Shane Harris

COUNTY SUPERVISORS VOTE TO SUPPORT PROPERTY TAX PROPOSAL FOR FLOOD VICTIMS BROUGHT FORTH BY SHANE HARRIS

East County News Service

February 20, 2024 (San Diego) --On Tuesday, San Diego County Supervisors voted unanimously in support of a proposal that Shane Harris, President of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates, brought forth. Harris issued it to county supervisors on January 25th just three days after the San Diego floods that decimated several neighborhoods throughout southeastern San Diego, Southcrest and Barrio Logan as well.

The proposal requested that County Assessor and Supervisors establish a countywide ordinance that would defer the April 10th property tax delinquent deadline for flood victims, which would further support unincorporated areas like Spring Valley. Property taxes are usually due by April 10th before a delinquent notice is issued.


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CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE, FLOOD VICTIMS PLAN CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST CITY OF SAN DIEGO

 

By Miriam Raftery

January 25, 2024  (San Diego) – Shane Harris, president of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates, held a press conference in the Mountain View community Tuesday to announce plans to file a class action lawsuit against the City of San Diego for “long-standing negligence” in failing to clear flood channels before severe storms.  He was joined by residents whose homes flooded along the 100-year flood plain including Encanto, Southcrest and Mountain View. 

Residents interested in participating in the class action suit can visit www.pajmovement.org/sandiegoflood.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: LEASE REVENUE BOND IS NEEDED TO ADDRESS SAN DIEGO'S DEFERRED MAINTENANCE QUICKLY BEFORE NEXT MAJOR STORM

By Shane Harris, president,  People’s Association of Justic Advocates

Photo via National Weather Service:  flooding today in Mission Valley

January 22, 2024 (San Diego,CA ) -- The imagery of our city under water is deeply troubling but the out of sight out of mind approach by the Mayor is even more appalling. This is a time when leaders should be out helping the most vulnerable such as our seniors and unsheltered. I wanted to call attention to the reason that so many across San Diego are experiencing flooding today and the reason this happens every time San Diego experiences heavy rain.

Perhaps many have all heard about the City of San Diego’s substantial deferral of major infrastructure upgrades, such as street repairs, but this is yet another example that impacts most of us in a dramatic way every time it rains and requires both immediate and long term commitment from our Mayor and City Council to rectify.


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SHANE HARRIS HOSTS CHRISTMAS DAY BREAKFAST AND GIFT GIVEAWAY FOR FOSTER KIDS, HOMELESS YOUTHS AND STRUGGLING FAMILIES

East County News Service

December 20, 2022 (San Diego) – The 6th Annual Shane Harris Community Christmas Day Breakfast & Gift Giveaway will take place on Christmas Day from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at 6125 Imperial Ave. in San Diego. San Diego's only Christmas Day gathering for foster families, unsheltered youths and struggling families will feature thousands of wrapped gifts for kids, bikes, electronic devices and 16 tons of snow!

Families countywide can register and volunteers can sign up at

shaneharrischristmasbreakfast.org/. Donations can also be made at this link.


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FOSTER KIDS AND HOMELESS YOUTHS FIND HOLIDAY JOY AT SHANE HARRIS’ CHRISTMAS DAY EVENT

By Karen Pearlman 

Photos courtesy of Shane Harris

View video

December 28, 2021 (San Diego) -- Hundreds of kids who might have spent Christmas day feeling sad, neglected or lonely were instead uplifted with love, food, lots of wrapped presents and tons of snow imported into southeastern San Diego.

More than 500 people, most of them foster kids, homeless youths and struggling families in San Diego County, spent part of the morning on Christmas Day at the National Black Contractors Association on Imperial Avenue feeling connected. 

The event was the annual Shane Harris Community Christmas Day Breakfast and Gift Giveaway, organized by local civil rights champion Shane Harris. Gifts given away included more than 70 free laptops, Chromebooks and tablets.


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SHANE HARRIS AND LOCAL AFGHAN LEADERS AS SUPERVISORS TO ADOPT AFGHAN REFUGEE HOUSING ACCOMMODATION PLAN

East County News Service

August 25, 2021 (San Diego) – Shane Harris, a national civil rights leader and president of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates, has proposed a plan for welcoming Afghan refugees to our region. Harris was joined by local Afghan leaders yesterday at a press conference urging San Diego County Supervisors to adopt the Afghan Refugee Housing Accommodation Plan for San Diego County. The proposal comes as the U.S. has evacuated some 70,000 people thus far amid the U.S. troop pullout and Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.


