Barbara Becnel
Encyclopedia
Barbara Cottman Becnel is an American author, journalist, and film producer. She was a close friend and advocate for Crips
co-founder Stanley Williams
(aka "Stan Tookie Williams"; a convicted murderer and former gang leader who would later become an anti-gang activist and writer), and editor of Williams's series of children's books, which spoke out against gang violence. Williams was executed in 2005. Becnel co-produced the Golden Globe
-nominated film Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story
, which starred award-winning actress Lynn Whitfield
playing the role of Becnel.
Becnel was in attendance at Williams' execution as one of his chosen witnesses. After he was pronounced dead, she, along with two of his friends, television executive Shirley Neal and movie producer Rudy Langlais, stood up and yelled that California had executed an innocent man. After the execution, she said "We are going to prove his innocence, and when we do, we are going to show that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is, in fact, himself a cold blooded murderer."
Williams directed Becnel to make the arrangements for his funeral, which was held at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church on December 20, 2005. More than 3,000 people attended Williams' memorial service. On Sunday, June 25, 2006, Becnel and Neal released Williams' ashes into a lake in Thokoza Park, located in the black township of Soweto
, Johannesburg
, South Africa
. In February 2009, Becnel and Neal released Tribute: Stanley Tookie Williams, 1953-2005, a documentary they directed and produced about Williams.
Announcing her intention to defeat Schwarzenegger in the upcoming gubernatorial election, Becnel ran for the Democratic Party
's nomination for Governor of California
in 2006, http://www.votebarbarabecnel-gov.com/ and came in third (out of eight Democrats) behind Phil Angelides
and Steve Westly. She made history because Becnel was the first black female Democrat to ever run for Governor of California. Her campaign was very grassroots
-based, although it received media attention. She finished with 66,544 votes overall, which amounted to 2.7% of all ballots cast. She also raised enough money in the last week of the campaign to run television and radio commercials about her candidacy.
She publicly denounced Democratic Gubernatorial candidates Phil Angelides
and Steve Westly
for supporting the death penalty. She is also outspoken on other social issues, such as the environment
and immigration
. Barbara's outspoken criticism of Angelides and Westly resulted in her not being invited to a number of key Democratic Party events during the general election season http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/01/15/18347065.php. This, coupled with differences over issues such as the death penalty, led Barbara to leave the Democratic Party. In the first weeks of 2007 Barbara left the Democratic Party and joined the Green Party of California
, the state affiliate of the Green Party (GPUS)
. When asked why she joined the Green Party, Becnel responded, "The Green Party is right on the issues--no ifs, ands, or buts."
Crips
The Crips are a primarily, but not exclusively, African American gang. They were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969 mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams...
co-founder Stanley Williams
Stanley Williams
Stanley Tookie Williams III was the co-founder of the Crips, a notorious American street gang which had its roots in South Central Los Angeles in 1969. In 1979 he was convicted of four murders committed in the course of robberies, sentenced to death, and eventually executed...
(aka "Stan Tookie Williams"; a convicted murderer and former gang leader who would later become an anti-gang activist and writer), and editor of Williams's series of children's books, which spoke out against gang violence. Williams was executed in 2005. Becnel co-produced the Golden Globe
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
-nominated film Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story
Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story
Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story is a TV-movie starring Jamie Foxx and Lynn Whitfield. The film was directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall...
, which starred award-winning actress Lynn Whitfield
Lynn Whitfield
Lynn Whitfield is an American actress.Whitfield began her acting career in television and theatre, before progressing to supporting roles in film. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special and a NAACP Image Award for her performance as Josephine Baker in the...
playing the role of Becnel.
Becnel was in attendance at Williams' execution as one of his chosen witnesses. After he was pronounced dead, she, along with two of his friends, television executive Shirley Neal and movie producer Rudy Langlais, stood up and yelled that California had executed an innocent man. After the execution, she said "We are going to prove his innocence, and when we do, we are going to show that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is, in fact, himself a cold blooded murderer."
