By kp
Steve a.k.a. “Jake the Snake” was a people-booster within the radical scene — his focus was on the accomplishments, talents and needs of others over himself. Active in numerous liberation movements over 50 years, he loved dancing, loud flamboyant clothes and hats, and the diverse culture of the Bay Area. He loved his friends, and he let them know. He died May 12, 2024.
Steve was born in in 1940 in Utica, New York. He was an agitator and a self-described jock from an early age, playing basketball and baseball, and becoming a championship golfer. He got his political education as a teenager from his Uncle Bill, a socialist and a writer. Bill had a vast library of political and philosophical writings, inspiring Steve to visit Cuba to see a “classless society,” and traveled in Central America for months at a time.
Steve moved to Los Aneles in 1964, going to Hollywood parties with Uncle Bill where he ended up teaching some of the stars and political activists golf skills. Steve was very proud of this.
When Steve moved to the Bay Area around 1968, he studied Buddhism and along with his then-wife Florence started a Tibetan Buddhist Center in Santa Monica, and then in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Becoming familiar with the Free Speech Movement and getting to know Mario Savio pulled him into activism. But first came extensive travel, inspired by Keruac’s “On the Road,” all around the US, and then extended stays in a Mayan village in Chiapas, where he developed his affinity, respect, and love for Indigenous people in the Americas.
In the late 80’s, Steve got involved with Earth First!, becoming a videographer, documenting speeches, actions and demonstrations in the Bay Area and Northern California. He rallied support for Earth First!ers Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney, targets of a nearly lethal bomb attack in 1990. He supported their lawsuit against the FBI and Oakland Police for violation of Constitutional rights when it finally came to trial in 2002 and won an activist victory over the FBI.
Steve volunteered with the International Indian Treaty Council, and became involved with a group representing Indigenous people of South America — Aby Yala — and filmed visiting tribal leaders from Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Subsequently, Steve was active in the Occupy Movement, the Black Lives Matter movement, and several groups organizing against racist police brutality — including the Mario Woods Committee and the Oscar Grant Committee. He participated in support and actions for families who lost loved ones to police violence.
Steve always credited his interactions with Indigenous people and learning about earth-based spirituality and traditions for shaping his activism, sensibilities and ethics, values he held and acted on until the end.
Steve Jacobson 1940 – 2024
By kp
Steve a.k.a. “Jake the Snake” was a people-booster within the radical scene — his focus was on the accomplishments, talents and needs of others over himself. Active in numerous liberation movements over 50 years, he loved dancing, loud flamboyant clothes and hats, and the diverse culture of the Bay Area. He loved his friends, and he let them know. He died May 12, 2024.
Steve was born in in 1940 in Utica, New York. He was an agitator and a self-described jock from an early age, playing basketball and baseball, and becoming a championship golfer. He got his political education as a teenager from his Uncle Bill, a socialist and a writer. Bill had a vast library of political and philosophical writings, inspiring Steve to visit Cuba to see a “classless society,” and traveled in Central America for months at a time.
Steve moved to Los Aneles in 1964, going to Hollywood parties with Uncle Bill where he ended up teaching some of the stars and political activists golf skills. Steve was very proud of this.
When Steve moved to the Bay Area around 1968, he studied Buddhism and along with his then-wife Florence started a Tibetan Buddhist Center in Santa Monica, and then in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Becoming familiar with the Free Speech Movement and getting to know Mario Savio pulled him into activism. But first came extensive travel, inspired by Keruac’s “On the Road,” all around the US, and then extended stays in a Mayan village in Chiapas, where he developed his affinity, respect, and love for Indigenous people in the Americas.
In the late 80’s, Steve got involved with Earth First!, becoming a videographer, documenting speeches, actions and demonstrations in the Bay Area and Northern California. He rallied support for Earth First!ers Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney, targets of a nearly lethal bomb attack in 1990. He supported their lawsuit against the FBI and Oakland Police for violation of Constitutional rights when it finally came to trial in 2002 and won an activist victory over the FBI.
Steve volunteered with the International Indian Treaty Council, and became involved with a group representing Indigenous people of South America — Aby Yala — and filmed visiting tribal leaders from Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Subsequently, Steve was active in the Occupy Movement, the Black Lives Matter movement, and several groups organizing against racist police brutality — including the Mario Woods Committee and the Oscar Grant Committee. He participated in support and actions for families who lost loved ones to police violence.
Steve always credited his interactions with Indigenous people and learning about earth-based spirituality and traditions for shaping his activism, sensibilities and ethics, values he held and acted on until the end.
