FREE THE JENA SIX!

New Orleans benefit to support the Legal Defense Fund for the Families of the Jena Six

Dinner Reception for Families and Supporters

More About The Jena Six: In Jena, Louisiana, six Black youths who stood up to racism are facing a lifetime in prison. The six high school students were charged with attempted murder for a schoolyard fight. The fight was initiated by white students, who hung three nooses in a tree at the high school courtyard, to warn black students not to sit there. After this hate crime was dismissed as a harmless prank by the school administration, black students protested under the tree. The local District Attorney was called in to warn the black students that he could take their life away with the stroke of a pen. The nooses led to a series of fights between white and black students. After these fights, only the black students were charged-with attempted murder. The prosecutor has refused to back down in prosecuting these young men, or to admit that hanging nooses is a hate crime.

Please see http://www.freethejena6.org/ for more information, or email neworleans@leftturn.org. Phone: (504) 655-0390.

Sponsored by: Advocates for Environmental Human Rights, Families and Friends of Louisiana's Incarcerated Children, Left Turn, Louisiana Justice Institute, Craige Cultural Center, Interfaith Worker Justice, Restaurant Opportunities Center, Nation of Islam, Millions More Movement, INCITE Women of Color Against Violence, ColorOfChange.org , Safe Streets Strong Communities, Mennonite Central Committee, European Dissent, People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, Common Ground Health Clinic, Lower 9th Center for Arts & Culture, Critical Resistance, New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival, Anti-Racist Working Group, The Homecoming Center, Common Ground Relief, Peoples Hurricane Relief Fund, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, ACLU Foundation of Louisiana, and more (list in formation).

Resources:

Donate to support the legal defense fund:
Jena 6 Defense Committee
PO BOX 2798
Jena, LA 71342

Donate online at: https://secure.colorofchange.org/jena_fund/
Sign the petition at: http://www.colorofchange.org/jena/

For more information or to offer concrete support, email:
jena6defense(at)gmail.com

Media coverage:
The Final Call:
http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_3753.shtml
NPR (News and Notes):
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11756302
Democracy Now:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/07/10/1413220

Mychal Bell, who has been behind bars since December of 2006, has asked to receive letters from supporters. Please write to:

Mychal Bell
Inmate, A-Dorm
LaSalle Correctional Center
15976 Highway 165
Olla, LA 71465-4801

Congressional Black Caucus resolution:
http://www.congressionalblackcaucus.net/

Cambridge, MA, city council resolution:
http://www.cambridgema.gov/cityClerk/PolicyOrder.cfm?action="search&item_id=18831"

New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE - http://www.nycore.org ) is teaming up with other teacher activist groups across the country to develop a curriculum guide for teachers to address what's happening in Jena. Contact breebree@mindspring.com or arianamangual@gmail.com.

If you are in nyc and want to get involved Jena Six Support, email: Kouross@flickerlab.com .

Support Organizations:
http://friendsofjustice.wordpress.com/
http://www.colorofchange.org
http://www.millionsmoremovement.com
http://www.laaclu.org/

YouTube videos in support of the Jena Six:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpOBKTwkIoo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebGY2XONJVM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuoiZnr4jLY