LASER - Lubbock Activists Striving to End Racism

If you don't have anything planned for tomorrow (or have some free time) check this out

We need all the help we can get tomorrow! Stop by and give us a hand, we'd appreciate it.

No experience needed (so no need to ask us if you needed to be experienced or an artist). Just have to be able to take direction and hold a paint brush.

Tomorrow is Feed Those In Need! If you have any items you would like to donate, please comment or send us a message and we'll get in touch about pickup, etc.

Every Tuesday, unless there is inclement weather, LASER and ELAH will be out at Feed Those in Need!

We need volunteers to pass items out as well as donations! You can either drop off items day of at the event or drop off at East Lubbock Art House, monetary donations can be sent to Venmo: eastlubbockarthouse - please comment "Feed Those in Need"!

Any questions or if you want to help please comment below or message us if you'd like to volunteer!

Saturday, August 21, 3pm to 5pm at Christ Temple and Legal Aid of West Texas are holding a presentation on the History of Lubbock's Land Use practices and how those decisions are still affecting people today. We're trying to find out if this will be recorded or streamed, but if you can check out this event please do, just remember to wear a mask!

Next Tuesday and every Tuesday after, LASER and ELAH are relaunching Feed Those in Need! Get the word out and donate.

You can drop off items at East Lubbock Art House or Venmo: eastlubbockarthouse to donate - please comment Feed Those in Need!

Any questions or if you want to help please comment below or message us if you'd like to volunteer!

WE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS A FEW ISSUES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THIS FRIDAY AS A COMMUNITY.
THE ORIGINAL MEETING WAS SET AT GEORGE WOODS COMMUNITY CENTER, BUT HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE ESTACADO GYM THIS FRIDAY AT 6 P.M.
WE WOULD LIKE TO ALSO GIVE SOME DETAILS ABOUT THE NEW SHOPPING CENTER THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET ON THE EASTSIDE OF LUBBOCK THAT WILL ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO BUY SHARES FOR A LONG TERM INVESTMENT.
IF YOU HAVE A FEW SPARE MINUTES, PLEASE COME BE A PART OF FINDING "OUR" SOLUTIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!!

Lubbocks professional police association (LPPA police union) “boost the blue” campaign is asking city council to increase pay for officers “before it’s too late” according to their billboard campaign. Articles in the avalanche journal and KCBD use biased language like “underpaid police” and use crime stats in an attempt to convince citizens to contact council members to ask for this increase in pay. This increase would come from re-allocating city funds to the police department and without raising taxes on citizens. Also LPPA does not want this to come to a city-wide vote amongst citizens. They claim they haven’t received a significant pay raise since 2009-2010, but according to the city budget documents the department has received an increase every year in both overall expenditures and compensation expenses since at least 2015.

Would more cops result in decreased crime? Experts, including retired police officials, say that an increase in the force doesn’t necessarily correlate with a lower crime rate. Police departments across the country are instead encouraged by consultants to reevaluate how these officers spend their time, and how to allocate duties more effectively.

How could this money be spent to solve the problem of increased crime without an increase in armed policing? LPD has a Crisis Intervention Team and a Homeless Outreach Team that could both benefit from integrating with the local mental health authority called StarCare in order to better respond to 911 calls. These teams would be better trained and equipped to respond to mental health crises, substance abuse emergencies, and homelessness. Increasing the budget for these teams could help reduce the risk of police violence against vulnerable demographics in our city.

Looking for something cool to do today?

Want to make Lubbock better? Are you anti-racist AF?
If so, LASER is having a volunteer meeting on May 25 @ 7pm over Zoom!

Interested? Hit the link and fill out the questionnaire, please answer every question and we'll send the meeting link to the email you provide!

https://bit.ly/3esbPfQ

Do you like gardening? Do you enjoy being outside? Do you want to get invloved in more Community projects? Well, you're in luck! Check it out below and consider getting involved!

This Saturday, April 24th! Multiple community gardens in Lubbock will be hosting volunteer days! It’s supposed to be cold tomorrow but it’s supposed to be back to the 70s by the weekend!
To find out more about each garden you can reach out to:
Booker T. Washington Community Garden: sponsored by Lubbock Roots Historical Arts Council
Guadalupe Community Garden: Terri at Catholic Charities of Lubbock 806-765-8475 ext. 118
Heart of Lubbock Community Garden: Texas Tech horticulture Department, [email protected]

There is a very important vote coming up, and we’re not going to tell you how to vote, but we want to point out a few things about the ordinance, called prop A on the ballot, to give you a better idea of what is at stake.

