This fall we awarded 73 grants totaling $178,314, bringing the 2009 figure to $354,220. Six are new awards and 67 are renewals. In the midst of the Great Recession, many beneficiaries sent notes explaining that they were requesting less support because they knew funds were limited and wanted to make sure everyone received something. This selflessness, coupled with our supporters’ generosity, allowed us to fund all requests at least partially while adding several new families to our project.
New Grants
1. Clinton E. Jencks Memorial Fund. $1600 for a computer and a Carry it Forward (CIF) award* for the targeted activist youth who protested the presence of JROTC shooting ranges on his high school campus; that military recruiters outnumbered college counselors; and the removal of college prep courses from the curriculum. In retaliation, his principal banned him from his own commencement ceremony, even though he was graduating with honors! CA (See www.rfc.org/namedfunds to learn more about named funds.)
(*CIF awards of $600 are given to 18 to 24-year-olds to help pay for the cost associated with college or similar programs designed to prepare them for adult life.
2. Second Generation Activist Father. $3000 for cultural programs and an Attica award* for the eight-year-old daughter whose father, himself the son of an African American political prisoner, has been harassed by police for years, both because of his father and for his own efforts on behalf of political prisoners. PA
(*Attica Fund Prison Visit awards enable the children and grandchildren of political prisoners to visit their jailed loved ones.)
3. Parents Face Threat of Deadly Force. $1035 for music lessons for the eight-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter whose parents, members of a pacifist community, have participated in numerous protests at an Air Force base near their home. Arrests at the base have led to time in prison and a lifetime ban from the base. They continue their protests, despite a declaration from officials allowing the use of “deadly force” against protestors if they “infiltrate the military complex in a time of war.” CA
4. Two Generations Targeted. $1000 for educational support for the 15-year-old daughter whose mother lost her job as a result of her efforts on behalf of political prisoners, including this recipient’s grandfather, a Black Panther who has been incarcerated for decades. GA
5. Former Boy Soldier Fights for Justice. A $600 CIF Award for the 23-year-old targeted activist youth who was just nine years old when he was abducted from school in his West African country by a rebel army. First he witnessed the rape of his sister; then after his parents were murdered, he was given a gun and forced to fight. Despite being permanently disabled, he escaped and was picked up by UN forces. He went on to found an international organization to assist other young war victims. Because of this activism, he received death threats and fled to the U.S. MA
6. Grant for Son’s Education. A $600 CIF award for the 21-year-old son whose mother is the director of a progressive school (attended by several RFC beneficiaries) which focuses on the needs of children of activists and political prisoners. The mother, a long-time activist, was convicted of obstructing justice and resisting arrest for protesting the police’s illegal search of a young participant in one of her youth programs after male officers “patted down” the 14-year-old girl. GA
Renewals
7. Herman Warsh Memorial Fund. $3000 for a group program for 20 youth, aged three to 18, whose families are living in exile in the U.S. after surviving torture for their activism in their home countries. The parents were either health workers documenting the incidence of AIDS despite governmental denial of the disease; community organizers creating sustainable economic cooperatives; political leaders fighting corruption; or educators who addressed human rights issues in their classes. PA (See www.rfc.org/namedfunds.)
8-13. Parents Fight for Better Environment, Racial Equality. $20,300 for educational and cultural programs for 13 children, aged one to 12, from six families. Several parents were beaten and arrested while marching against environmental racism, others were attacked and/or imprisoned for their community organizing work. CA, CT, NY, GA
14-20. Intergenerational Peace Activist Communities. $16,854 for a variety of cultural, educational and recreational programs, including one CIF award, for 13 children, aged four to 21, who are members of several radical pacifist communities. Parents and teenaged children have engaged in peaceful anti-war protests and many of the parents have been imprisoned for civil disobedience. ME, NJ, NY, VA
21-22. Muslim Anti-War Activists Targeted. $15,295 for school tuition and an Attica award for the eight children, aged four to 16, of two Muslim men convicted of money laundering after an FBI sting targeted them for their public anti-war activities and support for a local Mosque. NY
23. Daughters Assaulted. $7500 for school tuition for the seven, 12 and 17-year-old daughters and 15-year-old son whose mother, an anti-female genital mutilation activist, was forced to flee Guinea with her children after two of her daughters were attacked in retaliation for her work. NY
24. Father and Grandfather Targeted. $7500 for school tuition for the three and five-year-old sons and three daughters, aged 10 to 14, whose father was fired for giving a lecture supporting political prisoners, a group that includes the children’s grandfather. GA
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25. Targeted Bosnian Refugees Reunite with Family. $7100 for karate lessons, two Special Travel awards* and a CIF award for the 17, 23, and 24-year-old daughters of a refugee human rights activist. These grants allowed the two older sisters to visit family in Europe for the first time since they were forced to flee their country. IL (See photo to the left.)
