8/8/08 and the Circles of Life

by Efrén Paredes, Jr.

Friday, August 8, 2008, people all over the world planned weddings to celebrate their sacred unions on this day marked with dual circles comprising the number "8", i.e., 8/8/08. Some people simply held parties and gatherings to bring attention to the numbers of the day.

The Beijing Olympic Games also began with an extravagant opening ceremony. According to m

any accounts they felt the ceremony eclipsed all previous ones as they marveled at its beauty and splendor.

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Across the world 6,500 miles from the Olympic Games in Jackson, Michigan a small, quiet group of people convened for a different purpose. The number "8" was not considered when this gathering was planned. It just happened to be the only day everyone could mutually arrange to be together.

That day I received a visit from my wife, my grandfather, aunt Angie, and cousin Arielle. It was the first time I had seen Arielle since she was just a toddler in 1990. She was the last child I held during the entire length of my nearly 20 years of wrongful imprisonment.

Arielle was disallowed from visiting since then until she turned 18 earlier this year. Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) policy precludes anyone under the age of 18 from visiting a prisoner unless they are siblings. The policy went into effect a short time after Arielle last visited me.

Seeing Arielle again after all these years conjured a lot of memories of my early imprisonment. It was a salient reminder that I had been incarcerated the entire life of someone who is now a legal adult. In this instance I began my imprisonment months before Arielle was even born.

Previous to this visit, besides talking on the phone, seeing each other in pictures, and hearing about each other through other family members, Arielle and I had not seen each other since she was a baby. She also has two younger brothers, Alesandro and20Andreas, whom I have never met.

The visit went very well and we all discussed family memories. As we reminisced each time a person told a story they recalled it evoked another narrative by someone else. It seemed like we talked about the entire family before the visit ended. This wasn't so difficult having the elder of our family present to guide us along. It was like we were all putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle of our family's history.

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I learned about more recent events as well. For instance, I discovered that my grandparents celebrated their 60th year anniversary that week. I also learned that Arielle would be leaving for college on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 — only a few days away.

Arielle told me she is attending Indiana State University (ISU) to pursue studies in music and pre-law. She also made the ISU Sparkettes dance team and plans on competing in national championships which are scheduled in the coming weeks.

Throughout our conversation Arielle shared her aspirations with me and sounded determined to accomplish them. She was poised, focused, and eager to commence her journey. I was proud of her and encouraged her to do her best and not allow anyone or anything to stand in the way of her dreams.

I had already been imprisoned three years at the age of 18!

As we talked I thought to myself, "Here is this young person who is about to embark on an exciting life of opportunities I never had." Like me, Arielle was an honor student throughout school and sought to excel at every level of education. She had worked hard for this opportunity and deserved to enjoy every moment of it.

Being raised primarily by Angie, her single mother, makes Arielle's achievements all the more exceptional. More often than not children raised in single-parent homes struggle with their education and many of them drop out of school.

While other children chased the fast life or the streets, Arielle chose to chase stars. This is a testament to the upbringing she received from a loving mother who sacrificed in order to provide for her three children and see them thrive.

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Rather than dwell on the unfortunate reality of having to wait so many years to finally see Arielle again I was grateful the day finally arrived. I did not want to detract from the visit by wasting time reflecting on the painful past of being separated from members of my family.

I have been robbed of too many freedoms and opportunities in my life to remind myself of these things. As always, I strive to avoid looking back at what I have lost, but instead focus on looking ahead to the things I will encounter and experience in life.

I was happy I was able to spend time with Arielle and offer her words of encouragement before she left for college to begin what may be the most important stage of her life. I last saw her before she could even take her first steps in life. Now I was about to see her take her first steps of independence and pursue her cherished dreams.

As the visit ended I kept that thought in mind. I wasn't watching Arielle leave. I was watching her begin a new life.


(Photos: Upper right (Angie, Arielle, and Efren in 1990); Center left (Angie and Efren on 8/8/08); and Lower right (Arielle and Efren on 8/8/08).

Prisoner Murdered at Prison Where Efren is Housed in Jackson, MI

Dear Friends,

On Saturday morning, August 2, 2008, I was on the prison yard when unexpectedly an announcement came over the facility loud speaker which said, "Attention on the yard. All yards are closed. Report to your housing units. All yards are closed."

It was around 10:15 AM and yard typically does not close until 10:45 AM. As I returned to my housing unit I noticed there was an ambulance parked at the health care building. I deduced there was a possible nexus between the ambulance and the early yard closing.

At the time I was speaking to Helen on a telephone located on the prison yard. She, too, suspected that something was wrong and immediately asked me if everything was alright. She knew it was abnormal for the yard to close early so abruptly.

Having heard the urgent tone of the loud speaker announcement also added to her concern.

Later that morning I learned, according to staff accounts, that a prisoner had stabbed another prisoner while in the shower, puncturing his heart and killing.0 The victim and perpetrator were both Black.

Unfortunately my instinct about the ambulance I had seen earlier was correct. I will admit, however, I suspected it may have signaled someone needing medical attention. I did not think it was a homicide victim.

The incident was a reminder that prison is not a safe place. While prisons may be absent of guns or sophisticated other legal weapons, it is not devoid of improvised objects that prisoners use to create weapons for whatever reason. It is a reality that exists in every prison.

News of the prisoner's murder quickly swept across the prison and evoked a host of discussions. Disturbingly, what I did not hear was colloquy about the issue of the need to curtail the cycle of violence or ignorance that results in this type of destructive behavior.

At a time when the absence of males of color in society has reached catastrophic proportions, this issue is all the more important. Our communities are being devastated by the absence of males. Consequently women, children and families are suffering and struggling for survival. Some more poorly than others.