This ordinance was already rejected by the City Council because it was found to be both unconstitutional and illegal to implement. It was forced into a public vote regardless, which is costing Lubbock taxpayers around $160,000 to just hold the vote. If it were to pass it would most likely start a huge, expensive lawsuit that could cost millions. Not thousands, but millions of our tax dollars. There are roads on the East and North sides that are still unpaved and there are huge sections of the roads that have no lights at night. That’s where that money would be better spent rather than an ordinance that is little more than a power grab by people that aren’t even from Lubbock, people who could care less for our BIPOC communities.

This money would be better spent on Public infrastructure and public outreach programs. Early voting starts today April 19 until April 27 at all United locations, the TTU Rec Center, and at Citizens Tower. The final day to vote is May 1st.

According to a US Treasury report from 2015, there are at least $70 million in counterfeit bills in circulation with a ceiling of up to $200 million. That’s potentially 1 in every 4,000 bills that pass through multiple hands and stores. Do you ever think about how many times you inadvertently may have used a counterfeit?

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill and he was murdered for it. He was a black man that was judged guilty by and because of a system with historic roots in racism. It sparked an oppressed people backed by a rainbow coalition of supporters coming together to simply say, “Black Lives Matter,” even as they were beaten and terrorized by that very same police overstep that caused this in the first place.

It took all of those voices to scream for justice and equity before his “alleged” murderer was even charged with a crime, a thing that rarely happens in these situations. Currently, that trial is underway and we’ve witnessed the defense try to minimize and discredit the witnesses as an “angry” black man and a “difficult” woman.

We don’t know what the verdict will be, but what we do know is either way the work is not over. Whatever happens, we keep moving forward.

Last day to register for the East Lubbock Art House walk tomorrow! LASER will have a table at this event tomorrow! We'll be doing our first official fundraiser, which is selling a pretty damn good-looking shirt if we do say so ourselves. If you're attending (and if you're not you should) stop by our table, and say "waazzzuuppp", and maybe order a shirt!

LAST DAY TO REGISTER! Link in our bio to do that right now

It’s been brought to our attention that there have been suspected drive-by shootings around the East side of Lubbock which have led to an increase in police presence and reports of over-policing. We want to reach out to anyone on the East side of Lubbock being affected by either of these things and ask for your feedback and thoughts about this situation.

What are your feelings about the increased police presence?
Has it negatively affected you? Positively affected you?
Do you feel it is warranted?
Does it make you feel safer or more nervous?
What would you like to see happen?

While we aren’t sure what next steps are available if any, we would love any input you are willing to offer us so we can make the right choice. If you or someone you know is being affected by this please DM or leave a comment here, whatever you are comfortable with.

Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33, of Acworth
Paul Andre Michels, 54, of Atlanta
Xiaojie Tan, 49, of Kennesaw
Daoyou Feng, 44
Julie Park
Hyeon Jeong Park

These are the names of some of the people who lost their lives on Tuesday. These are the names we should know, the lives that should be emphasized instead of the man who murdered them. It's times like these where we are reminded that we need solidarity between all POC communities, as racism affects us all.

Each day the list of names of those who have fallen victim to racial violence grows larger and larger, as should our resolve. Let's do our best to remember those who have fallen and work towards tearing down the biases that lead to such heinous actions in the first place.

Covid has made it difficult to do things that feel meaningful, but every little bit that pushes against the biases within our country helps us tackle the overarching issue. What better time than now to keep educating and keep fighting.

It is our belief that the only way forward in combating the racism and inequity that pervades our city is to band together with like-minded groups and people and lift each other up. To that end, we are extremely stoked to announce that we are partnering with the East Lubbock Art House, a fellow nonprofit, for future projects and collaborations! If you’ve been with us for a while you probably know we have worked together before, and this just solidifies that relationship and belief in each other’s goals.

By supporting the arts and doing community outreach programs in the East and North sides, ELAH has been a strong advocate for communities that have been traditionally ignored all throughout Lubbock’s history. We hope to help them in any way we can going forward and hope you will too! ELAH and the work they are doing is possible because of donations from the public, if you want to help and are able to please consider donating to ELAH!
CashApp: $eastlubbockarthouse
Venmo: eastlubbockarthouse
paypal.me/eastlubbockarthouse

This is an awesome upcoming event! If you are able please attend, if you can't please consider donating!

The inspiration for our event can be taken from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s quote, "If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving".

Please assist us in supporting this anti-racist + community based legacy by registering for A Walk to End Racism! We've sold 43 tickets and raised $1,580 so far! We need your help and support to sell at least 100 tickets if not MORE! We really need the funds to support our programming + we want to see you on March 27!

Sign Up Today (p.s.: the early you sign up the quicker you get you get your merch + exclusive event details): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-walk-to-end-racism-tickets-143537668029

Link in bio

Happening again today! If you can help please do!

