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Capturing the revolution, the activist behind the camera.

December 16, 2015 by Jonathan Leave a Comment

Janny Castillo, once homeless with her four young children, has become a masterful organizer and multi-media expert in our community. Janny works at St. Mary’s Center in Oakland as the Hope and Justice Coordinator and worked at Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS) for many years where she served people as a housing advocate, educator and organizer. Janny is also a Reiki Master and Deeksha blessing giver. She can often be found behind a camera documenting movements for social justice.

5a525029-889b-4e69-956a-821944fab6e5How long and in what capacity have you been involved with WRAP?

I participated in the early meetings of WRAP in 2005 when we designed the structure and the campaigns. In the beginning I helped with administrative work, outreach within our organization then with other organizers to other local groups. Years later, I helped organize a major affordable housing action in San Francisco with WRAP.

Since the beginning, I have helped produce media for WRAP campaigns and I currently organize seniors at
St. Mary’s Center to participate in legislature visits and actions associated with the Homeless Bill of Rights Campaign.

Why do you think WRAP is important?

Anti-homeless, anti-poor laws are rampant and growing across the US and are causing great harm to the people they target. Ending homelessness is talked about but all levels of government resist dedicating resources to effectively house the massive numbers of individuals and families who are forced to live outside.

WRAP’s work is important because it has brought local and national attention to the civil rights abuses that people living outside face every day. We will continue to have homelessness in epidemic proportions for many, many years to come, and it is a disgrace that on top of dealing with the debilitating experience of homelessness, people also have to deal with inhumane, discriminatory practices that serve those that merely want them out of sight, out of mind.

What would be different if WRAP did not exist?

Homeless people would not have a voice and they would have very few places to go to find help. The abuses would continue unseen and unchecked. We would not be united as a grassroots movement across three states to address the criminalization of homelessness and to fight for affordable housing.

224b5ba3-64c7-4416-be16-c818323508bdI remember being moved to tears when I heard the story that General Dogan (from LA CAN) told about the homeless woman who became distraught and severely traumatized when she tried to retrieve her mother’s ashes from a dump truck that had come to remove the belongings of homeless people from a skid row street. The officers refused to help her. I understood then that people can viciously and callously abuse their power, especially those who claim they are here to protect and to serve us. It was a heart opening experience and one that fuels my desire to fight for the Right to Rest Act. That is why WRAP is so important.

What is your hope for WRAP for the next 10 years?

My hope for WRAP is that we never stop fighting for the unseen to be seen and heard and for the poor to be treated with dignity and respect. My hope is that through WRAP’s work, real help will finally arrive in the form of humane government policies that provide deeply affordable housing and protect our people from being harassed, abused or incarcerated. Until the day comes when homelessness does not exist, let WRAP exist in full people power urging change that improves quality of life for all.

See Janny’s media projects on Youtube Channel: boonachepresents and on Flickr under Janny Castillo.

Thank you, Janny and thank you to all of you for all you do to support WRAP, and an end to the criminalization of people who are poor and homeless. We can’t do all we do without you!

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Saturday AUGUST 27 — 9 am to 4pm Sunday AUGUST 2 Saturday AUGUST 27 — 9 am to 4pm
Sunday AUGUST 28 — 12:30pm to 4pm

Westminster Presbyterian Church
1300 N Street, Sacramento

https://wraphome.org/2022/08/02/sacramento-ca-advocates-community-summit-on-homelessness-august-27-28th/
California. (S)Care Court Hearing Tomorrow 8/3 Las California. (S)Care Court Hearing Tomorrow 8/3 Last Hearing before floor Vote
https://conta.cc/3vzRoWo
Part 11 ... California’s “anti-Okie” laws of Part 11 ...
California’s “anti-Okie” laws of the 1930s and the South’s Jim Crow laws in effect from the late 1800s to the 1950s are examples of the kinds of local laws overturned in previous generations. Yet, modern “quality of life” legislation and enforcement targeting homeless people can be found in communities across the nation.
The City Council postponed their vote on the 41.18 The City Council postponed their vote on the 41.18 expansion to August 2nd. If passed, this motion will add approximately 1,900 additional sites–a 376% increase in exclusionary zones across the city. 41.18 would then cover at least 88 sq miles (that’s 20% of the entire city).

Services Not Sweeps is urging EVERYONE to come to City Hall at 9:00am on August 2 and tell City Council that 41.18 is BAD POLICY and should be repealed.

When we fight, we win. 
But this fight isn’t over.

The community flooded City Hall inside and out on Wednesday to protest the expansion of 41.18 but the fight is not over. It’s clear that President Nury Martinez and friends weren’t prepared for our numbers and realized they were unable to rally their (few but loud) 41.18 supporters. Council delayed the vote to Tuesday August 2nd in an attempt to erode our momentum and stifle our voices. 
 
