California RSOL is pleased to announce two upcoming monthly meetings for registrants, friends and family in both regions of the Golden State.
The Southern California meeting will be held on Saturday, September 14 at the ACLU building at 1313 W. 8th Street in Los Angeles (usual location).
CA RSOL will hold a meeting in Northern California on Saturday, October 12, in Oakland / Berkeley. The address is Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, ***1606 Bonita Avenue***, Berkeley, CA 94709.
*** Please note: an incorrect address was listed previously for the Berkeley meeting – it was corrected on Oct 2***
Both meetings will start at 10 am and cover general topics of interest, as well as specific issues pertinent at meeting time, in addition to offering invaluable opportunities to network with others affected by this issue, as well as activists and professionals. The meetings are restricted to registrants, friends and family and off-limits to media and government officials. There is no charge to attend.
In addition, it is not too late to attend the National RSOL Conference hosted by CA RSOL August 30 – September 1. Day passes are available. More information on this web site.
See you at a meeting or conference in the near future! Show up, stand up, speak up!
I really am really looking forward to attending my first meeting. There is to much that has happen in my life because of a 21yr. conviction. The effects of that conviction are still impacting my life on a daily basis. People who are being scapegoated for political advancement and need to unite and strive for more truth in sentencing laws.
@omowale a. …. Please do come … They are so informative. My fiancé has a conviction from 1987, when he was 19 and the gal was 22 …. At a party, need I say more?
Each and everyday until we met three years ago his life has been a struggle. We’ve been to five meetings, I think … Each one happy we went. The first and second and maybe even the third were very difficult for my fiancé. He said it was like ripping apart an open wound that never healed but he learned to live with the pain. Yet, the last two or so he’s begin to realize that the meetings are a “safe place” … You don’t have to hide … You listen, you learn, you meet people who are suffering the same fate … Some more than others.
Glad you’ve made the decision to attend … There is parking under the building, although tight, but worth it! (Of course, this is assuming the Los Angeles meeting about the parking! Lol)
I’m a newly registered sex offender. I’m glad to see these organizations cropping up to help shed light on the inconsistent dolling out of who is to be registered vs those who aren’t. My case was approx 15 pictures that were illegal vs 219,000 that were legal. In my case, I sent in my laptop from Southern Calif due to continual keyboard problems. It went to Central Calif, then to North Carolina where a contract tech for HP decided to go through my deleted files (no one knows why) and found 5 pictures (deleted) and one other that was a duplicate. The contractor contacted BestBuy, sent my laptop directly to BestBuy in Central California then the Central Calif office sent it to the BestBuy in Victorville who then notified the police. That’s how I was discovered. I was arrested, I spend two days in jail, bailed out, got myself an attorney and fought this as best he could for six years. I took a plea which was originally two strikes, six years in prison and over this period of time ended up as misdemeanor charges (4) and life time registration. Yet, there have been two Sheriff Deputies who had sex with minors that were in their care (which is supposed to be an enhanced charge) and they took a plea which ended with them not being registered sex offenders. Thank you for working on this and if I can help in anyway, please let me know.
It looks like I will be able to get the 12th off from work next month so I am also looking forward to going to my first meeting. I’m hoping that my experience can help others and that I can finally meet some of the amazing people who have built a network of advocacy for me and others in my situation. The feeling that someone has my back takes a little bit of the load off my shoulders.
Please check out this YouTube Video:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/NiuNuHKEF38?autoplay=1
This needs to be sent to everyone affected.
Great meeting Saturday and thank you to everyone who showed up, stood up and spoke up.
Everyone from all walks of life seemed to be represented there. However, with nearly a millions registered citizens in this country, 11k of them right here in LA, I am stunned that more people do not attend!
Are they like those zapped rats too afraid to venture out into the maze to find some yummy cheese? Or are they apathetic, or ignorant? My guess is All of the Above are correct.
A friend of mine wound up on the registry a year or so ago. He did not know I was already on there. As a condition of his release he goes to a group meeting and, apparently no one there knows about RSOL, or at least have not said anything about it.
He will let them all know this week.
I get letters from lawyers very other month advertising their services for 290 relief.
Targeted mailing lists can cost a bundle, but somehow I doubt they spent nothing more than whatever it costs to get a dump of the current database from LE. If they can get it, can one of our advocates so we can direct mail all RSOs and let them know about these meetings? Given the incredible impact this has on our lives, it seems to me that room should have been packed along with the mailboxes of every politician and bureaucrat that has anything to do with our plight.
