2 10 12 https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/a9d05912c7680d0676cf4af6e9870e57.pdf 4377fc17dfcf610befcc475ce36bb66f PDF Text Text Streetvibes February 2004 Homeless Men receive Settlement from City Of Covington by Jimmy Heath Three men met last month near the Covington riverfront levy, close to the Ohio River bank campsite they once called home. Present were their attorneys, Robert Newman and Covington lawyer Linda A. Smith. The men were among eight who sued in U.S. District Court in Covington after city workers removed their riverfront camps in April of 2002. A lawsuit was filed in federal court in May 2002 alleging the city of Covington violated the due process rights of the individuals who lost their personal property. Homeless advocates said most of the 30 men living on the riverbank were away at work when the Covington city workers removed their belongings from city property without notice. During a “sweep” of homeless camps, Covington city workers removed and destroyed property of individuals who at the time considered the Ohio River bank their home. Items such as sleeping bags, medication, tents and clothing were taken. One of the men lost a litter of kittens and family photographs. No notice was given to the homeless residents and their property was not held but thrown away. City officials, including Covington Mayor Butch Callery, described the riverfront camps as a “health hazard and an eyesore.” City crews were ordered to remove any objects that looked like housing or bedding. In June of 2002, hundreds of people, including advocates from the National Coalition for the Homeless, and the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless assembled for a Homeless Rally and March to Covington City Hall to support the claimants and to draw attention to the plight of the homeless. The march was organized by the individuals who lived on the riverbanks, the National Civil Rights Organizing Project and Northern Kentucky service providers and advocates. In late December of 2003, the City of Covington decided to settle with the claimants and on January 23rd, at the site of the injustice, the homeless campers received their settlement checks. Philip Folk, attorney Robert Newman, Delbert Thompson, Charles Singleton and attorney Linda Smith gather at riverfront campsite for press conference. Claimants Folk, Thompson and Singleton each received a check for $1,000. Each of the men received $1,000 checks, handed out by attorney Robert Newman, against the backdrop of the Ohio River where the campers once made their home. They will receive another $1,000 each later from attorneys’ fees. “There’s now a nationwide precedent that cities cannot take the property of homeless people without notice and destroy it,” said Cincinnati civil-rights attorney Bob Newman, during a press conference at the riverfront site. “It’s a fair warning I think, to Covington and any other city that homeless people are human beings just like everybody else and they have the same constitutional rights as a homeowner, so we’re very happy about that.” Annabelle and Carrie Johnson organizations and projects in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, including serving as Board President for Peaslee Neighborhood Center, and serving on the Over-the-Rhine Community Council. Carrie and Annabelle have found a personal way to stay involved through the long haul, not letting hard times deter their vision and dream for a just world. It is their willingness to listen to each other and hear the challenges that brings out their collective wisdom. They are a team of freedom seekers. Other 2004 Keep the Dream Alive Honorees included, Bennett J. Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of the Central Community Health Board, Cincinnati City Council Member David Crowley, Kameron Franklin, student and volunteer, Darlene Hicks of Unity House, Nanci J. Mays, student and volunteer, Joseph and Susan J. Pichler, volunteers and advisors, Rev. Dr. Michael and Monica J. Posey, pastor and educators, and Rev. James Shappelle, pastor of Mother of Christ Church. Keeping the Dream Alive In They have both been very Cincinnati active in the neighborhood and they continue to be advocates for basic human rights for all citizens. They have lived in the community for a long time and are well respected. While Carrie goes out in public, attending meetings and speaking for various neighborhood issues, her sister Annabelle is behind the scenes making it all possible. Carrie Johnson is a tireless volunteer for various Jimmy Heath photos St. Mark Catholic Church held the third annual “Martin Luther King-Keep the Dream Alive Celebration.” on Monday, January 19th, to honor several Cincinnatians who work for peace through example and the spirit of their daily lives. This year’s honorees included Carrie and Annabelle Johnson, two sisters who live and work in Over-theRhine. Father Paul Marshall, SM, of the University of Dayton, speaks about the spirit and life of Martin Luther King Jr. Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's alternative news source, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless and contains relevant discussions of social justice, and poverty issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for home­ less and other low-income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibes Vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes Vendor badge. All profits go directly to the vendor. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. GCCH Staff Georgine Getty - Executive Director Brendan Goodwin - Administra­ tive Coordinator Andy Erickson - Education Coordinator Elizabeth Linville - Civil Rights Coordinator Mary Gaffney - Receptionist Streetvibes Jimmy Heath - Editor ­ Design & Layout Photographers Jimmy Heath, Berta Lambert Cover Attorney Robert Newman hands out settlement check to riverfront campers... photo by Jimmy Heath Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, and photos. We will give preference to those who are homeless or ven­ dors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes, de­ livered to your home each month, can be purchased for $25 per year. Address mail to: Streetvibes Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com web: http://homeless.cinci.com A New Year’s Challenge to a City by Jimmy Heath, Streetvibes Editor the mess that is caused by all of this Cincinnati continues to be a insanity. City Council produces scary place for African-Americans dog-and-pony shows for the press. and the poor. Outraged citizens and terrified Last month, Martin Luther community residents continue to King Jr. would have been 75 years cry out for something to be done. old. I wonder what he would have Some community leaders to say about current affairs in hope that finding jobs and more Cincinnati, or how things would be constructive alternatives for some different if he were still alive. The of these young men will help solve words of Dr. Martin Luther King the problems. But the lure of the continue to be prophetic. Sadly, drug trade is powerful. It pulls not much has changed for the better. While King busily toured the country trying to spread his message of hope to poor communities, the most danger he faced was not in the Deep South, but in northern cities. In later conversations King admitted that he felt real Speaking out for justice can be a lonely thing danger in Chicago during one of his visits; there was these young men out of high more anger and hatred in the north school, and out of mainstream than he had ever faced in the Deep society and into jail or death. South. There are no imaginative outlets Cincinnati’s first homicide for these young men on the street of 2004 happened in the middle of corners. We need social forces in Liberty Street in Over-the-Rhine in place, and education as part of the broad daylight, in front of dozens civil rights movement. of witnesses. Somebody finally A study of the effectiveness stepped-up and identified the of Ohio public schools ranked Ohio shooter and an arrest was made. 33rd of 37 states and Washington The unacceptable state of our DC in the percentage of Africancommunity and other poor Americans who graduate. Only neighborhoods in Cincinnati says half of Ohio’s African-American something about the general public high school students condition of our society. There is graduate, while 82 percent of white something horrible going on when students graduate. Is there a murders become routine in certain relation to the drug-dealing culture neighborhoods. and these high drop out rates? The police say that over In 2003, 10 of the city’s 75 90% of the city’s homicides are homicides occurred in Over-thedrug related. Yet we continue to Rhine. In 2003, Cincinnati see the dope boys occupy our recorded its most deadly year since street corners with impunity. There 1977. 2003 was the fifth straight are dozens of so-called drug year that the city’s homicide total dealing hot-spots in OTR and other increased. The 75 murders in 2003 places in the city; everyone knows marked a 12 percent increase over where they are but the police say 2002’s 66 killings. The 75 deaths they are powerless in doing much nearly spoiled the decade’s long about it. As a resident, I feel record for homicides in Cincinnati. powerless too. In reaction to 2004’s first White people continue to homicide, some members of drive down my street in Over-theCincinnati City Council proposed Rhine, buying dope from the open more money be funneled to an antiair drug market on the corner. gang task force and a gun violence There is a perception among white education program at Children’s suburbanite drug users that Over­ Hospital in an effort to try to curb the-Rhine is the place to buy drugs. black-on-black crime and create Black men continue to kill more community policing. City each other over drug thefts and Council was divided by racial lines territorial disputes. The police over the ensuing debate. Africanarrive with note pads, body bags American members of council and crime scene tape to clean up made the proposal, which was S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 From the Editor eventually shelved. In Cincinnati, low-income neighborhood residents are among the least likely to vote. Most feel frustrated by the process, and the choices. Most Cincinnatians in general, just don’t care. A recent survey of 300 registered city voters revealed that citizens aren’t sure how to fix things. And 63 percent of voters said the city is “on the wrong track.” What do all of these statistics mean? Martin Luther King addressed the fundamentals of human devotion as a path to social, economic and relational success. As a society, we place value on certain people, those that produce, or are of the right color, or act a certain way. As a civilized society, you would think that we could do things better. We are great toolmakers, surrounding our lives with technology, yet we still haven’t figured out the simple act of getting along. We don’t always recognize the value of life in our neighbors. We don’t respect strangers. We don’t have much regard for poor children attending public schools. 40% of black children live at the poverty level; almost the same as 50 years ago. Our ability to have a conscience, a memory and the capacity to love is routinely disregarded in our modern culture over the value of stuff and our own domains. The root of criminal behavior, the low-priority given to low-income children, and the disregarding of whole neighborhoods, is our failure to focus on humanity in all our endeavors. These problems will not be solved without a human transformation - a human revolution. Education is our best hope. “Everything which is distinctly human is learned.” Genuine human community transcends all borders. It is an allembracing citizenship of people capable of creating value on a huge scale. Do we as a city have the wisdom to perceive the interconnectedness of all life and living things; courage not to fear but to respect differences and strive to learn from people of different cultures? What does it really mean when we say we want to clean up a neighborhood? What would Martin Luther King say? Page 2 �Homeless News Digest by R.V. Murphy Chicago panhandlers can receive as much as $400 thanks to a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of 5,000 panhandlers who claimed their civil rights had been violated when they were arrested or ticketed while politely asking for money, according to the Chicago Tribune. The case, filed in federal court in 2001 and decided five days before Christmas, focused on a local disorderly conduct law that let police arrest people on public streets for drunkenness, lewdness, and panhandling. If arrested the person could be fined up to $500. “Having a blanket prohibition like that isn’t legal,” says Mark Weinberg, one of the attorneys representing the panhandlers. “You can ask for help across the street, you can ask for the time, but if you asked me for a dollar the city could throw you in jail.” Federal magistrate Jan Nolan approved a settlement that calls for Chicago to pay $99,000 in damages. The city, which admits no wrongdoing, will also pay $375,000 to cover attorney fees and the cost of distributing the money. Not all panhandlers qualify; people who were cited or arrested only for panhandling — and not other violations — are eligible. In addition, Chicago officials revoked the panhandling ordinance last year; a spokesman was quoted as saying that “the lawsuit helped us realize