Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Don't miss this opportunity "The Last Minute Holiday Gift Party!!! Winter Solstice!" If you havent gotten your loved ones a gift yet, come thru!!! Instead of shopping corporate and dealing with crowds at the stores, come and support local artists and spend less!! We will have local artists and vendors selling exclusive and original pieces, screen printed shirts, Baked Goodies, Vintage 90s and 80s Clothing, CDs, DVDs, Vinyl and more!!!! Dj Illanoiz and Dj Charlie Hustle on the 1's and 2's!!!See you at the Holiday Gift Party!!! Happy Holidays!!!


Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

We the 99% by Rebel Diaz. Produced by DJ Illanoiz




When Dj Illanoiz first played this beat, the words just came to us right away, that soulful intro was a perfect lead into the song, as we truly see that this generation is inspiring young people to hit the streets.

Being part of the 99% can be a tricky thing. That does not mean that we all share the same struggle, that we are all on the same playing field. Some of the 99% have had access to education and complain of student loans, some are undocumented and never been able to study, some perhaps dropped out cuz conditions in their lives led to not even finishing high school, some experience white privilege and haven't yet acknowledged it, some are experiencing for the first time the lack of access that others have felt forever, either way if we can join and dialogue and build a movement against these rich bankers, then let's do it! We the 99%!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

I AM TROY DAVIS Mural Inauguration. Thursday Oct. 6th. NOON.





Please Distribute Widely!
TROY ANTHONY DAVIS IMMORTALIZED ON SEPTEMBER 21st

Media contacts: Rodrigo “RodStarz” Venegas
(646) 250- 4405

Claudia De la Cruz
(646) 942- 2444

E-mail: rdacbx@gmail.com


THE SOUTH BRONX SAYS, “I AM TROY DAVIS!”

South Bronx, New York, October 3, 2011- After 22 years of an international struggle to stop the execution of Troy Anthony Davis the world remained vigilant as the U.S. Criminal Justice system executed an innocent man. Despite the enormous cloud of doubt covering this case, the execution took place; and once again, the death penalty proved to be too much power in the hands of a racist criminal justice system and government. On September 21, 2011 at 11:08 p.m. Davis was declared dead in the state of Georgia.

On Thursday, October 6th, 2011 at noon the South Bronx Hip Hop community center, the Rebel Diaz Arts Collective (RDAC-BX) located at 478 Austin Place by 149th Street in the Bronx will be inaugurating its “I am Troy Davis!” mural. You are invited to join RDAC- BX members, ally organizations and community members for this special event.

G1 member of the Hip Hop group Rebel Diaz and co- founder of RDAC-BX expressed, “the mural painted in cautionary colors (black and yellow) was created in protest of the death penalty, out of indignation for Troy Davis’ execution, in solidarity with his family and all the prisoners on death row. We understand that Davis’ execution is caused by a larger illness in this country’s criminal justice system. This mural is to raise awareness, remind us of the racism embedded in the system and the struggle that lies ahead to avoid this from happening to anyone. The human rights violations that take place are enough to make our struggle and work more consistent and stronger to abolish the death penalty.”

The mural is on the second floor wall of a rooftop facing the westbound Bruckner Expressway near East 149th Street, and it promises to reach the thousands of people who travel the expressway every day.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

The Whole World is Watching! The scoop on #OccupyWallStreet march on BK Bridge.



Whose Streets!? Our Streets!!
All Day!! All Week Occupy Wall Street!
Check out this footage of the Occupy Wall Street march on the Brooklyn Bridge today. Our friends at www.malaandmental.com were on the frontlines as the marchers took over the Brooklyn Bridge. What we are being told by the homey Dayv Cino is that the marchers took over the Brooklyn bound drivers side of the bridge as they attempted to march across peacefully. However, it turns out that the police escorted them straight into an NYPD trap!! Halfway across protestors were met by a massive police presence which included the use of large orange nets that were used to trap people. There are a reported 500 arrests, as MTA city buses were used to transport and secure prisoners. Some 4 hours after the arrests folks are still on these buses waiting to be taken to jail. Among the arrested are a large number of our comrades, comrades from Existence is Resistance and the ANSWER coalition can be seen being taken away. Among them are our friends, Marcel Cartier and Iz from Guerrilla Republik, In the video you can see them being selected and then attacked by the NYPD. They are completely peaceful and then the next thing you know they are on the floor being swarmed by abusive police. A white shirt officer can be seen blocking the rumble with a menacing look and baton in hand while his cronies take turns on the innocent two. Among the arrested were also Morbius, a comrade MC from The Sargonites and his wife. We demand their immediate freedom and that all bogus charges be dropped!
This is an attack on the movement, on workers, students, on Hip Hop and folks need to wake up and understand that we all need to be taking over these streets. The time has come! We are living historic moments of oppression to which we can only respond to with historic moments of resistance.The young people on that bridge today are setting the example! We must applaud them for their bravery and dedication. What the NYPD needs to understand is that these attacks will only make us stronger. Folks are on those buses right now becoming unified thru struggle. Some of the MacBooks and Political Science books have been put down and folks are starting to experience actual struggle and resistance. This is not by any means an attempt to glorify the act of being arrested on a bridge, as there is a long history of those that have struggled like this. However, I was once told by Chairman Fred Jr of folks committing revolutionary acts. Today we saw young people in masses doing a revolutionary act. When they screamed out loud " the whole world is watching!!" they were telling the truth. The whole world is watching and only more will be tuning in. We live in a media /technology era in which people expect short term satisfaction, everything is moving quicker, information now spreads thru cell phones, cameras, computers, the internet, etc. The news cycle is now a quick 24 hour cycle, attention spans are shorter, and news is only as relevant as the last status update, hash tag or trending topic. Cameras have become weapons of mass resistance and an obvious nuisance to the police. They are the current thorn on the side of the NYPD, a city police department who recently bragged about having the ability and weaponry to take down a plane. With the significant number of folks being arrested,an estimated 500 people will be in those jail cells tonight organizing, strategizing, showing real solidarity, building trust, getting to know each other thru struggle. This can only make us stronger. What will the response be? We shall find out soon. Perhaps folks can take over those landmark bridges in The Bay in California?, or in Chicago maybe Lake Shore Drive, the idea is that Occupying Wall Street has spread and will continue to do so. Those folks at Zuccoti Park arent going anywhere anytime soon. So Stay tuned.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Reflections on #OccupyWallStreet



