Thursday, April 16, 2009

GABNet Youth LA Condemns NYPD Police Brutality; Sends Message of Solidarity in Support of New School Protests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Maureen Ivy Quicho, Gabnet Organizing Director
organizing@gabnet.org
Tel: (951) 333-4306

^GABNet NY/NJ member Ona Mirkinson protests New School University in New York City amidst incidents of abuse by the NYPD. Photo by NYTimes.

LOS ANGELES: Gabnet Youth LA of the Civitas School of Leadership at the Edward Roybal Learning Center condemns the actions of the New York Police Department, and stands in solidarity with the students of the New School, in their efforts to oust school president Bob Kerrey, former Nebraskan senator.

As Gabnet Youth recently led a thousand students to walk-out in Los Angeles, they support the New School students’ radical methods in New York. The New School students attempted to occupy the building on April 10, 2009, in order for their demands to be heard; they were subsequently beaten, pepper-sprayed and arrested by police officers.

“We should be able to exercise our right to protest without being unjustly attacked,” says Gabnet Youth leader Teresa Avalos.

Gabnet Youth LA is fighting a similar battle the New School students are waging. While the New School students are calling for the resignation of Kerrey, “a politician without a Ph.D,” as his intentions are aimed at economic profit, rather than academic excellence, Gabnet Youth LA is protesting the efforts of the LAUSD to pull itself out of a deficit by issuing pink slip notifications that will terminate thousands of teachers. Gabnet Youth member Ivania Zepeda drew parallels between the two struggles as she stated, “Just like the New School students, we are fighting for our basic right to a quality education, which should not be sacrificed for money or power.”

Gabnet Youth is committed to highlighting the experience of young women, and has been meeting and addressing various issues including educational justice and gender violence. Gabnet Youth is a unit of the Los Angeles chapter of Gabriela Network, a US-Philippine women's organization with chapters across the country. --###

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

good evening everyone. I'm really into shoes and I had been digging allowing for regarding that meticulous make. The prices for the boots are around 190 bucks everwhere. But definitively I base this location selling them for half price. I in reality like these [url=http://www.shoesempire.com]prada sneakers[/url]. I will definetly buy them. what do you think?