This Beautiful 11 Yr Old Black Female Has Raised 50 grand & Counting For the Cold & Homeless

“Arctic air on the way,” headlines read again….

Meet the beautiful, exceptionally precious and compassionate 11 year old, Khole Thompson. As noted in her photo, she raised $50,000 at least for the homeless in Chicago during this horrifically cold weather.

“When an 11-year-year-old girl in suburban Los Angeles learned Monday how cold it would be this week for homeless people in Chicago, she decided to do something about it.

After watching a newscast about the impending cold snap, Khloe Thompson created a GoFundMe page seeking donations for the local Salvation Army, a nonprofit group whose mission includes getting Chicago’s most vulnerable to a warm place this week.”

I went from grateful to enraged at reading; Bill Gates, who in an unrelated article (I believe it’s unrelated) he said,

“You don’t need to have a billion to be happy but it sure does help.” –Read that article here.

Imagine how much money he could have helped Khole donate to people in cities across America that have been severely impacted by the cold.

Then during the research for this post I found a few ways to help, which I’ll post below. That gave me a little hope for humanity…

We need to ensure that hope lasts, through people such as Khole Thompson, and their selfless actions.

The most recent cold is ongoing and there are things people can do in the less impacted states such as Texas,

Here is an excerpt from an article about a homeless man who was stolen from this world because he didn’t have a home in the absolutely freezing weather. This is just, I hope, to bring this to you emotionally; remember these are actual people suffering… Even when it’s not as severe as now, anyone in the more northern parts of the states knows how hard that cold can hit. This is unacceptable please don’t just close this article and move on to the next. Please be as brave as the precious child and the others like her… Check out links below.

The Maslow’s Army are blaming the cold for Martin’s death. They are also renewing their plea for change. The organization advocates for people battling addiction, alcoholism and mental illnesses.

In a Facebook post, Sam and Susan Landis of Maslow’s Army, a nonprofit called the death “unacceptable” and said the city needs a 24-hour a day facility where the homeless can find relief from the cold and heat.

Martin was familiar to members of The Maslow’s Army.

“We met Ken on our first Sunday outreach on Fountain Square almost one year ago. He was inspired to get his life together and began taking steps towards self-improvement,” read the another Facebook post on the Sam and Susan Landis page.

In August, the post said, Martin slipped in his recovery effort but “Maslow’s Army still continued to love on him and support him every way we could offering to take him to detox, meeting his basic needs every encounter including just last week.”

Maslow’s Army intends to continue its fight for a 24-hour shelter, taking its request to city hall. They have their sights set on the old Queensgate jail, a seven-story, 30,000 square foot space, that could house beds, a kitchen and more, Sam Landis said. All the group needs is funding.

There is one point on which Kevin Finn, President of Strategies to End Homelessness, agrees.

“The reality is, there is no reason a homeless person should be sleeping outside right now,” Finn said.

In Hamilton County, there are 12 homeless shelters and in Northern Kentucky, there are six, he said. Some are for families, some for women only, others men only. There are also two drop-in homeless shelters, both open 24 hours a day, one on each side of the river. They have expanded capacity for the winter months.

Shelterhouse, The Barron Center for Men in Queensgate offers an additional 200 beds in its winter shelter space through the end of February. Space is open to men and women. The Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky in Covington expands its shelter space through March, Finn said. Neither has ever reached capacity.

“What they might not know is when the weather gets the way it is now, some of the rules and requirements that are in place during warmer weather months are not required,” he said.

Last year, 90 percent of the area’s homeless people resided in a shelter, Finn said. Another 16 percent stayed outside on the street, the six percent overlap represents people who both went to shelters but also stayed outside.

There are people who, for a variety of reasons, will not go to shelters, Finn said. Reasons can range from mental health disorders, addiction or something else.

For placement or help getting in a homeless shelter, call (513) 381-7233.

Both Susan and Sam Landis have experienced homelessness and addiction. They are also studying for careers in the social service field at Northern Kentucky University. The system is not set up to meet the needs of homeless, Sam Landis said.

“We want to go to city hall and fight this,” Susan Landis said. “Tax dollars are being spent on a stadium and a fraction of this money could be used to help keep people warm. There are many groups out there with multimillion-dollar grants.”

“We still have this problem,” she said. “Let’s face it, something’s not being done.”

Councilman Chris Seelbach was one of the first to tweet the news of Ken Martin’s death. While the coroner has yet to determine the cause of death, Seelbach and others have drawn the conclusion Martin froze to death.

