Minority Groups To Hold "FILIBUSTER FOR JUSTICE" at USDA:

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Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2014 14:31:57 -0500
Subject: Check out Article: Minority Groups To Hold "FILIBUSTER FOR JUSTICE" at USDA:

Click here: Article: Minority Groups To Hold "FILIBUSTER FOR JUSTICE" at USDA: The Last Plantation | OpEdNews

FW: Check out LandRightsNFarming: Re: EPA/USDA the struggle for dignity continues

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From: LawrLCL@aol.com
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2012 06:33:19 -0400
Subject: Check out LandRightsNFarming: Re: EPA/USDA the struggle for dignity continues
To: angusfarms@hotmail.com

thank you.

Click here: LandRightsNFarming: Re: EPA/USDA the struggle for dignity continues

FW: Please support Alicia Dabney, Sign the petition

 

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From: LawrLCL@aol.com
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2012 08:22:36 -0400
Subject: Fwd: Please support Alicia Dabney, Sign the petition
To: lawrlcl@aol.com; Brian_Downey@finance-rep.senate.gov

 

 

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From: LawrLCL@aol.com
To: pearliesreed@aol.com
Sent: 8/9/2012 6:42:21 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Fwd: Please support Alicia Dabney, Sign the petition

 

 

 

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From: nofearcoalition@aol.com
To: nofearcoalition@aol.com
Sent: 8/6/2012 2:49:21 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Please support Alicia Dabney, Sign the petition

 

Dear friends, please sign our petition to help Alicia Dabney.  Alicia is a Native-American fire fighter who has faced, perhaps one of the most atrocious cases of discrimination within the US federal government. Ms. Dabney works for the USDA Forest Service in California. On August 3, 2012 Alicia was fired after the USDA ignored numerous complaints and allegations of physical and sexual assault. Her male co-workers have physically and emotionally demeaned her by calling her a 'whore' after breaking into her hotel room where they attempted to rape her.

 Please go to: http://www.change.org/petitions/president-barack-obama-reinstate-alicia-dabney 

and click on the youtube revealing one of Alicia's supervisors ordering her to come to his hotel room.

As a result of Alicia's courage and determination to end the silence of sexual harassment in the American workplace, she received a   2012 No FEAR Hero Award.

Please circulate widely and ask everyone you know to sign this important petition. 

Marsha Coleman-Adebayo

No FEAR Coalition

nofearcoalition@aol.com
Find me at about.me/marshacolemanadebayo,

www.marshacoleman-adebayo.com

Author, No FEAR: A Whistleblower's Triumph over Corruption and Retaliation at the EPA - www.amazon.com

FW: seaver has shared news from Before It's News

 

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Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2012 19:18:49 +0000
To: angusfarms@hotmail.com
From: angusfarms@hotmail.com
Subject: seaver has shared news from Before It's News

seaver thought you might find this news interesting from BeforeItsNews.com

Global Anger At Fed's Treatment Of Native American Whistleblower
Advertisement Privacy | Remove Ads By muckracker1 by Monica Davis A petition website has gathered signatures from all over the world from people who are outraged at the treatment of a Native American woman firefighter. Alicia Dabney wa...
You can see the whole story at http://beforeitsnews.com/economics-and-politics/2012/06/global-anger-at-feds-treatment-of-native-american-whistleblower-2210182.html

Thanks,
Before It's News

Want to get the day's five most interesting stories Monday-Friday? Click here to sign up or send an email to GetDailyFF@BeforeItsNews.com.

