Author: blacksierra

From a personal Encounter with Unfair Treatment, Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin Dedicated the Lacey and Larkin Frontera Fund to Fighting for Individual’s Rights

Posted on by blacksierra

Civil and human rights dictate that every human being regardless of race, gender, religion, ethnicity or any other standing be given fair treatment without discrimination.

These rights protect individuals’ freedom from violation by fellow citizens, governments, and organizations. War and conflict are among the many reasons that make people migrate to the United States.

The very fact that they are human is enough to accord them the civil and human rights without using their immigrant status against them. Denying any person his or her rights jeopardizes the rights of all humans.

Individuals and groups have come up in large numbers to fight for these rights especially for the vulnerable groups of people. Below are a few of the organizations.

The Arizona Justice Project

The Arizona Justice Project is an organization dedicated to fighting for justice for the unfairly held inmates. It was founded in 1998 by members of the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice.

The mission was to heed the cries of the individuals whose pleas for innocence fell on deaf ears. The organization believes that unfair detainment infringes the freedom of these inmates which is against the constitution.

Through a review team comprised of volunteer attorneys and Arizona State University College of Law’s students, the organization has helped a large number of people who request its help. The organization has education programs in place for educating the public on injustices and misconceptions associated with it. Read more: Michael Lacey | Twitter

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

People living with disabilities are vulnerable to their human rights being violated by people and organizations. One organization based in Berkeley, California is in the forefront to ensure that these individuals are treated with fairness.

The organization named the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund also helps parents with children living with disabilities. It was founded in 1979 and has never relented in fighting for civil and human rights of these people. Learn more about Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin: http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/potmsearch/detail/submission/6427818/Michael_Lacey

The group also has a presence in Washington DC and is run by individuals living with disabilities. Through education, advocacy, participating in legislative matters and policy making, the organization has helped countless people access equal treatments regardless of their disabilities.

Phoenix Immigrant Justice Project

Over 300000 people living in Arizona are not documented and face the likelihood of deportation. They often lack free or affordable legal presentation because Maricopa County has no organization that offers such.

This hopeless situation caught the attention of pro bono attorneys who stepped in to assist. They created the Phoenix Immigrant Justice Project that gave a platform for such individuals to access help. The attorneys offer consultation services and also educate the people on their rights.

The Lacey and Larkin Frontera Fund

Ten years ago, two executives of Village Media, Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin were unlawfully arrested and detained by Joe Arpaio, the Maricopa County Sheriff. They filed a successful appeal after their release. The settlement amount came at 3.75 million dollars that led the duo to launch the Lacey and Larkin Frontera Fund.

The fund is dedicated to advocacy groups that fight for the enforcement of civil, human and migrant rights. It also tackles the issue of freedom of speech in Arizona and along the Mexican border.

Read more: Phoenix New Times | Wikipedia

How Securus Technologies Changes Prison Policy

Posted on by blacksierra

It seems like yesterday that my prison was ranked worst in state for violence. Me and my fellow officers were unable to even get near inmates because it would explode into a violent episode. Thanks to Securus Technologies, the crime and violence has dropped, and we are able to once again maintain a degree of order throughout.

 

Securus Technologies is responsible for developing a call monitoring system that is used in the jail to listen to when inmates are using the house phones. In the past, me and my fellow officers would need t be manning the phones manually, and this took us away from other areas of the prison that needed our attention. Even listening manually we still were unable to gather all the evidence we needed because of the sheer number of calls versus officers.

 

Securus Technologies is based out of Dallas, and they are already up and running with this system in over two thousand prisons. The company boosts that all thousand employees are working to make this world safer for us all, and we can definitely attest to that.

 

My team was quickly brought up to speed with the LBS software, which now scans all the calls on the jail phone for chatter relating to crimes, violence, drugs, contraband, and gangs. If the system does pick up on anything, me and my officers will get the alert and then be in the position to take action immediately instead of letting the incidents unfold.

 

To give you a better example of how we get ahead of issues now, the LBS software alerted us last week when an inmate bragged about doing drugs in his cell. We even got an alert as a new gang member complained he was being forced to sell drugs and pay his leaders for his hard work.

