Summer 2007

LIFE, LOVE, & JUSTICE - SISTER'S RISING 2007
The 2007 Sister’s Rising Community Organizers have graduated! The few weeks prior to their
departure they worked on the Sister Forward part of the curriculum which focuses on both
reflection of the past year and making plans and goals to thrive beyond the program. Particular
attention is placed on acquiring employment and continuing or enrolling in school.
Cria Merchant, Wellness Coordinator,
began working closely with the young
women to develop resumes and cover letters. With the help of community professionals, Chuck Martinez and Michele
Foster, RN, the young women were video
taped as they performed mock interviews.
A two day Career Fair introduced the young
women to representatives from schools
such as San Francisco City College, San
Francisco State University, College of the East Bay, and Laney College, in addition to business
owners through out San Francisco. Out of the 13 young women graduating from Sister’s Rising,
2 have maintained employment outside of The Center, 2 are actively interviewing, 7 are continuing with high school, and 2 are entering higher education this upcoming fall semester.
Since January, Sister’s Rising interns have been completing a photo journal project with freelance photographer Craig Young. Many of the photos capture the young women during their
popular education sessions, exemplifying their facilitation and public speaking skills, in addition to images of them building sisterhood and community. The last couple of weeks of the
internship, the young women worked with Craig to design the layout and contents for completion of the photo journal project. The photo journal project will be presented to the young
women at their graduation ceremony and cherished by The Center for Young Women’s
Development as a memoir of Sister’s Rising 2007.
SUMMER BENEFIT @ BISTRO YOFFI’S
We want to give a special thanks to, JoAnn McManus and Michelle Foster who organized a
very successful fundraiser for our 9-month Sister’s Rising Employment Training Program.
Artists like Robert Henry Johnson, Rhodessa Jones and members of The Madea Project donated their time to perform for guests at the event. Bistro Yoffi’s owners donated their space and
time to host the event. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your commitment to
empowering young women!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR TWO SPECIAL EVENTS…
December 6, 2007- Our 5th Annual Cheyenne Bell Leadership Award Ceremony
May 24, 2008- Our 15th Year Anniversary Celebration
SUMMER 2007
YOUNG MOTHERS UNITED PARENTING CLASS GET CPS CERTIFIED
As the Wellness Coordinator, I am excited to be leading this upcoming cycle of 12 week parenting classes. The classes cover everything from Nutrition to Early Childhood Development. The 12
week curriculum was designed and guided in collaboration with Ida McCray and the leaders of
Young Mothers United. Together they created parenting courses focusing on issues that directly
relate to previously incarcerated young women and young women who have had to self-parent.
Our goal is to create an environment and circle of support so that young mothers have the
space and opportunity to learn the skills it takes to be the best parents they can be.
We are excited to announce that our parenting classes have been recently approved for certification through the Child Protection Services Agency of San Francisco. This is a great success and
will be vital in helping a lot of the young women we work with legally reunify with their child.
The parenting classes are currently taking place on Mondays between 4:00 – 6:00pm. All classes are available to young mothers between the ages of 16-24. We offer dinner and free child
care as well as a $25 stipend for each class. Participants who complete all the classes will
receive a certificate at the end of each cycle.
If you are a young mother or know a young mother who could benefit from the parenting classes, please call Cria Merchant at 415-703-8800 ext. 208 or drop by the center anytime to get
more information.
C R I A M E R C H A N T, W E L L N E S S C O O R D I N AT O R
MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
We are one month into our new fiscal year and we are so excited about the work we
have ahead of us. We have been fortunate to have the support of a diverse array of
foundations and city funding. However, we realize that a healthy funding
stream must also include a strong individual donor base. To meet this challenge we are embarking on an individual donor campaign beginning in
September. You can help us reach our fundraising goals by hosting a small
fundraising event for CYWD or by making a donation to support the following
programs and projects.
• The Girls Detention Advocacy Project – Support healing and self-empowerment
programs for young women in lock-up facilities
• Education Services- Help low-income young women get the resources they need
to achieve academic success
• Cultural History Trips- Help CYWD send young women of color to destinations
where their cultural history is vibrant
• Emergency Housing Fund- Assist a young woman who is ready to get off the
streets and into stable housing
Please make a donation today! Please make a donation today! Call Tamaya Garcia at
415-703-8800 ext. 1029 or go online at http://www.cywd.org/support.html to find out how you
can support The Center for Young Women's Development.