If yall havent noticed, theres an interesting situation going on in New York City's financial sector. Since September 17th, a group of folks has been camped out in Zuccoti Park a couple of blocks away from Wall St, protesting everything from corporate greed, foreclosed homes and the bailout. Organized via social media and the internet, #OccupyWallStreet has caught the attention of the world. The world is watching mainly because last Thursday, about 100 folks were arrested and many more brutalized. Numerous videos of NYPD's brutality have gone viral, especially one of peaceful female protestors being maced by a ranking NYPD official. Thursdays protests happened after a Troy Davis memorial march met up with Wall Street Occupiers who had marched and met up in solidarity. The result was the NYPD once again brutalizing peaceful people with batons, mace, and unnecessary violence. Since then, the movement has picked up strength and received mainstream media coverage, along with visits from celebrities like Cornel West, Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon. Out of curiosity we visited with the RDACBX team after a meeting and the result wasnt the greatest. Besides being stared at and looked at as if we were invading their space, the predominantly young, white and liberal Occupiers sent over one of the few African American men over to talk to us. When we asked them why they didnt approach us themselves and build with us, they replied that "they thought we would get mad because they were white." The situation was pretty bizarre as a woman started ranting incoherently about Nazi symbols being seen over the skies of California, and another man from the Media Team repeatedly offering us the chance to perform if we spoke to the Arts and Culture team. He didnt seem to get that we werent there to perform, rather we were there just to build. After being mean mugged for taking a free slice of Pizza, we decided it was time to leave the hippie fest.
Our intention is not to dismiss it as just this, but the gut feeling was that there is a serious disconnect down there. We left with mad questions! Where was the hood? Where was the poorest congressional district in the USA, from The South Bronx at? Like we say in Hip Hop, where Brooklyn at? Could it be that perhaps the working class couldnt afford to just leave work and the responsibility of bills and family survival to camp out in a city park? Did folks from our communities not know about this? If people of color were occupying Wall St would we have lasted this long? All in all the questions remain, yet with time and reflection , we refuse to just dismiss it. Its a historic time in the world in which general assemblies are starting to happen all over, as cities across the US are also now having "occupations".
Our analysis on whats going in Wall Street is that its very similar to the Syntagma Square uprisings in Greece, and other city squares like the ones in Madrid. In these movements, there is no central leadership, its about something, but then again not really, because the demands arent clear. What is clear is the identification of the common enemy : the greedy banks. The Occupiers are organized thru new means of communication; the internet, social media like Facebook,Twitter and U Stream. We can now see the occupation live 24 hrs a day, folks are tuning in directly from all over the world. There is an obvious access to some privilege as the MacBook Pros and coffee seem to be part of the growing everyday scenery. The revolution attempt here has made sure to hash tag itself just as #Jan25th did in Egypt. #OccupyWallStreet seems to be a new phenomenon in that we are witnessing a first generation in which massive numbers of young white people are no longer experiencing the economic benefits of the capitalist system. Their working class parents have had their homes foreclosed, their school loans cant be paid because they too now are unemployed or underpaid in the shrinking job market. Their reality has gotten closer to what black and brown folks have lived for many many years. There is a blatant economic inequality in this country and it is a result of corporate Wall St greed. The middle class is almost extinct as most people nowadays are working merely to survive and pay bills. We encourage folks to support the occupations and see them for themselves. Perhaps the topless nude activists, or the drum circle may not be for you, but the idea of having a national dialogue sparked about these greedy bankers and their abuse of the people is important and needed. We plan on going back with more people!!
All Power to the People!!

RodStarz of Rebel Diaz

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

SOUTH BRONX UNITY FEST! 8/27 @ BROOK PARK




This Saturday August 27th, we will be participating and supporting the South Bronx Unity Fest at Brook Park. Rebel Diaz, Division X, and others will be rocking! Its free! Bring the family! Come by and spend a summer afternoon in The Bronx with us!

SUMMER YOUTH CELEBRATION!!!

Check out the Summer Youth Celebration at RDACBX!!!

RDAC-BX + Urban Art Beat Summer Youth Celebration! from Anusha Mehar on Vimeo.




For 7 weeks, RDAC-BX and Urban Art Beat worked with youth ages 14-24 around youth empowerment, community organizing, critical writing, song writing, audio production, video recording, and photography. Our goal was to build community using artistic approaches, for the youth to walk away from the program having gained hard earned skills and confident in their own capabilities to channel their strengths and to CREATE the media they consume. Our summer together culminated in a final Summer Youth Celebration on Tuesday, August 16th at the Rebel Diaz Arts Collective Hip Hop Community Center in the boogie down South Bronx. Youth performed their original songs and poems, exposed their photographs, fundraised by selling a 13 page newsletter filled from cover-to-cover with content they came up with, and debuted a 15 minute short film using footage they recorded that so beautifully captured their summer experience. It's among the 1st of many dope events to come this year!
Thanks to our homey Eddie Pages for the ill video piece!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

RDAC-BX + Urban Art Beat Present: A Summer Youth Celebration!

RDAC-BX and UAB invite you join us for our Artivist Summer Program Showcase!

Come celebrate the accomplishments of NYC’s dedicated Artivists (Artist+Activist) that have been Growing and Proving by showing your support at this FREE ALL AGES EVENT!

The Event will start with @ 5:00PM with limited slot Open Mic.
All open mic spots are on a 1st come 1st serve basis & must be connected to the theme of “Community, Communication or Unity” and appropriate for all Ages.

Our Artivists will then showcase media they have been working on over the summer along with their music and poetry.

We will be featuring Live Music and Dance by Teaching Artists and Youth. To close off the event their will be a “Q and A” that will allow you to get more information on the Program and the Participants!

