Subhash Kateel
Subhash Kateel is a writer, communicator and radio show host of Let's Talk About It!, a real talk radio program that talks about the real issues that affect the lives of real people. Subhash Kateel was a community organizer in immigrant communities for over twelve years. He co-founded and co-directed Families For Freedom, a multi-ethnic network of immigrants facing and fighting deportation.
Before that, he helped initiate detention and deportation work for DRUM-Desis Rising Up and Moving. In Miami, Kateel served as an organizer with the Florida Immigrant Coalition helping to develop community responses to ICE raids, detentions and deportations.
Besides facilitating some of the most sought after know your rights trainings in the South East, he helped lead the We Are Florida! campaign that successfully stopped an Arizona-style anti-immigrant bill from passing in the Florida legislature.He writes extensively on issues ranging from immigration and criminal justice to mental health, economic justice and gun control. When he isn't writing or talking on the radio, Subhash is helping emerging leaders in Miami to develop their voice and leading workshops around the country to help social justice leaders communicate effectively. He has called many places home, including Saginaw, Michigan, Brooklyn, New York and now Miami, Florida.[1]
Education
Columbia University in the City of New York
"Justice for Reefa"
In December 2013, four months after 18-year-old street artist Israel "Reefa" Hernandez died after being tasered by Miami Beach police officer Jorge Mercado, friends and family in the Justice for Reefa Coalition used last week's series of art fairs to raise awareness for what they believe to be an unjustified killing. The group has been joined by the Dream Defenders, the same group that occupied the Florida state capital building for 31 days following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
Their main events were a protest outside the Miami Beach Convention Center on Friday night, a flash mob-style gathering inside the building at the main entrance of the fair during a high-traffic period, and a weekend spent petitioning and talking to graffiti-receptive out-of-towners in Wynwood.
Subhash Kateel, a radio broadcaster and community activist, said of Officer Mercado, "He's a Miami Beach veteran who has been here long enough to know if he was really was in danger. We've done our homework, and it's just really clear to us that the law is on our side. The only way the level of force used on Israel was justified is if everyone, like him, were a 150-pound 18-year-old. And we're not. We do not believe that all of those officers that day were in fear of a 150-pound 18-year-old boy.
"It's been four months with no autopsy or toxicology reports released. Leaks come out that we believe to be from the police department, saying that Israel was on drugs. Well, show us the evidence."
"Basel Week is a time of year when the city purports to care about art and artists. So if you really care about art and artists, care about Reefa," says Yesenia Garcia of the Justice for Reefa Coalition. "This is a time when Miami Beach is making millions and millions off of the Miami art scene. But why don't they care about artists the rest of the year?"
As the sun set on Friday, protesters held a banner reading "We Demand Justice For Israel Hernandez" across the street from the fair. Miami Beach police stood by to keep the group from setting foot on the sidewalk, asking curious passersby to keep moving when they stopped to ask questions about Hernandez. The plan was to then have a second group flood inside the convention center to the passageway where the crowds bottleneck as they enter and exit. The group would sing protest songs and make a brief speech about Reefa and the circumstances of his death.
Daniel Agnew of the Dream Defenders was the one who would be sending the signal and leading the call-and-response song about Hernandez's death. His group became involved "while we were in the capital, when we got a call telling us what had happened with Reefa. We couldn't do anything just then because, well, we were kind of involved. But after we came back to Miami, we couldn't not do something."
Outside the convention center, fair employees were seen accepting handbills from the protestors, not unlike the other confused visitors who paused to ask questions. On Saturday and Sunday, the activists continued their efforts, relocating to Wynwood in order to raise awareness about alleged police brutality and to get signatures on their petition to reform the laws around supposedly non-lethal force that became lethal for Israel Hernandez. One signature came from Florida State Senator Dwight Bullard, who represents a district that includes part of Miami-Dade county.
According to Muhammed Malik of the Coalition, who was at the Miami Beach and Wynwood actions, "Local, national and international visitors and local residents and artists are signing our petition. Momentum is growing."[2]
Revolutionary Strategies to Beat the Rising Right Wing
Revolutionary Strategies to Beat the Rising Right Wing, was a nationwide conference call organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Sunday October 30, 2016.
- What's the nature of this right-wing threat? What has this election cycle changed about the political terrain we're fighting on? How do we need to prepare for whats coming after the election? Hear about these crucial questions from our panel of top political strategists, including Nelini Stamp, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Linda Burnham, and Sendolo Diaminah.
Those indicating interest in attending, on Facebook included Subhash Kateel.[3]
Now What? Defying Trump and the Left's Way Forward
Now What? Defying Trump and the Left's Way Forward was a phone in webinar organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization in the wake of the 2016 election.
- Now what? We’re all asking ourselves that question in the wake of Trump’s victory. We’ve got urgent strategizing and work to do, together. Join Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson of the Movement for Black Lives and Freedom Road, Calvin Cheung-Miaw, Jodeen Olguin-Taylor of Mijente and WFP, Joe Schwartz of the Democratic Socialists of America, and Sendolo Diaminah of Freedom Road for a discussion of what happened, and what we should be doing to build mass defiance. And above all, how do we build the Left in this, which we know is the only solution to the crises we face?
- This event will take place Tuesday November 15, 2016 at 9pm Eastern/8pm Central/6pm Pacific.
Those invited, on Facebook included Subhash Kateel .[4]
Organizing Upgrade Bloggers
As of December 23, 2017, Bloggers on the Organizing Upgrade website were;
- Kamau Franklin
- Maria Poblet
- Malkia Cyril
- Bill Fletcher, Jr.
- Subhash Kateel
- Marisa Franco
- B. Loewe
- Leftist at Work
- Rachel Parsons
- Eric Mann[5]