New Update Video featuring Angeline’s Story, “Please Watch!!”

Here at Document the Silence, one of our goals is to break the silence surrounding violence against women of color, particularly those who are poor and working class. Moreover, we want to raise awareness about how this violence informs and intersects with various aspects of our culture, including the media, and the legal system. Thus, we think it’s critical to point out that the “Where’s Aniysah” campaign is not only about the failings of the family court system. But, it’s also about domestic violence and how it has shaped the legal struggles of Aniysah and her mother, Angeline. As a survivor of domestic violence at the hands of Anyisah’s father, Angeline’s story is a testament to the “intimate” connections between experiences of abuse among women of color and the mistreatment they experience in the family court system

As word continues to spread about this campaign, we’ve received two important questions about Aniysah’s story that, when considered, illuminate the ways that Anyisah’s father used the legal system to continue to terrorize and harass Angeline and Aniysah.

Many people have emailed us asking, “How did Anyisah end up in family court system?”

Answer:

* Angeline separated from Aniysah’s father because he was physically, verbally, and emotionally abusive. Angeline has documentation of his abuse and the court orders forcing him to take anti-battering classes. Judge Fernando Camacho issued an Order of Protection for the father to stay away from Angeline and Aniysah, May of 2005.

* Even though Angeline separated from Aniysah’s father, he continued to harass and terrorize Angeline and Aniysah by fabricating lies to Child Protective Services (CPS) and filing for full custody of Aniysah. June 2005 — October 2006 Judge Morgenstern issued several Orders of Protection for the father to stay from Angeline.

* Judge Morgenstern granted the father unsupervised visits on the weekend with Aniysah at the father’s mother’s house. However, just as the unsupervised weekend visits begin, Aniysah begins to display unusual behaviors. She told the social worker that someone named “grandpa” touched her inappropriately. Aniysah developed a rash between her legs and Angeline takes her daughter to the doctor and the doctor reports the rash to CPS as a possible issue of child abuse. At this point, the doctor at the emergency room reported on the possibility of Aniysah being abused while in her father’s care.

The second question people have asked us, “How and why was Anyisah taken from her mother, Angeline?”

Answer:

* The law guardian appointed to the family’s case within the court system continued to make false accusations by suggesting that Angeline is fabricating lies about the father sexually abusing his daughter. However, Angeline has not once reported these accusations and the Child Protective Services’ reports as well as the emergency room reports show that Angeline never once accused the father. These reports were filed independently by the doctor and the social worker.

* In response to the Law Guardian’s lies, unlawful actions, and inappropriate behaviors, Angeline wrote a letter to Judge Morgenstern explaining how the Law Guardian is fabricating lies as well as not following protocol and proper procedures for reporting on Anyisah’s care when she is with her father. Judge Morgenstern disregarded Angeline’s complaints and maintained that the law guardian was following procedure.

* Without any legal recourse to protect Aniysah, Angeline moves with Aniysah to Utah, where Angeline’s mother lives, to protect Aniysah and herself. While in Utah, Angeline starts a new and renewed life for Aniysah and herself.

* While Angeline is in Utah, Judge Morgenstern summons her to court. However, she was never contacted in Utah. The papers were delivered to her old lawyer who she was no longer a client of. She documented proof that she informed the law guardian that the old lawyer no longer represented her beginning in August of 2006. Because Angeline did not show up to court, Judge Esther Morgenstern granted the father custody of Anyisah even though Judge Morgenstern knew the court file contained the returned notices showing that the mother had never been served.

* Angeline’s 20 year-old son wanted to see his mother. Angeline came back to New York where she decided to have dinner with her son. While having dinner the cops come to arrest her and take Anyisah because of the warrant that was issued.

* Because Angeline did not have any family in New York to provide care for Aniysah, the police officers were informed by Child Protective Services that they had to take Aniysah to the paternal grandmother’s home.

* It has been 122 days since Angeline has seen Aniysah on March 3rd, 2009. She has only seen Aniysah on two occasions each one hour visits each costing of $125.00 each visit. She has had no physical or phone contact with her daughter at all during the month of August.