The murder of the young man on Saturday represented so much more than the death of a prisoner. It was an attack on the heath of the community. Man is a symbol of the seed that is germinated in the sacred wombs of women. Without it civilization can not endure.

Educating people about the value we each contribute to the pr
eservation and perpetuation of humanity is vital to helping end the violence gripping our communities. It is only when people do not acknowledge and respect their own self-worth, and that of others, that they can rob another human being of the precious gift of life.

Transforming each situation into a learning opportunity helps us change the world in some small way. It can help us alter the trajectory of destructiveness and help us embark on a path of restoration and healing. We simply have to be the catalyst that initiates the process.

There are no guarantees that a prisoner will return home to his/her family physically unscathed, or even alive. What we can guarantee, however, is that through striving to make a difference we can work to prevent future recurrences of senseless homicides and help shape a new consciousness. We can also help release the mental shackles that are fostering ignorance and self-hatred.

In so doing, we will promote the sanctity of life.

The Struggle Continues,

Efrén

Juvenile Injustice, by Luis J. Rodriguez

The July 2008 edition of The Progressive magazine featured an article titled "Juvenile Injustice" by Luis J. Rodriguez. The article references the case of Efrén Paredes, Jr. To view the writing please click on the following link:

http://www.scribd.com/word/full/3729780?access_key=key-14x0ed73c5rjnrl6qdi9

Anahuacalmecac School Charter: Efren Works to Help Gain Approval!

"The educators and leaders of Academia Semillas del Pueblo
Xinaxcalmecac continue to be the heart of our organization,
the dream weavers, and those who dare to teach when all
else tells us to forget. Our xinaxtin, our students, deserve no less."
—Marcos Aguilar, Executive Director, Semillas Sociedad Civil,
Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter Elementary School—

Dear Friends,

Two months ago our friend and committee member, Mario Rocha, contacted me and invited me to join him in garnering support for Anahuacalmecac, International University Preparatory High School of North America ("Anahuacalmecac"). The school needed charter approval from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Directors to open its doors to students this Fall. Many of you may recall I wrote members of The Injustice Must End (TIME) Committee about this.

Anahuacalmecac is the upper division complement to the current International Baccalaureate (IB) Early and Middle Years programs at Academia Semillas del Pueblo (“Academia”) in El Sereno, located in Los Angeles. This high school phase rounds out the vision of a richly multi-cultural, multi-lingual and humanistic educational continuum that children everywhere deserve.

In the message that Mario shared with me he stated:

"In 2002, founders of Academia had a vision of offering students a high quality international education rooted in cultural practices. The vision developed in response to the cultural void in public schools that insisted on teaching Indigenous Peoples that "History" commenced when Christopher Columbus set foot on this continent and, therefore, our history did not matter. They also wanted to combat the exorbitant dropout rate and failure of the current education system to adequately prepare students for the university.

Under the plan envisioned by Academia, students would leave high school with a diploma in their hands and a uniquely global understanding that would afford them academic confidence in any higher education setting – in the continent or abroad. It would also provide students the wherewithal to maintain their positive sense of identity while respecting other cultures."

I eagerly accepted Mario's invite and joined the group of noble citizens who were working together to make Anahuacalmecac a reality.

I first learned about this historic endeavor shortly before my birthday, April 4, 2008. Upon learning about it I immediately began contacting family members about my interest in contributing to this campaign. I asked them to create a Facebook group for Anahuacalmecac, an online petition, and I even devoted a page on my web site to spreading awareness about the need for the school. I asked people to create these things as a birthday gift to me and they graciously did it.

For two months we launched a strong public relations campaign to generate support for Anahuacalmecac. Sending e-mails, messages through Facebook, posting information on friends' Facebook walls, shared it on MySpace, etc. School administrators, parents who wanted their children to attend Anahuacalmecac, and other members of the community also toiled hard during this time as well.

And, it all paid off. Wednesday I learned that by unanimous vote from the LAUSD Board of Directors voted to approve the charter petition for Anahuacalmecac on June 24, 2008.

I was very pleased to receive this news and to have been a contributor to the success of the charter approval. It isn't every day that we can be a part of opening an institutional of learning, particularly one that had to vigorously struggle for its existence. This was also particularly special to me because of the world class education and model for success that Anahuacalmecac provides its children.

I was willing to engage in a protracted struggle to help the children, parents, and Anahuacalmecac faculty realize their dream. I sacrificed time, energy and resources from my own struggle for justice and freedom to contribute to this effort. And, I did so without reservation. I would do it again too.

I remind people all the time that our struggle is a shared struggle. And while we share our struggles we also share our victories. I am honored to share this victory and I invite my supporters across the globe to celebrate it along with me as well.

The success of the charter approval is a testament to the reality that together we can achieve great things. Our collective energies are powerful beyond measure and the strength of our voice continues to crumble the walls of oppression and injustice.

Never the doubt the power of our unity as we continue adding more rungs to the ladder of opportunity for our children.

End Latino Youth Violence Initiative

This group was conceptualized by Efren Paredes, Jr. to generate support for a global call to end the existent tide of Latino youth violence wherever it may exist in the world, and to create unity amongst our youth.

Latino youth are being vilified in the media and depicted negatively daily in an attempt to erase their true identity, as well as their rich cultural and historical legacy.

The social milieu of our youth has been contaminated with destructive notions and behaviors that are ravishing our communities. They are destroying the moral and social fabric that has held us together as a cohesive unit.

The prevalence of youth violence is turning neighborhoods into dangerous war zones and resulting in the loss of lives of innocent men, women and children caught in this vicious crossfire of ignorance and self-destruction.

