This fall the RFC awarded almost $180,000 to 82 families with 155 children in 23 states and Puerto Rico. Seven are new grants, the remaining 75 are renewal grants to current RFC families. This brings the total granted in 2012 to over $364,500. In a sign of the marked increase in both activism and repression, 29 new families have received grants from the RFC in just the past two years.
We’re grateful to the steadfast support of our community, which has allowed us to meet this exploding demand.
NEW GRANTS
1. Herman Warsh Memorial Fund.* A $2000 Attica Prison Visit Fund grant** to allow four children, ages one to 10, to visit their mother in the brig. Their soldier mom grew opposed to the Iraq war and with the family, fled to Canada where, as the first female U.S. military deserter, she became active in the war resisters movement. She was deported to the U.S. and faces up to five more years behind bars. TX
2. Clinton E. Jencks Memorial Fund.* $1500 for a computer for college for the 17-year-old daughter whose mother was fired from her job at Walmart after seeking medical care for an on-the-job injury and becoming an outspoken advocate for workers’ rights. Six days after speaking at a huge protest, the company terminated her employment, and she has struggled since to support her family. CA
(*See www.rfc.org/namedfunds to learn more.)
(**Attica Fund Prison Visit grants enable the children and grandchildren of political prisoners to visit their jailed loved ones.)
3. Children’s Father Poisoned. $2100 for arts and recreational programs for the three children, ages 10 to 14, whose father, who advocated for human rights, development projects for the poor, and against political corruption, died after being poisoned while at a political meeting in Africa. The family fled to the U.S. IL
4. Nearly 30 Years of Unjust Imprisonment. $2000 for tuition at a progressive school for the nine-year-old son of a recently deceased black revolutionary leader falsely incarcerated for 27 years. GA
5. Occupier Faces Virtual Life Sentence. $1000 Development grant* for the 21-year-old targeted activist youth, part of the Occupy movement in his community, who was arrested during a NATO Summit. He faces inflated “terrorism” charges for which he could serve 85 years if convicted. FL
(*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.)
6-7. Grand Jury Resisters Jailed. Two $1000 Development grants for targeted activist youth, ages 23 and 24, imprisoned for refusing to cooperate with a grand jury investigating activism in the Pacific Northwest. They face up to two years in prison for refusing to testify and have both already spent time in solitary confinement without cause. WA
RENEWALS
8-14. Parents Fight for Better Environment, Racial Equality. $23,800 for a broad range of 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. GA, NY, CA
15-19. Children & Parents Working Together for Peace. $10,754 for a variety of cultural and educational programs and a Carry it Forward (CIF) award* for nine children, ages seven to 20, who are members of several pacifist communities. Parents and teenage children have engaged in peaceful anti-war protests and many of the parents have been imprisoned for civil disobedience. ME, NJ, 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.)
20-21. Muslim Anti-War Activists Targeted. $8275 for school tuition for the eight children, ages seven to 19, from two families whose fathers were both convicted of terrorist-related money laundering after an FBI sting targeting them. NY.
22. Two Generations Targeted. $7500 for school tuition for the five children, ages six to 17, whose father, himself the son of a political prisoner, was fired for giving a lecture supporting political prisoners. GA
23. Activist Mother Forced Out. $6000 for school tuition for the four children, ages seven to 17, 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
24. Mother Faces Loss of Son. $6000 for childcare and educational support programs for the four-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son whose mother, an LGBT community activist, was threatened by the state with the removal of her son because of her activism. OR
25. Classes & Books for Pacifist’s Children. $5700 for several programs and two CIF awards for the five children, ages two to 20, whose father faced fines and jail time for his anti-missile shield action. OK
26. Family Threatened by KKK. $5000 for school tuition and orthodontia for five children, ages 13 to 17, whose mother received death threats from the Klan for her desegregation efforts. OR
27. Daughters Assaulted. $4600 for school tuition and a CIF award for the 10 and 20-year-old daughters and six-year-old son whose mother, an anti-female genital mutilation activist, was forced to flee her African home country with her children after two of her daughters were attacked in retaliation for her work. NY
28. Father Charged for Protesting with his Children. $4593 for arts and educational support for six children, ages seven to 18, whose father was arrested at a peaceful demonstration with his kids. He was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for bringing his children with him. NC
29. Journalist Harassed. $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 and racial profiling at protests. TX
30. Teacher Fired for Advocating for her Students. $4000 for childcare and educational support for the two children, ages four and 17, whose mother, a public school teacher, lost her job because of her efforts on behalf of her pupils. GA
31. Mother Beaten, Pepper-Sprayed and Harassed. $4000 for school tuition for the 11-year-old son and 14 year-old daughter whose mother, an African American community organizer, was targeted by the local police. GA
32. 65 Years in Prison for Peace Efforts. $3500 for a laptop computer and an Attica grant to allow three children, ages 11 to 25, to visit their father. He was convicted of providing material support for terrorist organizations for aiding groups working for peace in the Middle East. TX
33. Iraqi Refugee Children. $3000 for music lessons and educational support for the 14-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son whose mother assisted civilians in Baghdad shortly after the U.S. invasion. She was kidnapped, interrogated, beaten and forced to flee, eventually settling in the U.S. IL
34. Daughter of Political Prisoner Loses Job, Keeps Fighting for Others. $3000 for educational support for the one-year-old granddaughter and 18-year-old daughter whose mother, the daughter of a former Black Panther political prisoner, experienced police harassment as a child and again as an adult activist. GA
35. Vieques Freedom Fighter. $2900 for sports and recreational programs for the 16-year-old son and 17-year-old daughter of a formerly incarcerated Vieques activist. PR