Overall, Angeline’s story shows how domestic violence and being a woman of color in the family court system are “intimately” tied to the injustices women of color endure when trying to protect their children and themselves. In order to advocate for Angeline and Anyisah, we must see the complexities of her case and how Anyisah’s father could continue to harass and abuse Angeline and Anyisah through the court system. A court system that ignores black and brown women because it fundamentally sees poor and working class women of color as women who are incapable of making sound decisions about their lives and the lives of their children. This is a systemic problem.

With respect to Angeline’s case, the two judges who have chosen to ignore the facts of Angeline’s case and the law guardian who has been unethical in her testimonies are equally complicit in the abuse of Anyisah and Angeline. They, like Aniysah’s father, must be held accountable because they represent a legally sanctioned system of abuse. “Where’s Aniysah?” is a cry countless numbers of women of color cry daily when having to negotiate the terrains of domestic violence and terrains of the family court system. Where’s Aniysah . . . Where’s Aniysah . . . and how do we protect her and her mother from continual abuse.

On March 3rd, 2009 Aniysah was taken from her mother’s arms and has only seen her one time since!  This is a story about the (in)justice system and how it fails brown women and children daily. Please help Angeline get her daughter back. Please help this story be but a painful memory.

Where’s Aniysah? Facts

Where’s Aniysah? Updates

Where’s Aniysah? Timeline

Where’s Aniysah? What You Can Do to Help!

please click on this link and leave a comment of support and sign the petition!

If you are in the New York  Area, please show your support for Angeline’s case by coming to her next family court hearing on November 20, 2009:

The hearing will be held on November 20, 2009 at 9:30 am.

Location: Courtroom K-18, Annex Building
Justice Fernando M. Camacho
125-01 Queens Boulevard
Kew Gardens, NY 11415

Click here for directions!

If you can make it to Angeline’s next court hearing on November 20, 2009, please let us know by emailing us at:

WheresAniysah_Campaign@yahoo.com

____________________________________

If you cannot make it to Angeline’s hearing on November 20, 2009, please click on this link and leave a comment of support.

In October 2007 people all over the United States gathered physically and in spirit to speak out against violence against women of color. The violence that lead us to action was:

Organizing on October 2007

• The brutal and inhumane rape, torture, and kidnapping of Megan Williams in Logan, West Virginia who was held by six assailants for a month.
• Rape survivors in the Dunbar Housing Projects in West Palm Beach, Florida one of whom was forced to perform sexual acts on her own child.
• A 13 year old native American girl was beaten by two white women and has since been harassed by several men yelling “white power” outside of her home
• Seven black lesbian girls attempted to stop an attacker and were latter charged with aggravated assault and are facing up to 11 year prison sentences

The title of the campaign was Be Bold Be Red Be Brave: Ending Violence against Women of Color. Some of us wore red all day and explained that we were reclaiming and reframing our bodies as a challenge to the widespread acceptance of violence against women of color. Some of us wrote powerful essays about why we were wearing red and posted them on the internet. Some of us gathered with bold and like-minded folks and took pictures, shared poetry and expressed solidarity.

Then on the first anniversary of the Be Bold Be Red Campaign, October 30, 2008, we once again invited people to make bold stances against the violence enacted on women and girls of color in our society visible. In D.C., Chicago, Durham, Atlanta and Detroit women of color gathered to renew their commitment to creating a world free from racialized and gendered violence through the use of Cyberquilting which uses video conferencing technologies to connect all of these gatherings in real time. To learn more about Cyberquilting, which is a woman of color led project to stitch movements together using new web technologies and old traditions of love and nurturing, visit www.cyberquilt.wordpress.com.

And now we are launching a new cyber campaign entitled, “Where is Aniysah?”

Beloved Survivors, Warriors, Allies, Activists, Organizers, Artists, Healers, Visionaries, Sisters and Friends,

In October 2007 people all over the United States gathered physically and in spirit to speak out against violence against women of color. Some of us wore red all day and explained that we were reclaiming and reframing our bodies as a challenge to the widespread acceptance of violence against women of color. Some of us wrote powerful essays about why we were wearing red and posted them on the internet. Some of us gathered with bold and like-minded folks and took pictures, shared poetry and expressed solidarity.