Our youth desperately need our support and to know that we have not abandoned them. They need to be taught that they represent the future of Latino people and they wield the power to create positive change.

As socially conscious adults the onus is on us to reach these youth. They are dependent on us to provide intervention and foster the emergence of a new consciousness that will liberate them from the destructive ideologies holding their minds and bodies captive.

There exists a major disconnect between our leadership and youth. Many of our leaders have grown fearful of our youth and avoid contact with them. This vacuum forges self-destructive attitudes and a reliance on adverse guidance, consequently leaving them ill-equipped to lead productive lives. A proven nexus between the neglect of youth and their adoption of dysfunctional characteristics is well-established.

We reject the notion that our youth are incorrigible or indispensable and advocate that this philosophy should be immediately jettisoned. Instead, we emphasize the reality that all children have the potential for change, redemption, and healing.

If provided the essential elements for their proper growth and development a change in their life trajectory can manifest.

Through this group we hope to provide the contours for a framework to increase awareness about issues afflicting Latino youth and formulate progressive concepts that are cognitively intelligible. Among our objectives to help Latino youth will be:

• develop new programs aimed at rescuing our youth which youth will be instrumental in creating;
• share studies and successful program models in this field;
• build alliances within the community;
• teach the value of respect amongst peers, respecting elders in the community, and the appreciation of life;
• emphasize the value of teaching, learning and preserving our culture and history;
• invite the various institutions to participate in our endeavors and become proponents of our objectives;
• devise ways to produce constructive paradigm shifts; and
• teach the process of cognitive development and the control of thought and behavior.

This list will continue to evolve with input from group members and youth who will benefit from our mission.

By joining this group you express your support to end Latino youth violence, your concern for Latino youth, and a desire to protect our future. Help send a strong message to Latino youth that they have our love, support, and that they can depend on us to help guide them during the tribulations they encounter in their daily lives.

"El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz"
("The respect of the rights of others is the meaning of peace.")
—Benito Juarez—

As of May 8, 2008 the Facebook group has 1,152 members. To join the End Latino Youth Violence Initiative you are invited to join one of the following networks:

Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2640865534

MySpace Group: http://groups.myspace.com/ELYVI

Unifying Chicana Matriarch Visits Michigan

Dr. Elizabeth "Betita" Martinez Continues to Blaze Trails

by Efrén Paredes, Jr.

"From work for decolonization at the United Nations, to the Civil Rights Movement, to pioneering the women's liberation movement, to local organizing in New Mexico and California, to top-rate journalism and political theory, Betita continues to blaze trails and create priceless legacies, mentoring countless social activists, young and old, male and female, people of all colors, gay and straight, always with astonishing patience and intelligence."--Roxane Dunbar-Ortiz

Thursday, April 17, 2008 Dr. Elizabeth "Betita" Martinez arrived in Michigan for the first of a three day visit. It was her first visit to Michigan State University (MSU).

Betita was brought to Michigan by Dr. Sheila Contreras, Associate Professor at Michigan State University (MSU), where she teaches American Studies and Chicano/Latino Studies. Dr. Contreras is also author of the forthcoming book, Blood Lines: Myth, Indigenism and Chicana/o Literature. She brought Betita to Michigan on behalf of the MSU Chicano/Latino Studies Department, with the help of MEXA de MSU.

While in the state Betita spoke to various community and university groups. She delivered her message of solidarity and empowerment across the state during her presentations and captivated her audience members. She attracted people of all ages and races as she conveyed invaluable lessons and experience from years of progressive activism.

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During her presentations Betita showed a slide show of photos from her new book, 500 Years of Chicana Women's History/500 Años de la Mujer Chicana. She spoke about the women in the photos displayed and explained their important role as subjects, and not mere objects, in the struggle for social justice. Her presentation was an abbreviated oral account of the years of work she spent documenting the stories contained in her book.

Betita returned to do a book signing at the MSU Chicano/Latino Studies Department on Saturday, April 19, 2008 to promote 500 Years of Chicana Women's History/500 Años de la Mujer Chicana.

According to Rutger's University Press, "The history of Mexican Americans spans more than five centuries and varies from region to region across the United States. Yet most of our history books devote at most a chapter to Chicano history, with even less attention to the story of Chicanas. 500 Years of Chicana Women's History offers a powerful antidote to this omission with a vivid, pictorial account of struggle and survival, resilience and achievement, discrimination and identity."

A Chicana activist, author, and educator, Betita has published six books and many articles on social movement in the Americas. Her best-known work is 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures, a bilingual history that subsequently became the basis for an educational video she co-directed titled ¡Viva la Causa! 500 Years of Chicano History. Other books she has authored include De Colores Means All of Us: Latina Views for a Multi-Colored Century, Letters from Mississippi and The Youngest Revolution: A Personal Report on Cuba.

Betita has traveled extensively across the United States speaking on college campuses and in classrooms about race, class, gender issues and organizing. She has received many awards from student, community, and academic organizations, including Scholar of the Year 2000 by the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies.

I first learned about Betita's work in 1999 when I read an article she wrote in the newspaper about Mumia Abu Jamal's wrongful conviction. After conducting research about Betita, and learning about her long history in the struggle for social justice, I contacted her.

I shared the story of my wrongful incarceration with Betita and invited her to help me increase awareness about the issues of wrongful convictions, the imposition of life without parole sentences on children, and other examples of injustices against members of the Chicano/Latino community. She responded to my letter, agreed to assist my campaign, and we have remained in contact ever since.

Thursday evening I had the opportunity to speak with Betita on the phone while she was having dinner at Troppos in Lansing with Dr. Contreras and seven other women. Among the group were professors and students in the MSU Chicano/Latino Studies PhD program, a visiting lecturer, a member of the TIME Committee, and respected community organizers.