Feel free to Pass this invite on and bring all friends and Family!

See you there!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

3RD ANNUAL RDACBX FILM FESTIVAL: 7/24-7/28

ITS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN!!!!! TIME FOR THE 3RD ANNUAL RDACBX FILM FESTIVAL:
ALL MOVIES @RDACBX: 478 AUSTIN PLACE. BX, NY
ALWAYS FREE!!!!

Sunday July 24th. 3-6pm
3rd Annual RDACBX Film Festival Premiere
Short Films Day: 100% Produced by NYC Youth

Breaking The Pipeline: YMPJ and Global Action Project
Global Action Project in partnership with Youth Ministries for Peace & Justice proudly present:

BREAKING THE PIPELINE

A 14 min youth-produced short film that calls for restorative justice as an alternative method to the unjust zero tolerance policies and over-policing that students face in New York City public schools.
Produced by the youth organizers of YMPJ's PEERS campaign between October 2009 and March 2010 through GAP's Community Media in Action Program.
Film:
http://www.vimeo.com/11171893

From NY to Detroit: 2010 US Social Forum: RDACBX (Directed by Intikana)

On June 20-27, 2010, RDAC BX and Da Urban Butterflies traveled out to Detroit for the 2010 US Social Forum. With 2 vans packed with a full sound system and 20 dedicated artists, educators, and activists, this 26 minute Short Documentary entitled "FROM NY TO DETROIT: 2010 US Social Forum" chronicles a week long of unforgettable experiences that not only changed their lives but also bonded them together in a way that they didn't expect. From 8 performances in 6 days, painting a free mural in SW Detroit, conducting internationally televised interviews, to powerful protests and heated encounters with police/security, two organizations seeking social justice find refuge in not only affecting each other, but an entire community.
Film:
http://www.vimeo.com/15182819

Know Your Rights: How to deal with police Confrontations - By Students from Satellite Academy High school (Film Production Workshops Facilitated by Dennis Flores of Educational Video Center)
here is a trailer and description of my students film


In the Spring 20011, through a program offered by Educational Video Center and facilitated by teaching artist and documentary filmmaker Dennis Flores, students at Satellite Academy High School produced a short documentary entitled “Know Your Rights: How to Deal With police confrontations.” Satellite Academy High School is an alternative public high school and the last educational opportunity for many at risk adolescent youth in New York City. Under the guidance of their instructor, students collectively decide on the theme of the documentary, the script, the scenes to film, and who to interview. In the first part of the documentary, youth decided to interview diverse people on the streets of New York City to engage their experiences with police and law enforcement in general. Through their poignant questions and interactions, we learn that current policing tactics, namely NYPD’s “Stop and Frisk” are disproportionately affecting communities of color; whereby 80% of those stopped and frisked are African American or Latino/a. In the last part, youth address the legal rights and recourse people have when confronted by the police.

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UU5EVqtHME&feature=youtu.be

Panel Discussion will follow the films with the young directors and producers.

Monday July 25th. 7-9pm
Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela, Directed by Pablo Navarette



Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela (Director Pablo Navarrete, 65mins, Alborada Films, 2009) February 2009 marked 10 years since Hugo Chavez took office, following a landslide election victory, and launched his revolution to bring radical change to Venezuela. While wildly popular with many in the country, Chavez's policies and his strongly-worded criticisms of the U.S. government have also made him powerful enemies, both at home and abroad, especially in the media. Filmed in Caracas in November 2008, on the eve of the 10th anniversary of Chavez's controversial presidency, this feature-length documentary takes a journey into the heart of Venezuela's revolution to listen to the voices of the people driving the process forward. The film traces the recent history of Venezuela, before and after the election of Hugo Chavez to the presidency, using archive material and interviews with Venezuelans living in the barrios of Caracas who are involved in community and social movements. The achievements and challenges facing the Bolivarian process are put into context by means of interviews with leading Venezuelan social scientists Edgardo Lander, Javier Biardeau and the Canadian economist Michael Lebowitz, who currently lives in Venezuela. "This is a rare film about Venezuela, a country in extraordinary transition. Watch this film because it is honest and fair and respectful of those who want to be told the truth about an epic attempt, flaws and all, to claim back the humanity of ordinary people." - JOHN PILGER (Journalist, author and documentary filmmaker)
Film will be followed by a panel discussion.
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6alYwkZ4z9k


Tuesday July 26th. 7-9pm
Inventos:Hip Hop Cubano Directed by Eli Jacobs- Fantauzzi




Cuban Hip Hop provides a unique insight into the realities and politics of contemporary Cuba. Experience this as Inventos follows some of the pioneers of this musical movement to their homes, the stage and as they travel abroad for the first time. Inventos embodies the true spirit of Hip Hop, which is to build something that is powerful and useful out of what is seemingly impossible.
www.ClenchedFISTproductions.com
Film will be followed by a panel discussion.
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsYRPkmu_C0

Wednesday July 27th. 7-9pm
JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE



Justifiable Homicide is a feature documentary based on the brutal murder of two Puerto Rican young men Antonio Rosario and Hilton Vega who were shot by two NYPD detectives in the Bronx in early 1995. One of the detectives was Mayer Giuliani's former body guard. The story follows Margarita Rosario, as she transforms from a mourning mother and Aunt to a powerful community activist, questioning the police officers' actions and raising the possibility of a cover-up.
A police inquiry affirmed the detectives' claims: that Rosario and Vega and third accomplice Freddie Bonilla (who survived the shooting) were shot while perpetrating an armed robbery. According to the report, the detectives opened fire in self-defense after the alleged robbers instigated a shoot-out. As far as the NYPD was concerned, the incident was over. Case closed, justifiable homicide.
Margarita Rosario, doubting the police version and realizing that one of the detectives who shot her son served as Mayor Giuliani's body guard in 1993, seeks help from the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), and independent city agency whose responsibility is to serve as watchdog over the NYPD. After a lengthy invesstigation, the CCRB report affirmed that the two detectives used excessive and unnecessary force. The City's response? The CCRB director along with the lead investigators are forced to resign.
An independent Pathologist hired by the Margarita Rosaio also counters the police version, demonstrating that all the shots struck the victims in their backs as they lay prone on the floor and not from the front as th City Medical Examiner's and the police had claimed.
With a legal system unwilling to address these profound inaccuracies, Margarita takes her anger to the streets, organizing protests and rallies. She soon realizes that there are many others who have lost family members to police action. Margarita responds by organizing Parents Against Police Brutality, to unify their struggle against a that sems to be stacked against them.
Margarita's words still echo loud, "I can not bring my son back but I can work to prevent other parents from suffering a similar loss".
Panel discussion will follow.
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpy8v9XfgoQ

