City Council — 2024-02-26

A quorum, could we have the

yes welcome honorable city council staff members of the community our American flag is at this end of the room here

other militant Palestinian groups invaded Israel killing approximately 1200 people and taking 240 hostages including infants and children. The citation for that is the same both are at the end of the document. The next paragraph I think is the most complex. Yes, the next paragraph. So that was the old. Did I read the new already? No. Okay so the new is...I'm sorry I'm trying here. You have to read the old first. I did read the old didn't I?

No it's a new one whereas according...I'll read it. No no no well wait wait wait wait. Whereas according to the Gaza Ministry of Health...No no no

I didn't read the New I don't think. No I did not read the New of that one

Oh, I thought you started with the old

one. No, I started with-

Council Member, you've been doing a very good job starting first with the original. I'm

starting with the

original. And then you're going to the new and then that way when you go to the new, you were able to point out the changes.

Right so now I'm going to the new for this statement or did I read it

already? You didn't do the original yet on this one.

If we could come to quiet please, it's a little hard to hear with ambient noise. Thank you very much.

Oh, OK. All right. I'm all good with that. Yeah. All right. Thank you. All right. All right. Take two. Whereas according to the Gaza Ministry of Health and agency of the Hamas controlled government, 29000 Palestinians living in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli defense forces. The military does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel reports that it has killed over 11 thousand Hamas and Islamic jihadist fighters. In addition, thousands more Gazans are missing and over 1.5 million civilians have been displaced from their homes and are without access to electricity drinking water and medical care for the thousands who have been wounded."

Okay so the new phrase is This one is confusing because we actually broke it out. Okay, whereas the Gaza Ministry of Health reports at least 29,410 Palestinians living in Gaza have been killed 70% of whom are women and children. The ministry does not distinguish between Palestinian civilians and Hamas combatants in their count. Now we have a completely new statement, whereas thousands more

Gazans.

Just tell me when you want me to read. No I don't want you to read. Whereas millions of people are at risk if a ceasefire is not achieved and humanitarian aid is not delivered I don't know where I am. Sorry,

it's okay so Council Member if I might, I would go back to the new and you just explained that whereas in the original there was one and it's now broken out into two whereas with some additional added and so I think you were going into the new whereas if you will that starts with thousands more

Okay, all right. So this was pulled out and made its own separate entity and added to. Whereas thousands more Gazans are missing with many assumed to be under rubble from ongoing bombing over 1.5 million civilians have been displaced from their homes and are without access to electricity drinking water and medical care especially for the thousands who have been wounded Millions of people are at risk if a permanent ceasefire is not achieved and humanitarian aid is not delivered without delay. Okay.

And if I might, I think you can now jump

to

the one that says whereas Israel.

Yes. So this one is actually no changes. Whereas Israel, the United States government, the International Court of Justice and many others have called upon Hamas and others to release the hostages they hold Same. And that is the same, so I'm not going to read it again. There is a new whereas that is added, so there's nothing for me to change here. Whereas Israel is called to release political prisoners in a fair exchange of hostages and prisoners.

So the next whereas This is the old, minor changes here. Whereas international organizations like Amnesty International, the World Health Organization, the US Agency for International Development, the International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders and many others have called for a ceasefire in order to prevent further loss of lives and to ensure humanitarian law.

Humanitarian law. Thank you very much. So the new version reads, whereas international organizations such as so we did some grammar there. Amnesty International, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the vast majority of United Nation countries that is new, the International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders and many others have called for a ceasefire in order to prevent further loss of civilian lives and to ensure international humanitarian law.

Okay so this is a new This is a new whereas clause inserted, whereas if a permanent ceasefire is not immediately achieved and humanitarian aid is not delivered without delay the expected Israeli military action in Rafah is predicted to create human humanitarian crisis of immense proportion including deaths famine and disease for over 1 million refugees. And these Let's see.

That looks the

same. Yes,

it was the same. Okay. The next clause is where and this is the same whereas the majority of Americans support a ceasefire and want to see the US leverage its diplomatic relationships to prevent further violence and civilian deaths The next whereas clause is the same, whereas elected officials may use the platform provided by their office to advocate for measures that minimize violence and promote peace.