Betita and I spoke for approximately 30 minutes. We were both delighted to speak to one another. During our conversation we exchanged stories and experiences in our lives. Among the things I shared with Betita were my campaign for justice, the work I do to increase social consciousness, and stories of historical relevance.

Among Betita's stories were the work she is currently doing teaching youth to build greater understanding, respect, and solidarity between people of color. She also talked about her experience in Cuba only a few months after the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and the profound impact it had on her life.

Betita mentioned Yanga and the need for people to understand the historic role of this Mexican national hero. She said she would like to see a good book written about Yanga during her lifetime. Yanga was a member of the royal family of Gabon, Africa before being kidnaped and placed in the Middle Passage to the new world. He became the head of a group of revolting slaves near Veracruz, Mexico around 1570. Later he and his people built a small free colony and officially established the town of Yanga in 1630.

We talked about the importance of unifying the masses and ending the Black/Brown conflict which has been fueled by the media and those intent on deepening the existing racial and cultural fissures. This is an area that Betita and I have both been working to increase awareness about. I have learned many lessons about this work through reading Betita's books and essays on the subjects.

Betita discussed 500 Years of Chicana Women's History with me and shared her excitement with me about the nearly 800 photographs contained in the book. She told me there were photos of many people and events in our history, and jokingly told me, "The only reason you aren't in it is because you aren't a Chicana [woman]."

I was happy to learn that earlier in the day while Betita spoke at NorthStar Center in Lansing, Michigan, she discussed my wrongful conviction with people and The Injustice Must End (TIME) Committee's global campaign to free me and get justice in my case.

She told me my campaign is a strong example of how to generate global support for a seemingly obscure issue at the grassroots level and transform it into an international movement for justice and human rights. She said the success of my campaign is a model for others to emulate.

During our conversation Betita said I am a symbol of human rights abuse against children of color in this country and the need for serious prison reform. She emphasized the need to abolish laws that sentence our children to die in prisons across the USA that are disproportionately targeting youth of color with impunity.

It was through writing to Betita nearly a decade ago that I came into contact with other seminal scholars and leaders in the Chicano/Latino community who have come to support my campaign as well. She was the first prominent figure in the Chicano/Latino community to write me a support letter.

While at NorthStar Center Betita, Dr. Contreras, and others took photographs with my support banner. Betita also made a video expressing her support of my release and her thoughts about our phone calls. The videos are available on YouTube. She also signed a copy of 500 Years of Chicana Women's History and left it with a TIME Committee member for me to read one day.

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During our phone calls Betita said, "Wow! I can't believe we are finally talking!" I echoed her sentiments. She went on to say she enjoyed our conversation so much that a trip to Michigan just so we could talk would be worth it. I was obviously very honored and flattered to hear Betita make such a remark.

I was grateful for the opportunity to even speak with Betita considering the busy schedule she was going to have during her visit here. I later learned that she would have arranged to visit me if she had more advanced notice that it was an option.

Betita expressed her gratitude to me for reaching out to the world from prison and giving a voice to not only my own injustice, but to other social injustices that plague our community. She said that despite my incarceration, and fighting for my freedom, I have continued helping others with their struggles and that meant a lot to her.

Helping others has helped me cope with the pain and difficulty I have endured for 19 years separated from family, friends, and society. When there have been times that I wasn't seeing progress in my own struggle I have found solace in knowing my contributions were helping advance the struggles of others. It has been a way for me to continually feel and evoke the presence of life.

Understanding coexistence has taught me that by helping others I am also helping myself. It also helps me learn valuable lessons from other struggles and build on my strengths. Through the continued application of knowledge I attain I am able to refine the efficacy and utility of my work.

I also had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Contreras for a few minutes during one of our phone calls. I thanked her for bringing Betita to Michigan and for allowing me to join their gathering that evening so I could speak with her. I told her I knew it was a special day for her and those who got to meet and speak with Betita.

Dr. Contreras was very happy that it worked out for Betita to visit the state and share her life and work with us. She added that bringing Betita to Michigan is one of the most important personal accomplishments in her life and career. I could hear how genuinely elated she was that it all worked out.

I also spoke with one of the students in the MSU Chicano/Latino Studies PhD program and told her how proud I am of her and the other students in the program. I reminded her that they are paving the way for the next generation of Chicano/Latino scholars and students to come.

The value of the Chicano/Latino Studies PhD program can not be underscored enough. It is becoming even more important with the rising Chicano/Latino population. While the course work is certainly very arduous, the success of the students who are privileged to be in the historical program will immensely benefit all those in the Chicano/Latino diaspora.

The professors and students in the Chicano/Latino Studies PhD program are an inspiration to young Chicano/Latino youth. They are beacons of light and hope, and reminders that if we don't relent and remain persistent to pursue our dreams, we can achieve them. The students are symbols of dreams waiting to be manifested.

They understand, "We must do more than merely dismantle the ideological, behavioral and physical structures of domination. We must repair that which has been in ruins. We must knit ourselves back together again. We must be whole." (Baffour Amankwatia II/Asa G. Hilliard III)

While in Detroit on Friday, April 18, 2008, Betita spoke at Mexican Town Center. She was joined by Rosa Morales, MSU Professor of Journalism; Diana Rivera, MSU Chicano Studies/Ethnic Studies Bibliographer; Elena Herrada, Centro Obrero director; Gloria House (Aneb Kgositsile), University of Michigan-Dearborn, Director of the African and African American Studies Program; Dr. Contreras, and others.

And, like at the Lansing gatherings the previous day, Betita attracted people from all races and walks of life. There were professors, students, poets, activists, visual artists and various others eager to absorb the wisdom conveyed to them by one of the preeminent leaders of the Chicano/Latino social justice struggle.