 

THE MANAGING PARTNER OF 5AM VENTURES, SCOTT ROCKLAGE

Posted on by blacksierra

Scott Rocklage began working for 5AM Ventures in the year 2003 as a partner. He later on became the company’s managing partner in the year 2004. Scott Rocklage has worked with various organizations such as: Cubist Pharmaceuticals where he was the chief executive officer, Nycomed Salutar where he was the chief executive.

Scott Rocklage was also the Chairman at Relypsa and Novira. Through his years of working he is now working in Rennoiva, Kinestral and Cidara as the chairman of the board.

Scott Rocklage went to the University of California, where he obtained a BSc. Chemistry, he also went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and acquired a PhD in Chemistry, while studying in Massachusetts, he won a Nobel Prize, and he frequented the laboratory of Richard R.Schrock where he did his research. Scott has had experience for over 20 years in healthcare and he also has good leadership skills.

Scott Rocklage is also the chairman of Kinesrtal, Rennovia and Cidara Therapeutics. He also heads the board of Pulmatrix and Epirus. Due to Scott’s skills and experience, he has been managed to get the approval of new medicines in United States by FDA.

Scott Rocklage has managed to get many publications that are under his name. 5 AM Ventures as a firm is involved in development of life sciences. 5 AM Ventures is given this name because it deals with the formation of companies at an early stage.

After Scott Rocklage got the position of managing partner, he got various responsibilities such as: to attend board meetings, to participate in the development of new life science concepts and to go hand in hand with the company’s portfolio and team management.

Scott Rocklage also works with other various people such as scientists, physicians and business executives where he works with them by assisting them to advance their ideas.

The skills and experience of Scott have helped 5AM Ventures to be the best successful company in terms of a Venture Capital company for other companies that want to be involved in life science. His contribution in the field of health care innovation has been tremendous.

Learn more about Nathaniel Ru:

Scott M. Rocklage, PhD

Orange Coast College Unveils New Recycling Center

Posted on by blacksierra

Orange Coast College just introduced its new recycling center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The facility costs $7.5 million, and the college built the facility on the campus’s northern edge. It sits on five acres which makes it much larger than the facility it replaces. The new recycling center will also house a conference room, offices, showers for both men and women, a cleaning area, sparking spaces, and classrooms. Learn more: http://www.orangecoastcollege.edu/Pages/home.aspx

 

Construction on the new facility lasted 16 months. The college has offered recycling services for 45 years and accepts aluminum, paper, cans, bottles, and electronic waste such as old televisions and computer monitors. However, the recycling center does not accept chemicals or items that may cause hazardous waste like motor oil, or batteries.

This new center carries forward OCC’s commitment to the community, and has provided thousands of jobs for students for four decades. The center is also environmentally friendly and uses special indoor lighting and materials.

 

Measure M and a bond approved by voters provided partial funding for the center. OCC sits on 164 acres and is now one of the nation’s largest community colleges. More than 25,000 students attend each semester. Students have access to some of the latest technology and equipment for their field of study. The college offers both career and technical education programs. OCC also has a strong reputation for graduating students who go on to attend California State University schools and private universities across the nation. Students who graduate from OCC are well prepared to pursue higher education.

Learn more: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/orange-coast-college#/entity

Larkin & Lacey Frontera Fund Promoting Justice

Posted on by blacksierra

‘Injustice anyplace is a danger to equity all over.’ So said social equality dissident Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ written in 1963.

Today, there are gatherings and associations everywhere throughout the United States and worldwide that concur with this announcement and are working night and day to advocate for, secure and safeguard individuals’ human, common and vagrant rights from an extensive variety of difficulties.

They will likely enable individuals, advance a common society and help to strengthen the manage of just laws. They likewise explore and uncover incalculable human right infringement.

Absolution International is one association that behaviors research and makes a move went for counteracting people, organizations and governments from neglecting individuals’ human, common and transient rights.