Steve Jacobson 1940 – 2024
By kp
Steve a.k.a. “Jake the Snake” was a people-booster within the radical scene — his focus was on the accomplishments, talents and needs of others over himself. Active in numerous liberation movements over 50 years, he loved dancing, loud flamboyant clothes and hats, and the diverse culture of the Bay Area. He loved his friends, and he let them know. He died May 12, 2024.
Steve was born in in 1940 in Utica, New York. He was an agitator and a self-described jock from an early age, playing basketball and baseball, and becoming a championship golfer. He got his political education as a teenager from his Uncle Bill, a socialist and a writer. Bill had a vast library of political and philosophical writings, inspiring Steve to visit Cuba to see a “classless society,” and traveled in Central America for months at a time.
Steve moved to Los Aneles in 1964, going to Hollywood parties with Uncle Bill where he ended up teaching some of the stars and political activists golf skills. Steve was very proud of this.
When Steve moved to the Bay Area around 1968, he studied Buddhism and along with his then-wife Florence started a Tibetan Buddhist Center in Santa Monica, and then in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Becoming familiar with the Free Speech Movement and getting to know Mario Savio pulled him into activism. But first came extensive travel, inspired by Keruac’s “On the Road,” all around the US, and then extended stays in a Mayan village in Chiapas, where he developed his affinity, respect, and love for Indigenous people in the Americas.
In the late 80’s, Steve got involved with Earth First!, becoming a videographer, documenting speeches, actions and demonstrations in the Bay Area and Northern California. He rallied support for Earth First!ers Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney, targets of a nearly lethal bomb attack in 1990. He supported their lawsuit against the FBI and Oakland Police for violation of Constitutional rights when it finally came to trial in 2002 and won an activist victory over the FBI.
Steve volunteered with the International Indian Treaty Council, and became involved with a group representing Indigenous people of South America — Aby Yala — and filmed visiting tribal leaders from Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Subsequently, Steve was active in the Occupy Movement, the Black Lives Matter movement, and several groups organizing against racist police brutality — including the Mario Woods Committee and the Oscar Grant Committee. He participated in support and actions for families who lost loved ones to police violence.
Steve always credited his interactions with Indigenous people and learning about earth-based spirituality and traditions for shaping his activism, sensibilities and ethics, values he held and acted on until the end.
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By kp
Steve a.k.a. “Jake the Snake” was a people-booster within the radical scene — his focus was on the accomplishments, talents and needs of others over himself. Active in numerous liberation movements over 50 years, he loved dancing, loud flamboyant clothes and hats, and the diverse culture of the Bay Area. He loved his friends, and he let them know. He died May 12, 2024.
Steve was born in in 1940 in Utica, New York. He was an agitator and a self-described jock from an early age, playing basketball and baseball, and becoming a championship golfer. He got his political education as a teenager from his Uncle Bill, a socialist and a writer. Bill had a vast library of political and philosophical writings, inspiring Steve to visit Cuba to see a “classless society,” and traveled in Central America for months at a time.
Steve moved to Los Aneles in 1964, going to Hollywood parties with Uncle Bill where he ended up teaching some of the stars and political activists golf skills. Steve was very proud of this.
When Steve moved to the Bay Area around 1968, he studied Buddhism and along with his then-wife Florence started a Tibetan Buddhist Center in Santa Monica, and then in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Becoming familiar with the Free Speech Movement and getting to know Mario Savio pulled him into activism. But first came extensive travel, inspired by Keruac’s “On the Road,” all around the US, and then extended stays in a Mayan village in Chiapas, where he developed his affinity, respect, and love for Indigenous people in the Americas.
In the late 80’s, Steve got involved with Earth First!, becoming a videographer, documenting speeches, actions and demonstrations in the Bay Area and Northern California. He rallied support for Earth First!ers Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney, targets of a nearly lethal bomb attack in 1990. He supported their lawsuit against the FBI and Oakland Police for violation of Constitutional rights when it finally came to trial in 2002 and won an activist victory over the FBI.
Steve volunteered with the International Indian Treaty Council, and became involved with a group representing Indigenous people of South America — Aby Yala — and filmed visiting tribal leaders from Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Subsequently, Steve was active in the Occupy Movement, the Black Lives Matter movement, and several groups organizing against racist police brutality — including the Mario Woods Committee and the Oscar Grant Committee. He participated in support and actions for families who lost loved ones to police violence.
Steve always credited his interactions with Indigenous people and learning about earth-based spirituality and traditions for shaping his activism, sensibilities and ethics, values he held and acted on until the end.