13 Jul
2019
13 Jul
'19
11:31 a.m.
Also, thanks to Robb for stepping up and apologizing. Everyone here
appreciates your work. Thanks to Scott for stepping up and bringing this to
the collective's attention.
I want to help coordinate and would participate in any collective workshop
we want to have on how we can turn fewer people away from the space.
Echoing jake, I would be happy to contribute to a discussion on coming up
with better options for helping people feel heard about their experiences
and how Omni and Sudoroom can clarify for everyone our positions on
treating everyone with respect.
On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 12:32 PM Jake <jake(a)spaz.org> wrote:
Robb,
I think you're doing a mostly good job acknowledging people's experiences
with
you and coming up with ways to avert problems in the future. But I wish
that
you wouldn't push back this way when people bring up their experiences. I
know
it must feel bad to be called out in a public forum this way, but one of
the
things you can do to help is to have a slightly thicker skin about it to
help
others feel more comfortable. Remember that people without white privilege
have to go through a lot worse every day.
Complaining about prejudice against you isn't helping anything. Nobody
wants
to be prejudged, but it happens to everyone. Let's focus on learning from
incidents where people felt uncomfortable, by welcoming criticism and
accepting
people's experiences even if we disagree with their perception of our
intentions.
Nobody is asking you to relinquish your membership, but it does make sense
for
you to change your behavior toward people you don't know to avoid these
kinds
of things happening in the future. Let someone else confront strangers in
the
building if you think it needs to happen.
In the meantime, we can all discuss options for helping people feel heard
about
their experiences and how Omni and Sudoroom can clarify for everyone our
positions on treating everyone with respect.
-jake
On Fri, 12 Jul 2019, robb wrote:
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--
Karissa McKelvey
https://okdistribute.xyz
i think it might be time for me to relinquish my
sudoroom membership &
focus on Liberated Lens where the diverse membership does not prejudge me
in open court
On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 11:48 AM robb <sf99er(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> @Autonomous
> i recall the incident & i apologize for my direct inquiry into you being
> in the building & how it made you feel
> prior to our interaction, Tony, a member of phat beets, came to me with
a
> concern that there was a strange person
walking around the building
acting
> suspicious & he had never done this
before so i thought it was serious
> i don't know what caused him to seek me out but i felt obligated to help
> it had been awhile since i had seen you & it took me a minute to
recognize
> you
> when you said you were a sudo member, i accepted your answer & went
about
> my business
>
> On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 11:28 AM Autonomous <autonomous666(a)gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I would like to share an encounter I had with Robb prior to this most
>> recent incident with Deon.
>>
>> I swiped my card at the front door and entered the building. As I was
>> looking around for Marc who I was meeting at Sudo Room, I was accosted
by
>> Robb in a hallway who said in a loud
voice "MAY I HELP YOU". I said
that I
>> was a Sudo Room member and was looking
for Marc, and that I was
"surprised
>> that you don't recognize me,
Robb". The entire time I was speaking,
Robb
>> was glaring at me in a hostile manner. I
have not been back to Sudo
Room
>> since.
>>
>> I would like to point out that 90% of communication is non-verbal and
>> Robb's attitude towards people he doesn't recognize or like could be
>> interpreted as hateful or racist without the use of specific derogatory
>> words. Since Robb now says "he hasn't heard from anybody" on the
encounter
>> with Deon I am wondering if the views,
opinions and attitudes
expressed by
>> Robb are also those of Sudo Room and the
Omni, and reflect the
official
>> policy or position of Sudo Room or the
Omni towards unwanted guests.
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Jun 28, 2019 at 4:31 PM D. Scott Nanos <scott.nanos(a)gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Greetings Sudo et al, I'm so sorry but I have to bring to your
attention
>>> a recent, very unfortunate,
inappropriate, and violent encounter a
friend
>>> of mine, Deon Saunders, had with a
guy named "Rob", who I don't think
I
>>> know personally, although I'm
sure he's well known around Omni in
general.
