Alex Darocy Photography

After celebrating their one-year anniversary on July 5, the Freedom Sleepers returned to Santa Cruz City Hall for their 53rd community sleepout on July 12, as well as their 54th sleepout on July 19. A Freedom Sleeper lies next to a protest sign that reads, "Embrace Your Moral Compass Because We Upon This Earth Are One," at the 53rd community sleepout held on July 12 Since July 4 of 2015, a coalition of unhoused and housed community members have converged to sleep at Santa Cruz City Hall every Tuesday night to protest local laws that criminalize homelessness. Many of those participating in the sleepouts call themselves Freedom Sleepers; individually and together they advocate for a wide variety of approaches to end the criminalization of sleep. The one primary demand that unites the Freedom Sleepers is their call to repeal the city's camping ordinance, which bans sleeping in public between the hours of 11pm and 8:30am, with or without the use of bedding material...

Linda Yamane constructs a traditional tule boat at Ohlone Day. Photo: September 10, 2011. Linda Yamane, who is of Rumsien Ohlone ancestry, is an Ohlone basket weaver and cultural preservationist who lives in the Monterey Bay Area. She spent years researching Ohlone basketry before producing her first traditional basket in 1994. Yamane's were the first Ohlone baskets to be made in over 150 years. She and her students are the only authentic Ohlone weavers alive and working today. A young person sits in a tule boat on display at Ohlone Day. Photo: September 10, 2011. Yamane is also the author of  the book, "When the World Ended, How Hummingbird Got Fire, How People Were Made: Rumsien Ohlone Stories." For more information about Linda Yamane, see: Tule Boat (donated to the Oakland Museum of California by Linda Yamane and others) The Ohlone Basket Project (Oakland Museum of California) Linda Yamane (Alliance for California Traditional Arts website) Lin...

It has become a tradition to celebrate the life of Frank Alvarado with flowers. On July 10, Frank's family was joined by a large group of supporters near the location of his death to mark the second year since his killing by Salinas police. His father, Frank Sr., handed out roses to many of the women gathered, saying the gesture was in memory of "lover boy" as he lightheartedly referred to Frank. His family fondly remembers how dearly Frank loved to give women gifts, and especially the gift of flowers. Frank Alvarado's father, Frank Sr., holds a sign calling on Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter to represent the community Frank Sr. smiled joyously as he gave out the flowers. The lightness of the activity was distinct, especially in the context of the seriousness of the family's fight for justice following Frank's killing at the home of a relative on July 10, 2014 by Sergeant Brian Johnson and Officer Scott Sutton of the Salinas Police Department. The gatheri...

One person was arrested during a march to protest police brutality on July 10 in San José. In solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, the protest was organized in response to the police killings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, and Philando Castile in Minnesota, as well as the local killing of Latino youth Anthony Nuñez. Nuñez was killed at his home by officers with the San José Police Department on July 4. A speaker at the protest displays a sign that reads: "Black Lives Matter. Black and Brown. We Stand United" After first gathering at San José City Hall for a rally, with many individuals speaking out and sharing their personal stories of police brutality, community members set out for a march down East Santa Clara Street. A number of San José police officers arrived fairly quickly and exited their vehicles. After changing into riot gear, they jogged ahead of the march to join another group of officers in blocking the street. During a short face-off with th...