36. Government Tries to Gas Family. $2790 for art, music and sports lessons for the 10 and 11-year-old daughters whose activist father was part of a coalition demanding accountability for the disappearance of hundreds of refugees. After the family escaped an attempt by soldiers to gas their home, they fled to the U.S. from Africa. IL
37. Iraq War Resister. $2500 for sports programs for the 17-year-old twin daughters of a formerly incarcerated conscientious objector. CA
38. Sons Flee with Mother. $2410 for sports and cultural programs for three sons, ages nine to 16, whose mother was threatened with prison for trying to address the needs of low-income families. TX
39. Mayor Targets Mother. $2075 for music and dance lessons for the three children, ages four to 12, 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
40. Mother Beaten, Arrested. $2000 for tutoring for the 16-year-old son whose mother, an animal rights activist, suffered numerous beatings, arrests, and a miscarriage at the hands of the police. PA
41. Repeatedly Imprisoned Vieques Activist. $2000 for tuition and a computer for the 17-year-old son of a leader of the struggle to free Vieques. PR
42. Son Faces Separation from Father. $2000 for an after-school sports program 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
43. Five Years for Demonstrating. $2000 for school tuition for the 13-year-old daughter whose father was imprisoned for protesting the Navy’s use of Vieques as a bombing range. PR
44. Mother Disabled by Beating. $2000 for music and swim lessons for the 14-year-old daughter whose mother was attacked by police during a Republican National Convention. WA
45-46. Children Traumatized by Grand Jury Witch Hunts. $1990 for educational and recreational programs for the seven and eight-year-old daughters from two families whose homes were raided by the FBI. The parents are members of peace and international solidarity groups who have refused to testify before grand juries. IL, MN
47. Father Fired for Reporting the Truth. $1900 for sports programs and equipment for the 13-year-old son whose father, an independent journalist, was fired and blacklisted for expressing progressive views and covering controversial topics. MN
48. Mother Continues Family Legacy of Activism. $1895 for educational and recreational programs for the three children, ages six to 12, whose mother, the daughter of a targeted activist, has worked for children’s, women’s and impoverished people’s rights and against racism. She has been arrested, beaten, harassed and jailed for her activism. OR
49. Puerto Rican Environmental Hero Attacked. $1500 for guitar and art lessons for the 18-year-old son of an environmental activist repeatedly incarcerated and fined for his non-violent actions to force the Navy out of Vieques. PR
50. Occupy Activist Finds Inspiration in Music. $1500 for voice and music lessons and a chorus trip for the 15-year-old targeted activist youth who drew the ire of authorities for her vocal participation in her local Occupy group. IA
51. Young Activist Poet. $1500 for a special grant to allow a 25-year-old immigrants’ rights organizer, whose family faced death threats and possible deportation, to share her story with others at the RFC’s event in NYC in June 2013 (see story here). CA
52. Former Puerto Rican Political Prisoner. $1500 for school tuition for the 17-year-old daughter whose father was jailed for fighting for Puerto Rican independence. PR
53. Second Generation Activist Father. $1500 for cultural programs for the 11‑year-old daughter whose father, himself the son of an African American political prisoner, has been harassed by police for years. PA
54. Music Lessons for Brothers. $1344 for trumpet and flute lessons for the 13 and 15-year-old sons of a formerly-incarcerated prisoners’ rights activist. VT
55. Child of Imprisoned Native American Environmental Activist. $1300 for music and gymnastics lessons for the 10-year-old daughter whose father served an eight-month sentence for destroying traps set for mountain lions. MI
56. Father Incarcerated for More Than Seven Years. $1249 to purchase a cello for the 16-year-old daughter of an anti-globalization political prisoner. OR
57. Parents Face Threat of Deadly Force. $1150 for drum and piano lessons for the 11-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter whose parents, members of a pacifist community, have participated in numerous protests at an Air Force that allows “deadly force” against protesters. CA
58. Father Jailed, Tortured. $1132 for art and circus classes for the 10-year-old daughter whose father was a leader in the fight against “the unlawful and inhuman violations” under the dictatorship in his West African home country. He was imprisoned and tortured before escaping with his daughters to the U.S. IL
59. Children’s Home Raided. $1095 for guitar and driving lessons for the 14 and 16-year-old daughters whose father was harassed by the police for his role in organizing demonstrations against corporations that produce genetically modified foods. MN
60. Mother Fights to End Torture. $1000 for piano lessons and ice skating classes for the eight-year-old daughter whose mother provided advocacy and assistance to women whose rights had been violated in her home country. She was detained and arrested before seeking refuge in the U.S. IL
61. Father Disappeared, Mother and Daughter Flee. $1000 for an educational enrichment program for the 17-year-old daughter whose father was “disappeared” during the Guatemalan civil war for his anti-military regime, pro-student efforts. IL
62. Father Speaks Out Despite Torture. $1000 for tennis and piano lessons for the 12-year-old daughter whose father survived a year in a concentration camp in Bosnia. After his release, he was committed to seeing his tormentors pay for their crimes against humanity and agreed to testify against them despite receiving numerous death threats. IL
63. Father Fought for Indigenous Rights. $700 for educational support for the 15-year-old son of a deceased Native American prisoners’ rights activist. NM
64. Grandmother, Mother Fight for Activists. $575 for photography and art lessons for the 12-year-old daughter whose mother and grandmother were arrested, detained and tortured for protesting students’ human rights violations in their North African home country, and ultimately fled to the U.S. IL
CIF AWARDS
65-78. CIF Awards. $8,400 for 14 beneficiaries, ages 18 to 23, from 13 families. CA, CT, IL, MA, NJ, NY, OH
ATTICA PRISON VISIT PROGRAM GRANTS
79-82. Attica Awards. $6000 for eight beneficiaries, ages 3 to 22, from three families, to visit incarcerated loved ones. AL, CA, ND