“We must do better,” Seelbach tweeted. “It’s just a matter of priorities. More tax money for those most vulnerable. Less tax money for millionaires and billionaires.”

Exactly where that money would come from and how much, Seelbach didn’t elaborate. He didn’t respond to messages left by The Enquirer.

Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld said he anticipates the council in 2018 will look at the issue of homelessness and make sure there are enough 24-hour shelters to protect people from dangerous weather, either hot or cold.

 

EVERY LITTLE BIT MATTERS; HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

Do what you can, please… These are some basic, very basic ways to help…

1. Volunteers of America Chesapeake’s hypothermia prevention and response programs provide emergency shelter, meals and crisis intervention during the coldest months of the year. These programs serve homeless men and women each night from November through February. The program provides shelter, two hot meals (breakfast and dinner) and a bagged lunch. Also provided is access to case management and medical treatment as well as mental health and substance abuse services.

In addition to the caring professionalism of Volunteers of America Chesapeake’s homeless services staff, this life-saving service wouldn’t be possible without faith partners throughout the region, who open their sanctuaries in partnership with Volunteers of America Chesapeake’s programs to ensure that no one is left in the cold.

–

2) How We Help End Homelessness

We reach out to homeless individuals through street outreach and mobile outreach services and once we engage with homeless individuals, youth and families with children, we provide assistance that ranges from paying a first month’s rent to offering permanent supportive housing so that people with disabilities can become stable and productive members of their communities. In 2017, we helped over 100,000 homeless individuals.

We have found that, without supportive services, housing is often not enough to end homelessness. From helping homeless youth, to providing assistance in obtaining disability benefits, to providing transportation, to offering intensive job training assistance to homeless veterans, we operate a number of innovative supportive services programs to support our efforts of ending homelessness in America.

EMERGENCY SHELTER

While permanent housing, often coupled with supportive services, is the best way to end homelessness, many individuals and families need short-term stabilization before they can find housing that will meet their long term needs. That’s why Volunteers of America, for over 122 years, has provided emergency assistance to homeless persons in the form of homeless shelters.

DROP-IN CENTERS

Since homeless persons can be reluctant to leave the streets and accept emergency shelter or transitional housing, we operate drop-in centers — places where homeless youth or adults can get off the streets and find a temporary safe haven. And often, when homeless persons begin to trust drop-in center staff, they agree to leave the streets and enter transitional or permanent housing.

PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

For a significant number of homeless Americans with mental or physical impairments, often coupled with drug and/or alcohol use issues, long-term homelessness can only be ended by providing permanent housing coupled with intensive supportive services.

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING

Our transitional housing programs are operated with one goal in mind — to help individuals and families obtain permanent housing as quickly as possible. Our programs serve diverse populations — from women and children who are victims of domestic violence to homeless veterans who have spent years living on the streets.

New Video- Mexican Family Brutally Attacked By Openly Racist White Male- Updated

UPDATED POST:

After making this video there have been additional details released so to confirm my fear stated in the video of white privilege. While the openly racist Alan Covington, 50 and white, will be charged with multiple charges, including aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, he will not be charged for committing a hate crime. How is that possible?!

All I can say is watch the video and as I say in it, he is white so of course he is being referred to as a person whom struggles with drugs and has some mental issues… BUT IF THIS HAD BEEN A MALE OF ANY OTHER RACE OR COLOR, ESPECIALLY BLACK, HE WOULD BE A THUG, A DRUG ABUSER. EVERY DRUG HE HAD EVER TAKEN WOULD BE LISTED BESIDE HIS PICTURE WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS STILL TAKING SAID DRUG, ALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO SHUN HIM. 

But Alan’s white, so he is but a victim of life. A victim of addiction, but not a bad guy, he is just down on his luck… That’s how local media attempt to portray him, as it usually goes. I talk about that in the video though so for now back to the hate crime that won’t be tried as a hate crime.

After hearing what this racist did, brutally attacking a Mexican family at their family owned business with racist, hate filled words and threats of murder to acting out upon those words with attacks on multiple members of the Lopez family. His most vicious attack was on Jose’s son, Luis Lopez, 18 year old, as seen in the photo and as described..

As stated in a document used to indict Alan, when police arrived they found Luis “bleeding profusely from his face”, “gurgling and coughing on his own blood”- Luis had been beaten in the face with a metal rod and fell unconscious.

