This spring we awarded 70 grants totaling just under $190,000. As activism grows, as police attack demonstrators, and as courts treat protestors as terrorists, more children may endure their parents’ imprisonment and turn to us for help. But with your support the RFC remains committed to seeing these families through their times of crisis.
NEW GRANTS:
1. The Ozzy Klate Memorial Fund.* $1431 for voice and music lessons for the 14-year-old activist who’s recently drawn the ire of authorities for her vocal participation in her local Occupy group. IA
(*See www.rfc.org/namedfunds to learn more.)
2. Teacher Fired for Advocating for her Students. $4000 for childcare and educational support for the two children, ages four and 16, whose mother, a public school teacher, lost her job because of her efforts on behalf of her students, many of whom have special needs. She has been blacklisted and is unable to find another teaching job. GA
3. Student Fights to Prevent Suicides. A $1000 Development Grant* for the 19-year-old targeted activist youth who started a group at her high school to “create a dialogue about mental health issues, fundraise for suicide prevention, and connect suffering students to resources of support.” The principal repeatedly sabotaged her activities. CA
(*Development Grants of up to $1000 are given to targeted activist youth to further their education, support their emotional needs or develop their organizing skills.)
4. Young Mother Works to End Gang Violence. A $1000 Development Grant for a computer for the 23-year-old targeted activist youth who has organized gang truce efforts, a cop watch program, and an after-school youth program, and supports her local Occupy group. She has faced threats from white supremacists; repeated police stops, harassment and arrests; and raids of her home. CA
RENEWALS:
5. George and Edith Ziefert Fund. $2682 for educational and recreational programs for the three children, ages five to 12, whose mother, the daughter of a targeted activist, has worked for children’s, women’s and poor people’s rights and against racism. She has been arrested, beaten and jailed for her advocacy. OR
6-12. Parents Fight for Better Environment, Racial Equality. $26,996 for programs for 17 children, ages three to 15, from seven families. Three mothers and a father were beaten and arrested while marching against environmental racism; others were attacked and/or imprisoned for their community organizing work. CA, NY, GA
13-14. Anti-War Muslim Activists Targeted. $10,250 for school tuition and Attica Fund Prison Visit grants* for the eight children, ages six to 18, of two men convicted of terrorist-related money laundering after an FBI sting targeted them for their public anti-war activities. NY
(*Attica Fund Prison Visit grants enable the children and grandchildren of political prisoners to visit their jailed loved ones.)
15-18. Children and Parents Working Together for Peace. $10,152 for cultural and educational programs and a Carry it Forward (CIF) award* for eight children, ages seven to 23, who are members of several pacifist communities. Parents and teenagers from four families have engaged in peaceful anti-war protests and many of the adults have been imprisoned for civil disobedience. ME, NY, VA
(*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.)
19. Son of Political Prisoner Targeted for His Activism. $7500 for educational support for the five children, ages six to 16, whose father, himself the son of a political prisoner, was fired for giving a lecture supporting political prisoners. GA
20. Family Threatened by KKK. $7499 for school tuition, summer camp and orthodontia for five children, ages seven to 16, of an activist who received death threats from the Klan for her efforts to desegregate a public housing complex. OR
21. Activist Mother Forced to Find Another Job. $6000 for educational support for the four children, ages six to 16, whose mother’s support for an arrested Muslim caused her boss to pressure her to find a another job. GA
22. Mother Fights to End Torture. $6000 for piano lessons, summer camp and computers for the three children, ages seven to 16, whose mother provided advocacy and assistance to women whose rights had been violated in their home country. She was detained and arrested before seeking refuge in the U.S. IL
23. Family Driven Out of State. $5860 for tutoring and sports programs for three sons, ages eight to 16, whose mother, an advocate for low-income families, was harassed to such an extent that the family moved to escape the situation. TX
24. Iraq War Resister. $4587 for a computer, orthodontia and educational support for four children, ages eight to 18, whose father was imprisoned for refusing to return to Iraq. CO