(*Special Travel awards are one-time grants that serve an important developmental or educational purpose for young people entering adulthood.)
26. Family Threatened by KKK. $6150 for school tuition, orthodontia, and ballet lessons for six children, aged five to 15, whose mother received death threats from the Klan for her efforts to desegregate a public housing complex. OR
27. Activist Mother Forced out of Work. $4980 for school tuition for the four-year-old son and six, eight and 14-year-old daughters whose mother’s support for an arrested Muslim caused her boss to pressure her to find a job where she’d “feel more at home.” GA
28. Children of Peace Activist. $4400 for gymnastics lessons and cultural programs for the 11 and 17-year-old daughters and 13 and 16-year-old sons whose father faced fines and jail time for his anti-missile shield action. OK
29. Mother Continues Legacy of Activism. $4300 for educational programs for the three children, aged three to nine, whose mother, herself the daughter of a tar-geted activist, has worked for children’s, women’s and poor people’s rights and against racism. She has been arrested, beaten, harassed and jailed for her organizing. OR
30. Independence for Puerto Rico. $3500 for orthodontia and educational support for the 13-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter and a CIF award for the 18-year-old daughter of a formerly incarcerated Vieques activist. PR
31. Father Targeted for Protesting with his Children. $3478 for six children, aged four to 15, whose father was arrested at a peaceful demonstration with his kids. He faced additional charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for bringing his children with him to the event. NC
32. Activist’s Life Threatened. $3200 for music lessons for the 14 and 18-year-old daughters whose labor organizer father fled Ecuador after being targeted by death squads. IL
33. Prison Time for Cutting a Fence. $3198 for enrichment programs for the 12-year-old son and 13-year-old-daughter of a Vieques activist who was incarcerated for 21 months. PR
34. Iraq War Resister. $3000 for sports and recreational programs for the 14-year-old twin daughters of a formerly incarcerated conscientious objector. CA
35. Mother Imperiled. $3000 for childcare and after-school programs for the one-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son whose mother, a gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender (GLBT) community activist, was threatened by the state with the removal of her son because of her activism. OR
36. Sons Flee with Mother. $2610 for school tuition, childcare, music and gymnastics lessons for three sons, aged six to 13, whose mother was threatened with prison for trying to address the needs of low-income families. TX
37. Mayor Targets Mother. $2600 for music, art and sports lessons for the seven-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter whose mother, an anti-environmental racism activist, was harassed for requesting to know a city council member’s position on locating a soil processing plant in her low-income, predominantly minority community. PA
38. Father Fired. $2600 for sports and music lessons for the 10-year-old son and a computer and CIF award for the college-bound, 17-year-old daughter whose father, an independent journalist, was fired and blacklisted for expressing progressive views and covering controversial topics. MN
39. Grandfather Imprisoned for Decades. $2400 for a CIF and Attica award for the 19-year-old grandson of an African American political prisoner. PA
40. Young Children’s Home Raided. $2200 for counseling for the 11 and 13-year-old daughters whose father was harassed by the police for his role in organizing demonstrations against corporations that produce genetically modified foods. MN
41. Children, Mother Fled War Horrors. $2200 for cultural programs for the 15-year-old daughter and two CIF awards for the 18-year-old son and 21-year-old daughter whose mother fled after receiving death threats for organizing against mass rape in Congolese warfare. IL
42. Another Iraq War Resister. $2034 for educational support for four children, aged six to 15, whose father served time in prison for refusing to return to Iraq. CO