that [the ordinance] was too broad and wasn’t going to be accepted legally.” There are more than 146,000 people on waiting lists for public housing in New York City and one of the largest homeless populations in the country. Therefore housing advocates are outraged at a new report from Assemblyman Scott Stringer (D-Manhattan), which shows there are more than 5,000 publicly owned apartments in New York standing vacant. According to the New York City Housing Authority, many of the vacant apartments are in buildings slated for repair. The city’s Housing Authority says it’s easier to renovate apartments when the buildings are vacant. A News 12 Report (http://tinyurl.com/2gzfd) says the average wait for public housing in the city is eight years. In the Bronx alone, there are over 1,000 publicly owned units vacant. Six police officers in Apopka, Florida, face charges for firing pepper balls into a homeless camp, according to Local6.com. An internal investigation completed last week showed the officers had violated a number of department regulations in the September incident at the camp. Former Apopka Officer Brian Davis, who is now an Orange County deputy sheriff, reportedly revealed the incident while applying for his current job. No transients in the camp were injured. Punishment for the officers has not been announced. A makeshift homeless encampment with tents made of blankets has been targeted by the city of Pittsburgh, according to PittsburghChannel.com (http://thepittsburghchannel.com/ news). City crews are posting warnings this week telling the six people living under the Roberto Clemente Bridge that they have a week to remove their belongings before the city does it for them, says Public Works Director Guy Costa. The encampment was removed in November but the occupants moved back. Under terms of a settlement in a lawsuit brought on behalf of the homeless people, the city must give seven days’ notice before clearing away an encampment, to give occupants time to move, and must store any personal belongings rather than discarding them. The bridge is a main thoroughfare to the new baseball stadium and is named for Roberto Clemente, Hall of Fame outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemente died on Jan. 1, 1973, in the crash of a cargo plane carrying relief supplies to those left homeless by an earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua. Some Irreverent Thoughts On Religion by Gray Dog I hear on the radio that, in Alabama, which is fiftieth of fifty states in spending on health care for prisoners, lets prisoners die of treatable cancers and other diseases because the private health care corporation in charge of prison health care wants to keep costs down. The story interviewed a man who was sentenced to two years, developed a cancer that was never diagnosed until too late, then was released. He’s now getting treatment, but he has only a thirty percent chance to live. He would have had pretty good odds if the prison doctors had diagnosed it and if they had allowed the treatments. But now he has a one in three chance to live. Pull a B&E in Alabama, you could get a death sentence. This is the same state, Alabama, where half the population is bothered by the very expensive removal of a very expensive set of stone Ten Commandments from the lobby of the state courthouse. The Ten commandments, for those of you who are heathens, is God’s list of things one should (or shalt) do or not do. These include the ever popular Thou Shalt Not Kill. Am I missing something here? philosopher. His answer, “Jesus Christ.” Makes sense. Jesus was famous for his preventive strike doctrine and for favoring tax breaks for the rich. His friends were the wealthy and powerful and he taught that “the spin shall make you free.” What would Jesus do? What would Jesus wear? How would Jesus vote? What would Jesus drive? (Okay, I think we know.) Who would Jesus kill? All the bad guys, or just the really bad ones? How would Jesus handle an aggressive panhandler? Where would Jesus hang out? Where would Jesus send his kids to school? Would he send them to a Christian academy? Another American who seemed to have taken Jesus as his favorite political philosopher was Martin Luther King, Jr., who spoke of how his commitment to the ministry of Jesus Christ “led him to take a stand, not just on civil rights, but on poverty, and on war. True compassion,” he said in 1967, “is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard. And superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.” During his election campaign, someone asked George Bush for his favorite political Jesus was the First Republican? Jesus was the First Radical? Take your pick. S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Thank You! by Robert Manassa I’m writing to say thanks to all of the many patrons who purchase Streetvibes from me. I can’t really find enough words to express my gratitude to you all. Each time I see the smiling faces coming toward me I can’t help but try to hold onto my emotions. I’m filled with lots of elation. Some of you may not take the time to talk to me, the reason for your hesitation I can’t figure. That’s not an issue with me. Each month I try, with all that’s inside of me, to compose the poems of my heart and soul. You may or may not feel me, but believe me, it’s something I know is true. The things I write about are from experiences I had in life. I hope I am an inspiration to you. I hope to reach some of you. I know I won’t reach all, though I want to. Keep on being the faithful patrons that you are. Again, I say thank you! The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. Dante It is penance to work, to give oneself to others, to endure the pinpricks of community living. Dorothy Day Streetvibes 3rd Best in North America by the North American Street Newspaper Association Story, Editorial and Art Submis­ sion Deadline for the March 2004 edition of STREETVIBES is Friday, February 12th Page 3 Page 3 �Myths breed neglect, violence against Cincinnati’s homeless should be allowed to live under by Andy Erickson get themselves out of an bridges. Respondents were asked unexpected situation. Education Coordinator Sue was in her sixties and to leave comments. These same myths also Many of the comments was a nurse for many years. A discount the many homeless few months ago she unexpectedly said things like, “They are bums children in our city. No one likes lost her job and became homeless who chose not to get an education to think of a child going and got involved with drugs, as a result. She fought hard and homeless. Therefore, many of us alcohol or crime eventually obtained housing. instead. Society The proportion of women and children in the When I spoke to her recently, owes them however, she was once again in homeless population today is larger than it has danger of becoming homeless due nothing,” and been since the Civil War era. A recent article “They are not to a job loss. She was crying in USA Today reported that families now make ‘down on their when she said, “I just want to up 41% of the homeless population in the US. luck.’ That have a place where my kids can In Cincinnati, children make up one third of would imply come visit me.” our homeless population. Despite facts like that these People often have an these, many of our housed Cincinnatians people worked image of the homeless as “bag firmly believe the myths they hear about the hard in life and ladies” or “drunken bums.” But homeless... that fate dealt the majority of our homeless them tragedy… citizens are like Sue, living in the homeless got exactly what shelters or on the streets because don’t. To admit that children are they deserved.” of rising housing costs, job loss, homeless and hungry is to admit There are many comments that we have homeless people and other economic problems. The proportion of women like this, and you can view them who need help and care from the all at http:// and children in the rest of us. The sad fact is that homeless population www.wcpo.com/ there are 8,000 children in today is larger than it news/2003/local/ Cincinnati who will experience has been since the Civil 07/17/ homelessness at some point War era. A recent homeless.html during the year. Not one of the article in USA Today Myths like angry comments on Channel 9’s reported that families the ones quoted poll even mentioned them. now make up 41% of above serve a While many people use the homeless function. If we stereotypes to justify neglect of population in the US. believe that the homeless people, others go even In Cincinnati, children homeless don’t further, using them as justification Andy Erickson make up one third of deserve help (or for hate speech or physical our homeless that they are violence. A disturbing number of population. Despite facts like beyond help), it makes it easy for comments on the Channel 9 these, many of our housed us to ignore the men, women, and website suggested that the Cincinnatians firmly believe the children who are experiencing homeless be “locked up” or myths they hear about the homelessness in our city. We can “forced to leave town.” One homeless. write them off as undeserving and person said we should “make it An online poll conducted forget about them. Of course, in illegal for them to vote.” Another by Channel 9 in August 2003 order to do this, we have to even casually stated, “Toss the bums in the river for all I care, as asked people to state whether or discount the many people like not they thought homeless people Sue, who work hard every day to long as it will improve the city visually.” At the height of the issue over the bridge encampments, when this poll was conducted, homeless people in Cincinnati frequently became victims of hate crimes and physical violence. Some were pelted with rocks, bottles, or eggs while they slept. Others’ belongings were stolen or destroyed. Some people’s camps were even set on fire. Nationally, hate crimes like these have been growing in numbers. Over the past four years, there have been 212 documented hate crimes against homeless people, 123 of which resulted in death. We need to abandon the harmful myths that we spread when we talk about homeless people. We at least owe that to the homeless children in our community, to the victims of hate crimes, and to people like Sue who have worked so hard to get out of their situation. We need to recognize that homelessness affects thousands of people every year in this city, and that harmful speech can only make matters worse. Write Us! We’d like to hear from you.... Send letters or comments to: Streetvibes@Juno.com, or write the Coalition office attn: Streetvibes Letters, 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 215 East 14th Street Over-the-Rhine Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 621-5514 Empowering our neighborhood children through peace, art and education S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Page 4 �Can You Force The Homeless Into Shelters? by Judy Newkirk The weather is bitter cold today and most people are warm inside shelter. Not Mike. He’s been sleeping in a sleeping bag on Calhoun Street in Clifton for two years now under the protection of a slight overhang in front of the Indian Krishna Restaurant. They give him a free meal every day, I’m told. I’m not sure. It’s hearsay from a couple of welldressed men down the street about a block away who told me also, “Not to worry. He’s happy there so leave him alone.” So I leave him alone, give him a dollar, tell him not to freeze to death because I care about him, and go on my way. Oh, I did get him to promise me that he would go with social workers should he feel really sick. They’ve been there before to talk to him, Psychiatric Mobile Crisis Unit, CRI’s PATH people and I got the report back from them that there’s no way to force Mike into shelter – something about Ohio’s Revised Code and that City Council vacillates on the issue. Do you suppose that maybe Mike ought to sue over the issue of neglect? Does anybody really talk to him much? One day about a month ago I did just that. Out of curiosity I asked Mike where he came from. Aliens, he said. He comes from Russia, his commanding officer is coming back, he works for the Feds, he Maybe that’s why I leave him works for the Butler County alone. Relatively speaking, he Sheriff’s department as an seems pretty cool with himself undercover cop. He once had a house in Oakley, worked on a job when he crawls out from under his tent and hobbles toward where he had to be alone a lot, Arby’s for coffee. grew up in foster care and has Well, I told you how I been in Rollman’s when it was a talked to Mike, listened to his psychiatric hospital where the talks, and that day, a few weeks doctors told him it was a DNA ago, thought he was willing to go problem. I got all this while into shelter. I waited for two sitting with him at Arby’s on hours for the CRI, PATH people Calhoun where he drank enough coffee with enough sugar packets to show up. They never did even though the two policemen who and smoked enough cigarettes to cause brain damage. “Stop aggravating me, lady! I like However the snow,” he replied....I left to go Mike is not home, where my concern caused a stupid. He wanted to be big argument with a friend who had warm. He lived in his own van after his asked me if I business failed. new of a place where they would leave him alone enough to came into Arby’s called them for me on their cell phone. It was enjoy nature. He loves the snow. He doesn’t like cults. He doesn’t voice mail. The only thing I got accomplished, according to want missionaries after him. Well, I don’t either. I’m a Mike’s next report, was to get him humanist. Mike shouldn’t have to shooed off a busy traffic area. Police had told him to leave listen to a sermon to get a free Krishna. I happened to drive by meal, to get clean clothes and a and view him in a doorway shower, possibly a shave and a haircut, to get the dirt cleaned out around the corner across the street from under his findernails, to live from Inn the Wood restaurant. It was the holiday season and no in an atmosphere where al least one was working on a phone line. there’s more mental stimulation It was raining and cold. than all day dead in a sleeping “Get in the car, Mike,” I bag. He shouldn’t be coerced to said, “I’m taking you down to the take drugs that might turn him Drop Inn Center.” into a zombie existence or even “Stop aggravating me, cause further brain damage. Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction. Albert Einstein Know Your Rights Brochure Available! The Know Your Rights Brochure is now available at the Coalition’s office. The brochure is a legal guide for Cincinnati’s homeless and covers a person’s basic rights when interacting with the police, as well as some local laws that might be of interest to the homeless population. If you are a homeless person or if you work with homeless people and would like to obtain free copies of the brochure for yourself or your agency, please call 421-7803, or stop by the Coalition office and pick one up. S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 lady. I like the snow,” he replied. I left to go home, where my concern caused a big argument with a friend who had lived in his own van after his business failed. He was there for a long time, even in the dead of Ohio’s winter. My friend did have a heater that would at least allow him to get to sleep until about two in the morning when he would wake up and shiver his body for enough warmth to get back to sleep. Mike has a sense of humor and is not threat to outsider. One time after the holidays when I gave him change, he asked if the red mark on my right cheek had been caused by someone hitting me with a snowball after they refused to get into my car. Yesterday, when I walked past Krishna, Mike was up and talking about Elliott Ness, the Untouchables, and I just walked away like everybody else does. But I wonder. Did socalled parents sit him down in front of the television set for long hours without speaking to him about what he’s viewing? I’ve seen it in a child when I volunteered for a very short time at LaBlonde Boys and Girls Club – the ability to get into a fantasy world and the ability to live totally in another dimension that is not the norm in our society. I think Mike needs psychoanalysis but he’ll never get it. It’s for the rich to make them even more powerful. National Homeless Civil Rights Organizing Project (NHCROP) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 homelesscivilrights@yahoo.com Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (513) 421-7803 Help build a powerful, resident led organization! The Republic Street & Vine Street Block Clubs are fighting for the rights of lowincome residents in Over-the-Rhine and they are going strong. Block clubs are forming in other parts of the neighborhood, too. Call the Contact Center at 381-4242 or stop by 1227 Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine to learn more about how you can get involved with these resident led organizations. Page 5 Page 5 �The Peace Village by Dr. Steve Sunderland flower we only barely imagined. I The Peace Village joined sit on a hill, under very bright the ceremonies in Cincinnati Winter sun, the temperature honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, hovering around 17 degrees, Jr. Monday, January 19. We warmed by the knowledge that started at Fountain Square and peace is at work, both under and walked with the community to hear over the ground, reaching deeply the MLK Choir, led by Peace for sustenance, raising its arms to a Villager, Kathy Roma, and some friendly sun and moon, and wonderful talks. I used to sing in awaiting the snow and rain of the chorus and had to decide everyday. I can see my breath with whether to walk in the march or each exhale. I can feel the pulse of sing. peace as life even though I am I chose to walk and enjoy bundled up. We continue, hand to the singing from the audience at hand, season to season, signal to Music Hall. Everything was free signal, walking with and for peace. and we welcomed everyone to “What more do we need to walk with us and our beloved community. Peace Villager, Roy Jones, an extraordinary young Cincinnati artist, has shared with me his painting of the Rev. King in the jail cell in Birmingham. When I look at this fresh look at the young King, I can see both his anxiety about being in a Southern jail and his dreams for Dr. Steve Sunderland a different day. We work for this day for our troubled know about war?” This question city and world. jumped out at me as I visited and I was reminded of all I tried to see all of the “D-Day didn’t know about King’s impact Museum” in New Orleans. on the South when I visited the Obviously the work of proud Ogden Art Museum in New museum planners, the story spills Orleans. out in many directions as we easily The museum is dedicated to can see how little the US was giving a space to Southern artists prepared for the German and and it is has the best collection of Japanese war plans. Very quickly, African American art I have seen following Pearl Harbor, the change outside of Hampton University’s in the American policy and action wonderful museum. It also has a occurs as a giant war machine is great collection of non-African fueled and unleashed to American artists as well. King is a counterattack the Nazis and “Japs.” topic in many paintings and Very early in the museum we get to pictures. meet soldiers from Germany and There is a photo of Rev. the U.S. through pictures, films, Ralph Abernathy and Rev. King on and audio tapes of what it was like the first desegregated bus that must to encounter war. If this is not be seen. Their look is surprise and enough, there are veterans of the anxiety: “Were they really on the WW 2 walking and sitting bus?” throughout the floors, eager to What does our fledgling answer any question and clarify the work mean? We are a band of allreality. I asked one vet, probably in season peace planters, caring for his 80s, about the survival of those our gardens as best we can. This is thousands of paratroopers that was good work. At this time. With sent behind the lines at the very each other. We plant hoping for a start of the D Day landing. No harvest; we reap, hoping that our exhibit seemed to answer what fruit is tasty; we look into the happened to them. The vet said ground and wonder at the miracle with a gruff voice: “We lost almost of seeds and roots. “What has every damn one!” End of grown peace, right here and in this conversation. season?” we wonder. What has Each floor was filled with turned over the right amount of soil exhibits about technical prowess so that the seed took just the right and the consequences in death to root, received the nourishment these very young men. Voices of from us and the ground, and survivors were heard coming from transformed into the plant and certain exhibits, accompanied by S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 the pictures, the sad and horrible through the wounding and pictures of very young men who crippling battles. The price of were heading into what surely was stopping Nazis and Japanese a kind of hell that even the pictures policies meant nothing short of the and words and sounds of arms loss of more people than could be could not portray accurately. I was counted and, so many, that it numbed by the films of the beach seemed like a ridiculous idea that landings, with wave after wave of war would continue. The passion Allied soldiers stepping out of the of the soldiers was clear and their landing crafts (invented by and commitment to each other was New Orleans native) into a curtain made evident. Yet, it was clear that of bullets, mines, bombs and every this “great” war was fought with conceivable obstacle. And, they the very young, inexperienced, and died, in waves, in layers, in the gullible class of “warriors,” water, on the land, in foxholes, in whether they are American, sandy holes, and in the arms of English, Canadian, German, medics, other soldiers, shocked and Japanese or Italian. So many wounded or just lucky to have young people dead. found an angle that kept them safe We were in New Orleans at from the storm of killing arms. the same time that preparation was Vets of the war were taking place for the Sugar Bowl proudly everywhere, welcoming football game. Thousands of visitors, selling books and stuff in college youth, parents, alums, and the gift shop, and taking bags as we friends were walking the streets, entered. Large planes are in the day and night, celebrating in the front lobby of a very large entrance rituals of end of the season football area. A kind man takes us to the games. Here were thousands of side as we go in and says that there young people enjoying themselves, are two ways to see the exhibits, mostly men but lots of women depending upon time. He is a wearing their school colors. A kindly grandfather type, genuinely good mood was evident interested in our seeing as much as everywhere as long as you steered possible. We proceed into the first away from those “warriors” who exhibits and very quickly we see had a little too much to drink. that there is no “short” tour; rather, How many of these young men any length of time will be a test of were going off to Iraq, or our emotions and our capacity to somewhere else equally dangerous? imagine the carnage that will be Would they understand why they described. I was reminded of were going? Would I understand walking the grounds of Gettysburg, why their lives were being gambled the entrance of the Holocaust in this old and bloody game? We Museum in Washington, D.C., and are at war. Close to 500 American the Austrian Concentration camp at soldiers have been killed; close to Mauthausen: no one entering 3,000 soldiers wounded, and we would ever be the same when you were on “Orange Alert.” How left. much more do we need to know Three hours of looking and about war, the death of young men feeling were enough for my wife, and woman, and the madness of Stefanie, and I. I finished the battle? museum by going to the book store to find some publications on peace. Dr. Steve Sunderland, There was not one book on peace professor of Social Work at or the psychological consequences the University of Cincinnati, of the battles on the soldiers, the is the Director of The Peace people of the countries, and/or the Village, a group of connection of what we were seeing individuals from the to the continuation of war. In an national and international obvious way, the whole museum community committed to could have been a poster for peace. examining all issues of The death of all of these people, Peace in the world. Dr. mostly young soldiers, under Sunderland also heads up indescribable conditions, shouted Posters-for-Peace which out that this was a barbaric way of engages people in solving problems of aggression and expressing their visions of violence. What would the world Peace, in their own words, have been like if there had been no through the creation of Hitler, no military adventure by posters. Japan and no response by the Allied forces? was a question that was (Business Card Size, ad ready copy) impossible to ignore. Millions of Reach 18,000 customers per month human lives were lost. Millions of lives were broken Call Streetvibes @ 421-7803 Rent This Space! Only $25 per month... Peace Village Page 6 �How Do We Treat Our Fellow Man? by Mary Gaffney conflict in the world; low employment in the city, etc. You Happy New Year to each and every one of our readers. name it we got it! It all makes me think. Maybe you are not a bible When you see this issue of Streetvibes, it will be the second reader, but in the Book of month of 2004. Revelation it says these things will It is my prayer to our Most come to be; wars, fires, and Heavenly Father that, with His floods. It talks about flying chariots love and mercy, (airplanes). It also this year will be speaks of more peaceful and destruction by prosperous in working to help fires (terrorists). These things make our fellow man, you wonder. How especially, as you is our fellow man know, my treating each homeless friends. other, regardless I care very deeply Ms. Mary Gaffney of race, creed, or for our homeless friends. We are all his children in color? On the unemployment scene; the city, the country, it His eyesight. As I watched the flakes of makes you wonder when all of this will end. snow begin to come down today But my real issue, as you and I looked at my friends coming in from the cold for a cup of coffee know, is homelessness which I deal with every day. The question or a warm smile, I want to make these days a little brighter. I can’t answer is why there isn’t more concern for these people. I As we enter the New Year get calls from people who are it seems like there is so much We must be prepared to make heroic sacrifices for the cause of treat poor and disenfranchised peace that we make ungrudgingly individuals as second-hand citizens. for the cause of war. There