25. Journalist Persecuted. $4500 for educational programs for the three children, ages four to 10, whose father was questioned by the FBI and subpoenaed after reporting on police brutality at protests on his college campus. TX
26. Family’s Home Raided. $4000 for summer camp for the 13 and 15-year-old daughters whose father was hounded by the police for his role in organizing demonstrations against corporations. MN
27. Son of COINTELPRO Target Harassed. $4000 for the twin 13-year-old daughters of a community activist targeted for his organizing efforts on behalf of students, the homeless, and low-income communities. GA
28. Mother Threatened with Loss of Son. $4000 for childcare and after-school programs for the four-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son whose mother, a LGBTQ activist, was threatened by the state with the removal of her son because of her advocacy. OR
29. Summer Camp for Children of Pacifist. $3750 for camp and enrichment programs for the four children, ages one to 18, whose father faced fines and jail time for his anti-missile shield action. OK
30. Vieques Activist. $3699 for educational support and a CIF award for the 15-year-old son and 17 and 21-year-old daughters of a formerly incarcerated Vieques activist. PR
31. Iraq War Resister. $3500 for skills training and recreational programs for the 17-year-old twin daughters of a formerly incarcerated conscientious objector. CA
32. Father Charged for Protesting with his Children. $3420 for summer camp and a camera for the five children, ages nine to 18, 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
33. Mayor Targets Mother. $3200 for music and dance lessons for the 10-year-old son and 12-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
34. Family Forced to Flee. $3000 for educational support for the 15-year-old daughter whose father, a Guatemalan human rights activist, was forced to flee their home country after receiving death threats. IL
35. Camp for Son. $3000 for a performing arts summer camp for the 15-year-old son of an anti-war activist who was a member of a pacifist group that was accused of being a terrorist-sympathizing organization. CT
36. Children Assaulted. $3000 for school tuition for the 10-year-old daughter and the five and 17-year-old sons whose mother, an anti-female genital mutilation activist, was forced to flee Guinea with her children after two of her older daughters were attacked in retaliation for her work. NY
37. Iraqi Refugee Children. $3000 for music lessons and summer school for the 14-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son whose mother worked to assist civilians in Baghdad shortly after the 2003 U.S. invasion. She was kidnapped, interrogated, beaten and forced to flee. IL
38. Sisters Persevere Despite Attacks. $3000 for cultural programs and educational support for a 24-year-old targeted activist youth and her 17-year-old sister. The older sister, who is the guardian of the younger, endured threats and hate mail for publicly asserting her rights while proclaiming her undocumented status. CA
39. Father Disabled by Police Attack. $2350 for a technical training program for the 18-year-old son of medical marijuana activists. The parents have been imprisoned, and suffered physical assaults causing permanent disability. OR
40-41. Parents Fight to Stop Grand Jury Witch Hunts. $2252 for summer camp and language, dance and self-defense lessons for the six and eight-year-old daughters from two families. The parents are members of peace and international solidarity groups who’ve refused to testify before Grand Juries investigating whether these activists should be charged with providing material support for terrorism. IL, MN
42. Jailers Threaten to Burn Children. $2100 for summer programs and a CIF award for the 12-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter of a refugee women’s rights activist who was tortured and whose children were threatened by Iranian authorities. OK
43. Music Lessons for Sons. $2068 for music lessons for the 12 and 15-year-old sons of a formerly incarcerated prisoners’ rights activist. VT
44. Repeatedly Imprisoned Vieques Activist. $2000 for school tuition for the 17-year-old son of a leader of the struggle to free Vieques. PR
45. Mother and Daughter Flee. $2000 for tutoring and an educational enrichment program for the 16-year-old daughter of an activist father “disappeared” during the Guatemalan civil war for his anti-military organizing. IL
46. Grandmother Stood Up to the Klan. $2000 for fitness and nutrition classes for the 18-year-old girl whose grandmother, her legal guardian, faced harassment and death threats for her efforts to desegregate a federal housing project. OR