Women of Color Wearing Red

This year, on the first anniversary of the Be Bold Be Red Campaign, we invite you to make your bold stance against the violence enacted on women and girls of color in our society visible. In D.C., Chicago, Durham, Atlanta and Detroit women of color will be gathering to renew our commitment to creating a world free from racialized and gendered violence, and this time, we’ll be using a new technology called CyberQuilting to connect all of these gatherings in real time. To learn more about CyberQuilting, which is a women of color led project to stitch movements together using new web technologies and old traditions of love and nurturing, visit www.cyberquilt.wordpress.com.

This letter is an invitation for you and yours to participate in a gathering in your city on Thursday, October 30th that will be webcast to similar gatherings in other cities. We are calling on you because we recognize and appreciate the work that you and the organizations you work with are doing everyday to make this a more loving and less violent world for women and girls in oppressed communities. Please join us on October 30th so that other warriors in this struggle can be strengthened and affirmed by the energy of our collective ferocity! Also we will upload the video of the video conference on this website on October 31, 2008 so that everyone can see what happened during video conference.

If you are not located in D.C., Chicago, Durham, Atlanta and Detroit for the webcast, you can still participate by wearing Red on October 30, 2008 and send us your pictures to beboldbered@gmail.com

Also we are asking once again that people wear Red on October 30, 2008 and send us your pictures to beboldbered@gmail.com

As we receive them we will upload your pictures under “Red Pictures Today.”

Also, as well as to share your stories of Red on this website under “Why are you wearing Red on October 30, 2008.”

So, are you ready?!

In Defense of Ourselves: Be Bold Be Brave Wear Red on April 30, 2008

We understand that April is Sexual Assault Awareness’ Month. In conjunction with the wearing red to end sexual assault, we will also wear red to represent the many types of violence that women of color endure and how these various types of violence are interconnected.

Please check out the video below and feel free to post it to your

blogs and email it out!

from www.jumpcut.com posted with vodpod

1. Wear Red (i.e. ribbons, clothing, clown noses, etc.);

2. Read “Out of Silence” Litany at 8:00 pm/central time;

3. Take Pictures and/or video and email them to beboldbered@gmail.com

(After April 30, 2007, we want to “flood” the web with pictures and video of RED)

From Somethingwithin,

Right-thinking black people everywhere are stunned by the recent betrayal of Al Sharpton and the NAACP in a situation that is just too outrageous to ignore.

This is a painful story to tell, but it’s important for the moral, law-abiding majority of black Americans to understand exactly why Al Sharpton and the NAACP must be immediately stopped.

On June 18, 2007, a black woman was gang raped by 10 youths and forced at gunpoint to have sex with her own 12 year old son in a housing complex called Dunbar Village in West Palm Beach, Florida. The young men not only viciously punched, kicked and sliced this sister and her son with glass objects, but they also blinded her boy by pouring nail polish remover into his eyes.

The young men forced this sister and son to lay naked in a bathtub together, and attempted to set them on fire (they could not find matches). The youths boldly took cell phone pictures so that they could enjoy their violent, immoral and sadistic acts at a later time. The violence continued for more than three hours, and although this sister’s neighbors heard her screams, no one called the police or came to her aid.

This sister and her son had to walk a mile to the hospital, because the assailants stole her car, and threatened to kill her and her family if she told the authorities.

Only four of the young men have been apprehended, while the remaining six are on the loose, doing Lord knows what in our communities. There is no manhunt for the remaining suspects.

As devastating as this story is, what the NAACP and Al Sharpton have done about it will simply take your breath away:Not only did the NAACP ignore hundreds of requests to assist this woman because it was ‘outside the scope of their mission’, but they joined forces with Al Sharpton, and sent their lawyers to speak out IN SUPPORT OF THE RAPISTS.
You heard me right.

Even though there is conclusive DNA evidence and signed confessions, the NAACP and Al Sharpton are saying that it is ‘unfair’ to not offer bail to these four alleged rapists. They even had a press release about it.

IT IS TIME FOR SENSIBLE BLACK PEOPLE TO STOP THIS KIND OF NONSENSE ONCE AND FOR ALL.

Al Sharpton and the NAACP are banking on the belief that you and I will be just like this black woman’s neighbors. Join me by saying NOT THIS TIME. We will not turn a deaf ear to when we hear calls for help from one of our sisters and brothers who are being victimized.