At the point when individuals are compelled to live in lamentable conditions, endure damage or lose their lives because of foul play, Amnesty International makes a move to sparkle a light on the misuse, advocate for an answer and battle for equity for those individuals being wronged all around the world.

Another association profoundly engaged with the battle for human, common and vagrant rights is Global Rights. The association is all inclusive perceived for their work in aiding minimized groups by advancing and securing their rights. They do this through limit building work with neighborhood activists in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Learn more about Jim Larkin and Michael Lacey: http://www.laceyandlarkinfronterafund.org/5-smart-ways-people-and-places-are-resisting-trumps-immigration-policies/

Worldwide Rights gives preparing and specialized help that enables activists to record and uncover the infringement of individuals’ human rights. The association additionally battles to get legitimate and approach changes ordered to advance and secure human rights for all.

Human Right Watch is an association that works all through Africa, the America’s, Asia and the Middle East in help of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The association concentrates its assets on restricting any demonstration that conflicts with the widespread affirmations. It is resolute and predictable in its restriction to separation of any sort and the privilege to free articulation.

In Arizona, Justice That Works, Center for Neighborhood Leadership and the Lacey and Larkin Frontera Fund are on the forefront of the fight to guarantee individuals’ human, common and transient rights are secured.

Larkin and Lacey are supporting individuals who are as a rule racially profiled, unreasonably detained, enduring mistreatment and are having their human rights manhandled. Michael and Larkin claim the Phoenix New Times.

They were treacherously captured by Sheriff Joe Arpaio and won a $3.75 million honor. They made the Lacey and Larkin Frontera Fund and utilize the settlement cash to help various associations battling for human, common and vagrant rights.

US lawyer Heather Hamel and numerous other individuals all around have made non-benefit, grassroots associations to battle for human rights and against persecution, segregation, ruthlessness and mass detainment of select populaces. Read more: Jim Larkin | LinkedIn and Jim Larkin | Crunchbase

They have made arrangements like the Redefining Safety Initiative which looks for helpful equity and activities to enhance individuals’ lives and keep odious powers from isolating their families.

It’s all piece of an overall development towards moving assets far from abuse and detainment to training, medicinal services and group advancement.

How Dick and Betsy DeVos is Making a Difference in Children’s Education

Posted on by blacksierra

Betsy DeVos sees the work that she and her husband do as a holistic effort to make education in the United States better for all, not just for those who can afford to pay for it. There are many layers to the work that they do. First, they know that by working within government and across the party lines they can exact change at a national level. However, they also know that some of the most direct and fastest acting change can be accomplished at a local level by working directly through local school systems and even in individual schools.

 

For example, both Betsy and Dick DeVos are extremely involved in one school that is near and dear to their hearts: Potters House Christian School. This school is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the majority of the students there are from low income families in the area. Many of these families are gravely concerned with just keeping their children safe and out of trouble. Most of these families are located within a certain school district and those families don’t have the option to send their children outside of that district.

 

The DeVos’s saw the true need at Potter’s House Christian School and wanted to take it upon themselves to do everything they could to meet those needs. The couple started by sponsoring one child a year’s tuition to attend the school, giving those children a chance at a better education. However, the two saw the benefit those children received and knew they wanted to do more. Since then, they have continued to sponsor multiple children’s tuition and then began to sponsor programs at the school and fund specific needs such as refurbishments and necessary items. Since then, they have grown to become some of the school’s largest donors. The joy that this brings the school and the individual children is incredibly moving to Betsy and Dick DeVos and they have vowed to continue to support the school in any way they can.

 

The DeVos’s are extremely passionate about giving families multiple options outside of their “district.” They do not believe in the district system, as it often hinders families from the best educational opportunities for their children.

 

Their goal is to bring the ability for families to have these options on a national scale, including the ability to select charter schools that may not lie within a certain district that the parents happen to live in.

 

To learn more about Betsy DeVos on Facebook.