Please consider either donating to help the Lopez family pay for the surgeries needed due to what Alan did, or at least sharing this story and the funding page please…

So once more… While Alan will be charged with various criminal acts, one being aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, the one thing thing we won’t see under his “charge information” is this being listed as a hate crime. (You can view the charges he is facing, among other information related to his arrest for this hate crime, by clicking here.)

Why won’t they charge the male who bluntly stated he would be back and when he came back again, he would kill. He would kill because he wants to kill Mexicans as he himself put it. But this is not a hate crime? Of course it is.

But in Utah state law in order to charge and convict someone for a hate crime it can’t be anything more severe than a misdemeanor assault…. So the fact that Alan is facing more extreme charges disqualifies him from any thing related to hate crimes… [Read Utah’s outrageous, insulting, careless legal definition and the (extremely limited) requirements for yourself by clicking here.]

As with any and every hate crime from police brutality to domestic terrorists all the way to the legal system of both state and federal law, I am even more pissed off than before…  I don’t understand how or why we as a people are not uniting to change America into a decent place, why do so many people not care?? Blah.. Will update as this case proceeds.

To help with medical expenses, please help by donating or sharing to the Lopez family; their gofundme page located here.

Video: Police Are Not Heroes To Me; They Are One Side of A Double Standard System

New York City Police Staff Sgt. Jimmy McNaughton died while serving in the

military and the story I just read of his family and other NYC cops complaining because the did not get their way has pissed me off. I will explain a bit below but first, the ultimate and main point of my posting this as well as my video rant is because  of the double standards cops hold…

What makes me the most angry, I think, is as you can read in the link that follows, his co-worker states,

“Jimmy’s a hero. He’s our hero. And generations of future police officers who entered the subway to go to work at Transit District 2 would know that his fellow officers did not forget him,” Kenny said.

… He is not my hero, and if we are going to be renaming streets after people who were stolen from the world too soon the first names should be of those whom were unjustly and out of racist hatred murdered. Those are the lives we need to remember. And I am sorry people think I am being too harsh but I am fed up with police getting away with any and all things as people bitch about how hard the legal killers have it… This is in my opinion a slap in the face to any and all who have lost their lives just by being ! 

No I know nothing of this cops personal history. That is not the point though I do address in the video.

So what happened for those wanting to know, in short:

His family almost 300 police officers in NYC are angry because their proposal to have a street named after him was denied, the father going so far as to state he believes they are cop haters… Right… He also demanded to know the real reason the denied the request… The reason? NYC signs have too many damn signs on street poles as it is!

Ugh. Click here to read the NY Post article on this and from which I cite…. 

If you watched the video, you can find the reference to the numbers of hate crime rising, by clicking HERE.

Excited to Report Colin Kaepernick’s Nike Commercial Drops During NFL Opener —

“The person said Nike will feature Kaepernick on several platforms, including billboards, television commercials and online ads. Nike also will create an apparel line for Kaepernick, including a signature shoe, and contribute to his Know Your Rights charity. The deal puts Kaepernick in the top bracket of NFL players with Nike.”

And let us not forget, Nike provides all NFL teams with both game day wear and other apparel, such as sideline wear. The partnership between the two was extended in March to run through 2028.

I think it’s both very depressing how heartless, selfish and mindless people are outraged at people who want to draw attention to an on going evil, especially to this degree. I would say it is almost funny but…it’s not funny at all, really. It’s tragic and the racism in this country that is tolerated -by the government alone- leads me to think about what the beautiful soul of Malcolm X said about civil rights vs human rights. Perhaps it is time to begin reaching for what he spoke of and was working on; appealing to the international community for assistance… Things since he was working for justice and equality have only grown more complex, but I also think in some ways we have an upper hand now.

But I digress. Back to those of you mad at Nike and Kaepernick for doing the right thing. 

It’s so funny how many people are hating on Nike now; such as in Denver one store is “clearing out” their Nike stock in, and I quote, “protest.” Yeah. Nike’s losing a lot of sleep over having a clear conscience.

If you are going to protest, make it something worth while like, oh, I don’t know, protesting innocent men, women and children being murdered or beaten, seems like a nice and moral place to start. That and/or demanding these killers do not walk free. Refusing to accept them being treated as innocent the entire trial IF it makes it that far. Paid vacations for killers… All because they protect you and you have no reason to fear them? Hmmm… what about those they don’t serve OR protect?