is no Martin Luther King task that is more important or challenged us to question these closer to my heart. philosophical dilemmas in our Albert Einstein everyday lives, no matter what our life circumstance. More than 30 years after his death Martin Luther King Jr. is seen as the voice for all poor people – people left behind in the wake of economic affluence, who are stuck in low paying jobs and homelessness and poverty. After 30 years, his voice still rings true. The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Memorial March was held in downtown Cincinnati to rekindle the spirit of his work and to provide a voice to the unheard, to provide inspiration to those who have been cast aside by society’s indignities. Spirit of MLK Celebrated The tri-state’s observance of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday included many events on Monday, January 19th, the official federal holiday. A highlight of the yearly remebrance is the march from Fountain Square to Music Hall, which this year featured a performance of a requiem written by the Rev. Charles Walker, minister of the 19th Street Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Many people know first hand that the work that eventually took King’s life still goes on today. The challenges that human rights workers face now are bigger than ever. Segregation and racism still have a stronghold on African American communities. Police and City government continue to concerned about people sleeping in tents. Also, why are policemen hassling our Streetvibes Vendors and the homeless in general? It seems at this time there is no real answer. I am asked why the city leader can’t do anything. I can’t find an answer. As I sit here today with my friends, some are hurt, cold and really disgusted, with no jobs, and with families. Some have had a police record and it is still held against them, making it difficult to get services. It isn’t only men but women and families too. Not all of these men and women are addicts which is a stereotype of the homeless. I know because I am with them everyday. And believe it or not, there are many things that you can learn from these folks that will open your eyes to what is really happening. As the New Year begins let it begin with more love for our fellowman, and may there be more peace in the world. Until the next Streetvibes, be good and always remember that God loves you. Wish List... Can You Help? Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Can you help us with some of the following items? * Digital Camera & Accessories * VCR for making copies of Streetvibes TV show and for educational packets * Blank VHS tapes * Desktop paper folder * Supplies (paper towels, toilet paper ) * Cleaning Supplies * Office Supplies - postage stamps, floppies, copier paper and other supplies If you can help, contact us at: Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 117 East 12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: Streetvibes@juno.com MLK Rally on Fountain Square S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Page 7 Page 7 �Berta’s Art Corner A Winter’s Painting, Washington Park, Overthe-Rhine, looking east at 12th and Elm Street Buy Streetvibes From Badged Vendors Only! Streetvibes Vendors are required to sign a code of conduct and agree to abide by all the rules of the Streetvibes Vendor Program. If a Vendor misrepresents or breaks the rules, she/he may be removed from the Program. To report a Vendor, call 421-7803. ext. 16 Authorized Vendors always wear a Badge! Streetvibes: A proud member of the North American Street Newspaper Association.... Representing over 50 street newspapers throughout the United States and Canada VISIT - www.nasna.org Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969) Front Streetvibes vendors are paticipants in a program at the Coalition for the Homeless that allows them to distribute the Streetvibes newspaper for a $1.00 donation. The money used to purchase the paper goes to the individual vendor. Vendors are not employees of the Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors are not fundraising for the Coalition for the Homeless. Back of Badge While we make every effort to provide a forum for those without a voice, STREETVIBES and the staff of THE GREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, is not responsible for statements, and do not necessarily endorse the opinions of the people whose writings are represented here. Each vendor must sign and agree to abide by the following code of conduct.... 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. If a customer donates more than $1 for a paper, vendors are allowed to keep that donation. However, vendors must never ask for more than $1 when selling Streetvibes. 2. Each paper purchased from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) costs 30 cents. Papers will not be given out on credit. Old papers can not be traded in for new papers. 3. Streetvibes may only be purchased from GCCH. Never buy papers from, or sell papers to other vendors. 4. Vendors must not panhandle or sell other items at the same time they are selling Streetvibes. 5. Vendors must treat all other vendors, customers, and GCCH personnel with respect. 6. Vendors must not sell Streetvibes while under the influence. 7. Vendors must not give a “hard sell” or intimidate anyone into purchasing Streetvibes. This includes following customers or continuing to solicit sales after customers have said no. Vendors must also never sell Streetvibes door-to-door. 8. Vendors must not deceive customers while selling Streetvibes. Vendors must be honest in stating that all profits go to the individual vendor. S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Vendors must not tell customers that the money they receive will go to GCCH or any other organization or charity. Also, vendors must not say that they are collecting for “the homeless” in general. 9. Vendors must not sell papers without their badge. Vendors must present their badge when purchasing papers from GCCH. Lost badges cost $2.00 to replace. Broken or worn badges will be replaced for free, but only if the old badge is returned to GCCH. 10. Streetvibes vendor meetings are held on the first weekday of the month at 1pm. The month’s paper will be released at this meeting. If a vendor cannot attend the meeting, he or she should let us know in advance. If a vendor does not call in advance and does not show up, that vendor will not be allowed to purchase papers on the day of the meeting or the following day. Five free papers will be given to those who do attend. 11. Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in termination from the Streetvibes vendor program. GCCH reserves the right to terminate any vendor at any time as deemed appropriate. Badges and Streetvibes papers are property of GCCH, and must be surrendered upon demand. Nelson Mandela... Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the World. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. Page 8 �Making shelters safe for all Is it Worth Your Penny? by Judi Clark Ohio stands to lose apselection (beds genders How much are you willing proximately $750 million in general closer to staff may by Elizabeth Linville be better). In The National some situations, Coalition for the Homeless there are enough (NCH) and the National Gay transgender and Lesbian Task Force residents to create released an important new a wing solely for Elizabeth Linville report in December of 2003 them. entitled Transitioning Our Harassment: Shelter staff Shelters: A Guide to Making should work to address and stop Homeless Shelters Safe for harassment of transgender people. Transgender People. This guide is This should be included in written to help shelters provide safe policy. housing for transgender persons. Dress Codes: Dress code “We believe that every should not be based on gender. A person has the right to shelter and more constructive policy would that right should not be denied focus on covering of certain body because of ignorance, injustice or areas, not on wearing gender insensitivity,” said Donald appropriate clothes. Whitehead, Executive Director of Concerns of Other the National Coalition for the Residents: Some residents may be Homeless. uncomfortable and unwilling to live The following is a summary with a transgender resident. of some of the important steps the Trainings with the shelter residents guide recommends shelters enact to may be one way to deal with this protect the civil rights of problem. transgender people. Referrals: A resident’s The Intake Conversation: transgender status is confidential in Staff should talk with all potential referrals, unless they give residents about their privacy, safety permission to staff ahead of time. and any policies affecting Many transgender people transgender residents during this face discrimination in the conversation. It is important to workplace and in housing; this inform the resident about a shelter’s intolerance can increase their confidentiality policy and that chances of becoming homeless. It transgender status is a part of this. is important that shelters and other It is also recommended that intake social service agencies work to forms allow clients to describe their create a safe environment for own gender, rather than giving people of all genders. them the typical options of male, If you are interested in female, and other. reading this report in its entirety, Restrooms: Transgender you can download a copy at the people should be allowed to use Task Force’s website (http:// whichever bathrooms match their www.TheTaskForce.org). self-identified gender. Shelters should provide whatever privacy and safety alterations necessary to facilitate this. Showers: This, too, is an area where privacy is a necessity. Transgender people should use the showers that correspond to their self-identified gender. Sleeping Arrangements: This should be based on a transgender person’s self-identified gender. Safety precautions should be taken in determining the best bed to pay to keep schools open, help low-income working parents stay employed with child care services, food for the hungry, services to elderly Ohioans? Is it worth your penny? Ken Blackwell doesn’t think so. In a move that is both irresponsible and a possible conflict of interest, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is leading an effort to repeal the penny sales tax added in the last budget. The sales tax, while not the most desired way to raise revenues for Ohio, allowed us to retain many of the services and programs that were slated to be cut. Hundreds of OEC members and supporters sent postcards and made phone calls in support of increasing the sales tax if it meant keeping services. We testified in budget hearings and rallied in Columbus. We met with our legislators to let them know how important child and health care were to Ohioans. Now all of these gains are in jeopardy. revenue funds if the sales tax is repealed. All gains we made in the last budget debate will be lost. Ohio will not be able to afford to continue spending on social service programs and education without the money the penny generates. Local government funds will also be cut. That means you may not have a firefighter when you need one or the library where your child does school work will be closed. Ohioans cannot afford to sit back and let this happen. We must work hard to educate our friends and neighbors, let them know what Ken Blackwell and the anti-tax lobbies are not telling them. We have a tough fight ahead of us. Mr. Blackwell and his group of supporters have the money to pay professional lobbyists. We have only our collective voices. We used those voices effectively last spring. We need to use them once more to defeat this proposal and SAVE OUR PROGRAMS. The GCCH would like to thank Starbucks for their generous donation of coffee and pastries. Story, Editorial and Art Submission Deadline for the March 2004 edition of STREETVIBES is Friday, February 12th S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Page 9 Page 9 �People Tell George Bush “Move-On”! by Mary Burke & Dianna Schweitzer On Monday evening, January 12, 2003 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, MoveOn.org named the winner in their “Bush in 30 Seconds” campaign. A 30-second TV ad that focuses on George W. Bush’s trillion-dollar debt. America’s children was the winner in the nationwide search for the best spot to tell the truth about the Bush Administration’s policy failures. The ad also got the highest rating from members of the public, who gave it the “People’s Choice” award as well. “Child’s Pay,” by Charlie Fisher, 38, of Denver features young children working in difficult service and manufacturing jobs – washing dishes, hauling trash, repairing tires, cleaning offices, assembly-line processing and grocery checking – followed by the line: “Guess who’s going to pay off President Bush’s $1 trillion deficit?” Sean Mullaney (l) and Dianna Schweitzer thank Al Franken for his amusing participation. government and our role in the world and to create opportunities for education. The energy has a high celebratory element too, making it feel so right to sing, dance, and beat the drum for the principles of peace, democracy, and the power of people working collectively. A panel of celebrities and political experts helped choose the winners after more than 110,000 people came to the Web site www.bushin30seconds.org in December to rate the more than 1,000 ads posted. Over 2.9 million viewer