Housing is a basic human right but so many in our community are without. The problem may seem overwhelming. Maybe you think there is nothing you can do to help. Well, you’re wrong!
Join us for a presentation by Orange County United Way. Homelessness 101 will help answer some of the most frequently asked questions about this issue.
What causes people to become homeless?
What is the current state of homelessness in Orange County?
How can homelessness be solved?
By the end of this session, you will become familiar with many of the approaches, philosophies and terminologies associated with homelessness. More importantly, you will have a better understanding of the homeless system in our community and will feel empowered to take action!
Refreshments will be served and you will have a chance to win door prizes of unspeakable value!
Jaclyn Schildkraut is an Assistant Professor of Public Justice at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego, and a national expert on mass shootings research. Her research focuses on school and mass shootings in the United States in regard to crime statistics, media representations, security and prevention, legislative responses, and other important considerations that impact individuals and communities struck by these tragedies. She has been published in numerous academic journals, and her research has been cited by the news media locally, nationally, and even internationally.
Along with her research partner H. Jaymi Elsass, Jaclyn released a book entitled Mass Shootings: Media, Myths, and Realities. This book provides a critical examination of mass shootings as told by the media, and investigates common myths about these tragic events.
She took some time out of her busy schedule to talk to us about recent events, myths of mass shootings, and what we can all do to make a difference.
Specifically, Jaclyn shared current projects that she is working on now — advocating No Notoriety, conducting interviews with survivors of mass shootings, and remembering the victims of these tragedies.
Jaclyn is an advocate for the No Notoriety campaign, which was founded by Tom and Caren Teves immediately following the murder of their son, Alex Teves, by a mass killer. Alex was one of 12 individuals killed and over 70 shot and injured in the Aurora theater shooting on July 20, 2012. The goal of No Notoriety is to challenge the media to limit the name and likeness of the perpetrator in media reporting after initial identification — except when the alleged assailant is still at large and in doing so would aid in the assailant’s capture. They ask the media to not broadcast or publish self-serving statements, photos, videos, or manifestos made by the individual. In addition, No Notoriety encourages the media to elevate the names and likenesses of all victims killed or injured to send the message their lives are more important than the perpetrator’s actions.
Research finds that the prospect of infamy could serve as a motivating factor for other individuals and inspire copycat crimes. In fact, Jaclyn’s research related to No Notoriety finds that 80% of news consumers believe there is a copycat effect. No Notoriety asks the media to keep this responsibility in mind when reporting — recognizing that the individual’s name and likeness is irrelevant to media coverage of such acts unless the alleged assailant is at large.
Jaclyn focuses on providing empirical evidence to support that No Notoriety is effective. She promotes No Notoriety online, in media interviews and written work. She recently had this related article published by Vox, “The Media Should Stop Making School Shooters Famous.”
The second focus of Jaclyn’s recent work is on victims and survivors of mass shootings. She has spent the past four months interviewing 35 survivors of mass shootings in order to understand their needs as it relates to recovery. Although this work is painful and emotional, she feels it’s critical to helping survivors of mass shootings. “If you want to understand their needs as it relates to recovery,” Jaclyn says, “just ask.”
After the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Jaclyn began sharing the stories of each of the victims on her Facebook page. She meticulously gathers information about each victim, and shares their stories in a way that honors their memory in a profound and meaningful way. Her posts have been liked and shared thousands of times, elevating the names and likeness of the victims of this horrible tragedy.
We asked Jaclyn, based on her research and expertise, if she could share with us some of the myths that we have as a society about mass shootings. “If I could sum it up,” Jaclyn says, “the biggest myth is that mass shootings can be prevented by focusing solely on guns, solely on mental health, or solely on some other causal factor — whether that’s violent media, child rearing, whatever the case may be. The fact of the matter is mass shootings are complex, multi-dimensional phenomena. Attempting to try to shove them in very black and white, one or the other boxes — it doesn’t work.”
She continues, “What this most recent shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas has highlighted is that we have a much bigger issue than just guns or just mental health. We have a huge issue of systems failures.”
Jaclyn adds, “I am a researcher. I don’t get into debate. I present the evidence, and let other people figure out the solutions.”
In fact, Jaclyn’s research and expertise are contributing to both local and national discussions, and helping to find solutions to the issue of mass shootings in our country. Specifically, Jaclyn is currently participating in multiple task forces — the Gun Violence Researchers of the Rockefeller Institute of Government, the Governor’s School Safety Taskforce in Syracuse, NY, and Governor Andrew Cuomo’s newly formed “States For Gun Safety Coalition” (which included the governors of Connecticut, New Jersey and Rhode Island).
In conclusion, we asked Jaclyn for advice on what we can do as individual citizens to make a difference as it relates to gun violence. She recommends we focus on the following: put pressure on media regarding no notoriety, look for warning signs within our own communities and organizations, talk to our schools about security measures, and change our focus to proactive rather than reactive solutions.
Finally, Jaclyn recommends we “pick which solution makes the most sense to you and do something.”
“If we all do our part, we can make a difference.”
You can find out more about Jaclyn’s work on her website and by following her on Facebook.
Theresa Smith’s activism began on a cold, rainy night in December of 2009. She had worked seven days in a row, and was relaxing in her pajamas at home when she received a phone call that no mother ever wants to receive. A family member called to say that there was a police shooting on the news — and they thought the person shot was Theresa’s son, Caesar Cruz.