According to Elena Herrada, "Betita was in fine form. People enjoyed wonderful conversations with her and being in her company. There were lots of people from the community who came in and enjoyed the talk. I saw people that I had not seen in years. It was so rich."

Betita's determination to preserve the legacy of Chicano/Latino history is admirable. It is evidence that our story can be memorialized, and that our resilient spirit is impervious to domination. It also teaches us that we don't have to lie dormant in the periphery waiting for our story to be told by others. We have a powerful voice that can crumble any barrier designed to silence us and render us impotent.

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Betita's visit was also a reminder of the necessity for those in academe to be directly involved in the community. Too often we witness educators insulating themselves from the masses. This results in their detachment from the needs and reality of the people.

During Betita's life she has often taught at universities. She also always dedicated a lot of time organizing and shaping the social consciousness of ordinary people that didn't attend institutions of higher learning. She took the university to the community and never lost sight of her roots.

Betita has used her knowledge and skills to reach those who have needed them the most. She has strived to make education accessible and never given it the semblance of being elitist. She has long understood that ideas are the substance of behavior and a key to transforming the human experience.

Neglecting the needs of our people compels them to seek solutions to existing problems by looking to others to rescue them, i.e., making them dependent. This exacerbates the existing confusion and further disempowers members of our community.

What we also witness occurring as a consequence of this unnatural dependence on others is people experiencing despair. It leads to the deterioration of the human spirit and causes people to adopt the feeling that they can not escape what they come to accept is an inextricable condition.

They begin "denying our communality and epitomizing our individuality." (Wade W. Nobles) In a number of instances throughout history people enduring these conditions — feeling abandoned and hopeless — have begun deifying their rescuers and dehumanizing members of their own community. This is what desperation can lead to in some people who feel they are impotent to create change.

Betita also understands that to produce competent leadership it is necessary to be and live the model you are seeking to create in others. Without this students have a poor example to pattern their own lives after. The result is often a perpetuity of ineffective leadership and a disconnection between members of the community and those in academe.

This occurs due to members of their community feeling abandoned or their views rendered insignificant. If the masses know nothing else they know that power lies in galvanizing the people, not in creating dichotomies or stratifications.

We are beings of perpetual veneration. Our ability to influence the world through our commitment to producing eminently sound pedagogy is without measure. We simply have to seek to attain our goals. The only thing preventing us from achieving our potential is our unwillingness to do so.

We will continue illuminating the world by shining our light into the darkness. We will dispel falsities with truth, and ignorance with knowledge. Betita's life is a testament to this. Her youthful exuberance is more vibrant than ever and her fervor to maintain a symbiosis with others is unyielding.

The flame from our torch will never be extinguished. Our collective spirit fuels that flame and sustains its life. And, our spirits are, eternal. Keep the flame burning Betita, and keep working to increase the sentience of our beloved gente.■

To learn more about Efrén Paredes, Jr. you can visit www.4Efren.com. To watch two videos that Betita created in support of Efrén you are invited to watch the videos which appear below.

Dr. Elizabeth "Betita" Martinez Support Video 1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XEdeZ85mhgQ

Dr. Elizabeth "Betita" Martinez Support Video 2
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pu5H26TmUMA

Meeting Favianna Rodriguez

by Efrén Paredes, Jr.

"The voice of the individual artist may seem perhaps of no more consequence than the whirring of a cricket in the grass, but the arts do live continuously ... they outlive governments and creeds and societies, even the very civilizations that produced them." (Author Unknown)

Monday, April 7, 2008, I met Favianna Rodriguez, internationally renowned muralist, graphic artist, printmaker, and political activist. Favianna attended our Latin American Spanish-Speaking Organization (LASSO) monthly general membership meeting as a guest speaker.

As an activist, Favianna was one of the founders of the EastSide Arts Alliance, an organization that supports Oakland neighborhoods through art programs. She has also helped to make available performance, studio space, and affordable housing units. She is a co-owner of TUMIS, an East Oakland-based design firm that provides design, technology, and communication strategy services for social justice and nonprofit organizations.

Favianna co-founded Visual Element in 2001, a graffiti arts program that trains young artists in the traditions of muralism and graffiti for social change. She coordinated recruitment, instruction, and retention of young graffiti artists of color, ages 17-20. She has developed a street-based arts curriculum and fundraised over $75,000 annually from city grants, foundations, and private mural commissions.

While in Michigan, Favianna was doing a residency with Michigan State University Department of Arts and Humanities. She met our Latin American Spanish-Speaking Organization (LASSO) sponsor who invited Favianna to attend our monthly LASSO meeting and present about the activism and social justice work she does through art and printmaking.

Before Favianna presented, I spoke to the group about the importance of art, particularly as it relates to the struggle for social justice. I told those in attendance that art is a powerful expression of who we are and our views of the world. It is a culmination of experience, history, and culture — it is a vivid expression of life itself.

Through art we convey our vision, dreams and hope. We preserve the memory of our people for generations to follow. We are also able to shape the consciousness of the global community. Each piece of art is a tentacle with boundless measure.

As Suzanne Lacey, Executive Director at Museum Without Walls, puts it, "Artists as reporters represent their world. Artists as experiencers give tangible form to their feelings about the world. Artists as analysts look beyond the immediate to reveal hidden universal truths. And artists as activists help us see the world in new ways."

During her presentation Favianna covered a broad range of issues. I couldn't help but quickly recognize that she is totally committed to social justice and the elimination of every form of discrimination. It was also clear that she is passionate about the causes she supports and is unapologetic about her positions. Favianna says her work "reflects a growing national consciousness that speaks to the contemporary urban barrios, rebelling against racism, homophobia, sexism and corporate irresponsibility."

