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Update for August 25, 2009 LEGAL STATUS At this time, the government is not recognizing our family at all, or the fact that he's actually been in some sort of legal status during most of his life (27 years) in America. So the legal struggle is still continuing, though some people have had the misconception that it's all over now, and he's finally free. Now that he's home, he needs your support more than ever to finally reach the freedom we need for our family to stay safely together. After having to let go of the first lawyer in AZ due to a variety of costly and other reasons, we now have a more local lawyer working for us thankfully, low bono, Ms. Florence M. Ndedi of Oakland, CA. More Radio Shows coming up and just had one: WELCOME HOME PARTY DETAILS Where: Sebastopol Community Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol, CA A few new "Thank Yous" to add Amy Trussell - Thanks for coming through with helping to get some of the food donations. It's been really awesome. Looks like we'll definitely have some amazing salad lined up. Richard Erickson of Chai Baba Chai - Thank you for the second time to make the amazing Ginger African inspired beans (and don't forget the yummy garnishes!) and for taking on supervising servers in the kitchen this time; also for the generous donations of the Chai Baba Chai spiced Tea! ABOUT THANK YOUS In General Update for August 21, 2009 Along those lines, I'd also like to ad a GREAT BIG Thank you to Elbert "Big Man" Howard of Jazz Styles on KBBF. He has also been promoting our event and speaking about Okili's situation, and the issue of Police abuse of power, in general period, and I'd failed to mention him below. "Big Man", in case you aren't aware, is one of the original co-founding members of the Black Panther party, of Oakland in 1966, and now resides in Sonoma county. He is also the president of PACH (Police Accountability Clinic and Helpline), which is an issue close to our hearts. Initially, when we first had our FREE OKILI event, Big Man was planning to read a speech that he' especially been moved to write based on an intuitive feeling he'd had awaking him in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, with all of our last minute, quick organizing (by incredible volunteers trying to do their best) his call to the stage was missed, although he'd attended the event. We've invited him to attend our upcoming welcome home party, and hope he can make it. BACKGROUND OF PACH Also wanted to let you all know that we just had a very nice little interview with Kris Welch's show "Living Room" on KPFA. It is not yet in the archives but probably will be by tonight or tomorrow. Here is their website and page for archives for Aug. 21: KPFA Archives for Friday, August 21st 2009 | KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley: Listener Sponsored Free Speech Radio. Now we have a longer list of Media support to thank which I listing here again. A big Thank You to Barry Chertov for donating the post of our Flyer for our event Aug. 28, which should be up shortly. Thank you Barry! Barry Chertov - WaccoBB.Net Update for August 19, 2009 Update for August 16, 2009 Update for August 13, 2009 Update for August 12, 2009 Also, Okili and I would like to add a very special thank you to Robin Silver of Archer Audio who is so graciously donating his time to us to do all the sound at our Welcome Home Party on Aug. 28. Robin is a highly professional sound man who for many years (over 10?) has been running sound on stages at Health and Harmony / Harmony festival, at Earthdance, Reggae on the River, Sol Fest, and many more. Thank you so much Robin. You can check out his website at ArcherAudio.com. And finally, don't forget, we'll be on Dennis Bernstein's FLASHPOINTS on KPFA this Friday! And coming up a little later next week, an interview on Kris Welch's LIVING ROOM (also on KPFA) - we'll confirm the time and date on that. Update for August 10, 2009 For one, I Sabrina, have had a very intense learning experience; I've been moved to tears by how our beautiful communities were able to come together to help us the way they did. The support we received during the FREE OKILI event on May 22, was overwhelmingly the message of the mass spirit of love and determination talking through all of us. This is really what a community is all about; many parts making up the a whole; just like the ocean, the universe, the macrocosm and microcosm speaking as one. And we are connected and joined by many different communities independent of one another and yet becoming a greater part of the whole as they are actually intertwined with one another like twisting vines, as nature is our role model. We cannot accomplish this without you; we all need one another, and must not forget to continue to ask for what we need of one another. We speak in a mass voice and we are heard - we hear one another; the community hears us; the world hears us. We have a message. In addition to working on the case to legalize my husband from home, there is a greater message we have learned and want to expose; that of the prison industrial