The next whereas, whereas the United States holds immense diplomatic power and responsibility to save both Israeli and Palestinian lives. This is a new addition. Whereas there is ample evidence that both Hamas fighters and the Israeli defense forces have committed atrocities and war crimes. So I'm going to read the old, now therefore be it resolved. And then I will read two, therefore be it resolved. And the therefore be it resolved is the action to all of these whereas's. Now, therefore be it resolved that the city of Ojai supports U.S. Congress Resolution 8-7, House Resolution 786 enjoins over 70 U. S. cities including Chicago Seattle and Oakland and calling on our congress members to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire."

And that's in the new version?

Yes. And maybe we don't need to read the old one people can see it Well, then we okay.

Okay. All right. All right. All right. Very good. Very good. I will just read the old one there then. Okay this is the old one therefore now therefore be resolved that the City of Ojai calls on our Congress members to demand an immediate ceasefire Hamas and others release all hostages in Gaza in exchange for an agreed number of prisoners in Israel unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza The restoration of food, water, electricity and medical supplies to Gaza. And respect for the implementation international law in accordance with our desire to achieve peace around the world. So now I'm going to read the new and for the most part well it's the addition of the House Resolution 786 and the addition of the other cities that have

joined over 70 other

Yes, so now therefore be it resolved that the city of Ojai supports US Congress Resolution 786 and joins over 70 other U.S. cities including Chicago Seattle and Oakland in calling on our congressmembers to demand And this is the list, an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Hamas and others released all hostages in Gaza for in exchange for an agreed number of political prisoners in Israel to cease unconditional military aid to Gaza, I mean to Israel, to place a neutral peacekeeping presence for the protection of all innocent civilians unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid and assistance into Gaza. The restoration of food water electricity and medical supplies to Gaza and respect for the implementation international law in accordance with our desire to achieve peace around the world The final, be it therefore resolved was unchanged and it reads.

Be it further resolve that a copy of this resolution be sent to city councils in Ventura and Santa Barbara County, the office of State Senator Monique Limon, Governor of California Gavin Newsom, US Representative Salud Carbajal, I'm sorry, U.S. Representative Julia Brownlee, U. S. Senator Lafonza Butler, U S. Senator Alex Padilla, U .S. President Joe Biden and U. s Vice President Kamala Harris urging them to take immediate action to use their position and influence to end violence and promote peace.

And I hope that that was more helpful than it was confusing. So now we are ready to figure out, does anyone on council have any questions for our legal team?

Thank you very much Council Member Ruehl and thank you Council Member Francina. So this is the time of the meeting where council has the opportunity to ask questions to our legal team or to two council members.

Questions?

Council Member Whitman?

No. Okay,

all right we will move on to public comment at this point we have over 40 cards so our protocol when we have more than 25 we drop the public comment to two minutes each uh at the end of the two minutes you'll hear a gentle chime and the mic will be cut so in the spirit of equity if you could please stop talking and if you could all be quiet it is really hard to hear when there's um when there's noise We'll begin with Sheila Cohn and then Ethan, and I'm sorry if I pronounce your names, Stolhastad and then Larry Steingold.

My name is Sheila Cohn. I'm an Ojai resident since 1996 and I am beyond furious, frustrated and fearful. Last weekend I spent some time with my niece who is the outgoing mayor and a city council member of Sonoma, a city of about 10,000 residents. Their city council without formalities and resolutions agreed that they would only deal with city business. You, our City Council members have wasted numerous hours not only yours but also those of others on meetings and resolutions when you should be doing your job Delegations from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Israel are starting to meet again today to do their job. To try to solve the situation in Israel and Gaza. And they are better equipped than you and they're having difficulty.

Mayor Sticks and council members, you should be ashamed of yourselves. You have let this situation turn into a conflagration You have let us down. You have the power to stop this firestorm now, say no to a resolution proposal today and say yes to a resolution to mind your own business and take care of the people who have put their faith in you. Thank you.

Thank you Sheila. I appreciate, we appreciate your enthusiasm. We are going to ask you to refrain from clapping, of course booing or making any noise. Thank you. Next, we have Ethan Stahasta and then we have Larry Steingold and then Anan Panamalum.