People are outraged over the display Kaepernick in particular is making. Why should I respect a government or the traditions held by many american’s when this country, the law enforcement here, they don’t give a damn about what they do to others. The good hearted will speak out, and get fired. Is this really an american tradition I want to follow? Hell no. How can any of you really think this “american tradition” is more outrageous than humane treatment, equality and justice?

Police vow to “serve and protect”— wait, I’ll say it this way as it reminds me of a post I came across earlier. Some guy was complaining about all the negativity towards cops. He said something like, “meanwhile, the police save thousands a day and no one pays attention” or something. So I replied, in part, with what I reply to this, “it’s disrespecting the national anthem and the american tradition,” BS:

“And meanwhile, not happening in any legal jurisdiction but once a year, police officer kills and is actually punished for his crime. being sworn to protect the people, not slaughter them, one murder by a cop should carry a heavy sentence unless he can prove he was not to blame. police in america can be caught on camera killing and walk away with nothing. or go buy and sell the gun they used to kill an unarmed human with. police are never in the wrong in america, except with people who want justice…and that doesn’t happen. so stop whining as though you really have it bad. try being a fishermen. they die more often than police while working as do others. and defending is different from what police do. the few i have seen do good were fired. real just system. “

Point of that comment post is… 1) all the players who haven’t or don’t join in protest against a wrong that has been done in one form or another; under one name or another, for hundreds of years, every last one of them should feel a great deal of shame for not being man enough to do what they could… If all players protested even just in the NFL, think of how things would change… Money forces change. But money also made some too damn blind; or perhaps they already were.

Either way, no real man would just look away, letting victims of the inhumane, unethical and on going homicides continue to be targets. Moreover, they are saying it is acceptable behavior to NOT punish those who abuse and/or murder if they have a blue shield in front of them. It’s okay, they are saying, to not have law enforcement not report to the FBI annually the number of people who have lost their lives. 

I am so grateful Nike has made the choices they have… They have selected NFL opening night as the night to air the first “Just Do It” commercial with Mr. Colin Kaepernick and others. Apparently Nike, as the following article describes, has always pushed for athletes to strive for more. Their actions give me reason to believe that rich as Nike as a company and such may be, they thus far are proving they actually are on the side of justice.

That being said, I’ll end my rant here and let you read on about the latest with Nike and Kaepernick. I hope others will come through…  And that includes anyone reading this as well as myself… Be a hero, regardless of how popular or unpopular you are… Every good and every bad action matters. Do the right thing even if those around you are not…

 

Nike has unveiled its first “Just Do It” ad narrated by Colin Kaepernick, and a person familiar with the situation says the spot is scheduled to air during the NFL season opener on Thursday night and during football games throughout the season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the airing have…

via Colin Kaepernick’s Nike Commercial Drops; Will Air During NFL Opener — Black America Web

D.C. The 8th Annual Black is Back Conference & March on The White House This Week!

If ever there was a time to make note of a very important social event… And this
occurs on the upcoming 4th and 5th of November… Black is Back Rally, march and conference in Washington, D.C., has arrived for the 8th year! If you think this is a year to skip out on, I ask you to please reconsider… Things have been escalating for for hundreds of years, but as we clearly see, things are getting even more increasingly out of control regarding hate crimes, racism and this government. So, any glimmer of hope a select few may have believed in should be more than clearly gone now (if it were ever even there.)

In my opinion it is more vital now than ever for social action and unity… SO! Below you will find all the information you need regarding the 8th Annual Black is Back Rally, March & Conference starting November 4th.

Visit the Official Page if you are looking for information regarding travel arrangements and such.

Facebook Even Page HERE.

Official Page & Further Information HERE.

Black Panther Official Trailer

King Coogler has not come to play with you. He’s come to put in work. And change the same old game. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/spaxIUxUQ5 — Ava DuVernay (@ava) October 16, 2017

via Black Panther Official Trailer — Moorbey’z Blog

Come & Learn This Thursday! – Black History-Education & Unity! Real Talk Thursdays!!!

Let’s make this national!! INTERnational! Newark, NJ, LEADING THE WAY!!!… Every Thursday hosts a free and educational public meeting…each week a new topic to learn. These sessions are open to the community to better the community and begins at 7 p.m… This week – June 15- the discussion will be the original Black Panther Party… Check the info below!

NEWARK, NJ — The Black History Month Committee of Weequahic High School in Newark will host a public forum about the original Black Panther Party at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 15.

According to a news release, the free program will discuss the history of the party. It will include a screening and discussion of the film “The Black Panthers, Lords of the Revolution,” which chronicles the rise and fall of the party as well as its impact on the black community and the world.