ad ratings were submitted. The contest was created by MoveOn.org Voter Fund to try to make the political process more accessible to ordinary Americans unlikely to be hired to create advertising in traditional political campaigns. “This has been an amazing experience in grassroots engagement, and all of us have been thrilled to work with such creative people,” said Eli Pariser, campaigns director for the MoveOn.org Voter Fund. “These ads give voice to the deep concerns our millions of members have with the direction our country is headed.” The MoveOn.org Voter Fund is a political committee created to comply with the new federal campaign finance laws. It runs ads and engages in other efforts to expose the policy failures of the Bush Administration. More information can be found at www.moveonvoterfund.org and at www.bushin30seconds.org. As of January 22 MoveOn.org reports that CBS has refused to run the winning ad claiming it is too controversial. What is CBS’s interest in keeping this ad off the air? Perhaps more importantly, what else has CBS kept from us and who controls the mainstream media? it an un-American act, thanks in to convey both his fear of the United States as well as his love of part to the Patriot Act. The biggest inspiration and our strength and beauty. Liberty entertainment of the evening, and Cabbage was the name given to the reason for the event, were the sauerkraut during World War I, 30-second videos and their similar to our Freedom Fries and creators. The content of the ads Freedom Toast of today.) Janeane Garofalo served as the host and she was gut-wrenching, ironic, playful, edgy, sad, angry and just downright kept everyone clever. The number of entries was laughing with incredible; over 1,500 videos were her smart insight into our entered in the contest from all over the US. The entries ranged from culture, obviously homegrown and folksy especially the media. Several to very polished and professional, other celebrities with ads running the gamut making it to the top 15. including As evidenced by the videos, Michael Moore, people are angry about the actions Moby, Al of the Bush Administration Franken, John Sayles, and Julia regarding the invasion of Iraq, the tremendous deficit, elimination of Stiles environmental protections, the participated in blurring of the separation of church the event. and state, etc. However, the event It was was not so much about anger as it especially was about taking action. Taking exciting to action produces a contagious attend such an Michael Moore congratulates winner Charlie Fisher event at this energy, inspiring each of us to do what we can to educate ourselves time in our and others regarding our country, when people are attacked The evening awards gala for speaking out with voices was kicked off with the crowd of dissent. The entertainers standing for the National Anthem, and video participants were the Jimi Hendrix rendition of Star taking a chance on receiving Spangled Banner. Comedienne heat from the Republican Margaret Cho then took the stage and humorously explained why it is National Committee (or Repugnant National important to give people “too Committee as Cho called much information”, as the slogan them). Actress Julia Stiles goes. She says that it’s important acknowledged she was to speak out on issues that make fearful of participating people uncomfortable, because that’s how change is going to come knowing that she would likely be labeled as unabout. The audience was inspired by Chuck D. of Public Enemy. His American. She went on to say it is that fear that keeps music and his message brought people quiet and it is for everyone to their feet as the precisely that reason that she audience danced and engaged in a call and response. Rufus Wainright realized she must speak out. While free speech is brought a smile and recognition guaranteed in our with a sweet rendition of his song Dianna Schweitzer (left) and Mary Burke (right) congratulate finalist Ty “Liberty Cabbage”. (The song was Constitution, the political Pierce (center) of Columbus, Ohio, winner of best animation for his video environment today has made “What I been up to...” written by Wainright, a Canadian, S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Bits & Pieces Page 10 �8,00 0 HO M E LESS CH I L DRE N H AT E CRIME S IN V IS IB L NT E ME DOM VIO EST L Y LO P EM UN L TA S EN E M LN IL N IO T IC V E TY Y RT PO VE R R E G N U H ADDICTION Y ED AG TR HOM ELE SS CIN I N CIN N AT I U N N M E E ET D S SS E EL C I VO wear your heart on your sleeve I WILL DONATE: $25 $50 $75 $100 $200 $500 They aren’t your normal candy hearts. Instead of “hug me” or “be mine,” they are the many frightening messages that Cincinnati’s homeless hold in their own hearts. This year in Cincinnati, more than 25,000 individuals will find themselves homeless at some point. They are laid off their jobs, fleeing abusive relationships, battling mental illness or addicted to drugs and alcohol. They are men, women, children, families, veterans and disabled people. They are all ages, races and from many backgrounds. They are staying in our shelters, on the streets, in abandoned buildings or doubled-up with their friends and relatives. Their hearts may be broken. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless believes that by addressing the root causes of the problem through education, advocacy and the coordination of services, we can end homelessness in our city. But we can not do it alone. We depend on the community to open their hearts. This February, please help us achieve our fundraising goal, so that we can continue our important work. Cut the coupon and pick a heart. Rest assured, it will warm the hearts of others. Send your donation to: Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 all donations are tax-deductible S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 GCCH News Page 11 Page 11 �Now at Public Library; THROUGH OUR EYES Book by Catholic high school students and Homeless Coalition by John Zeh The colorful 79-page book, “Through Our Eyes: Reflections on Homelessness,” an unprecedented exploration of issues prepared by high school students and the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), is now available at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. “This is a big step for the Coalition, to help educate more people so they can see the true lives of homeless people,” said GCCH director Georgine Getty. At a reception, she applauded the book’s creators for their “vision to shed light on homelessness and social justice outside their own comfort zones.” Homelessness issues are problems shared by “all of us,” she said. “They touch many whose lives are just like our own.” The book is available at the Main Library’s Education and Religion department downtown at 800 Vine Street and can be sent to any of its 41 branches via www.CincinnatiLibrary.org or (513) 369-6900. The book’s call number is 362.509771 T531 2003. In the collaborative, experiential learning project researching the book, students journeyed into the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood northwest of downtown to visit a homeless shelter and GCCH office. They conducted interviews to learn about the issues through the eyes of people without homes or ones who recently lacked a home of their own. The O-T-R “hood” and GCCH became their classroom, with real-world lessons. The book is to be the cornerstone of GCCH’s new, multi- media outreach effort for area educators. It is full of color photographs, personal reflections, poetry, artwork, and nine interviews conducted by some 71 Mother of Mercy students. The digest will be packaged with a videotape and supportive print material to educate students about causes and results of America’s growing homeless crisis. Kevin Pease and Serendipity Design directed design, layout, and artwork requiring “long hours to ensure that all participants had their voice represented and their vision accurately captured in book form,” said Getty. “Kevin is not your every-day graphic designer,” she added, but one on a “holistic journey, with an incredible work ethic and infinite patience.” Mother of Mercy educators Susan Straub and Kathryn Schnier were also recognized. Kara Koch, Abby Powell, and Katie Freshley were credited for their photography used in the full-color cover collage showing a child’s face, the GCCH office sign, and a member of Artists for the Drop Inn Center, one of the formerlyhomeless people profiled in the book. The cover was enlarged to make a large poster for GCCH’s Elm Street office near Music Hall. The project was funded with a $5000 grant from the Greater Cincinnati Youth Grantmaking Council, which has national support from the Corporation for national and Community Service and locally by Xavier University and the Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation. GCCH describes itself as “a unified social action group, fully committed to our ultimate goal: eradication of homelessness with respect for the dignity and diversity of our membership, the homelessness, and the community.” Its work includes coordination of services, educating the public, grassroots organizing, and advocacy. It is a member of Greater Cincinnati Community Shares, often called a grassroots, people’s United Way. GCCH was formed on May 30, 1984 as a political action organization to advocate for the needs of homeless people citizens of Greater Cincinnati who had no voice in the halls of power. It began with just an answering machine and a coalition of 15 organizations and advocates. Since then, it has grown to include over 70 agencies: advocates for the poor and homeless, homeless individuals, shelters, transitional houses, emergency food programs, social service agencies, churches, low-income housing groups, and co-ops. Membership crosses all political, social and religious lines. It directs its energy toward both meeting the immediate need for emergency shelter and transitional housing and toward providing permanent housing, jobs and health care for all. It meets monthly to share information and discuss public policy issues affecting the city’s homeless population. Journalist John Zeh experienced homelessness himself when an apartment manager evicted him before her conviction of laundering money orders that Zeh and others used for rent. He lives in O-T-R, and can be reached at johnzeh146@yahoo.com. Story, Editorial and Art Submission Deadline for the March 2004 edition of STREETVIBES is Friday, February 12th Write Us! Send letters to: Streetvibes@Juno.com, or write the Coalition - Streetvibes 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 GCCH News Page 12 �Words from the Evangelist… Do Justice… Walk Humbly With God Micah 6:6-8 and Matthew 25:31-46 were written in different centuries and in times that were very different from our own, yet they address relationships in a way that is contemporary and real for us today. Micah 6:6-8 tells us that God is more concerned with how we treat one another, ourselves, and God than in our rituals and celebrations. The prophet Micah lived in the eighth century B.C.E. It was a time filled with personal and political excess and corruption. Micah proclaimed that individual actions and relationships could make or break the entire realm. He also pointed out that the people would eventually make loving and life-giving choices, and their world would again be filled with joy. Eight centuries after Micah lived, Jesus words in Matthew 25:31-46 echo the words of the prophet. Jesus tells us that the way we treat friends, family, and strangers is, in effect, the way we treat God. I believe the city of Cincinnati in this year 2004 can gain a lot by taking head to both the words of the prophet and Jesus. Having received the ranking of the 6 meanest city to homeless individuals it behooves us to evaluate our relationship to those individuals who are homeless. The scripture clearly tells us that what God requires of us is to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. MARCC, the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati, has made housing (and therefore homelessness) one of its two priorities for the 2004 year. They are the people of faith who th helped bring us the Collaborative Agreement and have been advocates of social justice since the riots of the 60’s. I am proud to be a part of this ecumenical effort for justice and a humble walk with God. There are many other agencies and individuals out there working in their own way to eradicate this social problem from our community. Now is the time for us to come together and stand against the personal and political corruption of our time. It is time for people of faith to come together in prayer and definitive action that promotes justice and demonstrates our humble walk with God. All are not called to be activists, but all can pray. All are not homeless, but all need affordable and safe housing. All are not unemployed, but all need a livable wage. All are not addicts and Sheltered White Girl’s Eyes Opened by Shelter by Kate Mock, Ursuline Academy Student In my world that’s enough to make headlines. Until this semester, I never stepped outside of my perfect picket fenced world. Everyone I know shares my background: decent parents, comfortable home, maybe some siblings—nothing too dramatic. It was always in the back of my mind, the fact that not everyone lives as I do, but I was too busy to prove it to myself. Ursuline Academy’s Community Service class forced me to get out there and see what I’ve been sheltered