Female fire fighter fights different fight | editor, female, fight - Recorderonline.com

Female fire fighter fights different fight | editor, female, fight - Recorderonline.com

Whistleblowers seek federal protection

Whistleblowers seek federal protection

Fwd: Check out Female fire fighter fights different fight | editor, female, fight

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <LawrLCL@aol.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 7, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Subject: Check out Female fire fighter fights different fight | editor, female, fight
To: landrightsnfarming.seamom89@gmail.com, davis4000_2000@yahoo.com, batiste.f@bteks.com, bole45@aol.com, khalidnajiallahphotography@gmail.com

 

 

click here: Female fire fighter fights different fight | editor, female, fight - Recorderonline.com

Fwd: Black Agenda Radio: Obama Fails Federal Workers of Color

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <LawrLCL@aol.com>
Date: Mon, Aug 6, 2012 at 6:02 PM
Subject: Black Agenda Radio: Obama Fails Federal Workers of Color
To: lepstein8@gmail.com, robert@donnelly-house.net, lesa@snowcrest.net, featherhvn@yahoo.com, cindylouiowa@aol.com, leandra112@yahoo.com, stovallsfarm@yahoo.com, leroy2leroysmithjrworld@hotmail.com, eddieslaughter51@yahoo.com, lucybinion@yahoo.com, floinc3@bellsouth.net, joshelen@juno.com, davis4000_2000@yahoo.com, landrightsnfarming.seamom89@gmail.com, c4c@coalition4change.org, nofearcoalition@gmail.com, marcelvreid@yahoo.com, mcastelles@aol.com, mccray.michael@gmail.com, khalidnajiallahphotography@gmail.com, jebankst@comcast.net
Cc: prayap@aol.com, alovely@comcast.net, glovely@comcast.net, gail.lewis777@gmail.com, philglewistsy@gmail.com, sunday_5@hotmail.com, jpfenterprises1@aol.com, jfbsn@bellsouth.net

Click here: Listen to Black Agenda Radio on the Progresive Radio Network, with Glen Ford and Nellie Bailey – Week of July 30,

Fwd: Please sign our petition: Alicia Dabney

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <nofearcoalition@aol.com>
Date: Mon, Aug 6, 2012 at 2:47 PM
Subject: Please sign our petition: Alicia Dabney
To: nofearcoalition@aol.com

Dear friends, please sign our petition to help Alicia Dabney.  Alicia is a Native-American fire fighter who has faced, perhaps one of the most atrocious cases of discrimination within the US federal government. Ms. Dabney works for the USDA Forest Service in California. On August 3, 2012 Alicia was fired after the USDA ignored numerous complaints and allegations of physical and sexual assault. Her male co-workers have physically and emotionally demeaned her by calling her a 'whore' after breaking into her hotel room where they attempted to rape her.

 Please go to: http://www.change.org/petitions/president-barack-obama-reinstate-alicia-dabney 

and click on the youtube revealing one of Alicia's supervisors ordering her to come to his hotel room.

As a result of Alicia's courage and determination to end the silence of sexual harassment in the American workplace, she received a   2012 No FEAR Hero Award.

Please circulate widely and ask everyone you know to sign this important petition. 

Marsha Coleman-Adebayo

No FEAR Coalition

nofearcoalition@aol.com
Find me at about.me/marshacolemanadebayo,

www.marshacoleman-adebayo.com

Author, No FEAR: A Whistleblower's Triumph over Corruption and Retaliation at the EPA - www.amazon.com

Filibuster Continutes As Diapproval of Coaliton of USDA Minority Employees and Farmers Leave Meeting With Ag Secretery's Office!

Filibuster at USDA ...
                                           To Continue!!!!!!!


The Filibuster For Justice At The USDA started as planned, feeling good that the attention of the Ag Sec Office had, sent for an early morning meeting for Oct 4,2011, The Coalition of USDA Minority Employees and representative farmers geared up for their meeting with the, Ag Secretery Vilsack.

But with a room full of Sec Vilsack's  people, the meeting left the Coalition and the Farmers with Bitter Disapproval, so the Filibuster will continue, as scheduled until All Issues are brought Compliant!