complex and it's relationship to ICE and Homeland security. Okili has stories to tell, and I have insights about all of this. It is a lot to write, and one day I hope to have the time to do it. Or perhaps the right people will interview us to collect the information properly. New Lawyer Meeting w/ Congress Woman Lynn Woolsey Aug. 11 PUBLICITY / RADIO INTERVIEW SCHEDULE We just set up an apt. with Dennis Bernstein on KPFA's Flashpoints, for this FRIDAY, Aug. 14, at 4:30 PM (show starts at 5). YES!! This SUNDAY Night, Aug. 16, at about 9:00 PM during David Sharp's Music International Program (world music program featuring a lot of African stuff) on KBBF, we will be calling in to interview, and have also arranged to have Amadou Camara play live on the show, a preview of his playing for the Welcome Home Party. Listen to David's whole show from 8 - 10 PM Sunday. SATURDAY August 22, at 1:00 PM we will also be on KBBF's woman's voices with Amy Contardi doing an in depth interview (I think it's a full hour). MONDAY. August 24, we will again interview with Emmanuel Nado on San Jose's KKUP's "voices of Africa" program, 4:30 PM. TUESDAY, August 25 we will come on again with Amy Contardi on KRCB, at 10:00 PM probably also interviewing with one of the musicians that will perform at the Welcome Home Party (still to be determined). We also intend to interview on Guerneville's low power station KGGV with John Chapman (a.k.a. "Milo) and we're open to more interviews with anyone else, including Newspapers! (I've been waiting to hear back from Bleys Rose of the Press Democrat, and Gretchen Giles and Lindsay Pyle of the Bohemian who all did great stories for us last May. We need updates now.) Something may show up in a wonderful publication called SF Bay View. Does any one know someone I can contact form the Sonoma West Times and News? SUPPORT IS STILL NEEDED Update for June 20, 2009 Part of the reason we've not kept up with the updates is that we've been going through changing attorneys which felt like a sensitive issue and did not want to talk about that online. Now we are working with an attorney here in CA who is very caring and concerned about his case and working very hard. We now feel confident that our case will be resolved in our favor, being as he's been released from the detention facility. The fight still continues for my husband's case, finally back by my side. I have been on an adrenalin rushed emotional rollercoaster ride of fear for his safety and of being deported. Okili and I are both resting a bit after having been apart for the last 3 months; as a family we are just so happy to be back together! But we are also very ready to plan for a huge "continue the battle" fund raiser and welcome home party with live music, etc. just like the Free Okili event. We actually reserved a date today at the Sebastopol Community Center for August 28, 2009. Please, we need your help again for this big welcome home event, to finish his case properly. Again, thank you to everyone's continued support from the beginning to the end. I ask that you do not give up on us, as the fight still continues on, but now it should be just a little bit easier for us all...kind of like a few heavyweights just joined our side of the tug of war rope; so don't leave our sides! The fun times are just beginning and you don't want to miss out! SILENT AUCTION FOOD, BEER, and WINE HELP NEEDED IN ALL AREAS Update for June 6, 2009 We hope he won't have to stay much longer than the two months as his treatment there, since he was downgraded to a less desirable housing building (after they brought him back from the airport when they almost deported him), has not been so great. He's a little afraid to tell me too much about the treatment as they are listening in on the phones and he doesn't want more retaliation. He's afraid if I call to complain they may do more to him as well. I know that he's wearing shoes too small, is sharing a room with another inmate with a snoring disorder, was not able to get things he'd purchased prior to going to the airport back from the building he previously stayed, that had nicer employees, etc. (toothpaste, lotion, razor, food, etc). He wouldn't tell me everything and says he just wants the lawyer to visit him so that he can tell him all in person. The lawyer says he may have some connections in there that can help make things easier on Okili. We'll see, I hope so. This is all very complicated and hard for everyone including me, to understand how it all works - there's no real paved road to follow here. I also got a call from Melissa Redezno in Mike Thompson's office asking how his case is going, which was very nice of her. She wants to be kept informed. I had a second interview with Ida Johnson on her Santa Rosa Media Center TV program "What's Hot" if anyone got a chance to see it. It may replay if you check their schedule. Okili would like letters of Affidavit. Basically that's a one page letter of your support for him addressed to whom it may concern. I was thinking you could send letters directly to the lawyer and email them to me so I can print them and mail them to Okili. Here's the