Posted on 09/12/2013 2:21:55 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Youth United for Change members are used to rallying against injustices in public education. In July, group members took hold of a somewhat different cause when they traveled to Tallahassee, Fla., to protest alongside members of a Florida activist group against the controversial verdict in the George Zimmerman trial, and fight for passage of a package of bills called the Trayvon Martin Civil Rights Act.
Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch coordinator, was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges for the killing of the unarmed 17-year-old Martin.
The bills, also called Trayvon’s Law, were developed by the Dream Defenders, an organization with seven chapters throughout Florida that confronts systemic inequalities facing youth of color. They call for Gov. Rick Scott and the state legislature to repeal Florida’s controversial “stand-your-ground law,” ban racial profiling, and end the school-to-prison pipeline.
Twenty-five YUC members took part in the sit-in for three consecutive days inside the state Capitol building.
“It was a monumental experience,” said 19-year-old YUC member Tone Elliott, who is currently pursuing his GED through YESPhilly.
“I can say I did a freedom ride, for real.”
YUC member and Philadelphia High School for Girls senior Christa Rivera said, “We were all really upset at the verdict.”
Though there is no sign that Trayvon’s Law will be passed or even addressed by the state legislature, Rivera said any support that YUC and the Dream Defenders can get on this matter will help the cause in fighting for justice for all youth of color.
Since the Florida trip, YUC members have refocused their attention on the District’s crippling budget crisis, which has stripped schools of many critical services and programs. In August they joined members of the union UNITE HERE in a 12-hour fast in front of District headquarters to call on the District to restore the positions of school safety staff that had been laid off. They also participated in a massive march to protest the lack of school funding, and YUC members spoke at the rally.
As with the Florida sit-in, Elliott said the school funding march left an indelible mark on him.
“It felt like I was witnessing history.”
“It was a monumental experience,” said 19-year-old YUC member Tone Elliott, who is currently pursuing his GED through YESPhilly.
“I can say I did a freedom ride, for real.”
Actually, I think there's a video game for that nowadays, and just to ice the cake, you don't even need a GED to buy it.
Poor misguided kids, throwing away their safety and their freedom and not having a clue as to what they are really doing.
THE “Trayvon Martin Civil Rights Act”???
Where are J. Jackson, A. Sharpton? Why are they not in the picture? This is their center stage.
Message: Kids, go back to your studies and lift yourselves up by your bootstraps instead of raising the clenched fist.
Some still think that they’re at the Trial of the Chicago Seven...
Trayvon’s Law? I see what the article said, but seriously, either it’s way too early in the morning or I just don’t understand this at all.
School to prison pipeline? Do well in school and don’t sell drugs or other such things and you’ve got a chance at making a good life for yourself.
Repeal SYG? That sounds like they are looking for easier prey to me.
Wow. What a group of losers.
These folks sure hate white people....especially the one working on his PhD ....er I mean GED
Somebody send me into space strapped to an ICBM.
Maybe they can go see the astronomer who wants to name an asteroid after Trayvon Martin.
What exactly is this school to prison pipeline we are hearing so much about? The MSM is picking up this terminology, and presenting it as fact, with no critical thinking as to what the heck this means.
>> Poor misguided kids, throwing away their safety and their freedom and not having a clue as to what they are really doing
I agree.
Ah...the raised fist...where have I seen that before?
I think something happens between school and prison that all these “social justice” types are deliberately ignoring.
It’s called “crime”.
They must be racists - no white “children” were invited.
STUPID A$$H*LES!While you’re at it,let’s see Trayvon’s CRIMINAL RECORDS and how many times he was suspended from school for fighting,etc.,etc.,??????????????????
” a 12-hour fast “
Oh wow!
Living in a less wealthy area in FL, I understand the “school to prison” pipeline. It’s horrid to watch in action. Kids just don’t do well in school, end up involved in drugs and crime because everything seems hopeless, and we are definitely strict here on prison sentences.
I’ve seen so many young kids here end up in jail even before they hit their later teens.
But it has NOTHING to do with SYG, poor misguided kids. It has EVERYTHING to do with unmarried parents and bad culture in the homes. Poor mothers having kids out of wedlock (FL cuts off a lot of aid if they get married) and then working and leaving the kids to wander in feral groups. It’s like trying to hold back the sea from your kids in some of these areas. It’s not like it was when we grew up. The kids are spiritually devastated and hopeless.
‘Youth group’
Yeah and the NAACP is a chess club.
How many of those people will be die by the hands of their own people?
If they embraced GOD and put HIM back into their lives... they would prosper and happiness would embrace them. The black community embraces satan and his prophets like jackson and sharpton. “By their fruits you shall know them”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.