Re: Lesa Donnelly, USDA Coalition Vice President, Letter to President Obama

On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 12:02 AM, <LawrLCL@aol.com> wrote:

The White House

President Barack Obama

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC   20500

September 29, 2011

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Dear Mr. President –

I wrote to you on May 19, 2011, requesting your assistance for women and minorities in the USDA, Forest Service, particularly women in Region 5, California. Shortly thereafter, Michael Blake, assistant to your senior advisor, Valerie Jarrett contacted me. Mr. Blake assured me that the White House was very concerned about the civil rights violations against USDA women and minorities. Unfortunately, little-to-no action has been taken to stop the egregious abuses, and they continue with no accountability for the perpetrators. I am writing to you again to request your assistance.

Mr. Blake advised me that he spoke with Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Joe Leonard, who would look into things, respond to the White House and they, "would take it from there to determine the next steps." Unfortunately, any steps Secretary Vilsack or Dr. Leonard took did not make a change in working conditions for women in California or USDA employees elsewhere. Mr. Blake has now moved to Chicago to work on your campaign and the women have been left to fend for themselves against abusive men and managers that physically abuse them, sexually harass them, and put them in harm's way. Secretary Vilsack seems to care little that women have been financially ruined, put in the hospital due to workplace violence, have been hospitalized for emotional breakdowns, are in fear for their lives, and have become suicidal. I am asking you to care Mr. President, because without your help it will continue.

 The situation in Region 5 is so dire that we women were compelled to establish our own crisis intervention group. Women can call and get support when management frightens, intimidates, harms, and isolates them. Last month I had a suicide call from a Hispanic woman. Today, I had a suicide call from a Native American woman. Does someone have to die before Secretary Vilsack pays attention? Last week, a Native American firefighter was going to quit her job because male firefighters wrote, "whore" on the wall at her fire station. It was the last straw for her. This is the same woman I spoke of in my last letter who was sexually harassed, physically assaulted, and forced to urinate in front of the men. We women rallied to support her and keep her employed. Yesterday, we had mediation for a Native American woman who almost committed suicide this year from the treatment she received from forest, region, and Washington management. The agency tried to coerce her into resigning to get a settlement agreement – a clear message that she is not valued. This month a Native American pregnant woman was forced to work in an office filled with mice and feces, putting her and her twins' health at risk for Hanta Virus. We tried to get it resolved, even contacting the Secretary's Office – they did not care and refused to act. We had to call the Governor's office and speak with the Vector Borne Disease Control specialists who were so concerned about her health or risk of death that they intervened.  The U.S. government practiced genocide on Native Americans for many years – it appears that USDA has reinstated this policy in the Forest Service. It is shameful.

Tribal leaders throughout California are becoming increasingly concerned about the treatment of Native American women in the USDA, Forest Service. I believe you will hear from them soon.

Women of all races and ethnicities, Asian, Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, are being treated similarly – sexual harassment, workplace violence, threats, intimidation, stalking, career barriers, isolation, shunning, lack of equal opportunities, unwarranted discipline, termination. As I said in my last letter to you, "Mr. President, at this point in time you would not want your daughters to work for USDA." I can only imagine that Mrs. Obama, with her anti-violence against women stance must be horrified to learn about USDA.

Men of color are not fairing much better. Nor are people with disabilities. They too, undergo humiliation, intimidation, lack of opportunities and unwarranted adverse actions. Workplace bullying in the USDA and Forest Service is rampant, pervasive, and crosses all lines of gender, race, national origin, physical ability, and sexual orientation. Retaliation is institutionalized.

In Region 5, a class action on behalf of women was filed this year because of the abuses.  A Native American class action is being discussed. Filing costly EEO complaints and lawsuits are despairing acts by employees who tried everything else - to no avail, while Secretary Vilsack and Regional Forester Randy Moore turn a blind eye to the problem. The U.S. government can no longer afford to frivolously waste the taxpayer's money on these matters. There is a better way to deal with the issues. The USDA Coalition of Minority Employees has presented viable and cost effective solutions to Secretary Vilsack but he refuses to acknowledge The Coalition or discuss the solutions. I believe this attitude will continue unless the White House becomes involved.