Hello, I'm in support of passing a ceasefire resolution. I urge you to vote yes on the new resolution that we've read. The genocide in Gaza is as much a local issue as it is an international one and as representatives of Ojai International City of Peace you have the responsibility to stand for peace and to support oppressed people everywhere I support bringing home all hostages, the 134 Israeli hostages as well as the 4,500 Palestinian hostages.

The people of Palestine have lost so much, their families, their homes, their food and water, their happiness. Every day a ceasefire isn't implemented they lose more and more. I would like to speak about Aaron Bushnell who i'm sure you heard of he was an active duty soldier who self-immolated. He set himself on fire yesterday in protest of the genocide in Gaza He stated, I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers is not extreme at all This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal free Palestine free Palestine free Palestine as he died Thank you

Thank you, Ethan. Next we have Larry Steingold then Anand Palambom and then we have a Carol Munter.

Larry Steingold voter in Ojai.

You forgot the words anti-Christian, next is xenophobic. You should add murder instead of killing and a lot of the dead people are in the tunnels and the military bases that were built underneath the cities on purpose to defer attacks and retaliation but more importantly this is all I have here 14 new resolutions for conflicts minor model There will be 15 new resolutions every other week from people here on every conflict so we can do this.

Because this conflict is no worse or no better than Senegal, Somalia, Niger, Uyghurs anywhere all the conflicts are important But why this one? Because these people got the squeaky wheel. They're getting money from Qatar, who knows it doesn't matter they're as passionate about this as we are and I don't put it past them that's okay they have a right to be and so do we But if you as a city want to be doing this every other week because there's going to be resolutions coming, it's not a threat. It's a promise. Because every conflict, every ethnicity needs the same rights as the Gazans, the Palestinians, the Arabs, the Jews, the Israelis and everybody else. So stick to what we're doing is the city unless you want to be bogged down Okay, because that's what's coming.

And then we'll have resolutions to raise taxes and lower taxes and we'll have resolutions for all this stuff. And you'll be doing this every other week. So please come up with a resolution to either shoemaker stick to your last or come up with a complete worldwide peace initiative 1 of the other. Because we can't become in doing this every.

Thank you Larry. Next we have Anand. Excuse me, we'll stop the meeting unless you can keep it together so please no clapping. Okay then Anand then we have Carol Munter and then Lisa Bach.

My name is Anand Purnambalam. I've lived in Ojai for the past five years, I'm a Tamil American originally from Sri Lanka and I have a particular reason for speaking up today about the importance of passing this resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza When the British left Sri Lanka in 1948, we Tamils were in the minority and were subject to discrimination of all kinds followed by mob violence and pogroms. I was part of the Gandhian non-violent resistance when the Tamil youth frustrated with a lack of progress took up arms most Tamils who could leave the country left it I was one of them. The civil war went on for 20 years, then a five-year ceasefire. When the ceasefire broke down, the UN agencies, the Red Cross, the NGOs and the journalists were forced to leave the Tamil homeland in the north and east.

Then came genocide, the same pay book, starvation, mass bombardment, killings, hospitals, schools By UN estimates, more than 70,000 Killed, families were killed. And according to census data, 146,679 missing and forcibly disappeared to this day. But there was no one to witness, no one to speak up against what was happening. Only years later did Channel 4 in England piece it together in the film Killing Fields of Sri Lanka Today the mothers and families of the disappeared are in their eighth year of a continuous vigil and fast for their missing loved ones.

As a Tamil American, I ask you to bear witness, to pass this resolution, to speak up and say no bombs, no killing in our name. It is the very least we can do. Thank you.

Thank you and on. Next we have Carol Munter, and then Lisa Bach, and then Austin Ringelstein.

My name is Carol Munter I've lived in Ojai for the past five years. I am a Jewish American horrified by our government's complicity in the catastrophe taking place in Gaza. Was I horrified about what happened on October 7th? Of course, I was. Do I condemn it? Absolutely. Do I understand the horrific conditions of occupation that give rise to such hatred? I think I do.

