Dear Friends,

It has been a long, rough road that has finally started to smooth out. It all started when I went to ask for an endorsement for my run for the People’s District 3 school board seat that has turned into a direct action. The months of planning and preparation became my sole focus. Though there has been a frequent difference of opinions, I believe I see truth in both sides and have never backed away from calling it as “I see it”. The action ended poorly despite having the success of holding the space with such minimal support from the actual community, and showing that “Occupy Oakland” is a movement not an organization. The action proved that you have to actually find information yourself (most of the local public did) and not trust the corporate media idea that “Occupy Oakland” is a group of unruly youths. It did that and more in my thoughts. We also had a wakeup call, realizing how far we have to go just among ourselves. I have concluded that we need to change the way we engage because the type of action that occurred at Lakeview is the kind that wins struggle, but only if it can be staffed fully. One flaw was that we had minimal support and needed to communicate better with those that do support.

 

After the action, a decision was made to move having been a few signatures short to get on the ballot and the drama around a bank mistake with rent, The recent month it took to move out was the toughest time I have ever gone through with the added mistake of lying costing me the obvious pain to my LPP, the separation of a dearest family member, and the realization Ihad lost another long before. So the main reason we had to over stay our lease was because of the loss of twins which I directly connect to the constant harassment by a house hold member. After repeated discussions about the difficulty with the pregnancy, he targeted my partner everytime I was away. All the way up to threatening to change the locks while we were at the hospital during the miscarriage. In direct result, we were not able to move on the 7^th because in panic I paid for September to be safe. I am in a court case with him right now. It was the most difficult thing not to become my mother and take violent retribution for his direct attack on a person that had nothing to do with what was going on. I thank two of my brothers for being there to listen to me and help deflect the anger.

Now we are moved into a nice place in East Oakland, and I will get to run for the 2014 election for school board. This is better for me since the district I live and will run in now is the same district where I taught at Parker Elementary School in the OUSD. I know the struggle is not over, still living in the poverty line but I am looking into getting my class A license for driving tour busses as well as moving forward with looking for grants to start T.I.O. sports complex. We will be really on track after next August with the driving gigs to Monterey, but until then we will play economic juggling. Hopefully with a blessing, positive energy, and getting out to the people, we will win this November and we will be the loud people’s voice from inside city hall.

It feels good to be back

From love Peace Vicente