Hi twitfriends,
I know most of you follow me for R reasons, but I'd appreciate if you'd bear with me for a different kind of thread.
(It'll have a little bit of statistics, at least.)
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I know most of you follow me for R reasons, but I'd appreciate if you'd bear with me for a different kind of thread.
(It'll have a little bit of statistics, at least.)
[0]
I live in San Luis Obispo, California.
It's almost exactly halfway between LA and San Jose, along the coast.
The town has about 50,000 people, not counting the 20,000 students at Cal Poly.
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It's almost exactly halfway between LA and San Jose, along the coast.
The town has about 50,000 people, not counting the 20,000 students at Cal Poly.
[1]
We're usually forgotten in the news, but we have two claims to fame:
1. @Oprah once called SLO "the happiest city in America"
(oprah.com/own-oprahshow/…)
2. It regularly cracks the top tier for lists of the least affordable cities in the U.S.
(advisorsmith.com/data/most-and-…)
[2]
1. @Oprah once called SLO "the happiest city in America"
(oprah.com/own-oprahshow/…)
2. It regularly cracks the top tier for lists of the least affordable cities in the U.S.
(advisorsmith.com/data/most-and-…)
[2]
This is perhaps explained by the fact that the most permanent residents of SLO are wealthy retirees from powerhouse cities like San Francisco and LA.
Worth noting: San Luis is also 85% white, and only 0.6% Black.
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Worth noting: San Luis is also 85% white, and only 0.6% Black.
[3]
All this is to say:
Despite the many wonderful things about SLO, it can be a hard place to live if you're not wealthy.
And it can be a REALLY hard place to live if you're not white.
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Despite the many wonderful things about SLO, it can be a hard place to live if you're not wealthy.
And it can be a REALLY hard place to live if you're not white.
[4]
When the #BlackLivesMatter protests started, it wasn't the wealthy white retirees who stepped up.
It wasn't the @CalPoly students, most of whom were gone from SLO for coronavirus reasons.
It wasn't the young working professionals like myself.
It was the local Black youth.
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It wasn't the @CalPoly students, most of whom were gone from SLO for coronavirus reasons.
It wasn't the young working professionals like myself.
It was the local Black youth.
[5]
One of the proudest moments of my 3 years here was attending a protest that drew around 3,000 people.
That may not sound like much, but let's put it into perspective: A proportionally-sized protest in LA would have 240,000 people.
It was beautiful.
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That may not sound like much, but let's put it into perspective: A proportionally-sized protest in LA would have 240,000 people.
It was beautiful.
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A shining star in the series of protests has been a young woman named Tianna Arata.
Tianna spoke beautifully at the first major protest, which she helped organize.
With a voice hoarse from shouting, she spoke of the burden on the Black youth of organizing the protests.
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Tianna spoke beautifully at the first major protest, which she helped organize.
With a voice hoarse from shouting, she spoke of the burden on the Black youth of organizing the protests.
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Tianna also spoke of the importance of keeping the protests peaceful and focusing on the messages of reform and equity.
Despite the police using tear gas on a small crowd in my poor sleepy town, for months the protests have remained nonviolent.
(mustangnews.net/second-day-of-…)
[8]
Despite the police using tear gas on a small crowd in my poor sleepy town, for months the protests have remained nonviolent.
(mustangnews.net/second-day-of-…)
[8]
On July 21st, there was a small kerfuffle at a protest led by Tianna. A car dangerously tried to drive through the crowd, and protesters responded by smacking the sides of the car. One protester (not Tianna) smashed a window in with a skateboard.
(ksby.com/news/local-new…)
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(ksby.com/news/local-new…)
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At the end of this protest, while packing up to leave, Tianna and another protester were arrested.
She did not resist.
mustangnews.net/local-activist…
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She did not resist.
mustangnews.net/local-activist…
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Tianna Arata has been charged with 3 misdemeanors and 5 felonies.
SLO District Attorney @DanDow and the @slopdchief Deanna Cantrell have commented in support of these charges.
Tianna faces up to 15 years in prison.
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SLO District Attorney @DanDow and the @slopdchief Deanna Cantrell have commented in support of these charges.
Tianna faces up to 15 years in prison.
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What was once a source of pride for me as a resident of San Luis Obispo, is now a source of shame.
In @Oprah's Happiest Town in America, #BlacklivesStillMatter.
Please help us show up for Tianna, the way she has been showing up for us.
#FREETIANNA
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In @Oprah's Happiest Town in America, #BlacklivesStillMatter.
Please help us show up for Tianna, the way she has been showing up for us.
#FREETIANNA
[12]
Sign the Petition: change.org/p/slo-county-d…
Support Race Matters SLO: racemattersslo.org
Please reply to this tweet if you know other good ways to help!
[fin]
Support Race Matters SLO: racemattersslo.org
Please reply to this tweet if you know other good ways to help!
[fin]
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