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Black media, Black liberation: an interview with People’s Minister of Information JR Valrey
November 21, 2012
The fiery writing of JR Valrey began appearing in the Bay View a dozen years ago. JR made our original vision for the Bay View reality: to inspire Black youth to build a powerful Black community. As the Bay View’s associate editor and one of KPFA’s most popular programmers with his provocative Block Report Radio shows, JR and the youth who grew up on his empowering words and pictures are growing in influence, making a difference every day – and they’re just getting started.
Watching justified rage consume Oakland
August 3, 2010
After a POCC People’s Investigation into the Oakland 2010 Rebellion’s shutting down of Foot Locker, what baffled me was that many people could not politically put together that liberating merchandise was putting political pressure on downtown to pressure government to prosecute the criminals that killed Oscar Grant on New Year’s morning of 2009.
Gentrification journalism
May 11, 2010
In this manifesto that shows why JR Valrey is rightly called the Minister of Information, he exposes “gentrification journalism” as “the public relations team that is put in place to make gentrifiers feel safe,” the media’s twisting of the murders of Chauncey Bailey and Oscar Grant to demonize Blacks and the hyper-funding of “hyper-local media” as an effort to drown out community media. Everyone who wants to stop the exodus of Blacks from the Bay must read this.
Court hearing in Los Angeles for BART cop murderer of Oscar Grant
January 11, 2010
It has been one year since Oscar Grant was brutally murdered by BART policeman Johannes Mehserle. The power of the people of Oakland and the Bay Area has ensured that he is standing trial for murder and not getting away unscathed as is the normal practice in police killings and brutality of our community members.
Demand justice for Oscar Grant and the last two of the Oakland 100
January 6, 2010
Meet former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and see a screening of ‘Operation Small Axe’ Wednesday, Jan. 13, 7 p.m., Black Dot Café, 1195 Pine St. West Oakland. Come and support Minister of Information JR and Holly Works, who still face charges from the Oakland Rebellions that secured the indictment of Johannes Mehserle, the triggerman who executed Oscar Grant.
Defend Minister of Information JR Monday: Rally 8am, Court 9am
December 6, 2009
The Bay Area is rallying around Minister of Information JR, facing three years in prison for covering the Oakland Rebellion that demanded justice for Oscar Grant and for his courageous coverage of police terrorism known throughout the country. Influential organizations are calling an 8 a.m. rally on Monday, Dec. 7, then to pack Courtroom 11, 1225 Fallon St., Oakland, the courthouse made famous by the many rallies the Black Panther Party held there.
‘Rebel Musiq’: an innerview of rapper Bicasso of the Living Legends
April 17, 2009
Two decades after Bob Marley’s “Rebel Music,” in 2009 Oakland, artists like Bicasso are the musical spokespeople for criminalized Black neighborhoods that are literally at war with the police; must I remind you of the cases of Oscar Grant and Lovelle Mixon?
The Town in chaos: an interview wit’ rapper Beeda Weeda
April 9, 2009
While the world was watching downtown Oakland burn up in the aftermath of the police murder of Oscar Grant III, rappers Beeda Weeda and J-Stalin put their social commentary into 16 rhyming bars and came out with the Town masterpiece “We Ain’t Listening,” the remix. Listen at www.blockreportradio.com.
Two months in: The maturing of the Oscar Grant III Justice Movement
February 28, 2009
‘Since the police murder of Oscar Grant, there has been an awakening of the sleeping giant, the social consciousness of the people,’ writes Minister of Information JR. Call DA Tom Orloff, (510) 272-6222, to demand the charges be dropped against JR Valrey and all protesters. Stay tuned for more on the war against police terrorism in Oakland, birthplace of the Black Panther Party.
Weathering the storm: an insider’s look at the Justice for Oscar Grant Movement a month later
January 28, 2009
Jan. 23 the movement for justice for Oscar Grant III kicked into high gear at the Prisoners of Conscience Committee’s Town Bizness Town Hall Meeting. Follow up by packing the courtroom at Johannes Mehserle’s bail hearing Friday, Jan. 30, 2 p.m., at 1225 Fallon St., Oakland. Don’t let the cops outnumber us.