43. Son Explores Family History. $2000 for a Special Travel award for the 24-year-old son of a targeted poor people’s rights activist. OR
44. Mother Beaten, Pepper-Sprayed and Harassed. $2000 for school tuition for the eight-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter whose mother, an African American community organizer, was targeted by the local police. GA
45. Son of COINTELPRO Target Harassed. $2000 for the twin 11-year-old daughters of a community activist, himself the son of a political prisoner, targeted for his organizing efforts on behalf of students, the homeless, and low-income communities. GA
46. Five Years for Demonstrating. $2000 for school tuition and after-school programs for the 10-year-old daughter whose father was imprisoned for protesting the Navy’s use of Vieques as a bombing range. PR
47. Daughter of Political Prisoner. $2000 for studio recording time for the 18-year-old daughter of a Black Panther who spent more than 20 years in prison. CA
48. Mother Beaten, Arrested. $1500 for tutoring for the 13-year-old son whose mother, an animal rights activist, suffered numerous beatings, arrests, and a miscarriage at the hands of the police. PA
49. Puerto Rican Nationalist. $1500 for school tuition for the 14-year-old daughter whose father is a former Puerto Rican political prisoner. PR
50. Son of Exiled COINTELPRO Target. $1500 for tutoring for the 16-year-old son whose father, a COINTELPRO target, was forced to flee the country. AL
51. Puerto Rican Environmental Hero Attacked. $1325 for educational support and music lessons for the 15-year-old son of an environmental activist repeatedly incarcerated and fined for his non-violent actions. PR
52. Recreational Activities for Sons. $1220 for swimming and music lessons for the 10 and 12-year-old sons of a formerly incarcerated prisoners’ rights activist. VT
53. Father Fought for Indigenous Rights. $1175 for sports and theatre programs for the 12-year-old son of a deceased Native American prisoners’ rights activist. NM
54. Daughter of Imprisoned Native American Environmental Activist. $1040 for music lessons and an instrument rental for the seven-year-old daughter whose father served an eight-month sentence for destroying traps set for mountain lions. AZ
55. Computer for Son. $1000 for a computer for the 15-year-old son whose activist parents have been arrested numerous times for engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience in opposition to war, nuclear weapons, and torture. CT
56. Mother Disabled by Beating. $1000 for school tuition for the 11-year-old daughter whose mother was attacked by police during a Republican National Convention. WA
57. Father Jailed for Refusing to Fight. $1000 for piano lessons for the nine-year-old daughter of an Army Sergeant who served a year in prison after refusing re-deployment to Iraq. He is the co-founder of the first anti-war organization of Iraq war veterans. FL
58. Repeatedly Imprisoned Vieques Activist. $1000 for school tuition for the 14-year-old son of a leader of the struggle to free Vieques. PR
59. Jailers Threaten to Burn Children. $1000 for sports and recreational programs for the nine-year-old son and 17-year-old daughter of a refugee women’s rights activist who was brutally tortured and whose children were threatened by her Iranian jailers. OK
60. Father Disappeared, Mother and Daughter Flee. $1000 for an educational enrichment program for the 14-year-old daughter of an activist father “disappeared” during the Guatemalan civil war for his anti-military, pro-student efforts. IL
61. Anti-Globalization Political Prisoner. $620 for music lessons for the 13-year-old daughter of an anarchist political prisoner released after serving over seven years. OR
62. Child Forced into Shelter. $600 for orthodontia and vocational assistance for the 16-year-old son whose mother is a GLBT activist forced into a shelter after participating in a gay pride parade. OR
CIF Awards
63-71. CIF Awards. $6600 for 11 beneficiaries, aged 18 to 22-years-old, from nine families. CA, CT, IL, MA, MO, NY, PR
Attica Awards
72-73. Attica Awards. $4000 for three beneficiaries, aged four to 24, from two families, to visit incarcerated loved ones. CA