Our work is made possible by love and support from the following individuals and organizations:
Aaron K. McClellan
Adrienne Hirt
Aisha Bilal
Alan B. Morrison
Alfred W. Fleck Jr.
Amadea Kramer
Amanda Cassel
Amy Adams
Amy Anner
Amy Reisch
Ancella Toldrian
Andrea Lee
Angela N. Booker
Ann Brandin
Anna Testa Knox
Anne Gunther
Anne Morrison
Anne S. Abrams
Annette Marie Clear
Anthony Grant
Barbara Shragge
Bessie Natareno
Bilen Mesfin
Bita Shooshani
Bonnie Knowlton
Brandel E. Eiger
Brenda Ramirez
Brian Collentine
Brooke S. Harris
C.A. Pilgrim, Jr.
C.S. Tanaguchi
Carol A. Draizen
Carolyn Hillman
Catriona M. Burns
Cecilia M. Contreras
Cecilia J. Hugo
Charles L. Boothe
Charles Erlich
Charles Moser, Ph.D., M.D.
Chela Delgado
Chip Conley
Chris Carlsson
Chris Vallejo
Christopher Coughlan
Daniel J. Alejandrez
Daniel Rodriquez
Daniel A. Zurita
David A. Graves
David Sheehan
Deidre Linburn
Denise Macias
Denise Wells
dom brassey
Dominique Garcia
Donald P. Brown
Donald Frazier
Donna Milgram
Donna J. Willmott
Dorothea V. Loux
Dorothy L. Breiner
Dorothy Langlois
Dorsey Nunn
Duke Crestfield
Eileen Hansen
Elaine Franzen
Elaine Yee
Eleanor Palacios
Elizabeth Colton
Elizabeth M. Marks
Elizabeth J. McMahon
Esteven Ansley
Eva M. Schlesinger
Evelyn L. Moore
Frima K. Stewart
Gena Castro
Geoffrey Dalwin
George W. Beale
Gloria E. Beale
Gretchen Sandler
Harriet Eckstein
Henry Sherck, III
Irwin E. Keller
Isabelle F. Gillis
J.L. Carter
Jack Gallant
Jack Omega
Jacqueline M. Glynn
James J. Herdrich
James Sandler
James M. Sullivan
Janie White
Javier Gonzales
Jean Amabile
Jean Magistrale
Jeannette McGee
Jeff Adachi, Esq.
The Center for Young Women’s Development
1550 Bryant Street, Suite 700
San Francisco, CA 94103
w w w. c y w d . o r g
Jeffrey Schindler
Jennifer Kremen
Jerome Paros
Jesse Foster
Jill M. Vanoncini
Joanna Uribe
Joanne M. Slaboch
Joe H. Stewart, Jr.
