May in Review

May in Review

PFT5 stands in solidarity with the people of Palestine as they endure the current oppressive occupation of their land at the hands of the state of Israel.

Below are our May publications:

Free Palestine

Written by Editorial Committee

Illustration by Xio. A spray bottle labeled Ethnic Cleansing, Established 1948, Backed by the USA spraying blood on the map of the State of Palestine in the color scheme of the Palestinian flag.
Illustration by Xio

We are an organization that supports indigenous sovereignty both domestically and abroad.

Since its creation in 1948, the state of Israel has worked continuously through acts of genocide to expel Palestinian Muslims, Jews, and Christians from their land and created an apartheid state -- a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Over the last two weeks Israel has committed several war crimes against Palestine including attacking civilians and their homes, attacking the Al-Aqsa mosque, destroying roads to a hospital in Gaza, and attempting to silence journalists by bombing the office building of the Associated Press and Al Jazeera under unfounded claims of terrorist presence within the building.

This chart shows the number of Palestinian and Israeli death and injuries in Gaza and the West Bank reported by the UN for 2008 - 2020. In 2020 2,781 Palestinians were hurt/injured; 61 Israeli's were hurt/injured; In 2019: 15,628 Palestinians were hurt/injured; 133 Israeli's were hurt/injured; In 2018: 31,558 Palestinians were hurt/injured; 130 Israeli's were hurt/injured. From 2008 - 2020 5,590 Palestinian's were killed; 251 Israeli's were killed.
This chart shows the number of Palestinian and Israeli death and injuries in Gaza and the West Bank reported by the UN.

Utilizing a Strength-based Approach to Teaching Students with Disabilities in Staten Island Schools

Written by Valeriana Dema

In an interview, Plea for the Fifth asks Sela more about the strength-based approach in her book, Shifting Focus:

There hasn't been a student that I worked with that wasn't capable of doing that, however “low functioning” someone may say that they were. Students have the capability to self-advocate. We just got to give them the power to do so, and switch that power over to them.

Check it out! Our images are alt text enables to better serve our visually impaired readers.

Did you miss it?

Earth Day March on Graniteville Marsh in Staten Island 2021

Two people holding either end of a yellow banner that reads Climate JUSTICE Through Racial JUSTICE in front of the stage.
Shot by Jacqueline Caruso & Kasson Colon-Mangin for PFT5

Head over to PFT5's YouTube channel to catch our coverage of the Earth Day March on Graniteville Marsh in Staten Island against development of natural lands by corporations.

Also catch PFT5's City Council D-49 Candidates forum on our channel.

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Read about Martin Luther King Jr., an emblem of uncompromising solidarity in this commentary published in January 2021.

Commentary: MLK Tried to Tell Us

Written by Danny O.Z.E

Black and white photograph of MLK sprawled across the police desk being restrained by two police officers as his wife and others look on.
MLK at the police station in Alabama upon being arrested for loitering, 1958.

While it is true that King championed nonviolent, direct action, and that his methods required great character, solidarity, and composure, Americans have, instead, reduced his legacy to one of compromise. King, however, was not compromising at all.