

On By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Emotional Wellness, Politics2 Comments

Can we talk about politics on Karma Compass blog? I say, Heck, yeah! I know we have probably many difference in how we see the world, but hopefully we can agree on a few basic things. Everyone, no matter their gender, political leaning or socioeconomic class should be able to vote without encumbrances to the ballot. Can we agree on that?

Now, I have my own convictions. I know what I want, and know when I want it and I know why I want it. I’ve come to recognize this as an extraordinary gift. So many people don’t know what they want. They can never get it, they can never articulate  or visualize the thing they want. Not I. I pretty much move to my win, in almost any situation, as early as possible. The factors for consideration include:

  • Gratification: delayed and or immediate
  • Motivation: Personal, familial and or societal necessity
  • Agency: capacity, skills and ability
  • Values: meaning, impact and intent
  • Information: Do I have enough to make a good choice?

Taken together a priority will emerge. Some items on my list need not be employed. Others must constantly be assessed, like values in a professional setting.

Once you weigh out your options, perhaps making a list and contemplating important decisions, you choose. Once you identify and name your win, you can work to get it.

My biggest win these days, is getting a new president. I’m tired of his lies. I dislike his careless disregard for children and sexism. His anti-immigrant rhetoric fills me with rage, and his incompetent mishandling of the Coronavirus pandemic further solidifies his lack of humanity, compassion and generosity. That is why I want to have him replaced. But, it’s not enough to know what you don’t want, you have to name the thing you want.

I want to see Joe Biden and maybe someone like Michelle Obama or another whip-smart woman of color as vice president this year, as soon as possible. I want doctors and scientists to find a vaccine for Covid19, as well as the education of all children in the US, which requires a proper census. My dreams are political. I want to transform society.