John Abodeely
John B. Henel
John F. O’Toole
John J. Wasinda
Johnnie Norway
Jon Osaki
Joop Verbaken
Joyce Gaffney
Joyce R. Graves
Juan Pedro Gaffney
Julie C. Smith
K.L. Moffett
Karen Jo Koonan
Karen Shain
Kathryn Finney
Kathy Bascom
Kazuhito Haga
Kerry Lobel
Kim Machelski
Kimberley K. Brandon
Kristina B. Palone
Kyri McClellan
L. Camille Perona
L. Cooper Raphael
Lan Lam
Lateefah Simon
Laura Spear
Lawrence Heiges
Leah Bluestone
Lenore Anderson
Lesley Carol Ewing
Leslie Mulligan
Leticia Hernandez
Lewis R. Motisher
Lidia Szajko
Linda Evans
Linda Leary
Linda Paros
Lori R. Markson
Lynda Spence
M.O. Pilgrim
Mabel E. Floreza
Margaret Pilgrim
Mark Friedlander
Mark Gunther
Marla Eaton
Marla Ruth Zemanek
Marta Drury Ttee
Mary C. Eager
Maya Harris
Melanie Willingham-Jaggers
Melissa White
Michael T. Burns
Michael Hennessey
Michelle J. Anderson
Michelle Isaku Bergert
Michelle Foster
Michelle Williams
Mildred Sorrells
Miriam M. Kronberg
Molly Aaronson-Gelb
Mutsuko Adachi
Nanci L. Clarence
Nancy Dalwin
Nelma R. McCready
Noelle Christian Blau
Nora Roman
Olis Simmons
Oliver B. Dick
Oren Z. Slozberg
P. Catlin Fullwood
Page Lehman
Pat McElroy
Patricia McManus
Patricia Vaughey
Patricia L. Zeglen
Patrick Brandin
Patrick Mattimore
Paul S. Flores
Paul Muniz
Penelope L. Blair
Penny Blair
Philip J. O’Keefe
Pia Guerrero
R.D. Brown
Rachel Felix
Raquel Garcia
Raquel Mariscal
Raymond L. Mulliner
Rebecca M. Archer
Rebecca Jane Krebs
Renee E. Halsing
Rhonda L. Andrew
Richard H. Breiner
Rick Childress
Rita Papini
Rob Gitin
Robert C. Eager
Robert Eaton
Robert Miller
Robert Rubin
Robin Brandes
Robin L. Duryee
Robin A. Kehoe
Roman R. Leal
Ronnie S. Gravino
Ruth Grabowski
Sage Anderson
Sasha Vodnik
Saundra A. Willingham
Sean Reynolds
Sharlene Greene
Sharon Martinas
Sharon J. Zunz, Dr.
Shari Greenberger
Sheila Rhatigan Arcelona
Shelley Belmonte
Shirley Wilson
Skye Christensen
Stacy Gordon
Stans M. Kleijnen
Stephanie L. Williams
Stephen T. Conley, Jr.
Stephen Knox, M.D.
Sue Collentine
Susan Stockton Alldredge
Susan Lynn Ansley
Susan Glordano
Susan Reid
Susan M. Sullivan
Susie Tompkins Buell
Sydney G. Clemens
Sydni Ventures
Teresa E. Leal
Teresa Ann Weeks
Theresa Collins
Thomas P. Toldrian
Thomas J. White
Tita Gray
Toby Rubin
Toni Lizotte
Tyche Teeudricks
Victor Bacigalupi
Victoria Cameron
Victoria Heiges
Victoria Sammartino
Virginia Villegas
Warren S. Browner
Wendy Volkman
William P. Siffermann
Agape Foundation
Akonadi Foundation
Alafi Family Foundation
At the Crossroads
Barret Family Foundation
Bella Vista Foundation
Bistro Yoffi
Blue Shield of California
Burt Family Fund
Butler Family Fund
California Endowment
Chevron Energy Solutions Company
City of Berkeley
Cleo Foundation
Community Health Charities of California
Cricket Island Foundation
Crosby & Kaneda
Department of Children Youth & Families
Donald & Carole Chaiken Foundation
Donald O. Collins Foundation
Eva Leah Gunther Foundation
Falcon Fund
Ford Foundation
Funding Exchange
GGS Foundation
Gap Foundation Gift Match Program
Gap Inc. Giving Campaign
General Board of Global Ministries
Genentech Employee Giving Program
Groundspring.org
Heylin Consulting Group
Hill-Snowdon Foundation
Homeless Prenatal Program
Horizons Donor-Advised Fund Program
Injoy Productions
Isabelle Allende Foundation
James Irvine Foundation
James & Gretchen Sandler Philanthropic Fund
Joie De Vivre Hospitality
Just Give
Law Offices of Tamburello & Hanlon
Lee and Perry Smith Fund
Liberty Hill Found ation
Louis R. Lurie Foundation
LYRIC
Macy’s West United Way Campaign
Mayors Office of Criminal Justice
McKesson Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Foundation for Women
Network for Good
Paragon Real Estate Group
Paula Schaefer & Associates, Inc
PG&E
RBD Strategic Graphic Design
Richard & Rhoda Goldman Foundation
Richard T. Parker Fund
Ronald R. Collins Foundation
San Francisco Chapter of NAIW
San Francisco Foundation
SBC Employee Giving/ United Way Campaign
SKB Foundation
Talamantes, Villegas, Carerra, LLP
The Bell Family
Tides Foundation
Tides Underdog Fund
TR Hirt/Rodman Charitable Trust
URIBE & MENA Associates
United Scottish Rite Supreme Council
United States Trust Company of New York
United Way of the Bay Area
University of San Francisco, Black Student Union
Van LobenSels/RemberRock Foundation
W. Haywood Burns Institute
Wild Old Women’s Charitable Trust
Wise Women Ink, a partnership
Women's Foundation of California
YWCA of San Francisco
Zellerbach Family Foundation
VOLUNTEERS
Patty Barraza
Monica Morales
Jessica Vertiz
Ida McCray
STAFF
Cria Merchant
Erin Williams
Marlene Sanchez
Shirlese Garrick
Tailua Mapu
Tamaya Garcia
Tasha Rassuli
CYWD
The Center for Young Women’s Development
1550 Bryant Street, Suite 700 • San Francisco, CA 94103 • Phone: 415.703.8800 • Fax: 415.703.8818
MISSION: Our mission is to empower and inspire young women who
have been involved with the juvenile justice system and/or the
underground street economy to
create positive change in their
lives and communities.