Do I understand the fear and the fury fueling the ensuing catastrophe? I think I do. But starvation of people, of newborns, torture, degradation, total destruction and devastation, an unspeakable crime against humanity. Is this really self-defense? Does this make anyone safe? Each morning, my husband and I watched the live footage of the catastrophe. We witnessed the devastation here are the numbers of the dead 100 in the past 24 hours or maybe 86 or 120 mostly women and children.

And then we weep what has happened to Jewish values? When our federal government turns a blind eye to mass demonstrations, refuses to hear the people, the thousands of Jewish people saying not in our name, local governments must step up to the plate. Although I wish the resolution before you was stronger, I am grateful that Ojai has a chance to add our voice to the international outcry for peace.

I understand that there are people here who did not support this resolution who are fearful for Israel and for themselves. I would hope in the coming months that we could form a listening circle here in Ojai, a place where in a heartfelt way some even a very few of us Could put our assumptions aside.

Thank you, Carol. Next we have Lisa Bach and then Austin Ringelstein and then Dor Evan Katz.

I am Rabbi Lisa Bach. I serve the Jewish community of Ojai. From 2014 to 2020, UN agencies have spent nearly $4.5 billion in Gaza money from the U.S., European and other governments. Money intended to improve Palestinian lives. However, the incredible web of underground tunnels under Gaza tells another story that Hamas values their mission of terror and the destruction of Israel more than the lives of Palestinians as they diverted that money into building tunnels and military infrastructure. Hamas teaches hate and elevates death while we Jews elevate life and teach peace.

Hamas strategically placed their tunnels underneath homes, mosques, and hospitals even storing weapons and rockets in civilian homes and bedrooms. Hamas terrorists dress as ordinary civilians Hamas turned these homes, places of worship and hospitals in Gaza into necessary military objectives imperiling civilian lives. Have you read the Hamas charters that call for the elimination of Israel?

If not how can you know what kind of enemy that Israel, the only democratic country in the Middle East is fighting? And why? Why are you not outraged that Hamas used all this money for tunnels rather than building up people's lives, homes and economy. Instead what is happening here is demonizing Israel as Israel defends itself from the clear and present danger of Hamas.

You are also singling out Israel. There is a double standard here, a standard that is not applied to other countries. Ultimately, a ceasefire supports only Hamas in regrouping, a group that is committed to the erasure of Israel's existence. Thank

you, Rabbi Lisa. Next we have Austin Ringelstein and then Dora Evan Katz and then Emma Huberg.

Good evening. My name is Austin Ringelstein, I am for a ceasefire the ceasefire resolution that was the second version that you read which does not dehumanize Palestinian people. I'm here because I love all people and I've seen how the world has grown up to also show their love and support for Palestinian people. In the face of dehumanization, of course we all strive for world peace and as a veteran for peace I advocate for the disarmament of weapons of mass destruction worldwide.

However, we have to be specific in our calls for ceasefire because this people in Gaza are facing the most dire situation humanity has faced in our lifetimes. And while all genocidal campaigns are insufferable, the one happening in Palestine is happening with our own country's tax dollars and bombs funded by people who pay for our city. This is the utmost time for specificity in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and not watering it down.

A universal ceasefire call or simple thoughts and prayers would take the substance out of the message Those who say that demanding a ceasefire in Gaza is not Ojai's business do not understand the web of life that connects us all, nor do they understand that being a city of peace is not a privilege. It's a responsibility and a call to action that speaks louder than words."

I wanted to read a little something from Anne Wright who prepared a statement for the UN Security Council. She represents Veterans For Peace, an organization that I'm involved in as an Iraq veteran She said, on the topic of today there is no doubt that weapons supplied into conflict areas have a detrimental effect on the prospect for settlements of conflicts. In fact, the continued supply of weapons will prolong any conflict. The important question is how do you get conflicts to end?

I will begin with a reminder that the process for ending wars begins with a ceasefire. Ceasefires are viable ways for a pathway to peace Ceasefire. Thank you.

Thank you, Austin. Next we have Dor Evan Katz then Emma Huber and then Anita Hendricks

Hello everybody. My name is Doreven Katz, I was born in Israel and have lived there all of my life. I lived in a settlement about one mile from the Gaza border and on October 7th we were extremely lucky to escape the terror and murder. We then made our way to the USA with my little kids that are over there And a friend of my father from LA gave us a place to live and it is right here in Ojai.