Thursday July 28th.7-9pm
Take Flight!- Footworkingz Movie.
Executive Producer: Leida "Lady Sol" Villegas
Directed by Brazilionaire
Brazilionaire Entertainment / SIQNEZ STUDIOS
WWW.SIQNEZSTUDIOS.COM



The Chicago FootworKINGz (FWK) is an all-star dance ensemble featuring the best of Chi-Towns footwork battle champs including members from local crews Creation and Heat Squad.
FWK was founded in 2007 by Leida Lady Sol Villegas as a professional dance company and website seeking to attract global recognition to footworkin, a unique, Chicago born dance style. Footworkin evolved in the Black community as a response to House and Juke music (a sound developed from House music sped up to 160bpm). This movement has been around for over 20 years and we want it to be exposed in the mainstream and all over the world, says King Charles, co-artistic director of the FootworKINGz.
Members of FWK have been featured on Ellens Really Big Show for TBS, VH-1 Hip Hop Honors 07 Honoring Missy Elliott, WGCI and Power 92 radio, Chicago Tribune, WGN Morning News, Rolling Stone Magazines 2007 Hot Issue, Verizon Wireless Do The Juke phone commercial, Dude En Ems Watch My Feet music video and MTVs My Block Chicago.
One of our biggest goals is to help produce and release a documentary film about footworkin with special attention to the stories behind the youths who live for this movement, states Ms. Villegas, manager of the FootworKINGz.
FWK has been featured on many stages including the opening ceremony for the 2007 World Boxing Championships in the presence of Muhammad Ali, the 2007 San Francisco Hip Hop Dance Festival, Best of Dance Chicago 2007, the Coliseum at Caesars Palace in Vegas with Ellen Degeneres, opening for Chris Brown at the UIC Pavilion, WGCIs Schools Out Jump Off, with Miss Teefa, the Chicago Cultural Center, the Uptown Unity Fest with Kuumba Lynx, and Silver Rooms 5th Annual Block Party.
Film will be followed by panel discussion and performance form some of the FootWorkIngz
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8_1OkQSs8c

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

No Human Being is Illegal T-Shirt On Sale Now!

Based on the historical mural on RDACBX's rooftop, designed by Bronx-based, Chilean graffiti artist Dasic Fernandez, we are proud to finally offer the exclusive NO HUMAN BEING IS ILLEGAL t-shirt. Proceeds from the sale of the shirt will help us sustain RDACBX and our community work. Available for a limited time! Grab one today!

Monday, April 4, 2011

http://www.intikana.net/

Bronx Council on the Arts and BRIO present BxIndie Artist INTIKANA and the
worldwide premiere of his music video “Amistad” at RDAC BX on Friday, April 8, 2011 at 8:00pm

(Bronx – March 14, 2011) The Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) and BRIO present BxIndie artist INTIKANA and the worldwide premiere of his latest music video “AMISTAD” at 8:00pm on Friday, April 8, 2011 at RDAC BX, 480C Austin Place, off of East 149th Street and Bruckner Blvd. in the Bronx.

The evening will include performances by INTIKANA, DJ Charlie Hustle, Rebel Diaz, and Miki Flow of ExplosiónSuprema; a panel discussion with special guest Ariel Fernández Díaz; and a Cuba photo exhibition. Directions to RDAC BX (Rebel Diaz Arts Collective): #6 train to East 149th Street; BX19 bus to East 149th & Southern Blvd. Phone: 718-708-4701. Admission is free and all are welcome. Must print out ticket to attend. Limited space.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Rebel Diaz Schedule for SXSW


If youre in Austin, Texas come and check us out! We got shows all week!!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

RDACBX T Shirt Biz Up and Running!!



Big ups to Dasic Fernandez for finishing the first batch of RDACBX Tshirts. The "No Human Being Is Illegal" shirt is directly inspired by the mural on our rooftop with the same slogan and design. We are on our way to self sustainability! We first had these TShirts made by outsourcing the work to our peeps from Brooklyn- Fresthetics. When we were in Detroit at the US Social Forum the shirts were a hit!! So we decided to make another round! The first batch will be available only in Austin, TX for the SXSW Music Festival and then we will have them for sale online. Stay tuned for more fresh T shirts ccming soon!

YC the Cynic Tour Schedule..


YC the CYnic has taken his act on the road. After he released his latest mixtape Fall:FWD, he continues his grind as he hits the road with none other than J-Live. They will end up at South By South West Music Festival where YC will be hitting the stage with some of musics hottest acts.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Breaking News! Victor Toro Denied Political Asylum



URGENT!!! BREAKING NEWS!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS MORE IMPORTANCE THAN EVER!!!!!!!

THE LATEST NEWS DIRECTLY FROM VICTOR TORO'S LAWYER IS THAT AFTER BEING IN COURT FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS, HE WAS DENIED POLITICAL ASYLUM AND HE HAS THE NEXT 30
DAYS TO EITHER APPEAL OR BE DEPORTED.
HE WILL APPEAL.
WITHOUT VICTOR TORO THERE IS NO RDACBX.


FOR THOSE THAT SPEAK SPANISH HERE IS THE DIRECT COMMUNICATION FROM THE LAWYER.
THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION IS BELOW IT...
FOR NOW PUT THE WORD OUT!!!!