47. Father Refuses to be Silenced. $2000 for music and sports programs and a computer for the 11-year-old daughter whose father survived a year in a concentration camp in Bosnia. After his release, he agreed to testify against his captors despite receiving death threats. IL
48. Five Years for Demonstrating. $2000 for school tuition and language classes for the 13-year-old daughter whose father was imprisoned for protesting the Navy’s use of Vieques as a bombing range. PR
49. Son Faces Separation from Father. $2000 for after-school activities and recreational programs for the eight-year-old son whose father, a trade unionist, was the co-founder of an immigrants’ rights collective. He is an outspoken critic of the Afghanistan and Iraq occupations, and was arrested on politically motivated charges. FL
50. Anti-Racism Activism Costs Family. $2000 for educational support for the five and seven-year-old daughters whose mother was targeted for advocating for graduate students’ rights and dismissed from her graduate program. As a result, she lost her job teaching at the university. GA
51-52. Children of Imprisoned Native American Environmental Activist. $1997 for a violin and lessons, and summer camp for the nine-year-old daughter and 10-year old son whose father was jailed for destroying traps set for mountain lions. MI
53. Father Fired for Reporting the Truth. $1700 for sports programs and a CIF Award for the 12-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter whose father, an independent journalist, was blacklisted for expressing progressive views of controversial topics. MN
54. Mother Beaten, Arrested. $1500 for tutoring and educational support for the 16-year-old son whose mother, an animal rights activist, suffered numerous assaults, arrests, and a miscarriage at the hands of the police. PA
55. Activist’s Life Threatened. $1500 for music lessons for the 17-year-old daughter whose labor activist father fled Ecuador after being targeted by death squads. IL
56. Former Puerto Rican Political Prisoner. $1500 for school tuition for the 16-year-old daughter whose father was jailed for fighting for Puerto Rican independence. PR
57. Father Fought for Indigenous Rights. $1500 for a computer and recreational programs for the 14-year-old son of a deceased Native American prisoners’ rights activist. NM
58. Daughter of Political Prisoner Targeted and Fired. $1500 for school tuition for the 18-year-old daughter whose mother lost her job for organizing on behalf of political prisoners. GA
59. Second Generation Activist Father. $1500 for cultural programs for the 10-year-old daughter whose father, himself the son of a political prisoner, has been hounded by police for years, both because of his father and for his own efforts on behalf of political prisoners and other human rights issues. PA
60. Parents Threatened with Deadly Force. $1255 for school tuition for the 11-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter whose parents, members of a pacifist community, have participated in protests at an Air Force base near their home despite a declaration from officials allowing the use of “deadly force” against protestors. CA
61. Mother Disabled by Beating. $1000 for summer camp for the 13-year-old daughter whose mother was assaulted during a Republican National Convention. WA
62. Former Boy Soldier Fights for Justice. A $1000 Development Grant for the 24-year-old targeted activist youth from West Africa who was nine when he was abducted from school by a rebel army. Despite being permanently disabled, he escaped, founded an international organization to assist other young war victims, and fled to the U.S. after receiving death threats. DC
63. Police Raid Traumatizes Son. $1000 for therapy for the 11-year-old son who has nightmares about a police raid on his home in which officers pointed guns at him and took his parents to prison which forced him into foster care. His father works to bring about peace between young African Americans and Chicanos in a manner that challenges the authority of the Los Angeles police department. CA
64. Youth Resists Militarization of His School. $1000 for a Development Grant for the targeted activist youth who protested the presence of JROTC shooting ranges on his high school campus. In retaliation, his principal banned him from his own commencement ceremony. CA
65. Two Generations of Activists. $815 for summer camp and swimming lessons for the 12-year-old daughter whose mother and grandmother were arrested, detained and tortured for protesting students’ human rights violations in their home country, and ultimately fled to the U.S. IL
CIF AWARDS
66-69. CIF Awards. $2400 for four beneficiaries, ages 20 to 23, from four families. CT, IL, MA, NJ
ATTICA PRISON VISIT PROGRAM GRANTS
70. Grandfather Imprisoned for Decades. $2000 for an Attica grant for the 22-year-old grandson of an African American political prisoner. PA