FEED THOSE IN NEED WALK

WHEN: Tuesdays @ 4:45-5:15 PM
WHERE: Outside Salvation Army 1111 16th st.
WHY: To help feed and supply necessities for those in need

We wanted to signal boost this event happening later today! If you have any of the items listed below please consider dropping them off, any help handing stuff out is also appreciated! For more info please contact .hardy.790!

FOOD ITEMS

-Non perishable
-Sealed
-Fruits w/ skins
-Easy to eat on the spot
-Oranges, apples, bananas
-Granola / Fruit bars
-Chips
-Fruit snacks
-Crackers
-Water
-Sports drinks

NON-FOOD ITEMS

-Toiletries
-Toothbrush / Toothpaste
-Deodorant
-Shampoo
-Wipes
-Hand sanitizer
-Blankets
-Socks
-Hand / Feet warmers
-Reusable bags

GENTLY USED

-Jackets
-Shoes
-Gloves

Today is the first post in a new series where we recommend educational references or things that will help us all get a bit more understanding, we're calling it "Radical Recommends" . Whether it’s a book, film, essay, talk, or something else, we hope this can help anyone wanting to learn more about how to be an antiracist. What better way to start than Ibram X. Kendi’s book, “How to Be An Antiracist”. It’s available wherever books are sold, but if you can borrow it from the City of Lubbock Texas Library Ebook here: shorturl.at/lwGS6

“And so really the heartbeat in racism itself has always been denial and the sound of that heartbeat has always been “I’m not racist”.

And so what I'm trying to do with my work is to really get Americans to eliminate the concept of "not racist" from their vocabulary, and realize we're either being racist or anti-racist. We're either expressing ideas that suggest certain racial groups are better or worse than others, superior or inferior than others. We're either being racist, or we're being anti-racist. We're expressing notions that the racial groups are equals, despite any cultural or even ethnic differences. We're either supporting policies that are leading to racial inequities and injustice, like we saw in Louisville, where Breonna Taylor was murdered, or we're supporting policies and pushing policies that are leading to justice and equity for all.

And so I think we should be very clear about whether we’re expressing racist ideas, about whether we’re supporting racist policies, and admit when we are, because to be anti-racist is to admit when we expressed a racist idea… And to be racist is to constantly deny the racial inequities that pervade American society, to constantly deny the racist ideas that pervade American society... I want to build a just and equitable society, and the only way we’re going to even begin that process is if we admit our racism and start building an anti-racist world.”
-excerpt from the 2020 TED interview with Ibram X. Kendi, “The Difference Between Being Not Racist And Antiracist.

The Civil Rights movement of the mid-twentieth century began as a call for equality. It was a way for the marginalized Black community to take a stand and say “Black Lives Matter, too”. Though there were many voices and people responsible for those demonstrations, today we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his contributions to both civil rights history and its future. MLK championed peace, he championed abolishing poverty, and he championed equality for all people.

Though we’ve come a long way from where we were, recent events remind us that there is still a ways to go and plenty of work to be done. There are better days ahead and, if we all do our part, we can and will reach the mountain top together.

We at Laser would encourage you to show your support of the work by wearing anything with BLM today. It may be a simple symbolic gesture, but there is a certain power in symbolism, especially when paired with dedication and action. Black Lives Matter.

What has happened today is a tragedy. Many will try to equate today’s terrorism with the BLM protests that happened earlier this year, but while the BLM protests were overwhelmingly peaceful, today’s attack was premeditated and centered on violence. Where one was addressed with police violence, the other was allowed to happen even with advanced notice.

While today is a dark day it is not the way it has to be. It’s up to us all to struggle against injustice and inequality in our world so that one day soon we might see a better day. We’ll continue our part and hope you will too.

40 year old, Brandon Bernard, was wrongfully executed on December 10th, 2020. In Killeen, Texas 1999, Brandon was involved in a robbery gone wrong which lead to the murder of Todd and Stacey Bagley; Brandon was the getaway driver. At 18 years old he was sentenced to death for being an accomplice to murder despite gross underrepresentation of Bernard and misrepresentation of evidence from the prosecution.

Brandon is 1 of 9 individuals Trump has sent to their deaths this year, ending the 17 year hiatus of state executions held by the US. These are the first executions done by a president who lost the election in 130 years. All this despite pleas from former jury members, Bernard’s family, petitions with over 600,000 signatures, celebrities, and former Assistant US Attorney, Angela Moore.

In the United States, a total of 2,468 people were exonerated between 1989 and 2019. Texas alone has the highest wrongful conviction rate with 363 people being exonerated in the past 30 years. Any kind of margin of error when regarding human lives is unacceptable. We stand in solidarity with Brandon’s family and his supporters. Abolish the death penalty.

On November 16, 2020 a 50 year old woman with a history of Mental Illness called the Lubbock Police Department (LPD) and in turn was killed in an officer involved shooting. The Police reports indicate that she answered her door carrying an unidentifiable weapon. Her neighbors mentioned that she often carried objects to use in her defense because of fear for her safety and that she called LPD frequently, at least once every two weeks.