COMUNICADO DE LA OFICINA DEL ABOGADO CARLOS MORENO
Caso Victor Toro: Decision Insolita
La Jueza de inmigracion, Sarah Burr, ha negado, inexplicablemente, la aplicacion de asilo politico presentada por Victor Toro. La evidencia presentada y el testimonio de Victor Toro fueron de tal magnitud que ningun juez objetivo podria negar la peticion de asilo presentada por el ex-preso politico chileno.
La Jueza Burr concluyo que Victor Toro tomo mucho tiempo para presntar su aplicacion de asilo y que las condiciones politicas en Chile han cambiado lo suficiente como para que Victor pueda regrasar a Chile sin problemas. Esa conclusion por parte de la jueza Burr ignora el testimonio presentado por Victor Toro.
El equipo legal de Victor Toro expreso preocupacion desde el momento en que los abogados del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional introdujeron el fantasma del “terrorismo” en el caso Victor Toro. La preocupacion era de que la acusacion de terrorismo, aunque infundada, evitaria que la corte decidiera el caso justa y objetivamente. La decision de la jueza Burr demuestra que nuestra preocupacion era validad.
PREGUNTAS SIN RESPUESTAS
Como puede justificarse la negacion de asilo politico a un hombre cuyo trabajo politico y social es la esencia de lo que debe ser el asilo politico? Como se puede ignorar la persecucion sufrida por Victor Toro durante la dictadura military de Augusto Pinochet, financiada por Estados Unidos? Como puede minimizarse el riesgo que encaro y encara Victor Toro como blanco de Operacion Condor?
APELACION! APELACION!APELACION!
Apelaremos lo que consideramos como una decision injusta, irracional e inexplicable. Levantaremos nuestras voces hasta que los circulos de poder mas alto de Estados Unidos nos escuchen.
________________________
Carlos Moreno, Esq.
Attorney for Victor Toro
352 7th Avenue, Suite 1204
New York, NY 10001
(212) 631-7555
(212) 631-7418 Fax/MrnCrls@aol.com


From the office of Carlos Moreno, Victor Toro's Lawyer.
Victor Toro's Case: Unusual Decision
Immigration judge Sarah Burr, has inexplicably denied, Victor Toro's application for political asylum. The evidence presented along with Victor Toro's testimony were of such magnitude that no objective judge could have denied the petition for asylum presented by the Chilean former political prisoner.
Judge Burr concluded that Victor Toro took too long in presenting his application for Political Asylum and that the political conditions in Chile had sufficiently changed so that Victor Toro can return to Chile without problems. This conclusion by Judge Burr completely ignores the testimony presented by Victor Toro.
Victor Toro's legal team expressed concern since the moment lawyers for the Department of Homeland Security introduced the idea that Victor Toro was linked to "Terrorism" or a "Terrorist" himself. The concern was that the accusation of terrorism, though unfounded, would not allow for the case to be judged justly and objectively. The decision by Judge Burr shows us that our concerns were valid.
Answers Without Questions:
How can the denial of his political asylum request be justified? Especially for a man whose political and social work are the very essence of what political asylum should be? How can they ignore the persecution and suffering felt by Victor Toro during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, a dictatorship which was financed by The United States. How can the risk he faced as a target by The Operation Condor be minimized?
APPEAL! APPEAL! APPEAL!! APPEAL!
We shall appeal what we consider to an unjust, irrational and inexplicable decision. We shall lift our voices until the highest circles of power in The United States hears our case.


Carlos Moreno, Esq.
Attorney for Victor Toro
352 7th Avenue, Suite 1204
New York, NY 10001
(212) 631-7555
(212) 631-7418 Fax/MrnCrls@aol.com

HIP HOP FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS!!! DEFEND VICTOR TORO!!


MOVIMIENTO LA PENA DEL BRONX, TRABAJADORAS POR LA PAZ AND RDACBX PRESENT:
HIP HOP FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS FESTIVAL!!!
DEFEND VICTOR TORO! FUNDRAISER FOR THE DEFENSE OF VICTOR TORO!!
SATURDAY MARCH 26TH, 2011
7PM-11PM

PERFORMING LIVE!!!!

RED CLAY
REYES DEL BAJO MUNDO
FLACO NAVAJA
REBEL DIAZ
CIRCA 95
YC THE CYNIC
INTIKANA
HCP
LOS BRUJOZ
HACHE ST.
ZANGRE URBANA
CALLE CARDONA
AKELA MC

DJ DISCO WIZ
DJ CHARLIE HUSTLE


CO SPONSORED BY: EXISTENCE IS RESISTANCE, DA URBAN BUTTERFLIES, GUERILLA REPUBLIK, AND REVOLUTION HIP HOP

$10 DONATION.
FOR MORE INFO CALL: 719-708-4701
OR 718-292-6137

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Bronx 12 News visits RDACBX



On Monday March 7th, we got a visit from our friends at Bronx 12 news. They always show us love, theyve been covering the RDACBX since before it was the RDACBX. When Rebel Diaz, Waco Division and Circa95 before they were Circa95 were doing shows at The Rock Garden on 160th and Elton. After The Daily News article they decided to come and pay us another visit. Thanks BX 12 News!

Rebel Diaz to continue as a duo.


Bronx, NY, (February 28, 2011) - REBEL DIAZ, the political Hip Hop trio out of Chicago via The South Bronx, will now be continuing their career as a duo. Teresita Ayala, known as Lah Tere, has resigned from the group. In an email sent on February 15th she stated, “After a lot of thought and consideration, I have decided to resign from Rebel Diaz. My personal health and wellness needs my undivided attention and I have made a commitment to make this a priority once and for all.”

RodStarz and G1 will continue performing as Rebel Diaz and working as a part of The Rebel Diaz Arts Collective (RDACBX), the Hip Hop community space they opened in The South Bronx in 2008. Teresita Ayala also resigned from the work of RDACBX for the same reasons. “We believe the work of Rebel Diaz is larger than the individuals that make the group. We will continue working in our community with the RDACBX and seek to continue spreading our political message throughout the world with our music,” says RodStarz.

