The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) hosted a race-based training discussing the evils of whiteness, and how only white-skinned people can be racist.
Racial Equity Partners conducted the training in April, led by Donald Whitehead, co-founder of the organization and also the director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, and Mayté Antelo-Ovando, a school psychologist. MAG has contracted with Racial Equity Partners since at least March 2020.
During the training, Whitehead claimed that “people of color” don’t have the capacity to be racist, only prejudiced, because they lack power.
“You can be as prejudiced as you want, but if you don’t have power, that does not become racism,” said Whitehead. “Power is what gives you the ability to become racist, and to participate in systemic racism or institutional racism. It’s the power that defines whether or not it’s racism.”
Antelo-Ovando added that the past wrongs committed by white people ensured that current generations of white people can’t be the victims of racism.
“The power that white groups of people have had historically, has created the laws, has created the rules, has created policies that have perpetuated inequities,” said Antelo-Ovando. “Therein, again, lies the difference between individual or group prejudice versus racism and the power that’s inherent in that versus prejudice.”
Whitehead and Antelo-Ovando further claimed that success arising from hard work was “gaslighting.”
“It is manipulating someone into an idea that is not factual,” said Whitehead. “We’re all a product of nature. We have no control over where we’re going.”
Whitehead cited a claim from “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates that the idea of race comes from racism. Whitehead then claimed that race was created as “an excuse” to colonize, pillage, and enslave, namely by Christians.
“There is no biological reason for us to be separated by race,” said Whitehead. “It was first used as an excuse for pillaging countries for those that considered themselves either Christian or religious in nature.”
Antelo-Ovando then discussed whiteness, which she introduced as part of her point that racism defines current society. Antelo-Ovando then defined “white supremacy” and “white privilege” as reigning factors of present society.
“We are living and breathing in a racist society,” said Antelo-Ovando.
As examples of white privilege, Antelo-Ovando said that white people aren’t followed while shopping, are taught that white people made civilization what it is, and don’t suffer any penalties for ignorance of language and customs of the majority population.
Whitehead insinuated that racial-based grievances were more pressing than other problems people experience.
“When we talk about whiteness [and privilege], we also want people to understand that we understand that everybody has had challenges and barriers in their life,” said Whitehead. “The difference here when we talk about privilege, whiteness, and racism, is that those barriers were not as a result of your skin color.”
In response to a remark from an unnamed illegal immigrant participating in the training, claiming that white privilege affects him, Whitehead also claimed that U.S. citizens are selectively outraged by illegal immigrants hailing from Latin American countries versus illegal immigrants hailing from European countries.
“That aspect of racism, we see it in the news every day,” said Whitehead. “There’s a difference between how you see migrants at the border from Mexico are treated versus the migrants that are coming from European countries.”
Antelo-Ovando then claimed the existence of “language privilege” — the ability to be fluent in English, or to look like someone for whom English is their first language.
Whitehead also claimed that white privilege can be given and taken away depending on their associations with marginalized groups, specifically family members.
The training stated that white people use “detours” to not admit they’re racist, such as claiming colorblindness, innocence by association with other minorities, that other races can be racist, and that meritocracy exists.
The pair claimed that opposition to Critical Race Theory (CRT) comes from a place of “white comfort,” and the belief that structural racism doesn’t exist. They characterized CRT as a necessary disruption to the current, racist society.
The training also recommended participants read “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo, “Me and White Supremacy” by Layla Saad, and “How Good People Fight Bias: The Person You Mean to Be” by Dolly Chugh.
After our story on MAG’s racial equity training was published, MAG made the video of the traning private. AZ Free News was able to get a copy of that training and have provided it here.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
The city of Phoenix may create a new court to handle the crimes committed by the homeless. The new specialty court, the Phoenix Community Court, would cost well over $2 million to operate annually, with a $46,000 start-up cost.
Phoenix has three other specialty courts, one of which addresses crimes committed by the homeless on a county-wide basis: the Maricopa County Regional Homeless Court (MCRHC). The other two courts address crimes committed by veterans and the mentally ill, respectively.
The Phoenix City Council approved the court’s creation during last week’s Public Safety and Justice meeting. The council report noted that most homeless individuals were being cited or arrested on minor charges in the traditional criminal justice system, which the council said didn’t afford enough opportunities for services to address their needs.
The new court would take in all crimes except domestic violence offenses and assault.
At this stage in the policymaking process, the city is deciding between several entry methods for admitting eligible homeless criminals into the Phoenix Community Court.
The first method would be identification during arraignment prompted by a Phoenix Police Department citation or prosecutor’s office complaint. The second method would be through police booking an eligible individual into jail, followed by the Office of Homeless Solutions offering the individual resources as they determine eligibility for the new court.
