School To Prison Pipeline- Community Event & Discussion

You know those meetings that you hear about where the actual community residents come together and discuss their community- the state that it's in, the concerns they have, the possible reasons for the problems, and then the beginning of plans for a resolution?? That's what this is.
A panel and then open discussion event taking place in 3rd Ward - but affects all Houstonians, all Texans, and all inhabitants of this thing called America.
If you want to come listen, learn, put in your 2 cents, and get some balance, please make your way over the S.H.A.P.E. Community Center on Live Oak this weekend.
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From their posting:

Krystal Muhammad—CR-Houston Moderator
Tarsha Jackson—Navigating the Pipeline
Reginald Gordon—Youth and the Prison Industrial Complex
Gloria Rubac—Prison Industrial Complex and Abolition

The School to Prison Pipeline--Some Sobering Statistics

Texas spends 2.3 times more per prisoner compared to what the state spends on each public school student.

In Texas, there were 169,460 juvenile arrests in 2007.

Of the 8,247 youths in residential placement in Texas in 2006:
1,980 (24.0 percent) were White, non-Latino.
2,751 (33.4 percent) were Black, non-Latino.
3,486 (42.3 percent) were Latino.

There were 150 youths under age 18 incarcerated in adult correctional facilities in Texas in 2007.

Presentations to be followed by a strategy meeting for advancing the campaign against the School to Prison Pipeline in Houston/Harris County.

Saturday November 21st
2:00 pm
S.H.A.P.E. Community Center
3815 Live Oak

For more information please call 713-261-3558

For the kids!
Bring your kids to help create the World Without Walls Participatory Mural/Banner.

Young and old are invited to take part.

I-10 Ramp from IH-45 North Closed!!

After leaving work yesterday afternoon, I decided to take a different route home from work besides my regular 15min stagger down Kirby Drive to get to Allen Parkway from San Felipe.
I took San Felipe down to Shepard and turned towards Allen Parkway through that light- and saved myself about 10 minutes of driving time. That was, until I got onto the on ramp for IH-45N to see a giant sign that notified me that the on ramp I take to get to Denver Harbor (I-10 East) was closed. The detour led you up 45N till N.Main Street. It ended up taking me an hour to get home. So, just a heads up for those of you trying to get to the neighborhoods. It's hard to tell if it's been opened since yesterday. Here is a little chart you can follow along:

Location	IH-45 North Southbound from Crosstimbers to IH-10 Katy
Distance	2.50 miles
Travel Time	2 minutes 32 seconds
Avg Speed	59 MPH
Data Age	3:17:48 PM
Other Info	Live Speed Chart

Festival to Celebrate our East End this Weekend!

I used to sit at Brasils Coffee Shop and think, "Man..I really wish there was a place this great to hang out closer to my side of town." Well, through my own manifestations (i'm convinced! ha.) and an amazing couple, came Bohemeos Music/Art/Coffee.
This cafe/music/art stop had me at hello & i'm happy to have the opportunity to partake in their now 2nd Annual East End Arts Festival - aimed at bringing community from all over Houston to recognize the flowers blooming on the East End of town.
The festival is being made possible by artists, poets, vendors, and musicians dedicated to what the festival stands for, and more importantly, what Bohemeos stands for.
So, this weekend- one day only- come on over to Bohemeos Music/Art/Coffee and take in the scene!

The full line up is below- Order some food, drinks, find a stage you like, and enjoy!!!!

p.s. The poetry hour is sure to give you the warm fuzzies & the art on the wall right now are the passionate works of the Tres Chingonas - Lizbeth Ortiz, Julie Zarate, and Stephanie Guajardo!

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This East End Cultural Arts Festival is all about community, so bring the family & bring the neighbors. There will be artists, vendors, musicians and performers. Help support local talent and culture, and come see a whole day of original creativity.

Since we have such a large group of performers, we're going to mix it up and actually do this schedule style:

Indoor stage

12 pm Indie short films
1 pm Poetry Power Hour
2 pm Comedy hour
3 pm Theater with Ruby Nelda Perez
4 pm Rozz Zamorano and the Z Jazz Trio
5 pm Pistoleros de Texas

Outdoor Stage
1:30 pm Bella Ballet Children Ballet
2:30 pm Irish Dance Co.
3:30 pm Flamenco "Gitanarias"
4:30 pm Danza Azteca "Teokalli"
5:30 pm Los Guerreros de La Musica