The forum is part of a series at the school, Real Talk Thursdays, which organizers say “provides free weekly spiritual, cultural and political education discussions to empower, inspire, and organize African /African Americans, Latino Americans, people of color, and the entire human family.”

The community-based organizations helping to contribute to the weekly forums are the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition (N.A.V.C), New Jersey Communities United, Young & Successful Men’s Organization, and the Pan-Afrikan Muslim Association.

The Black History Month Committee was created by history teachers to organize programs and activities for February’s Black History Month and for the school year at Weequahic High School for students and the community.

For more information about the Real Talk Thursdays at Weequahic High School, contact (908) 956-3523 or (973) 705-3795.

(original article)

Black Lives Matter Co-Founder: Trump Wants to Return to the ‘Dark History of This Country’ [Trump VS Real Men]

Finally, people are speaking the truth many of us who aren’t asleep knew from the moment that psycho decided he should be any form of government official. We are citizens of America right? Answer me this, then. As “Americans” is it not too much to do exactly what they say we are to do if this ever happens; this being a racist, sexist, fat, orange psychopathic tyrant.

I am ashamed to say I am American, I’ve been since I was 14 and saw how cops have a badge to kill innocent people; especially if those people are not white, and then walk away from the crime with the same bloody guns in their slimy, blood stained hands. If you’re not American and reading this, please know this government does NOT represent ALL of the people! I must post this because I’ve got a busy schedule however I also have announcements to share that will be propelling this site and new sites as well as upcoming events and talks, among other things. I have been away for far too long but it was worth it… My seeking, studying, and continuously searching the vast REAL knowledge most Americans are never taught and too many do not even want to hear and growing my spiritual connection by the blessings of our Afrikan Ancestors;…all of this has made me stronger in all regards and my purpose -though it was already known- will now be fulfilled. And that means my changing in ways that only hurt my purposes; one being, sharing knowledge.

More on that really soon. For now, here is what we all need to be using the government of America’s founding documents to rid ourselves from the police state and truancy of Trump. It DOES matter. We are going backwards; say what you will of President Obama, but he never tried  to reverse American progress, well being or health care. He was harassed with hate and racism as his precious little princesses did/do. But President Obama, being a man with integrity and maturity  -not to mention stable mind- didn’t go off the handle, even though he would have had more legit reason to be angry at the media and others for he had horrible comments and lies being spoken.

He let his actions speak. No one has to agree with the sickness of Syria and other countries; but as a whole… you can simply look at Obama in the eyes and then look into the eyes of Donald Trump…And the person whom is a man of value and an actual man. 

While I’ll leave out -for now- what words I’d use to explain what Donald Trump is, I’ll start an upcoming posts topic by adding;

“…the person whom is a man of value and an actual man. Most people will know that I mean, of course, the missed President, Barack Obama. Trump is honestly a sorry and pathetic excuse and misrepresentation of what it means to be a “man.” He also is a horrific and a vile, disgusting, delirious joke of humans as a whole.

Trump has had his ‘power’ if you wanna call it that; but now it’s a position within the government… To support him is to support those he also has -or tries to have- in office… All whom are women haters, racist whites with lazy European ancestors who did not build Amerikkka, but sat and got fat while treating men, women and children of legal enslavement, abuses spoken and unspoken, violence and fear unknown…

Trump with Sessions and Pence alone are walking images of the overseers, of the legal/government officials that were hunting down, murdering, abusing, misusing, brain washing, stealing and raping Black human beings. Not forgetting, these Black men AND women are why we have the most iconic sites in America; not just Washington DC; not just the white house, but ALL OVER America. And they did it to stay alive.

How things are regarding cops, prison, school, jobs, community, life or death for being alive; life or death being a risk if you dare do something as simple as go for a walk to get skittles or if you have a Pokemon card in your 12 year old hand. (Former case)

More writing with citations soon. Take action; and if you have any action that needs a volunteer; please let me know.

 

“It will be us who makes America great again.”

via Black Lives Matter Co-Founder: Trump Wants to Return to the ‘Dark History of This Country’ — Observer

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White Cop Brutalizes Black Male 2 Weeks After Being Cleared of Murdering Another Black Male- SPREAD THIS!

After being cleared in the killing of another Black man, this disgusting filth cop Zachary Rosen has been caught on video BRUTALIZING only TWO WEEKS after he was cleared in the aforementioned Black man’s SLAUGHTER.  That 23 year old young Black man’s name was Henry Green. Oh, by the way, they were not wearing uniform nor did they identify themselves as cops.