Senator Warren and End Citizens United Team up in Ambitious Goal

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Progressives and moderates around the United States have been united in their focus on a constitutional amendment that has fundamentally broken the way that Washington D.C. works: the Citizens United decision. Citizens United, conservative group, fought for the loosening of regulation and restriction when it came to donations during campaigns. Their goal was ostensibly to open up the ‘freedom’ to donate as much support as possible. The more practical and intended reality was this: Citizens United wanted to open up campaign financing in order to allow big spending corporate donors to fund the Republican party. This should make anyone mad because it is a subversion of our very democracy. The political action committee (PAC) End Citizens United has been uniquely focused on overturning this dangerous legislation.

 

Tiffany Muller, the President and lead adviser at End Citizens United, has been one of the most successful individuals in terms of actually attacking the problem of Citizens United. There have been countless PACs and groups that have sought to get rid of this constitutional amendment but the vast majority of them have failed due to one reason or another. We credit the election of Donald Trump with the rise in End Citizens United’s successful funding levels. People are justifiably angry that Donald Trump is sitting in the most prestigious office on the planet. This has led to an influx in donations to the End Citizens United PAC. In fact, nearly 100,000 people donated to End Citizens United during the opening quarter of 2017. Of that number, nearly 40% of these donors were giving money for the first time. This is the greatest measure to showcase just how politically active and expedient people are becoming.

 

End Citizens United knows what few other attempts had known: that real change must happen via supporting progressive politicians. In order to take a real swing at Citizens United there will need to be legislators sitting at the highest offices on Capitol Hill. That is why Tiffany Muller and the End Citizens United team have begun to endorse candidates like Senator Elizabeth Warren. Senator Warren is a vocal anti-Citizens united politician who has spent the majority of her career trying to help regular Americans shrug off the shackles of corporate donors and special interests. Warren says, “As long as the Citizens United ruling remains in effect, our democracy is in real danger.”

 

Warren has always been vocal in her displeasure toward current campaign financing standards. Senator Warren wants to put an end to billionaires and millionaires swaying elections, subverting the will of the people. Warren wants to put forth a constitutional amendment in order to get rid of Citizens United — something End Citizens United is fully behind with support.

Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi Leads Bradesco To Scour Path To Financial Market Leadership

Posted on by blacksierra

The process of succession in Bradesco, one of the leading financial institutions in Brazil, is usually approached with due mettle and cautiousness. Typically, most of the names that had the privilege to assume the presidency never took part in the deliberation. That was the case with Marcio Cypriano, the current president, whose tenure had left little to be discussed when the Board sought after the successor of Lazaro Brandao, the present chair of the Board of Directors. The process was the same when Brandao was deemed an “underdog” in during the shortlisting of persons set to succeed the bank’s founder, Amador Aguilar.

However, the unexpected happened. The Vice President of Bradesco, Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi, took the helm of the bank, having been appointed as the president of Bradesco in 2009. The appointment came as the bank had conceded market leadership to the rival brand, Itau Unibanco.

Previously, Trabuco was the Chair of the bank’s insurance group, which apparently is the insurance market leader in the nation since 2003. His name has popped up in numerous discussions with financial experts and during the determination of Cypriano’s successor. However, he was a bit modest about his quest for the presidency: “Leadership is not an objective. Our unspoken mandate is to perform the best we can in the realm we serve.” Perhaps he said that when a tip leaked about his prospects of the seat in 2000.

Comparatively, Roger Agnelli, the president of Vale, the major shareholder in Bradesco, also seemed to harbor the potential to lead the bank. “At only 49 years, Agnelli is still “too young” to shoulder the responsibility. On the other token, Trabuco understands the working culture of the company, having served it for more than 38 years. Therefore, his capacity to lead as huge financial institution as Bradesco is rather evident,” explained Antonio Jacinto Matias, the Vice President of Itau Unibanco, the money market leader in Brazil.