from. After learning of the different service opportunities in Cincinnati, I decided that I would work best at the Drop Inn Center because its mission most closely correlated with my own—to help those less fortunate overcome the trials of poverty and homelessness. I am passionate about providing for the less fortunate because in many cases it is not their fault that they ended up in their position. If one has excess, why shouldn’t it be given to those who have nothing? Makes good sense to me. Beginning work at the Center, I was filled with romantic notions of righting all wrongs and seeing every person immediately put into low-income housing. I imagined myself forming close friendships with every resident in the Center and touching lives irreversibly. I quickly learned that social reformation takes a bit longer than that. I didn’t have any particular view of the neighborhood or the population with which I would be working—I simply saw them as people dealt a cruddy hand in the game of life. I did get nervous when I parked my car; everyone walking by was potentially armed and ready to attack me, rape me, and run off with my car and my wallet. After the first few visits, however, I was able to ignore those ridiculous ideas and continue with business. The Drop Inn Center wasn’t like any place I’d ever been in before. The crystal-clean world of the upper middle class is shattered the second you walk through the doors. People are milling around, outside and inside; people sleep on the benches in the main room; women sit at tables all day and stare into space. These people have nowhere else to go. When I first began visiting the Center, it wasn’t so bad: a few people occupied benches, no big deal. By the middle of November, however, the main room was filled with people, and the smell was suffocating. It’s not easy to access a shower when you don’t even have a home, and the people have to wear practically everything they own, so you end up with lots of people crowded into one room, each person dressed in multiple layers of clothing, and not a single person has showered in several days. I avoided wearing anything nice to the Center, like my leather coat—not because I thought I’d be mugged, but because I felt horrible exhibiting my own affluence around people so obviously down on their luck. The atmosphere is humbling, to say the least. I regret that my job didn’t have much social interaction. I was usually stuffing envelopes in Christina’s office, or making posters in a vacant upstairs room. I suppose it’s for the best, because I usually clam up when interacting with strangers. I helped with resident surveys one day, and while I had a wonderful conversation with one resident, Lamaar, no one else warmed up to me. Obviously, they know I’m “just a volunteer” and they know that I know that they’re homeless, so it’s not like they want to S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 discuss the stock market with me. I respect that. But with that in mind, I never really knew what else to say to them, so I didn’t say much. Christina and her officemate, Lisa, were wonderful, and I enjoyed sharing office time with them. It didn’t hurt that we liked the same music while working. Tom Lee was another staff member I looked forward to seeing. I haven’t the slightest idea if he knows me, but he worked the front desk when I would arrive, and he had a wonderful charisma about him, always whistling or singing to himself. Volunteering at the Drop Inn Center taught me that service isn’t always as simple as handing a person your coat. It has to be run as efficiently as a business, and it requires many employees. Sure, you just hand out food and blankets, but that only brings temporary relief. If you want to end homelessness, you have to find jobs and housing. I was never directly involved in the advocacy program, but it was all around me. The Drop Inn Center isn’t simply about getting people warm and fed; it’s about getting to know the residents and helping them as best you can. When Tom Lee would come down with a money deposit from one of the residents, Christina always knew who the person was, and why he or she wanted money, and frequently expressed satisfaction knowing that the person finally had some. The staff doesn’t know everyone’s history or even everyone’s name, but they care. You can tell they care because they come back to work every day. It’s sad knowing that there is a limit to how much they can do. It was awful, stuffing envelopes in the office, and hearing people discuss how temperamental the grants can be, and how hard they have to work GCCH News mentally ill, but all need healthcare. When we include all in the development and growth of our city, all will benefit. As a formerly homeless individual I serve as one of the CoChairs of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and I firmly believe that people of faith can bring about major changes in this fight to eradicate homelessness from our community. However, we must first care enough to act lovingly and justly toward the men, women, and children who experience homelessness in our community. I challenge you, the reader, (a person of faith) to do justice and walk humble with your God in this year of 2004. Call the Coalition at 4217803 and learn what you can do to help. His Humble Servant, Rodney L. Sutton, Sr. The Evangelist to ensure that the money comes through. Even worse was doing resident surveys and hearing some people complain about everything the staff wasn’t doing, completely disregarding everything that had already been done. Though the work was frequently tedious, volunteering at the Drop Inn Center only strengthened my resolve to work for social harmony. I intend to continue volunteering, and possibly exploring other locations in need of assistance, such as ReSTOC and Peaslee. Seeing the little things that can be done for these organizations is inspiring, and I feel that it is my human responsibility to do as much as I can while I’m young and have the time and resources. I wish everyone could see what I’ve seen, because I don’t think homelessness is a reality to many of the middle-class. But it is a reality, and in a society where so many people live in obscene excess, it only makes sense that these people give a little back. I hope people step outside of their sheltered worlds to help this noble cause, but I hope they don’t expect to see immediate results; it’s an ongoing battle, and every miniscule step is a victory, whether or not one can see the effects. For this reason I intend to continue doing volunteer work throughout my life—it is a cause I feel strongly about, and a few months of my life is not enough. I hope to find plenty of volunteer opportunities in college, and I plan to teach music in underprivileged schools after graduating. My Personal Mission Statement; When one finds oneself with excess time, and in the position to maintain excess possessions, it becomes one’s moral obligation to share the wealth with those less fortunate in any possible way, whether large or small. Page 13 Page 13 �The Work of the Dead by Michael Henson In every life cut short, so many things are left undone. The dishes stacked and crusting in the sink. The dogs unfed. Three new strings on the guitar, the others still in their wrappers. The bedroom half-painted, one side fresh and glossy, the other a map of patching plaster islands. And the oil that really ought to be changed. And the letter unsent: it only needs a stamp and someone to walk it to the mailbox. And all the work of love: words and gestures still bundled in their little proud houses and the keys lay right on the table where we left them. And even the nation, this sprawling, addled nation: Such a tangle of dropped threads, interrupted projects, failed promises. Who will beat down the hammers of greed? Who will untangle the knots of deceit? Those whose lives have been cut short are crowded into their darkened theater where they watch us bawling and arguing like actors in an ancient drama. They watch us closely, for they want to know who will take on the unfinished work of the dead. Enjoy your life and be happy. Being happy is of the utmost importance. Success in anything is through happiness. More support of nature comes from being happy. Under all circumstances be happy, Even if you have to force it a bit, To change some long standing habits. Just think of any negativity that comes at you As a raindrop falling into the ocean of your bliss. You may not always have an ocean of bliss, But think that way anyway and it will help it to come. “Doubting is not blissful and does not create happiness. Be happy, healthy, and let all that love flow through your heart.” This sentiment is not original with me. The Maharishi said it back in 1987. It was good advice then and, at the beginning of 2004, it is still good advice. May the Blessings of God be yours today and everyday. peace J. Manigan Inseparable Hearts Morning: Frost still lines the grasses, still paints the gravel of the path. My shoes scuff loudly against the frozen gravel and a thicket gives up its startled finches as I pass. Further on, the sudden, harsh, cry of a hawk. Six times, she cries Seven times Eight times Nine times, Ten! The sun strikes gold beneath her wings. by D-Von Sanders by Mike Henson Oh how I miss you on lonely days like this, What I wouldn’t do for the comfort of your hug and kiss. What I wouldn’t give for the precious gifts your heart brings, Your love is more valuable than any material things. If I was an Angel, I would give up my wings just to have you by my side. If finding happiness requires directions then you must be my guide. they can have my pride, take away my silver plates and shiny gold; all I need is you to fill the empty space that’s been placed within my soul. Oh my Inseparable Heart, I will go far beyond places, I am told no man has gone before. As long as you are there my Inseparable Heart, to hold once I open the door! S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 The Corpse of the Crow by Michael Henson This bird must have borne his body lightly, for he weighs no more in my hands than a cupful of ash, no more than a husk, no more than my mother when she died, no more than a snatch of breath. I have no fear of him now, beak or claw; he does not growl at me, nor glare with his bright black eye, nor stump in a wounded circle, single-winged, more fearful of me than of the trucks of Eastern Avenue. Yet I hold him gingerly, so light in my hands, I feel he might float off, and with respect, as if he were a chalice (though I know this is from guilt for I could not save him. Clumsy, fearful, I know I made his dying harder). Now, I admire him closely in his undiluted blackness. For there is, I think, nothing blacker than the blackness of this tar-drop eye that glints with bright liquid light. And there is nothing blacker than the blackness of these feathers. Each barbule is alive with stark, black light: the mail of the breast, the broad black oars of the wings, the curtains of the throat, the tufted crest at the peak of the skull, the quilted layers that blanket the legs, and the small, intricate feathers that guard the eye, matted by what seems to be a single black tear. And I admire the perfect machinery of the beak, milled and crafted with the clean lines of a chisel. And the black-greaved, leathered legs, jointed like a crustacean and fitted with mechanical claws. I fold him, carefully, into bullet shape and place him, for burial, in the crotch of a tree. Broken ark Bird of warning Temple of cinders Casket of the lost voice. For information on submitting your poetry or art to STREETVIBES email Streetvibes@juno.com Art & Poetry Page 14 �Walk A Little Plainer Daddy Walk a little plainer daddy, Said a little boy so frail I’m following in your footsteps And I don’t want to fail. Sometimes your steps are very plain. Sometimes they are hard to see; So walk a little plainer daddy For you are leading me. I know that you once walked this way Many years ago. And what you did along the day I really like to know. For sometimes when I am tempted, I don’t know what to do. To walk a little plainer daddy For I must follow you. Someday when I’m grown up You are like I want to be. Then I will have a little boy Who will want to follow me. And I would want to lead him right And help him to be true. So walk a little plainer daddy For we must follow you. Soldiers Song by Gary Lehmann A soldier’s eyes slam open interrupting the dead of night like a bayonet in the belly. Ancient fears, forgotten features. His lady brings him water. “It’ll be all right now, honey.” SNAKE LORD WHY? Let me tell you about this girl named Sweet and Petite From heavens above you would think She is a precious gift. But in reality, she makes me sick. See, in her mind, she says she’s a witch. But down on earth we know her as a trick. Like fire and thunder, she often makes em wonder. You know, like Stevie Wonder Calling herself Queen Bee But in reality she lied to me. She’s the devil’s child, running wild makes herself an angel to light You know, smooth, like Dolomite. But it’s out of date, she’s always late Or, her name might be Gail, she’ll put You in living hell. Post with no bail. She’s too fat, she might break her back. Thinks she goes lovey-dovey, she’ a tell-o-tubby She’ll cut you up with her eyes. You got a date with cake and can’t be late. No, in reality, she’s just a snake. Thinking that her heart is made of steel. That girl needs to chill before somebody breaks her grill. She’s bad for your