Ashley Anderson
Brianna Whittaker
Charice Bowser
Chassidy Gullatt
Daisha Spires
Erica Ruiz
Lamika Ferdinand
Naurkeath Jones
Passionae Anderson
Rosenda Rodarte
Teruko Dobashi
Tierra Santalucia
Valerie Klinker
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Amy Reisch
NON PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
US POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. ###
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
• CYWD attends U.S. Social Forum
• Parenting Classes Get CPS Certified
• Overcrowding at SF Juvenile Hall
VISION: We envision a world in which
self-determination and sisterhood are
the means by which culturally diverse
young women in crisis are supported
and healed with care and compassion
so they can proactively resist the
impacts of all forms of oppression.
WE ARE MOVING!
The rumors are true. We are packing our
things and searching for a new home.
Please stay posted for our new address.
RECEIVE E-NEWS
LETTER FROM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
To save paper and valuable resources, we
will begin sending our biannual newsletter through
email. To help us in our efforts please email
[email protected] or call 415.703.8800 ext. 217 to give
us your email address.
Dear Friends, Allies, & Supporters,
We apologize if you have received this newsletter
more than once. Please let us know so we can clear
up the problem.
Summer is in full gear and we have just graduated another group of powerful young
women. At the same time we are searching for
a new home and nominating community members for this year’s 5th Annual Cheyenne Bell
Awards, all while planning our 15th Year
Anniversary Celebration. Yes, in May 2008
“the Center” will have been around for 15
amazing years. I feel blessed to say that I’ve
been able to call CYWD my home for the last
ten of those years.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS
Adriana Embriz
Inside This Issue
Planning our anniversary reminds me of what
it was like for me to come to CYWD at 15
years old, a girl trying to survive the streets
and jail and walking into a place that would
change my path forever. Every time a young
women walks into the center for the first time
I can’t help but see myself in her. She is the
young woman who is tired of running,
waiting, and feeling bound to her limited
options- streets, jail or a dead end job. She
wants more out of life. She is searching to find
a place that values who she is and what she
has to offer to the world. The Center has been
that place for so many young women in the
Bay Area and we will continue to be that
place for the next 15 years and more.
Marlene Sanchez, Executive Director of CYWD
We are really excited to honor and celebrate
the work and community that has brought us
to where we are today. It is my hope that each
of you who read this letter know that our
anniversary is not just a celebration of our
work but a celebration of every one of you
who has embraced our vision of empowering
previously incarcerated young women
to become self-sufficient leaders in
our communities.
MARLENE SANCHEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
WORDS THAT INSPIRE
A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power
to create, nurture and transform.
~Diane Mariechild
“Because of the Center my dreams and aspirations have come true. This is my foundation.”
CHASSIDY LEWIS, CYWD SISTER’S RISING ORGANIZER
was held in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. In their proposal
to be the site of the first U.S. Social Forum, they talked
about the ongoing battles of social injustices that characterize the deep South. Atlanta was seen as an ideal location because it represented all that the event was working
against. Setting up the U.S. Social Forum there was symbolic of challenging oppression head-on.