The new court would have a Community Court Team craft a customized service plan for eligible criminals. Such a plan would include specific milestones to track progress, with regular court appearances. A criminal’s successful completion of the plan would result in either dismissal of the case, a reduced charge, or a suspended sentence.
“The Phoenix Community Court will be centered around a holistic and compassionate approach to provide long-term solutions that will positively impact individuals currently experiencing homelessness, and benefit the entire community,” stated the city plan.
To start, the new court would hire 11 full-time positions across several city departments and 10 contracted navigators. The 11 city employees would cost over $1.4 million annually, while the 10 navigators would cost $620,000 annually. Rapid response funding, which concerns staff efforts to expedite housing placement or other similar initiatives, would cost $150,000 annually. Administrative costs would total $25,000.
The 11 full-time positions include an assistant attorney, legal assistant, and casework services coordinator for the public defender’s office; two attorneys, a court or legal clerk, legal assistant, and administrative assistant in the prosecutor’s office; two bailiffs in the municipal court; and a program manager in the Office of Homeless Solutions.
The 10 contracted navigators would break down as follows: one managing the entire navigation team, two focusing on working with individuals identified in regular court proceedings, three engaging throughout the community at the early stages of the court process, and four assisting individuals entering through the jail court.
The one-time start-up costs for the new court would consist of $30,000 for three vehicles, and $15,000 for “other equipment.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Over the weekend, the Arizona Republic featured an opinion article from an illegal immigrant activist advocating for citizenship rights for himself and others.
The illegal immigrant activist, Arizona State University (ASU) college student Angel Palazuelos, interns with the illegal immigrant activist group Aliento. Palazuelos refers to himself as “undocumented,” a euphemism for those who remain illegally in America after immigrating illegally.
“I belong here. This is my home, and I have done more than enough to prove it,” wrote Palazuelos. “The struggles of undocumented individuals like me are often overlooked in the broader conversation.”
Palazuelos is a rising senior at ASU, where he studies biomedical engineering. He receives in-state tuition rates due to the recent passage of Proposition 308, a leftist dark money-backed ballot initiative which conferred the benefits of reduced tuition rates to illegal immigrants.
Palazuelos has also served as the face for advancing illegal immigration reform for years. Prior to joining up with Aliento, Palazuelos said his dream was to become a mechanical engineer. Now, he hopes his activist efforts will enable him to become an immigration lawyer.
In 2020, the New York Times featured Palazuelos following his high school graduation, depicting him as a youth whose “life has been punctuated with uncertainty, anxiety, and fear.”
Angel inspires me & I’m lucky to share many memories w/ him through @AlientoAZ fellowship
“Despite how hard it may be to believe, you are not your hardships, you are not your expectations & you are certainly not your undocumented status. What you are is a treasure of potential” https://t.co/ezAORC1lMr
The author of the Palazuelos feature, Fernanda Santos, writes currently for The Washington Post, teaches at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, and serves as the editorial director for the Futuro Media Group.
In a 2021 interview with ASU’s student newspaper, Palazuelos complained that he had to find outside scholarships to afford college since he didn’t qualify for in-state tuition rates. Four months later, Palazuelos received financial aid from the governments of both his home country and the U.S.: he received $5,500 as one of the 30 recipients of the Empowering Diversity Scholarship issued by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Fiesta Bowl. Palazuelos also received $2,000 from the Mexican Consulate in Phoenix and the nonprofit Friendly House. The Mexican Consulate funding comes from the Mexican government’s Institute for Mexicans Abroad, which is then applied by individual, U.S.-based consulates.
Earlier in 2021, Palazuelos claimed in an Aliento video feature that his dreams of studying engineering were “crushed” because of his immigration status.
Another one of our student officers at the AZ State Capitol supporting #SCR1044. This bill could be life changing for Angel & thousands of students in AZ. @AZSenateDems we urge you to vote for the future of undocumented & DACA students! #InstateTuitionhttps://t.co/ffpMLMtpgF
Now, in anticipation of soon graduating with his engineering degree, Palazuelos said he plans on attending law school to become an immigration attorney. However, Palazuelos claimed that current employment laws prevent him from working, or even receiving an internship. Palazuelos has been admitted to multiple internships and programs throughout his life.
Palazuelos met with Gov. Katie Hobbs in February to lobby for the “Promise for Dreamers” program. Hobbs’ plan would set aside $40 million for college scholarships for illegal immigrants. On average, over 3,600 illegal immigrant youth graduate from Arizona high schools annually.