Stop the NAACP and Al Sharpton’s National Action Network from committing this disgrace in our community. Just this once, let’s stand up and be counted by saying that we demand safe neighborhoods for our women and children.

Here is what you can do:

1. Spread the word. Forward this email if your conscience and concern have been raised. Send it to every concerned black citizen that you know.

2. Demand an explanation from your local NAACP chapter about this case. Cancel your membership to these organizations, and write a letter explaining that you will return when they prioritize the public safety needs of black women and children.

3. If you do not belong to these organizations, call and write them to tell them of your outrage and displeasure:

NAACP National Headquarters
4805 Mt. Hope Drive
Baltimore MD 21215
Toll Free: (877) NAACP-98
Local: (410) 580-5777

National Action Network
Rev. Al Sharpton
106 W. 145th Street
Harlem, New York 10039
212-690-3070
877-NAN-HOJ1

If you know an African American reporter or a black radio talk show host, forward this story to them and ask them to follow up on it.

Read the history of the Dunbar Village problem here:
http://www.dunbarvillage2008.blogspot.com/

Today!!!

Check out this website,

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp

http://theclearing.wordpress.com/

TAKE ACTION

□ Violence Against Women of Color is an everyday occurrence…………………..
□ Violence and harassment against Immigrants of Color and Muslims of Color is a
reality everyday…………………………………………………………………………
□ Violence against LGBTQ People of Color is on the rise……………………………

THESE ARE ALL HATE CRIMES ARE YOU CONCERNED?

In atonement with the national Be Bold Be Brave Be Red – Wear Red Campaign
we will all be wearing red to the Hates Crimes March at the Department of
Justice. The Be Bold Be Brave Be Red Campaign is a collective of Women of
Color from across the country who is organizing to respond and give voice to
the reality of violence against Women of Color. Join the Wear Red Campaign in
the struggle to end violence against Women of Color.

Wear RED and unify with us on Friday November 16 – 12noon at the Southeast corner of
13th and Penn, in front of CVS.

From this meeting point we will march over
to Freedom Plaza and join the crowds marching to the Dept of Justice.
For more information about the Wear Red Campaign:
www.documentthesilence.com.

WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CAN NOT
REST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!TAKE ACTION NOW- WEAR RED AND
JOIN US.

_______________________________________________________________________

Media Advisory

November 14, 2007

Contact: Rosa Clemente, 347.223.8054 or rosa@hiphopcaucus.org

Police kill another unarmed youth, enough is enough! Stop Hate Crimes and Police Violence Youth Rally and Concert at the Washington Monument, Sylvan Theater

15^th and Independence Ave. Sat., November 17, 2007 12 NOON until dark

Following the energy of the recent youth mobilization in Jena, LA, victims and family members of victims of police brutality and hate crimes, as well as national and grassroots organizations are organizing a rally and concert at the Washington Monument to mobilize youth against hate crimes, police brutality, and community violence.  The program will bring together young leaders, artists, activists and Members of Congress from the African-American, Latina/Latino, Arab-American, Muslim and progressive white communities to build solidarity for ongoing efforts to end violence in urban communities and to respond to the recent wave of hate crimes against people of color, particularly those of the Hip Hop generation.

From the murder of Sean Bell in New York late last year, to the mass mobilization for the Jena 6, the kidnapping, rape and torture of Megan Williams in West Virginia, the ruling that sided with the Juvenile Boot Camp Guards who killed Martin Lee Anderson in Florida, to the nooses appearing on University of Maryland’s campus, at the Tupac Shakur center, and throughout the country, to the murder of 14 year-old DeOnte Rawlings in Washington, DC to the latest police killing in NYC of 18-year-old Khiel Coppin., who was shot 13 times while holding a hairbrush; as a community we say “Enough is Enough! Stop the Hate and Violence.” “As the war in Iraq rages on, we are clear that there is a war here at home, against youth of color, the violence against young people of color and the unequal treatment under the law compiles us to act, resist, and organize, we must seize the time.” Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr. of the Hip Hop Caucus

On Saturday November 17^th, there will be live performances by Hip Hop artists, DC’s own Go-Go bands such as Backyard, ABM, TCB, Familiar Faces, Uncalled 4 Experience, Mambo Sauce, What Band, Hip Hop artist and activist, M1 of dead prez, Latin Rock with The Locos, and Punk.  The Hip Hop Caucus will lead and host the event.  Invited speakers include Members of Congress, family of DeOnte Rawlings, Sean Bell, Juanita Ferguson mother of Malcolm Ferguson killed by NYPD in March 2000, and Nicholas Heyward Jr., killed by NYPD housing police in 1994, youth, community leaders and national figures.