Lawyer's address: Thanks so much for your help to us! Update for May 31, 2009 The last thing I did, after the bond hearing was cancelled from May 20, when they almost deported Okili right then and there, was speak w/ Mike Thompson's office and complete an I-130 which is an application for Alien Relative (he's my relative as a spouse, and the kids relative as their father). Also, the lawyer sent off the application for the class action law suit membership to the correct address. For the last week I've been trying to contact the lawyer to confirm that the application was received at the correct address, and to see what our next plan is for a hearing. I assume he's just not contacted me because he's still formulating and researching the correct plan. I just wish he'd let me know, though. Even though we had a successful fundraiser, this is NOT OVER YET! Right now I'm feeling like we could raise all the money in the world, and these ICE people still have the keys. I feel that if we can just get in front of a judge, things will be ok. But some people say getting him out is just the beginning of a long and expensive fight ahead of us. We just don't know how long it will all take and how much it will all cost, but it is worth it to keep the fight up right now vs. having him deported and banned from the country for minimum 10 years! THANK YOU TO US CONGRESSMAN MIKE THOMPSON'S OFFICE MIKE THOMPSON'S NAPA DISTRICT OFFICE If you want to EMAIL him, here is the link to his email page: http://mikethompson.house.gov/contact/email.shtml How is Okili doing? After he was brought back to the detention center from the Airport, when he was almost deported, it seems the guards in the detention facility were ready to "get him back" revengefully somehow. Upon coming back, only a few hours later, and giving him back his prison clothes, they issued him shoes that were too small. When he told them the shoes didn't fit, they said he'd have to wait at least two weeks before they could get him shoes that fit. Then they put a new partner in his cell that snored super loud all night long. They also do other things to make life harder on you in there. He was afraid of having me complain about the treatment because he thought they could make it worse somehow. If anyone wants to write to Okili, here is his address: Eloy Detention Center If anyone wants to send Okili money on his books to buy extra food, toothbrushes or other toiletries, phone cards, etc. you can send him money via payments at: Western Union Quick Collect (Don't worry about it saying State: TN, even though he's in AZ - this is how it's done). STILL GETTING THE WORD OUT AND WANT TO STAY PUBLIC Also, news, and letters to the editors. Please continue to write letters to the editor. I'm almost ready for a follow up story with the Press Democrat or anyone else just as soon as I know our new plan of action from the lawyer. I'll be keeping everyone informed as things progress here. If anyone does not have links to radio or news articles that they'd like to see, let me know. Thanks, Love, Sabrina Update for May 24, 2009 US Senator Mike Thompson's staff are my Heroes: I told a wonderful turn out of people on Friday night (May 22, '09) at FREE OKILI how my good and long time family friend Marylyn Motherbear (aka Marylyn Brandon / Marylyn Scott) had had the connection with a friend in US Senator Mike Thompsons office up in Humboldt, (Heidi) whom I spoke to and told the whole story to who immediately had Melissa Rodezno in Mike Thompsons Napa office call me and listen to the whole story; and, without ANY red tape (oh, you've gotta fill out this form, etc) just asked for Okili's full name, Alien Reg # , and where he was being held. Friday AM she called the ICE Congressional contact number in Eloy, AZ and asked them about his case. They first told her that he was on a final order of deportation and that they'd never heard of the class action law suit he qualifies for and were not recognizing it. She then proceeded to demand (which a Congressional office has the right to do and not me or the lawyer) when they exactly plan to deport him, i.e. a date. They got back to her by that afternoon with an answer. I believe because of the fact that it was a Congressional office calling they thought twice about just giving a deportation date, and told her he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, because they now see that they must take a closer look at the Class Action law suit. Thank God/dess! Thus, I do believe the deportation has been interrupted! Yay! (knock on wood). THANK YOU MIKE THOMPSONS OFFICE! What this means is that the lawyer will be able to ask for a hearing again, which he probably will be able to get by the first week of June. Then he will not only be asking to have deportation proceedings dismissed and for a bail bond, but also will be presenting our I-130 application for spousal relative (by me) so that hopefully our family will be recognized! I swear, the laws in the new Homeland Security Dept. of US CITIZENSHIP and IMMIGRATION SERVICES have laws that are like giant Boulders in an avalanche: Each boulder, like the steps and forms we