Texas Students Against the Death Penalty
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Texas Students Against the Death Penalty (TSADP) is the first student-run anti-death penalty (non-profit) organization in Texas that works to end the death penalty in Texas through campaigns of public education and the promotion of youth activism.
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[edit] History
TSADP is an organization of students from high school and college campuses around Texas. TSADP was founded in 2005 by a group of young high school students and with a donation by the Texas Moratorium Network.
One of TSADP’s accomplisments has been its involvement in starting more than 15 new anti-death penalty student organizations in Texas, and generating publicity in local media outlets. Some of the newspapers and news channels that have covered TSADP are NPR, mtvU, The San Antonio Express News, Austin American-Statesman, The Houston Press, local news channels and many student publications. TSADP is involved in launching new groups or helping other local anti-death penalty groups organize protests and vigils on execution days. TSADP is one of the sponsors of the Annual "March to Stop Executions" in Texas. Currently, TSADP is working with Texas Moratorium Network on a campaign to pass moratorium resolutions in the San Antonio and Austin City Councils and in several student governments, including at The University of Texas at Austin.
[edit] Anti-Death Penalty Spring Break
The "Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break" was started by Texas Moratorium Network in 2004. It is now organized by Texas Students Against the Death Penalty and co-sponsored by TMN, the Campaign to End the Death Penalty, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights.
Alternative Spring Breaks are designed to give students something to do during their week off. The specific purpose of this Alternative Spring Break is to bring students to Austin for five days of anti-death penalty activism, education and entertainment. Activities include a Death Penalty Issues Lobby Day and a direct action day.
The majority of the participants are students. The events and workshops are also open to the general public of any age, although the housing is reserved for young people.
[edit] Founder Hooman Hedayati
Hooman Hedayati (born June 18, 1986) is an Iranian immigrant, student, and political activist who founded Texas Students Against the Death Penalty in March 2005.
[edit] Kinky Friedman
San Antonio, Texas- Musician, Writer, and unsuccessful Texas Gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman spoke on June 10, 2005 at the Barnes and Noble at De Zavala to a mixed crowd of Texas Independent voters and country music aficionados, as well as numerous members of Texas Students Against Death Penalty. He signed the Texas Moratorium Petition. "TSADP will ask all the candidates running for Texas governor from every political party to sign the moratorium petition." Said Hooman Hedayati:
Mr. Friedman covered a wide range of topics spanning environmental issues (when asked what he would do about Hill Country Development he responded “Keep ‘em the hell out!”) to the growing topic of concern- a moratorium on Texas Executions. The Kinkster said that his main concern was to focus and to be “Damn sure we won’t execute the wrong guy”. Mr. Friedman went so far as to boldly state he would find an alternative to Texas’ “Eject ‘em or inject ‘em” policy on death row legislature.
