Racial Justice

Krista URGENTLY needs your support to live. We demand the state of SC open a full investigation of Judge McFaddin and Vinson's order and immediately reverse the order to restore Krista's right to equality and life. With your support we will win federal mandate. With your support we will bring historical change to our justice and/or family court system. No one should have the right to intentionally oppress any human being, by imposing - via court order - poverty on her/him. This is exactly; however, what two SC judges did.    Cerebellar Atrophy is atrophy of the cerebellum portion of her brain, the command center for balance and motor skills. Microcephaly is tiny head and smaller brain. Krista is intellectually disabled, with accompanying diagnoses/disabilities. Near fifty percent (47.6%) of the homeless population are disabled and unable to work. That is 269,991 individuals that CAN NOT work, living without a home. Living on the streets, using shelters WHEN available. (See link below.)     Crisis In Family Courts     NOW Foundation for women (Link below) There is a national crisis for women and their children in the family law courts of this country. Affirmed by experts and leaders in the women’s movement, the existence of this crisis is verified by women in every state who report injustice in their family law cases, especially battered mothers trying to protect their children from abusive fathers who aggressively litigate against them, using family court to stalk, harass, punish, and impoverish their former partners and children.  Krista's father is an oil mogul for Exxon Mobil, yet he was ordered to pay ZERO child support for Krista. K. Richardson vs. J. Richardson State of South Carolina, County of Clarendon, Pg. 17, Line 6-16: Uh, there was, during the case, evidence presented that Krista is not capable of supporting herself. The evidence, uh, was not clear. I can not, at this point, extend child support for this child. (Judge Jerry Vinson, under direction of Chief Administrative Judge George McFaddin.) Federal, dual-state and medical documentation was presented and produced in the courtroom. Judge Vinson acknowledges that Krista can not care for herself and discusses her federal disability status.  The judges; however,  based their ruling on Krista's father simply uttering: "she's not disabled". I have been asked about Social Security. Social Security is money paid in to the S.S. system  from wage earnings. Krista was born disabled - is too young - and can NOT work; therefore can NOT make a claim for S.S. Krista's father (my former husband of 25 years) has assets totaling over 1.5 million. He owns multiple homes (including beach home) AND is president and owner of a very successful oil company (that I helped grow) with multiple locations.  Krista's father abandoned us. I filed for divorce after  learning that her father got caught up in a secret, expensive life, which included spending 1000's a month of our marital money for prostitutes, hotels, online activities, sex site memberships, phone sex, asian massage parlors, strip clubs, novelties, cosmetics, etc., etc. This happened - he admitted in court and evidence supports - for the last five -six years of our married life. However, not this nor  my husband's wealth (ours prior to hearing) mattered.... Myself (Krista's caregiver and teacher) with Bi-Lateral Meniere's and my daughter with multiple disabilities, left the courtroom with no monetary award/compensation, no asset division, no health insurance. This occurred due to Krista's father's financial status and clout in the county we resided. Less than 5% of disabled children live with a single father . Single mothers care for 24.5% of the disabled children. Judges Vinson and McFaddin not only ordered zero child support for Krista they sent me, a home school mother of a disabled child, out the door with no monetary means to care for her. Because Krista needs non-stop supervision and care and due to my deteriorating health, my ability to earn a substantial income is very limited.  Without appropriate support from Krista's father, Krista loses out on medical advancement opportunities/treatments, therapies, enrichment opportunities - to name a few, and if my disease continues to worsen, we do not know what the future holds. Without child support, what happens to Krista? If something happens to me, what happens to Krista? Homeless? Please sign for federal mandate providing all children born with or becoming disabled during childhood appropriate, instant/immediate, permanent child support. Full investigation of the case and reverse and remand  McFaddin's order violating Krista's civil and human rights - her right to live. Help bring change to a faulty - often purchased - judicial and family court system. Help us #HopKristasLaw (Twitter) HopKristasLaw.com We are on: #IGiveAHop #HopKristasLaw - Twitter https://now.org/now-foundation/crisis-in-family-courts/ https://youtu.be/_ZJnkGKiej8 http://www.theitem.com/stories/kto-night-for-children-with-differences,4078 http://frontsteps.org/u-s-homelessness-facts/ http://www.nbcnews.com/id/13857062/ns/health-childrens_health/t/more-disabled-kids-living-single-women/  