must fill along the way, must be lifted with great effort, in order to get to, or even be able to see the beautiful jewels beneath (our family, etc). I'll keep you tuned in on this. Regarding Dianne Feinstein's office: I still did not get an actual phone call that I know of for sure from Feinstein's Martha Flores. But I did get a letter from her yesterday stating that the Senator's office will NOT be able to intervene in my husbands case because of his pending final order of removal (deportation). This is a bunch of crap and I intend to respond; letting them know that all Senator Mike Thompson's office had to do was make a phone call inquiring about the dates of intent to remove my husband, and it's getting them to take our case more seriously, and hold back the deportation from taking place anytime soon. THANK YOU MIKE THOMPSONS OFFICE! Feinstein's office commented in their letter that "Attempts to reach [me] by phone..." were "unsuccessful". I received NO messages, and the number I have rolls over to my cell phone. There was ONE call that came in from an "unknown" number while I was on the air interviewing with Milo (John Chapman) on KGGV; the phone was ringing loudly through the airwaves, and I did not know how to turn it off in that moment. I quickly picked it up to stop the ringing and said to someone quickly " Can't talk now, call me back" and hung up. I did hear a woman say "Hello?". I do not know who it was, they did not call back, and it could have been Martha Flores, for all I know. Update for May 22, 2009 Yesterday I found a really nice and helpful person in Mike Thompsons office, thanks to the persistence of my good friend Marylyn Motherbear (aka Marylyn Brandon or Marylyn Scott) who spoke w/ someone in Mike Thompson's office. The short of the long is that I've got an advocate in Mike Thompsons Napa office, Melissa Rodezno who is calling on the ICE Deportation people in Eloy, AZ. She put a message in this AM and is calling again right now because she's not heard back from them yet. She seems very helpful, unlike the other Congressional offices. I've been through no red tape to have her make these calls - i.e. Barbara Boxer's office wanted a signed statement from Okili to even look at the case, and Dianne Feinstein's person still has not called me back after 3 weeks of harassing them also w/ other constituents calling and faxing, etc. Here is a link (go down to May 21) to a recent KRCB interview I did with Bruce Robinson and a really great press release from Big Man (Elbert Howard,) one of the original founding members of the Black Panther movement, and also the president of PACH (Police Accountability Clinic and Helpline). Update for May 21, 2009 The only place I know to protest is: Just demand that it is wrong for them to take him away from his family of American born citizens (two natural children born here aged 17 and 21) and his natural born wife of 22 years. You might comment that you've read about it in your local News Paper (The PD) and are in shock, and that you heard it also on the radio and local access TV station up here in Sonoma County, (Santa Rosa). We want them to be aware that people know about this and are outraged. Update for May 20, 2009 and Press Democrat article This morning I received shocking news that they may illegally deport Okili even though we filed his membership in the class action law suit in a timely fashion which is in and of itself supposed to stop any deportation (It states it very clearly that class members cannot be deported while under the application process). The lawyer says the government is opening themselves up to a major law suit if they do deport him. Okili called me urgently notifying me that they were deporting him now. The lawyer says he does not have hope that they will not deport him, but that it is definitely illegal for them to deport him at this point. They did not even get to have the hearing; it was about to start when guards came into the court room to whisk Okili away. Then Okili called me urgently on a 1 minute complimentary call to say they are deporting him now. What the fuck! I am so upset and beside myself. It makes no sense. The lawyer is urgently filing a different kind of stay of deportation in the hopes of stopping them, but it seems they are real idiots in there not reading the law. The Fund raiser on Friday May 22, of course will still go on! Update for May 12, 2009 The goal is to move the case back to SF where we will need to continue with another local attorney finally applying through our family and marriage (the I-130 application) and simultaneously wave his other immigration issues from 25 years ago prior to our marriage. We do not know how expensive the case can get, due to the unknown nature of appeals, etc. We've heard from friends of complicated cases getting as expensive as $30,000 and beyond, and we PRAY that this does not get to this point or anywhere close! But once we have the case moved back here we will urgently need tons of help to attract Congressional or other services so that if we work with a lawyer some of the cost could be off set by this. We of course have already started