health. Get that poison off your chest and leave her to rest. Lord, why did you put me here to die, to burn, to learn? Lord, why did you put me here to die, in a world full with pain? What is there to gain in this wicked game? What is there to gain when your back is against the wall, and you constantly fall, when everytime you try to get by you fall on your face? What’s left to save the human race? What is there to gain when hope is gone and you are standing all alone? To burn in hell or die in a jail cell? When pain and sorrow, and it seems like no tomorrow, thinking back to the goodness we once had. It seems to me that the worlds is so sad when everybody professes to keep it so real when it comes down face to face. They hold their head down in disgrace in this wicked place. When everybody’s puffing on so much chronic smoke, it seems that life is one big joke. When kids play with guns thinking that this is a game of fun, and money rules the world, and its war and tears, and its man that they fear. Don’t they know the Savior is near? And the heavens open up and I heard a voice say “My son, what I said will be, so always keep your faith in me.” Then I said to the Lord, “Will I drown in the sea or weaken like a willow tree?” Then in reply, the Lord said to me, “Stay strong even if you stand alone.” So my brothers and sisters, we must have hearts like steel to keep it real, looking up to God’s beautiful grace in surrounding this wicked place. Shutter Speed by Jimmy Heath Ron English, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial March, Elm Street S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Art & Poetry Page 15 Page 15 �On the Homeless Front by Israel Bayer Twenty-six years after his turbulent experience in the jungles of Cambodia and Vietnam, Timothy Buchanan became homeless. It’s been nearly 32 years of hardship and anguish for a man who left the United States and traveled 10,000 miles to fight for his country in one of the longest conflicts our nation has ever known. Buchanan was exposed to the chemical Agent Orange on more than one occasion and has post traumatic stress disorder. He talks softly when he says, “I got peppered with that stuff (Agent Orange) over and over again. “I’ve been pretty unstable, due to stress and the streets, for a long time. I’ve dealt with flashbacks and nightmares since I left that place. I just started to talk about my experiences in the mid’90s, but now that I’m ready to let it all out, rarely do people want to listen.” The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that nearly 300,000 veterans are homeless on any given night in the United States. In addition, more than a half-million veterans experience homelessness in a given year, more than a dozen veterans are homeless or have experienced homelessness at street roots newspaper. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, there is a complex set of factors contributing to homelessness for U.S. veterans. A large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with the lingering effects of posttraumatic stress disorder and substance abuse, compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. With an estimated halfmillion who experience homelessness in a given year, the VA estimates that it reaches only 20 percent of those in need, leaving more than 400,000 veterans without services. The average time between soldiers coming home from Vietnam and then becoming homeless was about 12 years, according to Linda Boone, executive director of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. But “my gut instinct tells me that, because of the economy and the lack of affordable housing, there will be a significant difference in the time veterans start becoming homeless, compared to Vietnam War veterans,” said Boone. “Veterans are coming home much more abruptly than they did in Vietnam, it may be a lot harder to support your family with the economy the way it is,” she said. “We think there’s an opportunity to prevent homelessness with veterans.” Prevention starts at the Department of Defense, according to Boone, but she said it’s just not happening. Many homeless veterans and advocates in the field say veterans coming out of the military should be given the proper counseling and services needed to enter back into society. “If they would have admitted the damage Agent Orange would have done to me, and given me the proper therapy for being ‘on vacation’, if you Streetvibes Vendor: 70 cents Printing and Production: 30 cents know what I mean, then maybe I could have done better in this life. “I went as crazy as a bed bug after seeing what I saw. I was awful sick when I got back to the states, but I was no longer under any impression that we were saving the world from communism. I thought by going to war I could prove myself to be a man. I was raised on that John Wayne bull#$%@, and that’s exactly what it is — bull#$%@. “I think being homeless has a lot to do with my experience in Vietnam,” Buchanan said. “When I got back, the VA didn’t care about me. For years, I would go in to receive help and they would just call me a dope addict. I selfmedicated because of the constant pain I was in.” “I was hit four times by an AK in the first burst, and was hit once with friendly fire by the 2nd platoon as they came in from the rear. I got gangrene and then they cut my leg off a week later. “The thing that has always bothered me about all of this is that I couldn’t help feeling like the Red Coats, ya’ know,” Buchanan said. “We weren’t protecting anybody from anything. We were the invaders and we didn’t have a cause. The only cause was survival for soldiers and that’s a dangerous circumstance to be in.” According to the Indiana School of Medicine, during the Vietnam War, psychological breakdowns on the battlefield were as low as 12 per 1,000. But in 1973, when direct American troop involvement in Vietnam ended, the number of veterans with psychiatric disorders began to increase Where Your Dollar Goes... The Streetvibes program maintains a minimal overhead cost so that our vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. Please call our office at 421-7803 for more information about the program. Many thanks for your support. tremendously. They began to show symptoms such as intense anxiety, battle dreams, depression, and problems with interpersonal relationships long after their combatant role in the Vietnam War had ceased. Some advocates believe that a more progressive system could be put into place to deal with substance abusers, especially for vets who may have come home with an addiction, like many did from Vietnam. “You shouldn’t have a system that punishes vets on the streets for using,” said one advocate who declined to be named. “It’s a system that punishes people who have seen horrific things or who may be in extreme pain for using a drug to selfmedicate. It’s crooked and wrong. Who are we to say, ‘We’re very proud you went and risked your life for your country, but because you’re a user the punishments will be prison and homelessness.” “We are seeing more Gulf War veterans on the streets in Portland,” says Don Hanson, a Vietnam vet and the career services coordinator with Central City Concern. “In some cases, Gulf War Syndrome is playing a part. Some were probably exposed to chemicals, and the VA is recognizing that more and more. There are a lot of diseases attached to Vietnam and the Gulf War.” Of the 697,000 U.S. troops who served during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, more than 100,000 have registered with the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense, saying they have health concerns. While most of these veterans have been diagnosed with a variety of conditions, more than 154,000, or about 20 percent of those examined, have undiagnosed symptoms, which commonly include fatigue, muscle and joint pains, headaches, memory loss, skin rash, diarrhea and sleep disturbances. There’s no record of how many people are on the streets from the Persian Gulf War or any other conflict the United States has been involved in. “There’s more and more people who are on the streets since the Vietnam era, and that’s probably since some of us are dying out,” says Hanson. Reprinted from street roots, Portland, Oregon, November 2003. Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression of the views and opinions of our readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Editorial Page 16 �More on Homeless Veterans by Israel Bayer News & Editorial gallon drums in which it was stored. Other herbicides, including Agent White and Agent Blue, were also used in Vietnam to a much lesser extent. Between 1961 and 1971, the U.S. military in South Vietnam used more than 19 million gallons of herbicides for defoliation and crop destruction. Several types and combinations of chemicals were used but Agent Orange was the most commonly applied, specifically between January 1965 and April 1970. Herbicides other than Agent Orange were used in Vietnam prior to 1965, but to a very limited extent. Some of the herbicides applying. Source: The Department of Veterans Affairs If the trial of Agent Orange is any measure, it could be decades before the United States and the VA acknowledge what veterans and their families say is a very real disability: “Gulf War Syndrome.” Gulf War Syndrome The VA calls Gulf War Syndrome a non-scientific label used to describe the unexplained illnesses characterized by fatigue, joint pain, skin rash, memory loss and/or diarrhea. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, panels of experts have agreed that the group of veterans suffering affected by disasters such as earthquakes and airplane crashes, The Evolution of Postand are now referred to as postTraumatic Stress Disorder traumatic stress syndrome. Post-Traumatic Stress Source: Indiana School of Syndrome is a very new term. It Medicine was only in World War I that Agent Orange psychiatric syndromes first came Thirty years after its use, to be associated with military the United States finally combat. Until then, it was acknowledged the application and assumed that such causalities potentially devastating affects of were due to cowardice or lack of the defoliant known as Agent discipline. World War I found Orange. This recognition may that the explosion of shells caused open the door to services for not just physiological damage but many veterans suffering the also symptoms called ‘shell effects of toxic exposure. shock,’ and that there was a Viewed as disability, the connection between psychological chronic and debilitating affects of stress and combat. toxic exposure to Agent Orange During World War II, can be an obstacle to psychiatric causalities increased veterans trying to Statistics on homeless veterans: by 300 percent over World War I. return to civilian life. — 23 percent of the homeless population are veterans At one point in the war, the It is also another number of men being evacuated disability that for psychiatric reasons exceeded aggravates a stable life — 33 percent of the male homeless population are veterans the total number of new recruits. and can lead to During the Korean War, a homelessness. — 47 percent are from the Vietnam era new method of dealing with In September psychiatric breakdown was 2000, VA recognized devised. Instead of evacuating that Agent Orange was — 17 percent are from post-Vietnam era affected individuals, they were used in Korea in the given immediate onsite treatment late 1960’s and — 15 percent are pre-Vietnam era so that they could return to duty as approved Agent soon as possible. Evacuations Orange examinations — 67 percent served three or more years due to psychiatric reasons for U.S. veterans who Source: National Coalition for Homeless Veterans dropped from 23 percent in World served in Korea in War II, to 6 percent in the Korean 1968 or 1969. In from the purported syndrome is used in the early years contained War. March 2001, it was ordered that probably not suffering from a greater concentrations of dioxin, During the Vietnam War, those examinations be made battlefield breakdown was as low available to all other veterans who according to the Department of single, common ailment, but rather from a variety of illnesses as 12 per thousand. But in 1973, may have been exposed to dioxin Veterans Affairs. Spraying with overlapping symptoms. occurred in all four military zones when direct American troop or other toxic substances in a involvement in Vietnam ended, Gulf War Syndrome has of Vietnam. Heavily sprayed herbicide or defoliant during the areas included inland forests near been attributed to a number of the number of veterans with conduct of or as the result of sources, including exposure to the demarcation zone; inland psychiatric disorders began to testing, transporting, or spraying increase tremendously. They radiation from depleted uranium forests at the junction of the of herbicides for military used in artillery, side-effects of borders of Cambodia, Laos, and began to show symptoms such as purposes. anti-biological immunizations, South Vietnam; inland forests intense anxiety, battle dreams, Agent Orange was a depression, and problems with and biological weapons. north and northwest of Saigon; herbicide used in Vietnam to kill The VA says that a number mangrove forests on the interpersonal relationships long unwanted plants and to remove of potential causes have been southernmost peninsula of after their combatant role in the leaves from trees that otherwise and mangrove forests Vietnam