Rebel Diaz’s debut album, THE RADICAL DILEMMA, will be released in the upcoming months. "We wish Teresita the best in her quest for personal wellness and health. We look forward to making new music that addresses the struggles and victories of our community,” says G1.

Rebel Diaz will be performing at this year’s South By Southwest Festival (SXSW) in Austin, TX, in the upcoming weeks.

For more information, visit:
www.rebeldiaz.com

Monday, March 7, 2011

We got featured in The New York Daily News!




Big ups to Dan Beekman from The NY Daily News for being down and covering our collective. Heres the link to the article:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2011/03/03/2011-03-03_hiphop_wont_stop.html

YC the Cynic Release Party for FALL FWD a Huge Success!!!

Tuesday March 1st, 2011 is a new historic date in RDACBX history. Thats the date that YC the Cynic made a huge splash on the scene, with the release of his 2nd Mixtape Fall:FWD. My dude has been working harder than the next man for the last 2 years and it is evident by his latest release that he's only getting started. On the new release he shows us that YC the Cynic wordplay that only he can do, along with some new double time flows and of course more of that boom bap style we all love.
His release party was a huge success. For a Tuesday in NYC's saturated market, it was a sell out crowd., which shows us how YC's grind is paying off. Rebel Diaz was blessed to share the stage with the homey, as well as Dj Charlie Hustle holding it down on the 1s and 2s. RDACBX family- Dj Ethos from Los Angeles was able to make it out and wowed the crowd with a crazy DJ display during Rebel Diaz's set. One of my favorite crews was The Underdogz. Consisting of long time YC collaborators; Otis Clapp and Warren Britt, they got the show started off with their high energy live show. As a matter of fact, Otis Clapp's "Gifted" song has been on repeat on my YouTube account. They were followed up by Scienze and Sene who also had dope live shows and helped warm the crowd up. The show was hosted by GrindTime Champion and Brown Bag All Star- Soul Khan. My man should also do live comedy cuz hes a pretty hilarious brother. Props to him for a great job hosting and performing. After our set, is where the show started to get crazy, after a dope set from Soul Khan, the Main Event aka YC the Cynic hit the stage. My homey had half of NYC's underground elite support him with the cosigns as he brought on Homeboy Sandman, J-Live, C-Rayz Walz, Von Pea from Tanya Morgan, and Final Outlaw. The C-Rayz Walz freestyle was a classic moment. My man went off the top of the dome and murdered it. The live performance of "More and More" was one of the highlights of the night for me. YC, Von Pea, Soul Khan and Sene absolutely killed the track! all in all, it was a dope night for the RDACBX, for our little bro YC the Cynic and for Hip Hop in general as we welcomed one of our bright and shining stars.



4 Burners: Pieces out the RDACBX!!

Check out the finished product! Big ups to 4 Burners for coming thru and wrecking shop at RDACBX this last month. The murals were organized by resident RDACBX artist Dasic Fernandez. He brought Sen2, Deep, Logek, Rubin and Owns from 4 Burners. They were also joined by Cern from YMI crew and Cekis, the acclaimed Chilean artist. The murals were done after the RDACBX membership was consulted. They were asked to come up with 5 letter words that represented the work of the RDACBX. The words they came up with were Power, Live, Free, Music, Paz, and Bronx. For more info on the artists check out: www.4burners.com





Monday, February 28, 2011

Fall:FWD drops Tomorrow March 1st

Just in case you havent heard, heres a sample of what Fall:FWD will sound like. Check out Suicide by YC the Cynic ft. Homeboy Sandman and Niles




The cuts are by M Tri, and its produced by Don Knottz and JFree. Its off the project Fall FWD which drops March 1st.
Check out more music here-------->
http://ycthecynic.bandcamp.com/

Master Cleanse: Emergency Wisconsin Tour



Intikana and Dj Charlie Hustle will be doing an Emergency Tour of Wisconsin. If you havent been following the news, there is a workers uprising going on in the state capitol of Wisconsin. Following with the mission of RDACBX work, the duo will take their Master Cleanse project straight to the people. Dj Charlie Hustle is a Milwaukee native and knows firsthand the struggle of the working class in Wisconsin. "We are going to support the workers of my home state. they should have the rights to unionize" says Dj Charlie Hustle.
In summary, whats going on in Wisconsin is that there is a right-wing state government attempting to gut public sector unions by stripping them of collective bargaining rights, membership, dues collection, and a host of other attacks on what it means to be in a union. Teachers, municipal workers, students, and their supporters (even police and firefighters) have rallied constantly to demand we "Kill The Bill." We are proud that Intikana and Dj Charlie Hustle will be joining union activists, University of Wisconsin students, and those showing their solidarity in what is shaping up to be quite the battle.

Check out the music video done by Jasiri X that addresses the situation over there.

Rebel Diaz and YC the Cynic to Showcase at SXSW



Rebel Diaz and YC the Cynic along with our west coast RDACBX fam- Dj Ethos, will be hitting up Austin, Texas to participate in the South By SouthWest Music Festival. Over 1900 bands will be performing this year. Check the site for more detailed updates or go to www.sxsw.com

New Murals and Art Going Up at RDACBX





Big ups to the homey Dasic Fernandez for putting this mural project together. Though we loved the yellow wall, after 2 years we felt it was a time for a change.The RDACBX was asked to give some 5 letter words that were representative of our mission and work. So now our space will have Power, Music, Live, Bronx and more words reminding us of our mission and work, Some of the illest artists in NYC came out to show love! Including Four Burners, Da Bakery Crew, Sen2, Logik, Deem, and Cekis to name a few. The project came together over the last weekend and is still in progress.

Yc the Cynic Release Party for Fall:FWD -March 1st



YC the Cynic, our resident super dope MC, will be releasing his highly anticipated new mixtape Fall:FWD on Tuesday March 1st, 2011 at SouthPaw in Brooklyn. After releasing, You're Welcome in 2010, he has taken the NYC scene by storm with his crazy lyrics, punchlines and flow. Working harder than the next MC, he has been everywhere as of late. The blogs love him and so does his family at RDACBX. We are proud of you bro!!!!!
Fall:FWD will have features from Homeboy Sandman, Von Pea, Soul Khan, C Rayz Walz and more!