We arrived there 10 days ago, and I read the paper about this meeting so I'm here. Me like most Israelis and the world population wishing for open borders and peace all over the world. We don't want nothing unless this But if someone, and let's call this someone Hamas, got into my or your house, raped the women, the Israeli women, burned people alive, slaughtered children and murdered dads and babies.

I will defend myself, my country, and you will do the same. We are the Jews, the Israelis. We came from the Holocaust. Don't forget it. My grandparents are Holocaust survivors. We have the right to defend ourselves and to say no more. I remember that after 9-11 USA got into a war 9-11 and October 7th.

Thank you, Dor. I'm sorry we have to in the spirit of equity that's next we have... I'm sorry no no i'm sorry uh next we have Emma Hubers is she here? Excuse me. Let's have some decorum. Thank you, Emma. And after Emma we have Anita Hendricks and then Laurel Felice.

Gaza, Palestine. Stop the killing! Gaza is bleeding. She's bleeding dying kids. She's bleeding mothers' tears. Where is the leniency? Let's overcome the inhumanity. Let's live with mercy. Let us have a life without brutality. Now we know the truth. We know the fake peace. We see the lies that devils try to smooth. We fight for peace. Peace is what we're looking for.

He screams and wails with every breath. Peace is the world cure, peace is our desire on earth. A poem by Muhammad Reza Mistir. My name is Emma Huber I'm 20 years old. I grew up here my father grew up here my grandmother grew up here and my children probably will too I'm asking you to pass a ceasefire resolution. I'm tired of little girls identifying their mother's dead bodies.

She is my mother, I know her by her hair. I am tired of watching mothers scream out for their children. What did my children do to deserve this? I'm tired of seeing dead babies in dead fathers' arms or her and her dead fathers' arms. I am tired of seeing grandfathers Cradle their dead grandchildren. She's the soul of my soul. It's been 143 days since October 7th, has happened 25 times in these 143 days and many more in the past 75 years. This didn't just start on October 7th.

Hasn't it been enough? I'm advocating for the cease of murder and they are advocating for the continuation of murder. Why is asking to stop the murder of Palestinian civilians a controversial question? We're supposed to be an international city of peace, I hope to see that in action today. Your support matters. Thank you.

Thank you Emma. Next we have Anita Hendrix then Laurel Felice and then Reverend Marilyn Miller

I'm overwhelmed. How anyone could oppose stopping the killings on both sides, I don't know. When we're talking about exchange of prisoners or hostages, why don't we name a number 4500? Palestinians in exchange for the number of the. On this sheet here for the Israelis We're talking about the displaced peoples, who cares if they're Palestinian or Israelis. 1.5 million people I am Native American.

My tribe when the, when the Europeans came They walked out of their village because Anita, can you address the council? Please? Yes. Thank you. Walked out of their village because of atrocities committed by the Europeans coming through New Mexico and they knew that if they stayed in their village. They would be killed in Maine's and they walked out in mass from their village.

I say something similar to what's happening with Palestinians today. The Jewish people have undergone a lot of costs, they lost their homes and they went to Palestine. Europeans gave them that land, but there were Palestinians living there who are displaced. The Israelis wanted a home, the Palestinians had to give up their home. Of course it's an incendiary situation. We have the West interfering with this situation and now we're sending more and more money for more of these innocent civilians to be killed.

How can anyone act self-righteous about trying to save the lives of these people? Please support this resolution. I beg of you.

Thank you, Anita. Next we have Laurel Felice then Reverend Marilyn Miller and then Lenny Klaif.

My name is Laurel Felice. My Hebrew name is Chaya. The root of that name Chaim means life. I am here tonight to speak for two minutes about my life as a Jewish citizen of Ojai. My life feels very different since October 7th. I no longer feel safe. The incidents of anti-Semitism have become personal. My temple, the Jewish community of Ojai has received bomb threats.

We have a security guard for most events, a highly trained Marine. When I talked to him he admits these times are violent and even with all of his training, he cannot protect us from a bomb. I ask you, Mayor Sticks, Leslie Ruhl, Susan Frankina, Andrew Whitman to imagine what that must feel like in your body and mind. To be unable to go to services or social events at your place of worship without fear anxiety hyper vigilance I have always worn a Jewish star necklace with joy and respect.