We won’t let that happen. The fight now is to keep the pressure on and show up next week!! See you next Tuesday 9am. Bring a friend.
 
WHO: You and your friends!
WHERE: City Hall, 200 N Spring St 
WHEN: Tuesday August 2nd at 9:00am
HOW: Read more details on our toolkit.
AGENDA ITEM 14 https://lacity.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=102513
Part 10... In fact, however, enforcement is very m Part 10...
In fact, however, enforcement is very much impacted by both skin color and appearance. Local governments cannot legally discriminate against people strictly because they do not have housing. Federal protections prohibit local and state governments from removing people from their communities due to the color of their skin or economic/employment status.
Part 9... This nationwide pattern has escaped Civi Part 9... This nationwide pattern has escaped Civil Rights protections because on their face, these programs are not clearly discriminatory. Local laws are often drafted in such a way as to appear to apply equally to all people in a community.
Part 8... While certain communities highlight diff Part 8...
While certain communities highlight different controls at different times, often depending upon the outcome of local elections and legislative and court efforts, all have one primary common goal: to remove the presence and resulting impact of people without housing from local communities. As the Mayor of Las Vegas stated when she outlawed feeding people in city parks: “If we stop feeding them, they will leave.”
Part 7... This type of ticket is not uncommon. The Part 7...
This type of ticket is not uncommon. The most common public space and activity restrictions are those aimed at camping, sitting, lying, or trespassing on either public or private land, panhandling, sleeping, blocking the sidewalk and possessing “stolen property,” such as shopping carts and milk crates—to name just a few. Furthermore, these restrictions are often implemented in conjunction with the closure of public parks and the outlawing of free food and clothing distribution.
SAVE THE DATE. Day of Action Against Care Court – Monday August 1. For more information: https://wraphome.org/2022/07/21/save-the-date-day-of-action-against-care-court-monday-august-1/
Part 6... According to the non-profit organization Part 6...
According to the non-profit organization Religious Witness with Homeless People, (RWHP) homeless individuals face anxiety, degradation, and frustration as a result of the aggressive enforcement of “quality of life” ordinances. This anxiety is expressed by one homeless individual in one of nearly 200 interviews 50 Case Studies Analysis conducted by RWHP: “You’re always on edge out here already because it’s dangerous. I can’t go to the cops now because they’ll probably just arrest me because of the (camping) tickets.”
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Where do we go Berkeley. URGENT - WRAP

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URGENT: at 8:15 tonight Aug 4th Berkeley City Council plans to temporarily lift ban on chemical weapons such as teargas and pepper spray for...
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4 Aug 1555250996741189632

#Berkeley mayor cancels meeting which was to propose lifting the ban on tear-gas against protesters. https://twitter.com/JesseArreguin/status/1555243449040793605

Jesse Arreguin #GetVaccinated @JesseArreguin

@bedwardstiek I’m canceling the meeting. Our policy stands and shame on the Sheriff for threatening to not provide emergency support to Berkeley.

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URGENT: at 8:15 tonight Aug 4th Berkeley City Council plans to temporarily lift ban on chemical weapons such as teargas and pepper spray for the purpose of using them on People’s Park protestors.

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Where do we go Berkeley. URGENT - WRAP

URGENT: at 8:15 tonight Aug 4th Berkeley City Council plans to temporarily lift ban on chemical weapons such as ...

wraphome.org

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2 Aug 1554612044585844738

Protesters interrupt L.A. City Council vote to expand homeless ordinance | The vote FAILED today because they could not get a majority—the fight is not over, and we will not stop until criminalization is ended and housing becomes the objective.

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Protesters interrupt L.A. City Council vote to expand homeless ordinance

Protesters on Tuesday interrupted a Los Angeles City Council vote on a controversial homeless encampment ordinance. Th...

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2 Aug 1554585008026710018

Saturday AUGUST 27 — 9 am to 4pm
Sunday AUGUST 28 — 12:30pm to 4pm

Westminster Presbyterian Church
1300 N Street, Sacramento

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Sacramento, CA. Advocates: Community Summit on Homelessness August 27 & 28th - WRAP

THE COMMUNITY SUMMIT ON HOMELESSNESS Saturday AUGUST 27 — 9 am to 4pmSunday AUGUST 28 — 12:30pm to 4pm Westm...

wraphome.org

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2 Aug 1554548005163843584

Matyos breaking it down. #BlackAugust is off to a great start. #LetsGetFree

Image for the Tweet beginning: Matyos breaking it down. #BlackAugust Twitter feed video.
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