Heres the info:

The good homies at Bigger Than Hip Hop and RDAC-BX Present...
The Fall FWD Release Party!
Time to celebrate homies. If you miss this, you'll be an outcast. And not the cool "with a K" kind, but the kind that no one wants to be around, w/ a "C"

Hosted by Soul Khan (of the Brown Bag All Stars)
Music by Meka (of 2DopeBoyz)

Performances by:
The Underdogz (Warren Britt and Otis Clapp)
Scienze
Sene
Rebel Diaz
and of course...
Me (YC The Cynic) w/ DJ Charlie Hustle

Some really dope confirmed special guests. I cant say names, but, you don't wanna miss this!

Its 18+
$10 at the door, and $8 at http://YCtheCynic.Eventbrite.com/

Come thru!
And if you're socially awkward, you can watch it online, at www.CIRCA95.com

Peace porridge.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Monday, February 7, 2011

Hoy Fue Una Victoria SOA Protest 2010 (Espanol)



Check out this video done of The School of the Americas Protest that the RDACBX attended last November in Fort Benning, Georgia. Rodstarz calls it the School of the Assassins, cuz thats what they do. Train to kill. This is what U.S. Foreign Policy and the U.S. Armed Forces export. Torture tactics. Death. Murders. all in the name of the dollar!

Streets of Cairo- Marcel Cartier - Produced by Dj Charlie Hustle

Rebel Diaz in Toronto: Presented by Barrio Nuevo

Barrio Nueva Y RebelDiaz from Las Perlas del Mar on Vimeo.




Check out the footage from our show in Toronto.Big ups to Barrio Nuevo for bringing us out there and putting together a great tour.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

"Do the Right Thing"...

Fair Food activists picket a Washington, DC, area Giant supermarket during last November's Supermarket Week of Action. Giant is one of Ahold's two major US brands. Ahold also owns Stop & Shop.
At a glance: Florida farmworkers have long faced brutal conditions in the fields, including sub-poverty wages, widespread labor rights violations, and even modern-day slavery. Today, however, there is hope on the horizon, thanks to the efforts of farmworkers, Fair Food activists, Florida tomato growers, and nine food industry leaders who have joined in support of the CIW's Fair Food principles, including a strict code of conduct, a cooperative complaint resolution system, a participatory health and safety program, and a worker-to-worker education process. But Publix and Ahold are refusing to do their part, and if they have their way, the unprecedented farm labor transformation promised by the CIW's landmark agreement with the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange would be significantly diminished. Farmworkers' hopes for an end to the decades-long "Harvest of Shame" would be dashed.

Publix founder George Jenkins used to say, "Don't let making a profit stand in the way of doing the right thing." The people who are running Publix and Ahold today have taken Mr. Jenkins' wise counsel and stood it squarely on its head.


“We don’t have any plans to sit down with the CIW,” Publix’s Media and Community Relations Manager Dwaine Stevens said, also citing that the company sells around 36,000 products in the stores and it cannot get involved with each product’s labor issues. “If there are some atrocities going on, it’s not our business. Maybe it’s something the government should get involved with.”

Publix spokesperson Dwaine Stevens quoted in the Baldwin County, AL, journal "The Bulletin," 12/11/10

"On November 16, the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, which represents all of Ahold's major tomato growers and suppliers, announced an agreement with the CIW to accept the CIW's Fair Food Code of Conduct... We will not, therefore, participate with the Growers' employees in CIW's proposed penny-per pound program."

Statement from Ahold USA regarding tomato purchases from Florida's Immokalee region, 12/10/10

"Don't let making a profit stand in the way of doing the right thing."
George Jenkins, founder of Publix, as quoted by Ed Crenshaw, Publix CEO, to Tampa Business Journal, in the February, 2010 interview entitled, "Doing the right thing a top priority"
Human rights crisis in the fields

Since we launched the Campaign for Fair Food in January of 2000, we have sought to cast light on the unconscionable human rights crisis in Florida's fields. By now, the conditions faced by the vast majority of Florida farmworkers are well known:

Sub-poverty Wages: Workers are paid virtually the same piece rate (an average of 50¢ per 32-lb. bucket) as they were 30 years ago. At this rate, a worker must pick over 2.25 TONS of tomatoes to earn the Florida minimum wage in a typical 10-hour workday. Most workers earn less than $12,000 per year.

Denial of Fundamental Labor Rights: Farmworkers in Florida have no right to overtime pay, no health insurance, sick leave, paid vacation or pension, and no right to organize in order to improve these conditions.

Modern-day Slavery: In the most extreme situations, workers are forced to labor against their will through the use or threat of physical violence. Since 1997, there have been nine cases of forced labor prosecuted in Florida's fields, involving over 1,200 workers.
These conditions -- and more, including widespread sexual harassment and wage theft -- are the "atrocities" to which Publix spokesperson Dwaine Stevens was referring in his statement (above) to the press in December of last year.

Change is underway

But today, for the first time, there is hope for real, durable respect for human rights in Florida's fields.

Indeed, thanks to the combined efforts of thousands of workers from Immokalee, tens of thousands of Fair Food activists across the country, several of the state's largest tomato growers, and nine multi-billion dollar food industry leaders, we stand today on the threshold of an unprecedented transformation in agricultural labor conditions in Florida.

Last November, the CIW and the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange signed an agreement to extend the CIW's Fair Food principles – including a strict code of conduct, a cooperative complaint resolution system, a participatory health and safety program, and a worker-to-worker education process – to over 90% of Florida's tomato fields. And though the implementation of that agreement is being phased in gradually over the course of this season and the next, many real, concrete changes have already taken root on some of the state's largest farms. Those changes include:

Worker Education: The CIW began educating farmworkers in November of last year on the Fair Food Code of Conduct, their new rights in the fields, and how to report problems that arise. These trainings take place at the company, as part of the work day, so that company support for the new Code is a clear part of the message. Already nearly 2,000 workers have participated in the educational sessions (on right, workers review the new rights booklet distributed at the sessions).