While we don’t have all the information yet, what we do know seems to indicate this tragedy did not have to end in a loss of a life.

We here at LASER are looking into this tragedy and are requesting more information from the LPD. This being body cam footage and we hope to have more information to share soon. Lubbock is supposed to have a Crisis Intervention Team, but for some reason that either wasn’t used or failed completely in this case. LASER fully supports police reform, and the elimination of police brutality. Seeing as Lubbock has the resources such as a Crisis Intervention Team to avoid this situation, we only want answers.

Support local artists 💗

Hey guys, we want to let you know we are still working on the petition to remove the confederate monuments from Lubbock Court House! As of now, we need a lot more signatures to prove that this is an important item we demand to be taken to the County Commissioners. From there we request we request that the County Commissioners vote in our best interests; one that is respecting the BIPOC community, respecting our Indigenous community, and begin to dismantle the miseducation of the confederacy.
When the time comes we'll need everyone to help advocate and share the petition as much as possible! If you have any ideas or are interested in volunteering or donating, please comment below.

Link to the petition: https://bit.ly/2Uhdvhp

El día de las elecciones es el 3 de noviembre de 7 am a 7 pm. ¡Traiga una forma de identificación y recuerde sus derechos!

- Si las urnas cierran mientras todavía está en la fila, manténgase en la fila. Tiene derecho al voto si está en la fila cuando las urnas cierran.
- Puede solicitar una nueva boleta si comete un error.
- Puede pedir una boleta de papel si las máquinas no funcionan.

Voting day is on November 3, 7am-7pm. Here are the locations you can vote on that day. Bring a form of ID and remember your rights!
- If the polls close while you're still in line, stay in line. You have a right to vote.
- You can request a new ballot if you make a mistake.
- You can ask for a paper ballot if the machines are down.

If you have any questions or troubles concerning your voting rights call the Election Protection hotline: 1-866-687-8683

We were made aware that a member in our Facebook group made a post about Halloween decorations depicting a black ghost hanging from a tree surrounded by white ghosts at a home here in Lubbock. This post included the address of the home which is something that we do not allow in our Facebook group, and the post has been removed. Although the post was not made by any board member of the L.A.S.E.R. Organization, we are updating our moderation system so that we can more closely monitor what gets posted in our Facebook group and ensure that something like this does not happen again.

Concerning the decorations in question and the surrounding controversy, we feel that this is an opportunity for conversations to be had not only between neighbors in that community but across our entire city. We believe that in order for relations between neighbors in our country to be the best they can be, we should have community environments built around empathy, compassion, and understanding.

We are living in extraordinary times and issues surrounding race matters are at the forefront. While this particular family may have meant no ill intent, there are legitimate reasons why many might perceive this display as problematic. If we are dismissive of our neighbors' sensibilities concerning something that has deeply touched many people's lives such as the issue of racism, we can create distrust and division wherever we may call home.

We hope that these neighbors can have a discussion and come to a mutual understanding between all parties involved.

As Lubbock Activists Striving to End Racism, our goal will always be to have a city where all neighborhoods are inclusive and respectful for all citizens.

Whether you're out voting, getting groceries, trick or treating, or protesting for justice we here at LASER want to remind you to be as safe as possible. Mask up, maintain social distance, and wash them hands!

We were honored and humbled to be able to give back to our community yesterday. If you want to get involved in a small way, join Tyler Hardy as he walks or outside the Salvation Army on Tuesdays.

We will continue to be accepting clothing donations to give away throughout the winter.

Local man walks two miles to feed the homeless every week LUBBOCK, Texas — One local man has made a weekly ritual to walk two once a week to feed the homeless. Tyler Hardy, a resident of Lubbock, said he walks every Tuesday starting at the Tim Cole …

It’s early voting time here in Lubbock! LASER encourages everybody in our community to go out and vote, and to that end, we’ve wanted to help people find their early polling locations so we created these! Early voting runs from October 13-30, 8am-8pm!

Be sure to bring one of these forms of ID:

Texas driver’s license issued by the Texas DPS
Texas election ID certificate
Texas personal ID card
Texas handgun license
US military ID with photo
US citizenship certificate with photograph
US passport

LASER is a nonpartisan organization. While not supporting or condemning any candidate, we at LASER want to present the public with information on where candidates stand on issues that are important to us. LASER encourages everybody in our community to go out and vote on or before November 3rd

*This info was put together based on public statements from the candidates*

Come to the LASER stand at the Unite Lubbock event at Butler park. We’re here ‘til 8 today. Sign our petition and find other ways to fight racism. Many more organizations here as well as entertainment and free tacos!