Still in her pajamas, Theresa drove to the site of the shooting — a Walmart parking lot. Her son had already been transported to the hospital at that point. Police would not let her near his vehicle or provide any additional information. She headed off to the hospital — where she was refused access to her son, kept waiting for hours, questioned by police, and eventually told that her son had died. She was not allowed to see him or view the body.
Caesar was a husband and a father of five, and was on his way to pick up his children from school when he was killed by the Anaheim police.
As Theresa explains, “I don’t remember much after they told me Caesar had expired. It’s all a fog. All of the voices sounded like they were straight out of Charlie Brown — wah-wah-wah-wah.”
Even in this deep fog, Theresa knew that the situation required immediate action. “My son’s death happened on a Friday, we had a vigil for him on Saturday, Sunday I started protesting, and by Monday I had an attorney.”
The entire first year was a blur. She fought within the legal system to have Caesar ‘s case heard, protested every weekend, and wrote to every politician short of the President. She also researched for hours on end, and reached out to other families who had experienced similar tragedies.
Theresa continued pressing for accountability for her son’s death. In spite of her efforts, there were never criminal charges brought against any of the officers involved in the shooting. The city of Anaheim eventually settled a private case with Caesar ‘s family after a lengthy court battle, but admitted no wrongdoing.
Throughout this time, Theresa continued to research the topic of officer-involved shootings. She discovered that this was not an isolated incident. Perhaps her son’s death was not really as random and isolated as she originally thought.
Theresa knew now that she had to be an agent for change. She wanted to connect with other victim’s families and work with local law enforcement to create more open dialogue with the communities they serve. To do this, she founded an organization she named LEAN – The Law Enforcement Accountability Network.
LEAN’s mission is to promote supportive relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Theresa states emphatically that she is not anti-police. Rather, she is pro-accountability. As she explains, “Police are human just like us. It was five human beings who took my son’s life. And those human beings should be held accountable. There is no justice in my case. Nothing will bring my son back. What I’m asking for is accountability.”
LEAN provides resources to support those affected by use of force by law enforcement officers, facilitates dialogue between police and concerned community residents, and advocates for policy changes that support community policing, police accountability and transparency.
LEAN also works with organizations doing similar work across the United States. Theresa connects with other mothers who have also lost children in officer involved shootings, or in police custody. She is part of a circle of mothers throughout the country who share similar stories. In describing this group, Theresa says, “We are not angry mothers. We are angry about the manner in which the police took our child. When we get together, it it is very healing. We laugh. We cry. We talk about how our children lived. Only we know what we are going through. It’s a beautiful thing.”
Theresa says her work is sometimes exhausting and lonely. “That is why so many families walk away from this,” she says, “The system is just too much.”
But Theresa did not walk away. She continues her efforts to promote positive change — so that other mothers do not have to experience her pain. As she explains, “I’m going to be doing this until I take my last breath. Or until there is accountability. One or the other.”
Theresa keeps her son’s memory alive through her activism. It is work that can be painful, but is also incredibly rewarding.
Working with other families is what Theresa finds most rewarding. She says only those who have been through this can truly understand the pain. She explains, “I have PTSD. You live with this forever. Suicide and homicide are the worst deaths because it’s sudden and violent. It’s almost impossible to get over it. Especially when it’s your child.”
Theresa continues, “I talk about my son’s death all the time. It does take a toll on me. But I remind people of how my son lived. Because Caesar isn’t the person that they killed. That is not who he was. That doesn’t define Caesar. Caesar was Caesar from 1974–2009. That dash was my son — not the day he was born or the day he died. It was the in between. Caesar was true to himself. There was nothing fake about my son. He was very loving, very caring. His five boys were his world. He was a protector. Beloved by family and friends. He didn’t have much, but what he did he would share with others.”
“There is one thing you take beyond the grave.” Theresa says, “It is love. I can still feel my son’s love every day.”
You can support Theresa and her work with LEAN through a monetary donation. LEAN is sponsored by the ACLU, and a 501c organization. Theresa’s goal is to develop a fund to help families who are in similar situations. These families who lost loved ones suddenly and violently, have immediate financial needs, that many times they can not meet. This fund would provide assistance to show these families that someone cares. As Theresa says, “They are already broken in so many ways, if I can alleviate something small to help them, that is what I want to do.”
Theresa also welcomes and needs volunteers to help plan events, attend protests, contact legislators, and provide technical support for her website. She especially needs volunteers to help plan community outreach events, like her LEAN holiday event each December, where she provides gifts to local children who have lost fathers due to gun violence.
You can find out more about Theresa’s work in our community and how you can support it at lean4change.org.
This is part of our series we call “Community Voices” on our site. We want to hear from more members of our community. If you would like to share your story with us, please send an email to our Communications Team by filling out the form below.
Join Canyon Democrats, thousands of like-minded citizens in Orange County, and participants nationwide, for the Second Annual Women’s March on January 20, 2018.
We are excited to announce that we have organized a bus to travel to the Orange County Women’s March in downtown Santa Ana.
The cost for the bus is $20 per person. Seating is limited and will be on first come, first served basis. Click here to reserve your spot today.
Our bus will depart from the Murray Center at 24932 Veterans Way in Mission Viejo at 8:00am sharp, and will leave the Women’s March in Santa Ana at 1:30 pm. Approximate arrival back at Murray Center is 2:30 pm.
There will be a sign making party a few days beforehand to get us revved up for the march. Stay tuned for more details to come!
To stay updated, volunteer, or RSVP for the Orange County March, please visit the OC Women’s March website. You can also follow their Facebook page for updates.