Wage Increase: In January of this year, growers began passing on the Fair Food Premium (penny-per-pound) from participating major buyers of tomatoes (Subway McDonald's, Burger King, Whole Foods, etc.) to farmworkers in their paychecks. The penny-per-pound bonus is reflected as a line item in the paycheck that workers can see. Growers will be audited to verify correct distribution of the wage increase.

Clocking-in: The Code of Conduct requires a reliable mechanism to keep track of farmworkers’ hours and requires payment of workers for all the hours they are on the job. Additionally, in the past, farmworkers normally would get up at around 5 am to be picked up for work at 6 am, only to spend several hours waiting in the fields without pay. Now, pick-up times at one of the state's largest farms have shifted to coincide with the actual start of work, with workers getting picked-up closer to 8 am. Workers no longer have to spend several hours waiting in the fields without pay and are able to get more sleep, while parents are able to be with their children and get them ready for school instead of having to drop them off at daycare at 5 am.

No More Over-filling of Buckets: Until now, it was standard practice for workers to have to overfill their buckets-- which meant upwards of 10% of each worker's labor was going unpaid. If they didn't overfill the buckets, they would often not receive credit for the entire bucket. Now, farmworkers need only fill the bucket to the top in order for the bucket to be paid (the image on the right, taken at one of the participating farms earlier this month, indicates the new standard).

Report Abuses without Fear: Farmworkers now have the right to report abuses or violations of the Code of Conduct -- to the CIW, to a third-party, or to the farm itself -- confidentially and without fear of retaliation from their bosses. This includes instances of sexual harassment, violence, wage theft, and discrimination. Abuses reported by workers trigger an investigation and enforcement process to fix the problem and hold violators accountable. Already this season several complaints have been reported, investigated, and resolved to the satisfaction of workers who lodged the complaints.
These changes -- and more, including shade in the fields and nascent health and safety committees -- constitute the first real, tangible labor reforms in the modern history of Florida agriculture. Taken together, they represent a bridge between a history of shameful farm labor exploitation and a future of more modern, more humane working conditions in Florida's fields.

If you aren't part of the solution, you are the problem

But that bridge may well fall short, thanks to Publix, Ahold, and the rest of the supermarket industry.

That's because the solution to farm labor exploitation and abuse contained in the Fair Food principles depends on the participation of all the major purchasers of Florida tomatoes. Each buyer must contribute its fair share -- its penny-per-pound -- for the pay raise to reach its full potential. Each buyer must commit to direct its purchases to those growers complying with the code of conduct -- and away from those who don't -- for working conditions to get better and stay better.

The solution is only as strong -- the raise is only as big, the change in working conditions is only as durable -- as the number of buyers that support it. In the words of the FTGE's Reggie Brown, "Everybody in the system has to be invested for it to work." And indeed, the nine leading food corporations that have already signed Fair Food agreements with the CIW are paying into the system and conditioning their purchases on compliance with the code.

But those food corporations that have not yet signed -- principal among them supermarket industry leaders, with the sole exception of Whole Foods -- are not. And now it is becoming increasingly clear that the strategy of those supermarket leaders, in particular Publix and Ahold, is to shirk their responsibility to pay into the system, short workers of their portion of the pay increase, and refuse to tie their purchases to the Fair Food principles.

If Publix and Ahold have their way, the unprecedented transformation of farm labor conditions promised by the CIW's landmark agreement with the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange would be significantly diminished. Farmworkers' hopes for an end to the decades-long "Harvest of Shame" would wither on the vine.

Such an outcome would be doubly harsh given the active role supermarket giants like Publix and Ahold have played in creating -- by leveraging their volume purchasing power to demand ever lower prices for produce -- the poverty and brutal working conditions from which they have profited for so many years.

That's why we march

The people who run Publix and Ahold today are doing the very thing Publix founder George Jenkins warned against so many years ago -- they are letting profit stand in the way of doing the right thing. In fact, they've turned Mr. Jenkins' sage advice squarely on its head.

That's why, if you support the Campaign for Fair Food, you must join us this spring for the Do the Right Thing Tour!

The victory announced last November in Immokalee is, without doubt, a watershed moment in the history of Florida agriculture. Never before have growers and workers joined together behind such progressive standards and at such a comprehensive level, covering over 90% of the entire Florida tomato industry. We -- all of us -- are making history.

But that victory will be undermined if Publix and Ahold are allowed to take the low road they seem so determined to travel.

As we assemble to march in Boston and Tampa, let us gather our forces, meet them on that road, and turn them back to join the rest of the food industry on the path to true social responsibility.

Resources

'Tis the Season to Be Greedy: Publix, Ahold try for free ride out of social responsibility...
Publix: "If there are some atrocities going on, it's not our business"...
"After Long Fight, Farmworkers in Florida Win Increase in Pay," New York Times, 1/19/11
"Major grower to join wage plan," Wall St. Journal, 10/13/10
"One Penny More a Pound," New York Times editorial, 12/3/10
"Harvest of Shame Revisited," CBS Evening News, 11/24/10

Why we march

Tuesday, January 18, 2011


PENUMBRA HITS THE ROAD!!!

Intikana's one man show is now hitting the road with shows in Alaska, Idaho, Colorado, Washington, and more locations soon to be announced. For those of you who have yet to experience PENUMBRA, the play is a solo Hip-Hop musical that autobiographically illustrates growing up in the Bronx and powerfully confronts issues concerning family, social injustice, and self-identity. This multimedia performance utilizes elements of Hip-Hop, Spoken Word, Theater, Film, and Photography to journey through stories that speak on a son trying to rekindle a lost relationship with his father. For more info, visit: www.intikana.net/penumbra



UPCOMING SHOWS IN NYC THIS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19 @8PM [HIGHLINE BALLROOM] If you missed our show last week at ROSE in Brooklyn, here's another oppor