During her presentation Favianna shared several colored copies of artwork she has done. Everyone in attendance received a copy. She also shared art she is making available for free to be used for noncommercial activist purposes. They will be available online and in a new book Favianna co-edited titled "Reproduce & Revolt: Radical Images for the 21st Century."

She told us the story behind each piece of artwork she graciously shared with us, and explained the various processes she uses to create them. Her presentation was very interesting and captivated those who were in attendance. What began with Favianna saying, "I'm going to tell you a little about myself," concluded as a 45-minute political art discourse.

The range of topics that Favianna included in her presentation was vast. Sometimes it included subjects about femicide, day laborers, and genetically engineered food, other times she talked about politics, the Olympic Games protests, and upcoming events she would be a part of.

Favianna spoke to us on the day that members of The Ruckus Society climbed the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to support Tibetan independence. Members of Ruckus hung two large banners that read, "One World, One Dream: Free Tibet." San Francisco is the only city hosting the Olympic torch in the United States. Favianna is friends with members of Ruckus and has collaborated with them on projects in the past.

Listening to Favianna speak about the social activism she does was a great experience. I felt proud to be in the company of a person truly motivated to do all she can for the advancement of people worldwide. She is acutely aware of the many facets to social activism and the need to maintain an all-encompassing approach to avert any possible exclusion.

Favianna recently wrote in her blog how proud she was to see the unity between Black and Brown prisoners who were in attendance at LASSO the evening she presented. What she didn't know is that not only is there a strong unity of Black and Brown prisoners in the group, there are also White prisoners who regularly attend the meetings and help foster the cohesion that is created.

This is one of the things about LASSO that I have worked so hard to accomplish as the group's president. Having a vast background in social movements, Black history, and Chicano/Latino history, has equipped me with the necessary tools to help develop mutual respect and harmony between every race of people who attends LASSO.

Few people have been able to accomplish this because they lacked the knowledge about various cultures, history, and religions to create a human tapestry that is all inclusive. One must understand the commonalities that people share before they can truly bring them together and create harmonious relationships.

My ability to do this is a much needed skill that can be utilized in society as well. The model that I have created in prison to unify people and teach them how to respect one another and work together will significantly benefit the global community when I am one day released.

It was great hearing Favianna talk about various people she has worked with in Black and Brown communities. I was able to relate to everything she said because vicariously I have shared her experiences. I have always maintained an all-inclusive mentality when teaching people because I recognize the value that this has over employing a narrow approach.

Teaching about various cultures and history helps us better understand each other and appreciate the struggles we share. It helps us realize more and more how similar we are and, rather than be afraid of each other due to our ignorance, we grow closer as a unified body. Segregation breeds evils and is destructive to the human spirit.

I was also grateful that Favianna shared her thoughts with us about gender and women's liberation. They are issues eschewed by many males but need to be discussed. I have always been a strong proponent of the need for women to express themselves and compel others to respect their status in the world.

The mentality that relegates women as second-class citizens or tries to make their roles as footnotes in history is nothing short of disrespectful and oppressive. Having a strong accomplished Latina speak about her strengths and the need to respect and appreciate women in front of a room full of men, particularly in a prison, took courage.

During a conversation with Favianna I learned that she knew one of my supporters and a person I admire, Dr. Elizabeth "Betita" Martinez. Favianna worked closely with Betita for several years on the book "500 Years of Chicana Women's History/Años de Historia de las Chicanas."

According to Rutgers University Press, "500 Years of Chicana Women’s History offers ... a vivid, pictorial account of struggle and survival, resilience and achievement, discrimination and identity. The bilingual text, along with hundreds of photos and other images, ranges from female-centered stories of pre-Columbian Mexico to profiles of contemporary social justice activists, labor leaders, youth organizers, artists, and environmentalists, among others."

Betita is a prominent and highly respected figure in the Chicano/Latino community. She has a long history as a leader in the struggle for social justice. I was able to learn about her experience working with Favianna on the book and about how their historical project materialized.

I made a donation to the Immigrant Rights Poster Project that Favianna is spearheading. An immigrant rights conference is being held May 12-17 in Mexico City. The event is being convened by TIGRA (Transnational Institute for Grassroots Research and Action), SEDEREC (Ministry of Rural Development and Community Equity for the City of Mexico), and CENCOS (National Center for Social Communication).

The event will bring together more than 300 migrant leaders from the USA, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Favianna is collaborating with other artists to create five posters for the conference. She will have 5,000 posters printed of each design to be distributed free of charge to groups supporting immigrant rights all over the world. I chose to use some of the money I received for my birthday to help with this project.

Now when the conference is held I can truly say I helped make it a success. And, whenever I am eventually released, I can begin attending global immigrant rights conferences — and other social justice conferences — as well and be an active participant. It's just one of the many things I look forward to doing one day.

It was an honor having Favianna visit us and be the first group of prisoners she ever presented to inside a prison. We were privileged to have her as our guest and show her that the misconceptions and generalizations often made about prisoners aren't always true. We represented the full inversion of the lies presented in the media.

Who knows, maybe Favianna will even do an art project to memorialize the event one day.

To learn more about Favianna Rodriguez and her amazing work you are invited to visit her web site at www.favianna.com. While you're at it please read her writing, "Please Help Fund This Immigrant Rights Poster Project," and make a contribution if you are able to.■

Invincible Hope Flourishes After 20 Birthdays in Captivity

"Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable."--Theodore N. Vail

by Efrén Paredes, Jr.