If there is strength in numbers, let’s get our numbers up…in a good way!
Thank you, again, Janice, for your dedication.
C–to put it bluntly…in order to send out mailings, to file lawsuits to fight for our rights, this organization needs money. Something that is hard to come by for most of those registered. But, with 11,000 in L.A. alone, if every family just donated 1.00, it would make a huge difference. Just think what this organization could do if every family in the state sent in their 1.00.
There are so few of us donating our time to fight. We need help!! We need more people involved. We need your voice. Spread the word. California RSOL is fighting for your rights and all families need to get on board.
Rob—I perfectly understand why registrants might not know about our organization. Because of restrictions, possible restricted use of a computer, restricted from other registrants, etc. etc. But, what is hard for me to understand is why so many family members or friends don’t know about all the organizations out there. Yes, it is embarrassing and extremely frightening to admit to anyone that you, or a loved one are being punished for a sexual offense, and no one condones the behavior, but the punishment for the entire family has to stop at some point. If someone is deemed too dangerous to live in public, then keep them locked up, otherwise, let them get on with their life.
When this nightmare appeared at our doorstep, and we had a loved one arrested years ago, I SOUGHT out everything I could get my hands or eyes on. I was in total shock over our system.
There are people who have spent money they really could not afford writing, mailing, traveling, trying to help others as well as their own. There are parents who have worked so hard for this cause, that they have died fighting. Yes, we would all like a rescue, but until we get more people to show up, speak up, and stand up for all of our rights, we won’t get that far. Maybe if you tell one person, and that person tells another, and that one tells another and so on, we can reach our goal.
I am sorry I never heard of you folks or the meetings untill 20th of sept. I am glad I now see a voise and I am willing to lend my voice and self for the future, of rsol, i await the next meeting if in a 50 mile limit, as that is all I am allowed to travel.. thank you. I would love to hear some of the minutes of the meetings if they are available. thank you g.scott 290 reg. in Crazafornia especially on parole..have a safe day hold your head high and smile, you changed help the laws change. I know I have changed.
I’m curious. I’m currently facing charges that threaten to put me on the offender list. I notice it says Sex Offenders and their families can go. Am I able to attend even though I only have pending charges against me? I would really like to be part of this and learn more about how people cope on the list. I feel like my life is pretty much over facing charges like this and I’m looking for some hope. I wish I understood how people manage to keep a roof over their head dealing with the financial damages in these cases! Not only do you have to deal with the bail charge, attorney fees, legal expert fees, therapist fees, etc when you apply for a job you most often get turned down! It’s amazing that people can be essentially banished from society and the economy just like that!
Under the influence of drugs and alcohol my son stepped over the line 24 years ago. . . TWENTY-FOUR YEARS AGO. Our family took care of it. He was NEVER a threat to the community. I adopted his daughter, he served time in prison and when he was released he felt he had paid his dues to society and began building a new life. Now we have internet. In the last two years he has not been able to find employment. He is the most straight arrow, law biding citizen I know yet because of a few very sad tragedies in CA everyone is guilty of those few. It’s hysteria. It’s unlawful (there’s a pun) to sweep everyone into the same pot. jr
Finally! Thanks so much.
Good to see you here Jack Goldman..
my father and I went to this meeting
my father seems to be encouraged he took note while I read them
Finally got to meet Jake and the others.
The focus I got out of this is that WE STILL have RIGHTS
We don’t have to be afraid any more.
I think the fear is most of us are not “CHILD MOLESTER” other may think that if they come to the meeting they are supporting CHILD MOLESTER”
No we are NOT supporting CHILD MOLESTER we are supporting THEIR right to live and improve every one life.
Let get the ball going again !!
Like most RSO’s I would love to go to this and all meetings. However, as a RSO, I can’t afford to go. No job. Wish we could hire a bus to pick us all up and bring us there.
Janice Bellucci, are you allowed to use the SO Registry to contact people about CSOL? If so, what would it take to send out notices to all CA SO’s?
When is the next CA SOL Meeting?
Had to work on the 12th of Oct. and would like to find another for my spouse.
Thank you!
What a great way for these folks to get back on their feet and voices of opinions
and possible workshops.
The Universal Terian church folks were LGBTQQ friendly, but they didn’t know what (or where)RSOL was, let alone CalifRSOL.
Why isn’t the address visible? ACLU is nice for L.A., but not Valid for Berk. Not fun, I have an electric car, drove miles to Berk.