>>> I don't believe he's a sudo
member specifically, but I believe this
>>> incident sort of came into Sudo territory when Marc became involved;
I
also
>>> really respect and love what Sudo
room provides to the community, and
I
>>> know that Sudo is a powerful force
within the Omni; as such, I'm
writing to
>>> you all now because I believe this
issue definitely needs to be dealt
with,
>>> and not ignored or brushed aside.
>>>
>>> Basically, Deon is friends with Phat Beets and Food First, and has
been
>>> frequenting the Omni in order to do
work and access the community
resources
>>> that are available. To my
understanding, he often works in the Sudo
room
>>> space. Although this should not need
to be said, I can personally
vouch for
>>> Deon as an upstanding and generous
member of the Oakland community.
>>>
>>> Deon was having trouble accessing the space the other day and rung the
>>> Omni doorbell several times, at which point guy named Rob opened the
door
>>> and started cursing at him and being
very aggressive. After Deon was
able
>>> to enter Omni, Rob then started
following him around and harassing
him,
>>> acting like a cop. Although this is
egregious in and of itself, and a
>>> terrible counter-representation of the Omni's values, this all came
to a
>>> head when Rob accused Deon of not
being "an actual, normal, human
being".
>>> Whether or not this was intentional,
it evoked longstanding racist
>>> attitudes that black folks have been subjected to, suggesting that
Deon was
>>> less-than, or sub-human. Deon was so
offended that he promptly left
the
>>> Omni and has not been back since.
>>>
>>> Besides this very loaded and hateful comment, this general kind of
>>> treatment and attitude, overall, is the EXACT opposite of the way
black
>>> folks should be treated when
interfacing with the Omni. Rob's actions
are
>>> not okay, at all, and I strongly feel
that a serious accountability
process
>>> should be implemented for this
incident. This is not a small matter.
I've
>>> spoken with Deon, and he has agreed
to participate.
>>>
>>> I've also heard that this type of incident has happened before at the
>>> Omni, specifically involving Rob. Correct me if I'm wrong, but
apparently,
>>> the attitude that was expressed to
Deon was that Rob is one of the
main
>>> people that operates (i.e. helps to
reproduce and sustain,) the Omni,
and
>>> as such, people basically go along
with what he says and does. If
this is
>>> in fact the case, then an
accountability process is even more
imperative.
>>> In no way should labor, and by proxy,
"power" derived from labor,
enable a
>>> person to act with racism against
members of the Oakland community. I
think
>>> it's in the best interest of the
Omni to address this issue
immediately,
>>> for Deon, for the Omni, and for the
Omni's relationship with the
greater
>>> community of Oakland.
>>>
>>> I believe Marc was present for part of this incident as well, and
>>> although I know, Marc is so busy doing vital work for Sudo and Omni,
it
>>> might behoove him to also participate
in this process, as a witness.
>>>
>>> I am writing this email not because I am trying to "cancel" or
ruin
>>> anyone, but because I care about Deon, The Omni, Sudo, and the Oakland
>>> community at large. This issue seems indicative of larger problems,
and if
>>> addressed with love and respect and
accountability, could seriously
benefit
>>> all parties listed above, and improve
the Omni and it's relationship
with
>>> Oakland.
>>>
>>> I'm not sure where to take it from here, as I am personally extremely
>>> busy with other community-based activities in Oakland right now, but a
>>> mediator/facilitator should be sought out, ideally a black person,
but
at
>>> the very least, a non-black poc, and
probably someone that isn't
personally
>>> involved in the day-to-day operations
at Omni, sudo etc. If i am
able, I
>>> could possibly be this mediator, but
I hope other options are sought
out
>>> first, because a.) I'm a
non-black, mixed race poc, and b.) I have
very
>>> little capacity at the moment.
>>>
>>> But please keep me in the loop regarding an accountability process for
>>> Rob, and I'll do whatever I can to help move this along and reach a
fair
> and just conclusion.
>
> Sorry to bring such difficult news to you all, but I could not stay
> silent.
>
> With love and Solidarity,
>
> Scott
>
>
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