Trabuco leads Bradesco purchase of HSBC (Brazil)

With an approval of Lazaro Brandao, Bradesco Board Chairman, he bought the HSBC’s Brazilian branch in 2015. The deal is reported to have usurped $ 5.2 billion. The acquisition is set to put Bradesco in the race to become a leader in the private markets. A simple addition of shares from Bradesco and HSBC triggers the outperformance of Itau Unibanco by Banco de Deus, in Osasco in three ways: networks, the number of clients holding accounts and the total returns on investment. “Our acquisition of HSBC will empower us to reach milestones we could have achieved in six years if we relied on organic growth,” said Trabuco in an interview with Money.

Career Awards

The venture to purchase HSBC led to his nomination, and subsequent recognition as the Entrepreneur of the Year in the Financial Markets. In fact, it is his positivism in market forecasting that Bradesco received the green light during the first quarter of 2016.

While serving as the President of Bradesco Capitalizacao, the Insurance arm of Bradesco, Trabuco led the company to become Brazil’s leading Insurance company. He received The Insurance Personality of the Year for the first time in 2003, Trabuco also claimed the highly coveted prize in 2007 for showing positivism in the future outlook of the insurance market. The executive has a vast experience in banking and insurance and is an adamant advocate for insurance policy sales through brokering systems.

Education and Early Career Life

Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi was born in Marilia in 1957. He endured early education, and later joined the University of Sao Paolo, where he earned a graduate degree in Philosophy, Letters, and Science.

He then got engaged in with professional work at the bank in 1969, and through his affiliation to Bradesco, he underwent the various hierarchal positions, though he ultimately became the president of Bradesco Seguros, the Insurance arm of the bank, which has up to date added a 30% profit to the financial institution.

Read more on Wikipedia.org

George Street Photo and Video in Chicago, IL

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If you live in the Chicago land area and have plans to get married then George Street Photo and Video Address Locations Chicago land should be your first call. Capturing your engagement and wedding is likely a necessity for you and your future spouse and who better than George Street? They have several Chicago land locations and the folks at George Street are always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that your experience is unlike any other. George Street Photo and Video Chicago land will capture all of your precious moments and will make your experience one of a kind. Give George Street Photo and Video a call today!

Understanding Penelope Kokkinides’ Entrepreneurial Career and work at InnovaCare Health

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Penelope kokkinides works at InnovaCare, Inc. as the Chief Administrative Officer. Previously she was working in the organization as the Vice President of all clinical jobs and Chief Operating Officer since she joined InnovaCare, Inc. in the year 2015. She is highly knowledgeable in managing healthcare processes and developing clinical programs where she focuses on enhancing efficiency and improving organizations infrastructures. IdeaMensch interviewed Kokkinides based on her work at InnovaCare and her career as an entrepreneur.

When she was asked to describe her typical day at work, she said that all her days are different and this fact keeps her on her toes. She added that she travels a lot and being on the move makes her productive because even when on a flight she is always connected and working. On a question on how she brings ideas to life, she pointed out that her great team of workers helps her in implementing ideas developed in the course of her work. Penelope Kokkinides said that some of the things that excite her in life include the ability to interconnect with different people through the use of technology regardless of where you are located. So as to remain a productive entrepreneur, Kokkinides says that she plans her time well to ensure that everything that ought to be done in the following day is done as intended.

http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=46734954&privcapId=225431891

When she was asked about any job that she considered bad in her life she said that despite that there might be some roles that she disliked, there is no job she can describe as bad. She recommends that every entrepreneur should be concerned about the things happening in the industry in which they operate so as to plan their next step strategically. Kokkinides also argued that being organized in everything that you do is among the most important strategies that everyone should consider so as to remain successful. When asked about her most valuable web services, she answered that email is one of the services that she cannot go without because even when she is traveling, it facilitates communication. Read more about her interview on Ideamensch

About InnovaCare Health

InnovaCare, Inc. is the leading Healthcare organization serving the underserved people in Puerto Rico where it is located. It has two membership programs aimed at providing coordinated, cost-effective and innovative healthcare. These are the PMC Medicare Choice, Inc. (PMC) and MMM Healthcare, Inc. (MMM), and these two have more than 200,000 members served by more than 7,500 employees who work for InnovaCare, Inc. Their main aim is to ensure that people receive quality health care services at any given time.