THIS EVENT IS ENDORSED BY:

The Hip Hop Caucus, Cease Fire: Don’t Smoke the Brothers and the Sisters, Peaceoholics, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, E.G.O.S., National Congress of Black Women, ROOT, Inc., ANSWER, the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, Grassroots America, Peace-Action, October 22 Coalition, CODEPINK, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, October 22 Coalition, People’s Media Center, Latino Media Collective, and the Black Leadership Forum including – 100 Black Men of America, Blacks in Government, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Constituency for Africa, IMPACT, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, The Links, Inc., NAACP, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Ed, National Bar Association, National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, National Black Caucus of State Legislators, National Black Justice Coalition, National Black Law Students Association, National Black Police Association, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, National Conference of Black Mayors, National Council of Negro Women, National Forum for Black Public Administrators, National Black MBA Association, National Minority Supplier Development Council, National Newspaper Publishers Association, National Urban League, OIC of America, Operation HOPE, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and transAfrica Forum.

For more information contact Rosa Clemente at 347.223.8054 or at rosa@hiphopcaucus.org

###

We want to say thank you for all the women of color, comrades, and allies who wore red, hosted rallies, and read the litany at 8:00 pm/central to make public and private statements that violence against women of color must end. More things to come regarding the Be Bold Be Red campaign will be posted next week, November 10, 2007.

You can email your photos and videos to beboldbered@gmail.com!!

(After October 31, 2007, with your permission we want to “flood” the web with pictures, stories, and videos of RED. We expect to get the most pictures and video tomorrow, November 1-5, 2007)

Also, you can see people dressed in RED, by clicking on the page “Red Pictures TODAY.” These pictures were sent to us by people from across the nation committed to ending violence against women of color.

Please Read why people wore red and will continue to wear red by clicking on “Why Are You Wearing Red?”

______________________________________________________________________________

Important Statement

Additionally, there are many stories of violence against women of color we did not highlight in our initial move clip, “How do you keep a Social Movement Alive?” Therefore, in the next coming weeks we will begin updating the movie clip with stories of violence that go unheard that affect various women of color communities as well as highlighting specific ways in which state violence and citizenship makes it very difficult for immigrant women of color to speak their stories of violence.

More things to come regarding the Be Bold Be Red campaign will be posted next week, November 10, 2007.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Urgent Press Release about Violence Against a Woman of Color

From: Aishah Shahidah Simmons

I am wearing red because I am a survivor of incest and rape.
I am wearing red because I live in a City (Philadelphia) where a White Woman Judge Terri Carr Deni dropped all rape and assault charges in the case of a woman gang-raped at gunpoint. Because the woman was working as a prostitute, Judge Deni decided that she could not have been raped and changed the charge to “theft of services.” Deni later said that this case “minimizes true rape cases and demeans women who are really raped.”
On Thursday, November 1, 2007, in Philadelphia, there will be a Press Conference at 1pm Outside Municipal Court (Criminal Justice Center)1301 Filbert St. On November 6, 2007, I will voice my opinion to Judge Deni by voting “NO!” on her retention as Judge in the Municipal Court of Philadelphia.

I am wearing red because I am very clear that it doesn’t matter if you’re a stripper, a prostitute, a lesbian, a bisexual woman, a heterosexual woman, a single mother (especially with several children from different fathers), on welfare, a high school drop out, college educated, working in corporate America, working at a minimum wage job with no health insurance, or working in the film/music/television entertainment industry. Yes, I placed what some people would view as very different/distinct categories of women of Color in the same category because history has consistently shown me and all of us that if any of the aforementioned Black women are at the wrong place at the wrong time (which could be at any time), we, women of Color, will be left to heal our very public wounds alone.

http://www.notherapedocumentary.org/