No matter what the young man did or was doing, for all he knew these were two racist assholes trying to kill him. And they were just that! But, the media wants you to believe Henry Green was just another thug. No matter if he had a gun or not; how many of you whites have a gun that you carry on you? How many of you whites would have pulled that gun if two unidentified white -let alone BLACK- men approached you not telling you who they were, and not in uniform?

Back to the current case against this racist cop.

In this video, we see this disgusting empty shell kicking a handcuffed, Black man by the name of DeMarco Anderson, who was NOT resisting when Rosen delivered the atrocious, appalling, racist and hate inspired blow to his head with his foot.

The police department in Columbus, Ohio say that Rosen’s off patrol as it is being investigated. Paid leave? I wonder. And yes, that is one cop restraining him, and the racist, psycho!

And this is the thing that adds salt to the wound to me is that while being restrained by one cop, DeMarco does the simple thing of asking a question, even giving this cop undue respect when he asked,,

“Why are you being aggressive, sir?” ….

And now enter Zachary Rosen. He bolts into camera view, and gives DeMarco a kick so hard DeMarco’s head that it bounces off of the curb!

And where is the media? If it does get attention, they are going to label him as a thug who was doing this or that and provoked it; which is BULL SHYT! This kind of behavior is NOT “justifiable” for there is NO REASON to ABUSE someone especially when RESTRAINED!

There have been many reports -including by the FBI- stating the KKK are invading police departments across the nation and have been for some time. I say the police ARE the KKK. This developing horror story that is all too damn typical proves one thing for sure: racism is alive in the police department, and it’s time we do more than MARCH AND ASK! ESPECIALLY UNDER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This has been going on for hundreds of years! In this life alone I have been working on or documenting these cases or similar well over a decade! WHY ARE WE NOT HITTING THEM ECONOMICALLY??? WHY WHY WHY ARE WE NOT MORE UNIFIED???? CAN’T  WE PUT BLACK AND BROWN AND WHITE EVEN ASIDE FOR THE GREATER GOOD??? CAN’T GANGS CALL EVEN A TEMPORARY TRUCE TO UNITE AGAINST THIS GREATER EVIL!?

Click here to read more and for video. 

A Bit of Good News; Rikers Island to be Shut Down, FINALLY

I am going to only post this, and not ruin the good news with depressing facts about America and prisons overall. That’ll be another post. 🙂

—

After years of abhorrent conditions and abuses, New York City will shut down the notoriously troubled Rikers Island jail.

“New York City will close the Rikers Island jail facility,” Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. “It will take many years. It will take many tough decisions along the way. But it will happen.”

The details of what will come to replace Rikers Island are still unclear. As the New York Times reported, a commission previously recommended that the jail be broken up into smaller jails located in each of the city’s five boroughs.

De Blasio was previously skeptical
 of shutting it down, but it seems like public pressure to do something about the jail — and perhaps a looming reelection campaign this year — pushed him to change his mind.

Rikers Island is notoriously awful

Rikers Island has earned a national reputation for its terrible conditions, with horror stories regularly coming out.

One such story was that of Kalief Browder, who killed himself in 2015, after his release. He spent three years in the facility even though he was never convicted of the robbery he was wrongly accused of at the age of 16. He claimed he spent more than 400 days in solitary confinement, and he attempted suicide at least six times while at the jail. “I didn’t get to go to prom, graduation, nothing,” Browder told New York City’s ABC 7. “I’m never going to get those years back. Never.”

A New York Times article headlined “Rikers: Where Mental Illness Meets Brutality in Jail” detailed several other examples of abuse at the jail. In one case, officers reacted to an inmate’s suicide attempt by beating him:

” After being arrested on a misdemeanor charge following a family dispute last year, Jose Bautista was unable to post $250 bail and ended up in a jail cell on Rikers Island.

A few days later, he tore his underwear, looped it around his neck and tried to hang himself from the cell’s highest bar. Four correction officers rushed in and cut him down. But instead of notifying medical personnel, they handcuffed Mr. Bautista, forced him to lie face down on the cell floor and began punching him with such force, according to New York City investigators, that he suffered a perforated bowel and needed emergency surgery. “

De Blasio and other city officials had worked to try to fix the jail facility. But the pace of change was slow, and the jail could never shake its reputation as a place of historical brutality. Now Rikers Island is closing down, affecting the roughly 9,000 inmates held there on a daily basis.
Click here for the full article.