HAPPENING NOW – @GovernorHobbs is meeting with a group of young undocumented immigrants brought to Arizona as children. They’re sharing how the “Promise for Dreamers” program would benefit them. It would allocate $40 million for scholarships that would go to Dreamers. @KTAR923pic.twitter.com/iUKsSL8Qmc
According to Palazuelos’ most recent testimony, when he was five years old his family immigrated illegally from Culiacán Sinaloa, Mexico into the country exactly three days after the deadline to qualify for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program instituted by former President Barack Obama. He claimed to not be a DACA recipient, though on social media and in interviews he refers to himself as a “dreamer” — the descriptor used to identify DACA recipients. Palazuelos also identified himself as a DACA recipient for a feature article by ASU’s marketing team in 2020.
That’s not the only inconsistency: elsewhere, Palazuelos claims he immigrated when he was four, then five, then six years old. His timeline for missing DACA eligibility has also shifted: in a 2021 article, Palazuelos told the Arizona Republic that his family missed the deadline by two days, not three. Yet in 2020, Palazuelos told the New York Times that he qualified for the program and intended to apply, but was unable to because the Trump administration rescinded DACA.
Aliento, the organization where Palazuelo served as both an intern and a fellow, was co-founded by a DACA recipient: Reyna Montoya. Like Palazuelo, Montoya also attended ASU; she graduated with political science and transborder studies degrees, then a master’s degree in secondary education.
Also like Palazuelo, Montoya lamented the consequences of illegal immigration. Montoya founded Aliento in 2016, claiming “compounded trauma and education barriers” from growing up as a DACA recipient. Montoya was 10 years old when her mother smuggled her from Tijuana, Mexico to Arizona.
Student like Angel are the reason what I do what I do every single day 💕 https://t.co/YH2SU8uIHT
In the summer of 2021, the Arizona House awarded Aliento for advocating for in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. Aliento leadership also has ties to the liberal think tank behind the cover-up of Hunter Biden’s corruption.
In his opinion article over the weekend, Palazuelos petitioned Congress to confer permanent citizenship to himself, his family, and other illegal immigrants like them.
The taxpayer-borne cost of educating illegal immigrants is nearing the billions annually. In 2020, the most recent data available, illegal immigrant children cost Arizona public schools over $748 million. 99 percent of those funds came from local and state taxes, not the federal government.
Palazuelos’ mother, Daisy, claimed in an interview with Aliento that her children have “suffered” because of immigration law. Daisy issued her remarks in Spanish.
“[M]y children and our, as a whole community, has already suffered enough,” said Daisy. “This is not just. This is an opportunity we cannot wait for. We need it now.”
This is my mother. She left everything behind so that my brother and I could grow up in a land that promised so many opportunities. We are our parents retirement plan. My mother is my hero. https://t.co/kw6xDibxNk
He revealed across his many media interviews over the years that his high school experience lacked for nothing. All while reportedly maintaining a 4.7 GPA, Palazuelos was able to take honors and Advanced Placement (AP) classes, as well as enjoy a wide variety of extracurriculars in high school. Palazuelos also delivered a speech to his graduating class.
Palazuelos played volleyball, baseball, and cross-country; he participated in an engineering CTE program where he was certified through programs like SolidWorks and AutoCAD; he served as president for his school’s Spanish Honor Society; he was a member of the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Mathematics Honor Society, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan (MEChA), the ACLU of Arizona; and he served as a student strategist for the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.
Palazuelos also interned for Puente Human Rights Movement, and participated in a Harvard University summer program, Summer Business Academy. Palazuelos successfully crowdfunded the $2,000 to pay for the program.
Puente Human Rights Movement allegedly assisted Palazuelos in a petition to remove school resource officers off Phoenix Union High School District campuses, for which Palazuelos alleged to The New York Times that he was threatened with deportation. Palazuelos also led demonstrations at the Phoenix Police Department and the ICE detention center.
“The system is the one we need to dismantle,” said Palazuelos in a 2020 ASU feature interview.
“Being undocumented is knowing that despite doing everything right, you will never be ‘qualified,’” stated Palazuelos.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Uber will give passengers a 40 percent discount for using electric or hybrid cars rather than gas cars.
The discount announced earlier this month is available for passengers traveling to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, which established a “Green Curb” for the initiative. Electric or hybrid cars will be marked as “Uber Green” or, for the more expensive ride types, “Uber Comfort Electric.” The discount applies to the latter.
In a press release, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego praised the airport as a leader in sustainability. Gallego further expressed gratitude that Uber had chosen the city to lead on their initiative.
“Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a leader in sustainability, and this new partnership is another example of how our airport remains on the cutting edge of every aspect of the passenger experience,” said Gallego. “I’m proud that Uber has chosen to bring this first-of-its kind initiative to Phoenix, and I look forward to supporting this innovative partnership!”