Williams directed Becnel to make the arrangements for his funeral, which was held at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church on December 20, 2005. More than 3,000 people attended Williams' memorial service. On Sunday, June 25, 2006, Becnel and Neal released Williams' ashes into a lake in Thokoza Park, located in the black township of Soweto
Soweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. In February 2009, Becnel and Neal released Tribute: Stanley Tookie Williams, 1953-2005, a documentary they directed and produced about Williams.
Announcing her intention to defeat Schwarzenegger in the upcoming gubernatorial election, Becnel ran for the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
's nomination for Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
in 2006, http://www.votebarbarabecnel-gov.com/ and came in third (out of eight Democrats) behind Phil Angelides
Phil Angelides
Philip Nicholas "Phil" Angelides is an American politician who was California State Treasurer and the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor of California in the 2006 elections...
and Steve Westly. She made history because Becnel was the first black female Democrat to ever run for Governor of California. Her campaign was very grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
-based, although it received media attention. She finished with 66,544 votes overall, which amounted to 2.7% of all ballots cast. She also raised enough money in the last week of the campaign to run television and radio commercials about her candidacy.
She publicly denounced Democratic Gubernatorial candidates Phil Angelides
Phil Angelides
Philip Nicholas "Phil" Angelides is an American politician who was California State Treasurer and the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor of California in the 2006 elections...
and Steve Westly
Steve Westly
Steven Paul Westly is an American venture capitalist and politician. He was the State Controller and Chief Financial Officer of California from 2003 to 2007 and was one of the top candidates in the Democratic primary for Governor of California in the 2006 election...
for supporting the death penalty. She is also outspoken on other social issues, such as the environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
and immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
. Barbara's outspoken criticism of Angelides and Westly resulted in her not being invited to a number of key Democratic Party events during the general election season http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/01/15/18347065.php. This, coupled with differences over issues such as the death penalty, led Barbara to leave the Democratic Party. In the first weeks of 2007 Barbara left the Democratic Party and joined the Green Party of California
Green Party of California
The Green Party of California is the California affiliate of the Green Party. The party is a ballot-qualified in California, first established as such in 1991, using the petition method of gaining state recognition....
, the state affiliate of the Green Party (GPUS)
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
. When asked why she joined the Green Party, Becnel responded, "The Green Party is right on the issues--no ifs, ands, or buts."
Selected works
- "Parents Who Help Their Children Overcome Drugs" (1990), Compcare Publications; ISBN 0-89638-218-4
- "The Co-Dependent Parent: Free Yourself by Freeing Your Child" (1991), Harper San Francisco; ISBN 0-06-250126-7
- "Life in Prison" (2001), Seastar Books; ISBN 1-58717-093-0 (co-author)
- "Gangs and the Abuse of Power" (1997), Hazelden Publishing & Educational Services; ISBN 1-56838-130-1 (co-author)
- "Gangs and Drugs" (1997), Hazelden Publishing & Educational Services; ISBN 1-56838-135-2 (co-author)
- "Gangs and Self-Esteem" (1997), PowerKids Press; ISBN 0-8239-2344-4 (co-author)
- "Gangs and Violence" (1997), Hazelden Publishing & Educational Services; ISBN 1-56838-134-4 (co-author)
- "Gangs and Your Friends" (1997), PowerKids Press; ISBN 0-8239-2341-X (co-author)
- "Gangs and Your Neighborhood" (1997), Hazelden Information & Educational Services; ISBN 1-56838-137-9 (co-author)
External links
- VoteCircle.com Non-partisan resources & vote sharing network for Californians
- "Barbara Becnel urges clemency for Stanley Tookie Williams at San Quentin"
- 2006 Candidates for Governor of California
- Becnel, Barbara. "Why I left the Democratic Party", Socialist Worker Online, October 27, 2006
- "Barbara Becnel: Why I Joined the Green Party" by Robert B. Livingston, San Francisco Indepentent Media Center, January 15, 2007