Many cities across the United States of America are removing statues/memorials from public spaces and renaming roads and buildings that honor Confederate leaders. Brownsville has had numerous racist incidents in the past. Our biggest one happened in 1906. Please Google: Brownsville Black Raid. The Brownsville Herald was biased in its reporting. The soldiers involved were later exonerated by President Nixon. We also had a bridge known as "N" bridge and it appeared on local maps with the racist slur. We can only imagine what took place on that bridge. Yes, we are a city full of history and we're proud of it. We can't deny that we were part of the Confederacy. But, what is the purpose of keeping the Jefferson Davis Memorial at Washington Park? It was originally on the corner of Elizabeth Street and Palm Blvd. It marked the Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway which never really took off. It was then moved to Washington Park in the 1970s. Hundreds of families enjoy this park, especially during big community events like Sombrero Festival and Cyclobia. What do you think the monument tells families when they are enjoying the park? We have a growing population of African-Americans in this community. This monument does not welcome the descendants of those who were enslaved and oppressed in the past. Our nation fought to unify our country during the Civil War. Sadly, many people did not obtain full rights until the 1960s. We don't need reminders of a bygone era in a space that should be welcoming. We need to stop kissing up to the Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy! They claim that it is heritage. Their heritage believes that it was a God-given right to own people. Washington Park currently has three monuments dedicated to: Miguel Hidalgo, Jose Marti, and Jefferson Davis. The first two were liberators. Davis was the opposite. He fought to keep human beings enslaved. He was not a liberator! He also saw mestizos (mixed European and Native American) as inferiors. The majority of Brownsville is mestizo. We don't want it destroyed. We are asking the City of Brownsville and the Brownsville Historical Association to place it in a museum. For many people, this monument represents HATE and feel that it doesn't belong in a public park. Washington Park should be welcoming to ALL people! Please VOTE on relocating it to the Historic Brownsville Museum.

Click here to tell the artists to #TakeAKnee during their halftime set in solidarity with Kaepernick. Rihanna has reportedly turned down the opportunity to perform in front of over 100 million people at the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show. Why? She supports Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who has been exiled from the NFL because of his decision to kneel during the national anthem. Kaepernick risked his career to take a knee for equality, and the NFL punished him for it. Until the league changes their policy and support players’ constitutional right to protest, no artists should agree to work with the NFL. Join me in asking Maroon 5 to drop out of the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show. Rihanna is not the first major artist to turn down the Super Bowl halftime show. Jay-Z turned down a request to perform at the 2017 Super Bowl, and even addressed it in his 2018 song “Apesh*t.” The lyrics say, “I said no to the Super Bowl: you need me, I don't need you. Every night we in the endzone, tell the NFL we in stadiums too," while the music video shows a line of men on one knee. Comedian Amy Schumer has also weighed in, praising Rihanna and encouraging Maroon 5 to follow her lead and step down. Schumer also said that she will refuse to do any commercials that would air during the big game. “Hitting the NFL with the advertisers is the only way to really hurt them," she said. Maroon 5 has made music over the years featuring artists from all genres, including Rihanna, Cardi B and Kendrick Lamar — all of whom have publicly supported Kaepernick in his decision to protest the violent racism sweeping the United States. Maroon 5 must do the same. The band has a chance to stand on the right side of history. If they don’t, they will be remembered for choosing to side with the NFL over its players. The band’s lead singer, Adam Levine, has not shied away from politics in the past. He has been a strong supporter of same sex marriage and LGBT rights. The band even changed the location of a show because the venue supported anti-gay marriage laws. If the band can take a stand for LGBT rights, they should do the same for these players. Colin Kaepernick has sacrificed his NFL career to call out violent racism in America, and players across the country have followed his lead. Rihanna, Jay-Z, Amy Schumer and others have refused to work with the NFL. Maroon 5: Americans look to artists and celebrities as leaders, and you have huge opportunity to use your influence to take a stand. Sign to tell Maroon 5 to drop out of the Super Bowl halftime show in solidarity with Kaepernick and players who #TakeAKnee.  

Right now the Department of Education is rolling out plans to strip federal education policies that protect minority and disabled students from unfair punishments. Before these policies existed, minority kids were punished at higher rates with more extreme discipline. Disabled kids lashing out would even be sent into remedial programs. Betsy Devos wants to remove protections that have helped level the playing field for all students. Tell the Department of Education not to roll back these protections! After the Parkland Shooting, the Department of Education and Department of Justice created a task force to examine how this deadly event at a school could have been prevented. Instead of dealing with security or gun issues, the taskforce moved to cut policies that protect minority and disabled students from unfair and severe punishments. The Obama Administration implemented these policies in 2014 after strong evidence showed that minority and disabled students faced higher suspension rates and harsher punishments than white students for the same offenses. Minority and disabled students shouldn’t face harsh and unfair punishments. Tell the Department of Education to keep these protections and ensure all students are treated equally. Depending on the state, discipline may even be more harsh for some. In 19 U.S. states it is still legal to spank children in public schools. A student’s race or ability should not condemn them to harsher punishments than their peers. American schools need to treat all kids the same. Tell Betsy Devos not to roll back these protections!