Another star of Super Bowl week was @PHXSkyHarbor, where fans got their first impression of Phoenix. Not only is Sky Harbor America’s friendliest airport — it may as well be dubbed the world’s most innovative. #FutureIsPHXhttps://t.co/Vy1RZaoXIY
Joining Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in establishing a “Green Curb” is the Portland International Airport in Oregon, the London Heathrow Airport in England, and the Madrid Barajas International Airport in Spain.
However, other airport locations won’t offer as steep of discounts as the one given in Phoenix. At London Heathrow Airport, the discount only amounts to 10 percent.
This latest initiative by Uber is part of the corporation’s plan to achieve zero emissions by 2040, and to eliminate unnecessary plastic waste from deliveries by 2030. In addition to the discounted fare for electric travel, Uber will inform riders of their emissions usage, establish a carsharing network, expanding rentable bikes, establishing electric car charge accessibility, and advising UberEats customers of green packaging options.
Sustainability may also be taking the form of driverless cars: last month, Uber announced that it had teamed up with artificial intelligence ridership service Waymo. The initiative will begin in Phoenix, where driverless cars and freight transport have been tested in recent years.
Waymo debuted driverless vehicles in downtown Phoenix last August.
The coordinated effort between the city of Phoenix and corporations like Uber to increase electric car usage is similarly playing out at the state and national levels. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has begun developing a statewide network of electric vehicle charging stations, using seed funding from the Biden administration’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.
Arizona will receive $76.5 million from the federal government over the next five years to establish electric vehicle charging stations along roads designated as alternative fuel corridors (AFCs). Arizona’s current and proposed AFCs according to its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan follow all the major interstate highways running through the state.
The Federal Highway Administration approved Arizona’s plan last September. Each charging station will be located within one mile off of the designated highway, with at least four EV fast chargers. A full charge takes the average EV about 20-30 minutes. Each charging station — except for two — will be placed 50 miles apart. ADOT funding won’t be used to construct or maintain the charging stations. These charging stations will be privately owned. The private owners will put up 20 percent of the costs to construct the stations, with the federal government paying 80 percent.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09) introduced a bill to terminate the decade-old national emergency over Libya.
Former President Barack Obama instituted the national emergency in February 2011. Gosar pointed out that despite periodic congressional reviews of presidents’ national emergencies every six months, the Libyan declaration hadn’t been reviewed.
“The people of Libya deserve to live in a manner of their choosing without the prospect of U.S. bombings, attacks, or color revolutions thrust upon them by corrupt and misguided American agencies – none of whom are acting with Congressional approval,” said Gosar. “The true situation is that no group or person in Libya currently poses a threat to our national security. Furthermore, even if there was some hostility, none of it rises to the level of an ‘unusual and extraordinary threat to national security and foreign policy.’”
I recently introduced H.J. Res. 70, legislation terminating the national emergency related to Libya declared by Obama on February 25, 2011.
Under Obama’s executive order declaring the emergency, all ties were cut with senior officials and political leaders of the Libyan government, especially allies and family of former Colonel Muammar Qadhafi (Gaddafi).
Gaddafi was assassinated eight months after the emergency declaration. Yet, Gosar pointed out that the continued extension of Obama’s order cited Gaddafi as a reason for the necessity of the declaration.
“Almost hilariously, the extended national emergency related to Libya continues to cite Muammar Qadhafi as the reason for the declaration, even though Qadhafi has been dead for almost 12 years,” said Gosar. “You can’t make this stuff up.”
Gaddafi ruled over Libya for over 40 years, abolishing the monarchy and establishing an authoritarian regime enforced by a police state. Gaddafi immediately began insulating the country from outside influences, shutting down British and American military bases. He then launched a cultural revolution in the 1970s that did away with existing laws, communism, conservatism, fascism, atheism, capitalism, and the Muslim Brotherhood; armed citizens; and established an Islamic state.
Gaddafi’s end came through the Arab Spring color revolution that arose in 2010 throughout Asia and Africa, affecting Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain in addition to Libya.
At the time, Hillary Clinton served as the secretary of state. A year after Gaddafi’s assassination, on Sept. 11, the Benghazi terror attack occurred. Clinton took responsibility a month after the attacks. There remains controversy over whether Clinton gave the “stand-down order” to withhold a Special Operations team from Benghazi.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reports that the U.S. government has invested over $900 million in development, security, and humanitarian assistance in Libya. From 2019 to 2024, the USAID will spend over $23.3 million to establish economic stability in Libya.
According to the latest installment of the World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers (WMEAT), the U.S. military and armed forces expenditures from 2012 to 2019 totaled $520 billion (based on market exchange rate conversion with a base year of 2019). However, these totals may be completely inaccurate: the WMEAT data discloses that these totals were “extremely uncertain.”
The Biden administration ended WMEAT last year. The transparency practice had been in place since 1974.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