TAKING THE MOVEMENT
TO THE STREETS OF THE ATL
CYWD ATTENDS THE 2007 U.S. SOCIAL FORUM
This year The Center for Young Women’s Development had the
opportunity to experience the first ever U.S. Social Forum held in
Atlanta, Georgia from June 27th to July 1st. It was a five day event
comprised of workshops, marches, rallies, debates and dialogues put on
by hundreds of grassroots activists and national organizations fighting
for social change.
For the majority of young women it was the first time they got to leave
the Bay Area and visit a different part of our country. We left with a
mix of excitement and nervousness. When we arrived we were shocked
by the humidity, but couldn’t wait to get to the march and meet other
folks attending the forum.
When we finally arrived at the registration area and saw the amount of
people that had come out for this event we were shocked. Once the
march started going we felt like we were part of something so much
more powerful than we’d ever felt before. It was an amazing experience
to feel so connected to so many people in one place.
There were many different issues that people were there to represent.
But the six struggles that were featured and stood out for us at the
forum included:
•
Gulf Coast Reconstruction in the Post-Katrina Era
•
War, Militarism and the Prison Industrial Complex
•
Indigenous Voices: From the Heart of Mother Earth
•
Immigrant Rights
•
Liberating Gender and Sexuality: Integrating Gender and
Sexual Justice Across Our Movements
•
Workers’ Rights in the Global Economy.
The one thing everyone was discussing in workshops and in general at
the forum was the word CAPITALISM. We learned that the U.S. Social
Forum‘s goal is to overthrow capitalist globalization to end the exploitation of our communities. We know that profit should not come before
the welfare of others. It is for this reason that the U.S. Social Forum
At the forum we took part in many workshops including Transforming
Hip-Hop: Challenging
Male Supremacy &
Gender Oppression in
Hip-Hop Music &
Culture. This powerful
workshop exposed the
underlying messages
behind mainstream hiphop as portrayed in
today’s media. We
learned about the pitfalls of idolizing the
“pimp” lifestyle and
the gross objectification of women, especially of young women that get
portrayed in videos and magazines. We got to break down the images
and lyrics that bombard us with messages that feed into gender discrimination, homophobia and sexual violence.
Chassidy Lewis, Sister’s Rising Community Organizer, reflects on the
workshop and says, “I get that sex sells everywhere and especially in
hip-hop, but I know we can turn a negative into a positive and still get
people’s attention. Hip-hop can still be just as good without all the sexual violence thrown in.”
We also got to visit local Atlanta universities, such as Morehouse College.
This was a cultural learning experience for many Sister’s Rising Organizers.
Most of the young women conveyed their desire to continue to travel and
attend conferences
and visit different colleges as a result of
their positive experience in Atlanta.
One of the many
highlights of the trip
was being able to
visit the memorial
site of the beloved
Reverend Martin
Luther King and
Coretta Scott King.
It gave us an opportunity to celebrate two people who have done so much for the world. To
honor their vision and behold their sacrifices was a true privilege.
The best part about the trip for most of us was being able to unite with
other youth organizations from all over the nation. The chance to experience a movement at its best and learn about what we are doing as one
nation to create change instilled a compelling sense of empowerment
among all of us at CYWD.
We just want to thank everyone who made it possible for us to be part of
such an amazing historical event. It’s an experience we will never forget!
YOUTH INCARCERATION IN CALIFORNIA
OVERCROWDING AT SAN FRANCISCO JUVENILE HALL
Upon the 2002 construction of the Youth Guidance Center (YGC), also
known as San Francisco’s new juvenile hall, we at The Center for Young
Women’s Development along with many other community-based organizations (CBO) were concerned that the addition of 18 more beds would result
in an increase of incarcerated youth.
The new facility is capable of housing 150 individuals when fully staffed.
However, the probation office is shorthanded, consequently reducing their
maximum capacity to 120 youth. San Francisco officials promised the public that the expanded juvenile hall would never be filled to the maximum
amount of occupants. Youth advocates have stressed the use of rehabilitative
community based programs being an effective alternative to the lock up
facilities that the juvenile justice system has not exercised enough. We were
alarmed when the amount of youth housed at YGC kept rising.