Friday, April 4, 2008, was the 20th birthday I have spent incarcerated. I have been separated from my family, friends, and society from my 16th through 35th birthdays.

While this is a very painful and unfortunate reality, I took time to reflect over recent events in my life and the hundreds of wonderful people who have joined my campaign for justice. I used this day to celebrate our campaign, life, and the concept of hope.

I thought about all the great presentations being made about my case across the state, the recent newspaper articles that appeared in The New Citizens Press and The Michigan Citizen, and the radio interviews done by members of The Injustice Must End (TIME) Committee in California and Michigan.

We have committee members also working fervently in Texas and Tennessee generating support as well. The Fast 4 Freedom concluded with over 100 people who fasted across the globe in support of our campaign. Almost daily, Helen receives communications from people from different regions of the country asking how they can contribute to our campaign.

Last week I was contacted by the coordinator of the newly created organization Youth for Youth Justice. The coordinator, a University of Michigan student, asked me to offer my insight about the juvenile life without parole issue. She also sought my feedback about ways to improve the efficacy of the group.

Youth for Youth Justice is a group of high school students who are beginning to make presentations and conduct workshops about the need to abolish the imposition of life without parole sentences on children. They are currently working on creating a council of youth to include students from high schools across the state. I will be working closely with Youth for Youth Justice to help them raise awareness about the work they are doing.

Last weekend I called and spoke to members of the Saginaw TIME Committee during two presentations made about my case in Saginaw. I also spoke to an activist who was in attendance named David, a former member of the Saginaw city council, and a high school student.

David took a lot of our information, business cards, and postcards and committed to help our campaign. He planned to visit various local groups he is affiliated with to make presentations about the case and get people's support. He was enthusiastic and found it very disturbing that I could still be in prison all these years, based on the facts in my case.

This former city council member volunteered to take my case and appeal to the mayor of the city to get involved and endorse our efforts. He was optimistic that he could also get others involved as well. Having a history of ties with various members of the community will certainly be helpful with the work he seeks to do.

During one of the Saginaw calls I spoke to a high school student, a 15-year-old Latino male. I reminded him that I was his age when I was separated from society and imprisoned. During the course of our conversation he expressed wanting to organize two local high schools around the juvenile life without parole issue so students can become instrumental in ending the practice.

He was very eager to begin circulating information about my case, educating people about the facts, gathering postcards, and helping in any way he can. According to Helen he even posted an image of our banner on his MySpace page. I will begin working closely with this student to help advance the work he is doing. I believe there is a lot of potential in getting students involved in this issue at the high school and college levels.

Helen and I also worked with two college students last week regarding the juvenile life without parole issue. One was a journalism student from Loyola University in Chicago, who was writing a story about juvenile life without parole for an assignment. We provided helpful information and responded to questions the student had on the subject. She learned about me through the TIME Committee web site, www.4Efren.com.

The other student we worked with was from the University of Michigan. He was preparing a class assignment about juvenile life without parole as well. With Helen's assistance I was able to provide him relevant research info and offer guidance with his project. The student learned about me through the Abolish Life Without Parole Sentences for Children in the USA Facebook group.

Contacts like these are a reminder to me of the importance of the work that committee members have done circulating things to thousands of people via the Internet. They post information about my case on web sites, blogs, discussion boards, comment sections, Facebook pages, MySpace pages, and via e-mails. I am grateful for every post that people make. Each one has the potential to reach millions of people and advance our campaign all over the globe.

Needless to say the past 10 days have been very busy for me.

Around my birthday each year family and friends often ask me what I would like them to purchase for me, or ask if I would like them to send me money so I can order something for myself.

My response is almost always asking people to order books for me or periodical subscriptions. I am always excited to receive new reading material. Often times people print articles and information from the Internet and mail them to me to read. I have learned and experienced many things in life vicariously through reading.

This year one of my birthday requests was for family members to create an Online petition, web page, and Facebook group for me to support the approval of a high school charter by the Los Angeles Unified School District board of directors. I learned about this through my friend and supporter, Mario Rocha. He is organizing a grassroots effort to get the charter approved. After just one day I learned that the Facebook group I asked people to create for me has generated over 150 supporters in four days.

Generating support for the creation of an institution of learning for Chicano/Latino children is important to me because I know the children will benefit immensely. Their futures and education are important to me and many others in the Chicano/Latino community. One day I hope to be able to walk through the doors of the school and visit what is destined to become one of the premier high schools in the nation.

In the months to come I hope to devote more time to the development of a rites of passage program for Chicano/Latino youth I have been working on. I have envisioned the program for some time but have not been able to finalize it. My eventual release will allow me to complete the program. It will allow me the opportunity to utilize it, see its application, and gauge its efficacy so it can be finalized and implemented.

I may have lost many years of my life to wrongful imprisonment, but it has never prevented me from helping others along the way. I have often paused during my own campaign for freedom to assist other worthy causes and people. I know how important it is to receive support and assistance for worthy causes. I would be remiss to not assist others, while I have fought so hard to receive the assistance of others.

As human beings we have an obligation to share the gifts and talents we have been blessed to receive. Speaking and writing to help others is a very important contribution we can make. Each is a footprint left in the world we are striving to make a better place for us all.

I thought about this today during a conversation I had with a DOC officer. The officer was observing two prisoners talking and he commented, "Why is he wasting his time talking to [the person's name]? He's always doing stupid stuff. That's a quick way to get a bad rep around here." We were standing on the prison yard at the time.

The officer was referring to one of the young prisoners who is defiant towards staff at times and is argumentative. He is new to the prison system. In the short time he has been here he has managed to accumulate misconduct reports for his errant behavior.