And now, with trepidation and fear, I can be attacked for this symbol. My face, my body, my contribution as a citizen will not be considered. No dialogue of compassionate understanding will be possible. The attacker will only see the Jewish star. I ask you, Mayor Sticks, Leslie Rule, Sousa Frankina, Andrew Whitman to imagine living with that kind of fear every day and every night.

This ceasefire resolution is divisive and has fanned the antisemitism in our village to an appalling new reality. I have been a citizen of Ojai for 26 years. I would like to die here in peace, not in violence. I ask all of you my elected representatives what can you do?

Thank you, Laurel. Next we have Reverend Marilyn Miller then Len Claife and then Jim Yarborough

I am Reverend Marilyn Miller, and I am the co-chair of the Ojai Interfaith Council. And I've been a participant with the International City of Peace team since its inception. The Cities of Peace has in their resolution that the city council signed that peace was to be kept at the local level It doesn't say anywhere in the charter that you should take on international issues.

The war in the Middle East is at its roots a tribal feud, and the current conflict is the publicized directive by the terrorist Hamas regime to kill all Jewish people worldwide and eradicate the State of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. Just like the Japanese Americans were not responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor, the American Jewish community of Ojai is not waging war on anyone.

Yet, members of our Jewish community have been verbally assaulted. Jewish businesses have been vandalized. Jewish professionals and businessmen have lost business clients and customers. The temple has been threatened with bomb attacks and the Jewish community can no longer hold services without presence of an armed guard. The losses suffered in Gaza are staggering and heartbreaking, but how much more loss does this Jewish community of Ojai deserve because the Ojai City Council cannot resolve this issue?

Scores of U.S. diplomats continue to work on a ceasefire and the return of hostages without any

Thank you, Reverend Miller. Next we have Len Claife then Jim Yarborough and then Casey Rodriguez.

Good evening, Leonard Klaif. I live in the city of Ojai. I urge you to vote yes on the revised resolution. Why this war as opposed to speaking out on other wars? To me, the answer is simple. The Senate bill that was recently passed calls for the provision of $14 billion in military aid to Israel. That's in addition to the three or four billion dollars we regularly give every year, Israel. That Senate bill cost us $3 million for medical aid to Gaza.

It's our tax dollars. It affects the city of Ojai and it affects all people. Will it make a difference whether you pass this resolution? Maybe yes, maybe no. But speaking people are speaking out all across America not to mention the world demanding a ceasefire I would add hope that your voice is added to that call. I am Jewish my parents taught me over and over and over again that people would kill me For that simple reason, I understand never again.

But in addition to being Jewish, I'm a human being. In the 12 or so years of the American involvement in the War of Vietnam approximately 50,000 American soldiers were killed and less than five months since the Hamas attack on Israel almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed. The majority civilians, not Hamas soldiers. How many children in Gaza are missing limbs? We have no idea. We do know that pretty much everyone living in Gaza is homeless hungry thirsty and or in desperate need of medical attention Basics which the Israeli government has denied them. Israel claims that it's necessary to bomb schools, hospitals and apartment buildings because Hamas soldiers hide there. How many civilians is it okay in order to kill a simple...

Thank you Len. Next we have Jim Yarborough then Casey Rodriguez and then Bob Burke.

In the interest of time I'll limit my comments. It is completely The right thing to do to pass the ceasefire resolution. This is a city of peace and other cities in California, San Francisco for example, Madera, Long Beach, Hollister just off the top of my head, Richmond have all passed ceasefire resolutions. So yes passed the cease fire resolution thank you

Thank you, Jim. Next we have Casey Rodriguez then Bob Burke and then David Cohn.

It's good seeing a female sheriff in the house thank you want to make sure we noted that Hello, my name is Casey Rodriguez. I am the California Democratic Executive Board member of District 38 and a local educator. The views and opinions I express here are my own and my own voice. I hesitated to join tonight due to the reports of unsafe local roads. However despite my concerns I felt compelled to attend To demonstrate to the voters who elected me that they can rely on me, to do what's right. To be a voice for those who feel voiceless or too afraid to speak up when so many have fallen short on doing this.