I am aware that the White House recently contacted the Secretary's Office again. They are likely concerned that women, minorities, non-minorities, Black farmers, union employees, and concerned citizens will be in Washington, DC next week to raise their voices about the USDA civil rights violations and abuses. Women from the California Forest Service will be there, standing in front of USDA to be heard.

And Mr. President, if USDA leadership tells you that they are working on the problem, do not be fooled. The incidents discussed in this letter happened recently – four months after my last letter to you; three months after my communications with Mr. Blake; many months after the Shirley Sherrod fiasco; and many, many months after Secretary Vilsack's creation of policies that are allegedly designed to change the "Last Plantation." 

In conclusion, I am asking for answers to the following questions. Why is it that you are allowing these egregious acts against your base to perpetuate? How many more months do women and minorities have to suffer until the White House does something?  And finally, Secretary Vilsack serves at your pleasure. How could you possibly be pleased with the horrific USDA and Forest Service working conditions he has condoned by his lack of action? I now believe only the White House can answer these questions. Please, President Obama, please answer these questions. It is of utmost importance to thousands of your constituents that you address this matter.

Please feel free to contact me at 530-776-8582 or Coalition President Lawrence Lucas at 202-744-4384.

Sincerely,

/s/Lesa L. Donnelly

Vice-President, USDA Coalition of Minority Employees

lesa@snowcrest.net

cc:         Senate Ag Committee

                House Ag Committee

Senator Charles Grassley

                Congresswoman Maxine Waters

                Secretary Tom Vilsack

                Lawrence Lucas, President, USDA Coalition of Minority Employees

Re: FINAL-- Looks Good

On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 11:18 AM, <LawrLCL@aol.com> wrote:

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                     TUESDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2011

CONTACT PERSONS:

LAWRENCE LUCAS, 856/ 910-2399

LESA DONNELLY, 530/ 365-3456

MICHAEL STOVALL, 256/ 690-1752

"FILIBUSTER FOR JUSTICE"

USDA COALITION OF MINORITY EMPLOYEES & MINORITY FARMERS

On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, a group of peaceful law abiding American citizens, consisting of present and former U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees, minority farmers and advocates, will gather to "Filibuster for Justice". The event will take place in front of USDA: "The Last Plantation", between 12th & 14th Streets SW, Jefferson Drive (on the mall side), and Washington DC. The kick-off will begin at 12:00 noon.

The daily demonstration is being conducted because the now Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, who was appointed by President Obama, has for more than two years refused to meet with the group to discuss their more than twenty-five "civil rights issues and concerns." The USDA Coalition of Minority Employees (The Coalition) and minority farmers are requesting Secretary Vilsack to immediately meet and properly address the decade long racism, sexism, sexual assaults, bullying, racial epithet (hangman's nooses, use of the "N" word, the justifying of a monkey doll award to Black employees), reprisals, intimidation, hostile work environment, and other widespread abuses against USDA employees and minority farmers.

The group will ask President Obama to promptly intervene and bring this long history of widespread discrimination to an end and not continue to "put a bandage on a cancer". We want USDA top officials held "accountable", and the USDA Office of Civil Rights....administration and process, put in "receivership."

The filibuster will also petition Congressional Oversight Committees and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, to exercise their fiduciary and other responsibilities to end abuses at USDA. President after president, congress after congress, republicans and democrats, have far too long silently observed USDA's behavior from a distance, at the pain and suffering of USDA employees and minority farmers. Despite requests made by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa and The USDA Coalition of Minority Employees, the Senate Agriculture Committee has failed to hold full committee hearings.

"We will "Filibuster for Justice" daily and non-stop, in front of USDA, until this administration brings this plantation culture at USDA to an end," said Lawrence Lucas, President, of the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees.

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it".

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This is not a political event....nor designed to target any political party or candidate

END