Our worst fears became a reality when we learned that not only were all
the beds filled, but that the new juvenile hall was over capacity. According
to the San Francisco Chronicle, 156 youth are within the new juvenile
hall’s custody.
How did a progressive city like San Francisco suddenly become a breeding
ground for misguided young people? It became clear that two things were
seriously wrong with this picture. Youth were being arrested and detained at
a higher rate than ever and the juvenile probation authorities think that putting youth behind bars is more effective than sending youth to programs
that address the root causes of why young people are committing crimes.
In another article published May 2007 by the San Francisco Chronicle,
there has been a 20 percent increase of youth arrests from September 2006
to February 2007 in comparison to the number within the previous time
frame a year before. The San Francisco Chronicle also stated in a June 2007
article that no accommodations were made for the excess population and
youth were forced to resort to either double bunking or sleeping on floors.
However, we are still suspicious that the increase in youth arrests coincided
with the availability of more beds at YGC.
Fortunately, enough pressure was put on the city administration by CBOs
and concerned communities that the situation was proactively addressed. In
early May 2007 Mayor Gavin Newsom actually did something about it. He
demanded there be a cut in the number of young people locked-up at YGC,
as it was overcrowded beyond the legal capacity. The San Francisco
Chronicle reported that Mayor Newsom insisted on greater use of alternative programs to incarceration and so juvenile probation staff was forced to
find alternative programming to place the young men and women. Juvenile
Probation Chief William Sifferman responded to Mayor Newsom’s orders
immediately, downsizing the overcrowding in two days by about 24 occupants. As of June 21, 2007, about 40 youth were let go.
The website commonweal.org claims that California has consistently had
the highest youth incarceration rate, more than double the national average
rate of incarceration for young people confined in secure public facilities.
The rising number of incarcerated young men and women in the system has
outraged youth advocate organizations. We were satisfied that the situation
in San Francisco was handled quickly. However, we need to ensure that the
Newsom administration continues to value alternative programming and
that we continue to put pressure on the state of California to address the
disproportionate and unjust confinement of youth.
•
In the year 2000, 25% of California’s misdemeanors and 17% of its
felony arrests were young women.
•
Last year almost 50,000 girls came into contact with the juvenile
justice system.
•
The prison industrial complex disproportionately impacts women,
including young women of color. African American women (with an
incarceration rate of 205 per 100,000) are more than three times likely as
Latino women (60 per 100,000) and six times more likely than white
women (34 per 100,000) to face imprisonment.
•
33% of youth detained at juvenile hall are for non-violent, non-criminal
offenses such as probation violation.
•
“Serious” crimes that threaten public safety account for only 25% of
youth incarcerated in juvenile hall.
•
A study of three California newspapers showed that 25% of stories about
youth involved violence, while only 3% of youth in the same year were
involved in a violent crime.
•
LGBTQ youth make up between 4-10% of the total detained youth
population. The actual percentage may be higher since LGBTQ youth are
over-represented in populations that are more likely to be involved in the
juvenile justice system. As a result, many LGBTQ youth drop out of the
system altogether, preferring to live on the street rather than in
homophobic and transphobic settings where they are in danger of
harassment or violence.
•
44% of women under correctional authority, including 57% of the
women in state prisons, report that they were physically or sexually
abused at some point in their lives. 69% of women report that this abuse
occurred before age 18.
Sources: Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, Center for Juvenile Justice and Criminal
Justice, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, and
the ACLU Drug Law Reform Project.
2 THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE BLOCK
2 those who live on the block
u feel that u grew up on the other side of perfect…
where u either packed a gun or packed a crack sack.
U grew up bein taught that to be hood
u have to have a magnum to glock it
but not a magnum rubber in ur pocket…
I live on the block but I refuse 2 seep into the cement
2 leave a stain of pain
or a residue of something unable to take back and undo…
what has this crooked world come to…gun fire…
dreams deferred eyes watery
life lived in a blur
All you know is to slang rocks and bang blocks…
2 those who live on the block…
yea im testin ur manhood…
this is my ghetto revolution written to those who live on the block.
BY TERUKO DOBASHI