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SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POISED TO PILOT “BOOST DEMOCRACY” PROGRAM, IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS TO MEETINGS

By Miriam Raftery

View press conference

Photo: Shane Harris President of People's Association of Justice Advocates speaks Thursday at announcement as San Diego Unified School District Board President Richard Barrera looks on. (Photo via SDUSD)

July 9, 2021 (San Diego) – San Diego Unified School District's board of trustees is poised to become the first public agency to adopt a “Boost Democracy” proposal by Rev. Shane Harris, President of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates. During its July 13 meeting, the board will test out allowing members of the public to receive a text message on request shortly before an agenda item they wish to speak on comes up. Harris hopes to have other government agencies across our region and nation follow suit.

Harris said that COVID-19 turned public meetings into a telecommunications platforms through online programs such as Zoom. “People engaged, people woke up, and people spoke up” about concerns ranging from COVID-19 to their children’s education.  “The central place that something going on was at these public meetings....One of the things I saw during this time was a breakdown in efficiency. It made government meetings more accessible,” since people could call in from where they were at, “but it did not make government meetings more efficient.” He said he saw mothers caring for children, activists and business owners calling in for meetings and waiting hours sometimes to speak on agenda items.


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REV. SHANE HARRIS BRINGS SUPPORT TO FAMILY OF GEORGE FLOYD IN MINNEAPOLIS AND FIGHTS FOR REFORMS TO HALT POLICE KILLINGS

“The arrest of George Floyd should not have been a death sentence. What you saw when you looked at the video of the killing was a policeman who was the judge, the jury, and the executioner.” – Rev. Shane Harris, People’s Alliance for Justice, in an exclusive interview with ECM

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of Rev. Shane Harris, shown on Hennepin Bridge in Minneapolis

May 30, 2020 (San Diego) -- The brutal killing of George Floyd, an African-American man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis has sparked protests and civil unrest nationwide. The Washington Post has compiled video from multiple sources, documenting that after a store clerk alleged Floyd used counterfeit payment at a store, Officer Derek Chauvin handcuffed Floyd and later knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, ignoring gasps of “I can’t breathe!” Three other officers failed to intervene.

Four nights of protests  in Minnesota ensued, including rioting and burning a police station.  Minnesota’s Governor has called in the National Guard, declaring that most protesters are outside agitators. Officer Chauvin has been charged with third degree murder and manslaughter; all four officers were fired. But many believe more must be done for justice to be served.

Reverend Shane Harris, a national civil rights leader and founder of the People’s Alliance for Justice (PAJ) based in San Diego, flew to Minneapolis on Friday and provided an exclusive phone interview to ECM on Friday night.


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REV. SHANE PROTESTS CUTS TO LIBRARY FUNDING DURING COVID ERA ON BIRTHDAY OF MALCOLM X

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Brian Goodin: Rev. Shane Harris, outside Malcolm X Library, speaks out to protect library funding

May 23, 2020 (San Diego) – Civil rights leader Rev. Shane Harris with the People’s Alliance for Justice held a press conference to protest library budget cuts at the Malcolm X Library in San Diego on May 20th, birthday of the slain human rights leader for whom the library is named.


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REV. SHANE HARRIS LEADS SUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO DOCUMENT FOSTER YOUTHS IN HOMELESS COUNT AND CHAMPION REFORMS

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Rev. Shane Harris, courtesy of the People's Alliance for Justice

January 19, 2020 (San Diego) – Rev. Shane Harris, a former foster care youth, is emerging as a powerful voice for documenting and improving conditions for foster youths and those who have aged out of the foster care system.

He recalls turning 18 and being instantly homeless. “They dropped me off at B Street in downtown San Diego with an emancipation letter and one bag of clothes,” he has stated.” It wasn’t his first bout of homelessness. Harris had entered foster care at age 8, lost both parents, and ran away from one foster home earlier, winding up sleeping on the streets and couches of friends for six months. Now he wants to spare other young people from suffering similar ordeals.


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FAMILIES CALL FOR JUSTICE IN POLICE SHOOTING CASES ACROSS CALIFORNIA

 

By Maridian Broadus

Photo: Shane Harris and Rev. Al Sharpton with victim’s families at press conference

March 8, 2018 (San Diego) – National Action Network founder and President Reverend Al Sharpton visited San Diego on February 21st.  Sharpton, along with NAN’s local chapter president, Shane Harris, held a news conference at NAN San Diego’s House of Justice Headquarters in southeast San Diego.  The civil rights icon publicly voiced his support of victim family members who have lost loved ones to police shootings across the state of California.


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PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK SAN DIEGO TO MEET WITH CONGRESSMAN SUSAN DAVIS TODAY AT 3:30

 

Source:  National Action Network San Diego

July 18, 2016 (San Diego) - Reverend Shane Harris, president of the National Action Network San Diego branch, will meet with Congresswoman Susan Davis today at 3:30 p.m. to find common ground in policy and reform in regards to the recent police shootings.


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