this attraction in motion through all of the publicity we are displaying, including all of the letters being written by many of you to Dianne Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Lynn Woolsey, and the Letter to the Editor. And, we have been told by several reputable attorneys that we now have much stronger merits in our favor having 3 American Citizens (myself and two kids together over 20 years) to fight for our husband /father person and that his immigration complications of his past should be waved much more easily now. Imagine, not only will my husband be free to leave this country to visit his family abroad without the fear of not being able to return, but my kids and I will also be free to visit, travel, and live anywhere we want with my husband/their father freely. Publicity Raising money through renting our back house/covers part of the mortgage while hubby gone The place has not been rented in a few years because it needs a little work. Most of the hard stuff is done,(thankfully, some major plumbing, hole covering, and deep cleaning was already done by our caring and helpful friend Paul Lavender).But we still need a little help fixing some kitchen drawers/cabinets, and securing some issues w/ the hot water back there (it has a water heater that needs proper venting / ventilation to work properly. Also the place needs a new/used but working refrigerator, and the gas stove vented. We also need a dump run or two,and eventual help painting the exterior (interior done). Anyone able to help on this? If you were wanting to help us and have some skills in these areas, it would be, "oh, so highly and graciously appreciated!". Future Events Thank you Update for May 6, 2009 Thank You Also, a special thanks to my friends Paul Lavender and Erin Anderson, whom I did not get a chance to thank yet - who were right there the first weekend after the ICE kidnapping took place, providing the food for an outstanding dinner that they cooked and served (IN THE TRUE SPIRIT OF OKILI) to about 15 people who came to my house concerned and offering support. Also a huge thankyou to Michelle Jensen and Carl (sorry don't have his last name!) who opened there home the next day for people to come and offer their support. They provided also a wonderful BBQ for folks. It was VERY nice of them. I also want to make a very special thank you to all of the people who've been helping and donating money. Here's a partial list of big helpers both physically, morally, and financially; eventually I'll print a list of all names collected (please no preference given to names listed first, just as they come to mind, and this is not all). Thanks to Kris freewoman, Andrea Karolle, Miles Mendenhall, Deb Dobish, Devin Nganga, Delphine (Inga President), Lokoko Kitenza, Victor and Cathy Tetteh, Yao Hihette, Ernest, Victor Hall, Victoria Strowbridge, Mary Moore, Emmanuel Nado, Penny Nichols, Chanda Zanga, Nancy and Thomas Boukaka, Farida Fox, Erin Anderson, Noelle Marshall and Chris, Michelle Jensen, Mapanda Mwela, Fungula, Robin Krauss, Lex Krauss, Amadou Camara, Gideon Bendele, Miejo, and many many more that I will eventually try to list everyone in another email when time permits. THIS IS NOT OVER YET Our Families Health I have been unable to work in my job much for the last 12 business days due to needing to be on the phone/email nearly non stop to get something done with the right decision, and timely. Thanks to many friends, I've been reminded to stop to eat, taken out to eat, cooked for, and invited over to eat. It's been hard to focus on eating or take a walk on occasion but I must. Once the papers are all signed today, I will be able to focus on work again. Also I've had to try to stay as strong as I can for my kids (which unfortunately they've seen me break down a few times in all this). My kids are worried, especially it's effected my 17 year old boy Olembe. Sometimes his stomach just does not feel good over all this. And, he's too old to keep it all private from him - yet he's still young enough to feel a lot of stress with worrying about if he's going to need to move to France and away from his life here to be with his Dad, or knowing how expensive it is to visit back and forth. He starts saying things like, "Mom, I've got to get a job", and I'm trying to tell him not to worry, he's a kid, it's all going to work out, go to school, etc. Update for April 30, 2009 - Okili and Family Okili’s wife and childrens’ Condition and Spirits The kids too have been upset, but strong. Abanya’s also got a lot going on in her life with trying to move out of a house, and maybe here home for a while as she’s transitioning. Olembe has been quite strong, but has also been effected when all these people ask him so many questions about his Dad “ why was he illegal, why was your Dad picked up”, etc. I told him to just tell people to ask me. All he needs is love and support. It’s quite disturbing, as a kid, to think your Dad may never come back here again, even if you can go there (it’s far away, another culture and language). WE want to go to France or Congo, but not under these conditions of family separation. |