I told the officer I thought that was an unfair assessment of the situation. To characterize the young prisoner as someone "always doing stupid stuff" because he is having difficulty adjusting to imprisonment. I reminded him that man was created to be free and have dominion over the earth, not to be held captive. Incarceration is an unnatural condition that human beings do not seamlessly adjust to. Some people never make the adjustment at all.

This is one of many interesting moments I have had throughout my imprisonment. But, as I always endeavor to do, I transformed the situation into an educational opportunity.

I commented that many of the problems in the world today exist because of similar observations, or perhaps "condemnations" is a more appropriate term. People are too quick to tear down other human beings. Rather than find resolutions to problems they choose to speak ill of others. It requires no effort on their part and creates within them a false sense of superiority to the detriment of others.

I explained that we will never improve the human condition when we engage in behavior that fuels negative attitudes about others. We also foster destructive analyses and perceptions that create a fertile environment for failure. And, the more often it is repeated the greater chance that it will metastasize into a worse situation.

How do we know that this young problematic prisoner isn't a long-term victim of abuse? How do we know he is mentally competent to exercise circumspection? Or that he is even guilty of the crime he is in prison for? I always wonder about the latter question because of my own experience.

Rather than try to examine the various potential causal factors for the young prisoner's errant behavior the officer chose to make negative inferences through the biased lens he used to draw his conclusions.

I asked the officer how he thought the young prisoner could be changed without the appropriate intervention of others. How could he be expected to would learn the error of his conduct or be influenced to change without someone reaching out to him. It is wrong to assume that people know how to improve their lives and desist engaging in destructive behavior on their own. Many people lack those tools inside prison, and even in society. Some people have been in dysfunctional environments all their lives and it is all they know.

My recollection was that the Governor's Visions and Values philosophy in Michigan includes encouraging state employees to foster excellence. Inherent in "excellence" is the concept of redemption and looking for the good in others. The root word of "excellence" is "excel," which means to surpass or do "better than others." As a civil servant that includes promoting courtesy, or polite behavior.

During my imprisonment I have helped many young prisoners. I have helped them mature and learn about themselves and life in general. I know how difficult it was to be young and in prison. I know the challenges they encounter and how difficult it is to adjust to the prison setting.

I told the officer I am certain there have been occasions when staff may have drawn the same conclusions about me that he made because I was trying to help problematic prisoners. I knew it had occurred before because some staff members told me about it after they learned that I was only trying to do something positive. I never allowed that to discourage me though because what I was doing was morally correct. I knew I could make a difference, and I did.

Somewhere along the line people have come to believe it is acceptable to permit human suffering. That it is alright to turn their face to injustice. It is sad and very unfortunate that the moral fabric of society has decayed to this point.

I told the officer there have been numerous times that I have heard prisoners defame the character of officers or other staff members that were undeserving of the scathing remarks made. If I were to adopt the thinking of the officer I was speaking to, I should have just stood there and allowed it to occur. But, I didn't.

Instead, I have defended the character of officers and other staff if I knew the assaults on their character were unwarranted. And, when I have done this I put myself potentially in harm's way each time. It isn't looked upon favorably by other prisoners for a prisoner to defend the character of an officer or staff member. It can result in the prisoner being treated as a pariah or being physically harmed. I never did this because I had to. I did it because it was the right thing to do.

Even knowing this it has not deterred me from expressing myself or speaking the truth. I vowed many years ago to not let this experience compel me to compromise my principles and I have remained faithful to that promise to myself.

After our discussion the officer looked at me and said, "You know, you're right. I hadn't looked at it that way. I shouldn't have said that. We all need a reality check sometimes I guess. Nobody is perfect."

He was right ... "nobody is perfect."

Our conversation just reinforced my feelings about always being honest with people and not letting others or circumstances dictate the course of my life. Being true to myself and others is more important to me than popularity.

Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions in life that aren't popular. We have to realize we will never make everyone happy though. If we go through life seeking fleeting moments of happiness that masquerade as permanence we will be chasing transient illusions our entire lives.

One of the marks of a strong leader is having the courage to do the right thing even when faced with opposition. As a firm believer in the Creator and the revealed Holy scriptures, I have an obligation to the Creator and my faith to do those things that are pleasing in the eyes of the Creator.

"No one can serve two masters." (Matthew 6:24) We are also reminded that, "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1:8) If we live our lives trying to please other people we are not living a life pleasing to the Creator. This is why I can never abandon the idea of redemption and the belief that people are deserving of second chances.

If I didn't employ this philosophy about life I could never help all the people I have. I have to remind myself, "How can I ask the Creator for forgiveness if I don't forgive others?" I must also remember that the scripture says that by the same yardstick we use to judge others, so will we be judged.

Depriving someone of the opportunity to rebuild their life is synonymous with denying them life and robbing them of hope. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Clouds of despair are floating in so many of our mental skies. ... In the midst of hopelessness, there is the need to explore the meaning of hope."

He continued, "Hope is contagious. If you really hope, it has a way of getting over to others, and it generates something with them. ... Hope has a way of firing hope. ... Hope is necessary for life. Hope is necessary for freedom. It is necessary for creativity and for spirituality."

Dr. King delivered this message of hope 40 years ago on March 15, 1968. He delivered it the same day of my arrest (i.e., March 15, 1989).

We can all make a difference in the world. Every contribution has infinite potential. From a prison cell I have affected change in colleges, schools, churches, organizations, and in the lives of countless individuals. If I can impact the world like I do, totally separated from the lives I affect, whenever I am eventually released the depth and breadth of my work will be able to increase exponentially.

The path to self-discovery has been elusive to many for so long. Many don't even know that it exists. Our job is to shine our light into the world so that others can feel the power of its radiance and, like Dr. King said, make it "contagious."■