Greenpoint
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Culture on the Cheap
LAST GASP: We Did It!!!
Okay, he isn’t out yet— but I have gotten word from a few ladies in the know that tonight or tomorrow Pablo Airaldi will be free! More details/commentary to follow. Quite frankly right now I am too excited/weepy to collect my thoughts! As I understand it (and this is using laywoman’s terms: I am a Notary Public, NOT a lawyer), Pablo’s plea of “no contest”/”guilty” in Indiana was overturned. No crime = no reason for deportation. This has been brought to the attention of the Immigration court judge presiding over his case, Justice Abrams, and he has signed papers for Pablo’s release!
UPDATE, January 6, 2011: I have word that Pablo is back home at the Chicken Hut. Which of course, is where he should be!
In closing I would like to give BIG props to the men and women who rallied to Pablo’s defense (you know who you are). Your tenacity and dedication is proof positive that people can and do make a difference. I am proud to call each and every one of you neighbors!
Miss Heather
LAST GASP: Pablo Airaldi In The Village Voice!
Yes, dear readers, The Village Voice has published the long-awaited feature* about Pablo Airaldi! Do give it a read and I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone his hearing is this upcoming January 6th at 9:00 a.m. Be there!
201 Varick Street, Room 1140
New York, New York 10014
UPDATE, January 5, 2011: I have gotten word as of tonight or tomorrow Pablo will be free!!! More details and a confirmation (hopefully) to follow!
Miss Heather
*One of my favorite passages/teaser:
…Ziiggie explains recently at Manhattan Avenue’s Acapulco restaurant, over French fries and a pint of blackberry-flavored brandy he had smuggled in his coat. “If he had tits, I’d fuck him.”
Now who can argue with that?
From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Letter Campaign & Benefit
This item was brought to my attention by the event’s organizer: a lady named Kathleen. She writes:
Hey!
Just saw your post on Pablo. Thank you for posting that 🙂
A buddy and I are throwing a benefit for our friend two weeks from today.
Pablo Airaldi Benefit Show
November 19, 2010 starting at 9:00 p.m.
Price of admission (all proceeds of which will be donated to Mr. Airaldi’s legal defense fund): $10.00
The Production Lounge
113 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222
You can get the full rundown at this event’s page on Facebook.
Otherwise I have received a brief update from Christina. She writes:
I just spoke to him. Basically he has a lawyer in Indiana trying to turn over his plea from 2001 for this exact reason but it a conservative state and there is no guarantee how this will go down. He informed me that his next hearing is on November 29th at Varick St. He asked me to get together the petitions and letters to the defense of his character prior to that date. When you can, maybe we can ask people who are acquainted with him, are fans of Greenpoint Bikes, or are sympathetic to his case to write letters stating who they are and why he should remain in this country. They can leave them with me or at the bike shop. On the 29th anyone who wants to come down to Varick St. and show their support for his case is urged to join us at 9 am. I am sure there will be more details before then but for now that’s all I know.
To be continued…
UPDATE, 6:50 p.m.: You can follow Mr. Airaldi’s story (and his upcoming hearing) via this newly erected Facebook page.*
Miss Heather
*Thanks Kathleen!
From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Letter From The Hudson County Correctional Facility
Some of you might recall that last week I received news that Pablo Airaldi, the proprietor of Greenpoint Bikes, is being detained at the above-mentioned facility and faces possible deportation by Immigration & Customs Enforcement. Well today I received via my friend and fellow Greenpointer, Christina, an update on how he is doing. You can read Pablo’s letter (which is dated November 2, 2010) by clicking here. WARNING/CAVEAT: It is pretty intense, e.g.;
“Is your asshole larger than this?” The corrections officer points to one square which he just ripped off my nearly diminished roll of toilet paper, “Then you can’t use this can you?” This is the reality that myself and hundreds of other share as federal detainees being held inside the Hudson County Correctional Facility while we await the outcome of our deportation proceedings…
Miss Heather
P.S.: Those of you who wish to sign the petition attesting to Mr. Airaldi’s character and requesting that he not be deported can do so at Champion Coffee.
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Greenpoint Hospital & Greenpoint Bikes
This item comes from my favorite crazy yoga lady. Catherine writes:
Haven’t seen you kickin around in awhile. First of all the article and photos about the Greenpoint Hospital are fascinating (if you ever do tour I’ll be happy to join you!). Second, I don’t know if you are acquainted wit Pablo Airaldi, one of the founders of Greenpoint Bikes. He’s become a fast friend of mine shortly before he was detained for deportation a few weeks ago… Currently ICE (immigration & Customs Enforcement) has a huge amount of funding to encourage deportation en masse, including anyone with any past convictions (likely in attempt to provide more jobs to those born on this soil while in fact the expense to detain and deport people is huge). Being an idealist, as Pablo went to court to present paper to the judge without a lawyer he was held and detained on the spot. Currently his lawyer advised him that there is nothing to be done but to try to build a case illustrating why he should remain in the US and paint the picture of him being an upstanding citizen.
I personally have come to appreciate him as a good friend… He is someone that truly cares to do what is right for the good of society and cares about people on an individual level. I have seen him put Zigggy to work in the bike shop. I have seen him let Victor (I call him the Mayor of Greenpoint, you know the puerto rican plumber guy always on the bike?) pawn his bike at no interest to pay a debt until Victor could come and buy it back. I have seen him barter with my friends and yoga customers to do work on their bikes that they couldn’t afford to pay for. He also brought art into the bike shop which hosted the biggest party during open studios. Aside from the fact that I am missing a friend and a compassionate person in this neighborhood that I so admire, I am sad for the community to have one less person who really cared and wasn’t too afraid or too lazy to show it. I have put together a petition to petition his deportation but according to his lawyer letters from different people stating who they are and why Pablo is a good person who should remain in the US is essential to his case. He will likely remain in detention at Hudson County Prison for some time and anyone who knows him is encouraged to write (or send books directly from amazon). I am wondering if you have any advice on how to help spread the word or if there is a good (condensed) way to make this known on your blog.
I have to confess: matters such as this are quite outside my area of expertise. However, I am more than happy to help spread the word (hence this post). I have also taken the liberty of contacting a print reporter I know to get her take.
To be continued/updated…
Miss Heather
SATURDAY: Bikes, Art & Booze
I was in a bit of a hurry when I spied this so I didn’t have time to inquire as to what this is about. Here it is. Those of you who like bikes, art and whiskey (and you know who you are) might want to check this out!
Bikes And Art (& Whiskey)
October 2, 2010
Greenpoint Bikes
1078 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
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