War had ceased. investigated, but no single theory Vietnam; provided cover for the enemy. appears likely to explain all of the These symptoms were The name, “Agent Orange,” came along major shipping channels southeast of Saigon. undiagnosed conditions. linked to those shown by people from the orange stripe on the 55Some Vietnam veterans In tens of thousands of get disability compensation for protocol medical examinations of Agent Orange-related illnesses. Persian Gulf veterans to date, the VA pays disability compensation VA and the Department of to Vietnam veterans with injuries Defense medical authorities say Advertise in Streetvibes! or illnesses incurred in or they have found no evidence of aggravated by their military infectious diseases beyond the Reach thousands of service. Veterans do not have to range of illnesses common in the downtown workers prove that Agent Orange caused population at large. Research each month! their medical problems to be studies now in progress will eligible for compensation. provide more scientific answers to Rather, VA must determine that this question, but no rigorous, Call 421-7803 for more the disability is “servicereproducible research to date has information about how connected.” A Veterans Services established that Gulf War Representative, at a VA medical veterans’ illnesses are caused by advertising in center or regional office, can an infectious agent. Streetvibes will work explain the compensation Source: Department of Veterans program in greater detail and Affairs for your business.... assist veterans who need help in Extra! Extra! S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Veteran News Page 17 Page 17 �The Iraqis Who Hated Saddam Hate the Americans More by Paul McGeough In Khaldiyah, it’s a war of nerves. A three-meter-deep crater marks the explosion point of a careering car bomb that the local police knew was inevitable. Just across and down a highway that cuts through this small town west of Baghdad is the home of a man the US suspects could help bring an end to these relentless attacks tribal sheik Fanar Al-Kharbit. As black smoke cleared over Khaldiyah and its dusty main street was swept of body parts, shattered glass and clothing now reduced to singed rags, locals went through the grim ritual of tallying the dead - more than a dozen policemen, at least one student from a nearby school, a fruit vendor, a few other streetstallholders and a man who worked in a nearby sewage control office. Acutely aware that he is 120 times more likely to die than his counterpart on the beat in New York, police officer Khalid Hammed said: “The best thing the US can do for us is pull out.” Like other guerilla conflicts, Iraq has become a war of attrition. Super self-protection by the Americans makes them a difficult target. So the insurgents turn more on Iraqis who are seen to be helping the US - police and security workers, the judiciary and local political leaders. The number of attacks against the US is down, but this doesn’t mean that the security situation is any less fraught. While the American forces are poised defensively, like a coiled spring, and while fear grips that portion of the Iraqi people that doesn’t necessarily support the resistance, it is impossible for the US to pull Iraq out of the social and economic chaos that makes many Iraqis hunger for what they remember as the day-to-day orderliness of Saddam’s Iraq. There is little doubt that as a sheik in the Sunni hotbed between Ramadi and Faluja, Fanar Al-Kharbit knows more than he lets on. And there’s the rub: the US has him pegged as a potential source of what it likes to call “actionable intelligence”, but it doesn’t have enough to pull him in. American tanks have rumbled into his walled compound on the banks of the Euphrates River no fewer than seven times in the past few weeks, soldiers tumbling out to rummage through his home while, he says, telling him all the time to “shut up”. The sheik is still full of hard talk, but those who know him say he is a shadow of his former self. Reputed to be one of the richest men in Iraq, he used to strut in crisp traditional dress and hobnob with the most senior elements of the regime. Saddam was a frequent guest at his table until a falling out over business in the early ’90s. Now he is ill-kempt and gaunt. “In the first few months relations with the US were friendly, but now they are trying to provoke me,” he said, pointing to the charred remains of reed beds by the Euphrates, which he said he had been ordered to burn so that his activities might be observed more closely from US observation posts. “This is not liberation, it is an occupation. People are very tired after Saddam’s three wars. I’m worried if the Americans keep attacking me, that my tribe will react - but for now I have told my people not to cause trouble.” The difficulty for Fanar AlKharbit is that in running Saddam into ground, the Americans have displayed a new understanding of Iraqi tribalism and how it dovetails with the resistance. The latest resistance attacks and US arrests - including nine who were described by the officer in charge of Saddam’s detention, Major-General Ray Odierno, as “mid-level operatives: financiers, organisers, arms suppliers” underscore the fluid structure and make-up of the opposition that confronts the US in Iraq. US officials insist that the strategic direction comes from Izzat Ibrahim Al-Duri, a longserving Saddam lieutenant whose family properties overlook the farm on which Saddam was dragged from his burrow and who this week became the most senior official of the former regime still on the run. But hampered by poor communications, the evidence suggests great local autonomy and a degree of friction between several competing resistance groups with varying agendas, but all of which are bent on causing trouble for the US. There are Baath Party loyalists, some of whose ardour might be diluted by the finality of Saddam’s capture. But there are also dozens of locally run cells that claim to be vehemently antiSaddam and to be driven by nationalism and a need to protect their huge natural resources especially oil - from what they see as an American grab. Then there are the foreign fighters claimed by the US to be in the service of al-Qaeda and one of its offshoots, Ansar al-Islam. These so-called jihadists come from across the Arab world and are thought most likely to be the parties behind the wave of suicide bombings that started in the summer with the attack on the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad. Responsibility is never claimed for the bombings. The US variously lays the blame at the feet of the foreign terror groups or the Baath Party loyalists. Co-ordination between the resistance groups is little understood, but it is thought to be erratic. Now, some Iraqi villages are being encircled with barbed wire. Only those Iraqis with USissued identity cards may come and go; the relatives of suspected insurgents are being detained and, in some cases, their homes are being demolished. And the Americans are being urged to mirror the Israelis’ extensive West Bank and Gaza informants’ network, which has underpinned the Israeli campaign of summary execution for terror suspects - but which has failed to end the violence or advance the peace. After the Americans’ widely criticised decision to disband, rather than attempt to harness the better elements of the Iraqi military and intelligence services, the US now is calling for help from veterans of Saddam’s feared mukhabarat - the secret police. Also, it is trying to enlist former Iraqi servicemen into the new Iraqi army. But it has suffered a major embarrassment with the revelation that more than one-third of the first Iraqi battalion in training had gone AWOL - only days before it was to begin active service. The US now boasts that it has deployed or is training a greater number of Iraqi security forces than there are US forces in the country - almost 160,000. But they have a way to go. Apart from the campaign of fear by bombing, the police are subjected to near-ritualistic humiliation in the total refusal of city motorists and others to acknowledge their authority; they are widely accused of threatening bogus charges against motorists who refuse to offer bribes and those who are posted at service stations to control angry petrol queues often sell pole position on the queue to the highest bidder. Anger simmers at the prospect of a long wait for adequate supplies of electricity, petrol and cooking gas. If the US stays the course with its timetable for a fully elected new Iraqi government, it could be years before it can be demonstrated that Iraqis are in control of Iraq. Delays on both fronts create a perfect environment for guerilla war. Whatever he is up to, and however dispirited Fanar AlKharbit appears, it seems that the sheik wants to keep punching. Returning to his place against the wall in the pale afternoon sun, he said: “I’ve told the Americans to get out of my neighbourhood. They wouldn’t be here if I was a leader of the mujahideen. And if they keep going like this, a lot more US soldiers will die.” Prisoners Advocacy Committee — Ohio PO Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-1746, or submit a prisoner’s name and jail number at cleves1947@yahoo.com Finding pen-pals for people incarcerated in jails throughout Ohio. Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression of the views and opinions of our readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 Editorial Page 18 �FRAC - Food Research and Action Center News FOOD STAMP PARTICIPATION INCREASES IN OCTOBER 2003 TO MORE THAN 23.3 MILLION PERSONS; IS MORE THAN 6.4 MILLION PERSONS HIGHER THAN IN JULY 2000 (January 7, 2003) Participation in the Food Stamp Program in October 2003 (the latest data available) increased by 608,748 persons from the previous month, to 23,315,024 persons. Some of this increase was due to continuing high rates of joblessness, states improving access, and the effects of the food stamp reauthorization implementation. But a majority of the growth in October over September was in recipients of Hurricane Isabel disaster relief. Excluding states that received disaster relief and Alaska, the overall one month increase becomes 1.2 percent instead of 2.7 percent. The October 2003 level of Food Stamp Program participation represented a rise of almost 3.2 million persons compared to the October 2002 level and more than 6.4 million persons since July, 2000 (when program participation nationally reached its lowest point in the last decade). http://www.frac.org/html/ news/fsp/03oct.html FOOD STAMP PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EXPAND DUE TO USDA EFFORTS (GovExec.com, January 5, 2004) Only 62 percent of those who are eligible for food stamps currently participate in the program. When the TANF law was passed in 1996 there were almost 26 million people enrolled in the Food Stamp Program. By 2000 that number had dropped to about 17 million. Many of the people who left TANF and got jobs were still relying on emergency food assistance providers for food. Advocates, program administrators and politicians alike saw the dramatic drop in the program as a cause for concern. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been working to simplify the program, improve access and fund outreach efforts. States have also been encouraged to loosen their asset requirements and ease the application process. However, some states have put cost-cutting to rein in budget deficits ahead of program improvements. “It still takes a bit of [state] money to bring in a lot of [federal] money,” said James Weill, president of FRAC. The efforts have begun to make a difference: from September 2001 to September 2003 participation jumped 27 percent to 22.7 million persons. http://www.govexec.com/ dailyfed/0104/010504nj1.htm percent). Many states have had to cut spending to reconcile their budgets. Defeat of a tax increase in Oregon will result in the “end [of] the Oregon Health Plan as we know it,” said Peter Bragdon, the governor’s chief of staff. Thirtyfour states have cut spending on Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program over the past two years. http:// www.nytimes.com/2004/01/05/ national/05STAT.html (free registration required) COLUMN: WITH CHILD POVERTY RATES HIGHER THAN MOST INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS, U.S. GOVERNMENT MUST SUPPORT NEEDY (Washington Post, December 21, 2003) In this column, Timothy M. Smeeding, director of the Luxembourg Income Study of OBESITY EPIDEMIC MAKES relative poverty rates in developed HEADLINES IN 2003, countries, points out that we still EXPERTS SAY HEALTHY have a child poverty rate that is EATING AT SCHOOLS IS significantly higher than in wealthy IMPORTANT (Post-Gazette, European nations, Canada and Pittsburgh, PA, January 1, 2004) Australia. “We in America have America’s obesity epidemic high child poverty rates because we grabbed headlines around the choose to, not because we cannot nation in 2003. The Centers for do anything Disease about it.” Control and Not only are more American Not only are Prevention children poor, many live in extreme more estimate poverty, despite that fact that lowAmerican that 60 income single mothers in the U.S. children percent of work more hours than do single poor, many Americans mothers in any other wealthy nation, are either live in putting them at risk for hunger and extreme overweight poverty, making it harder for them to ever or obese, despite the and 15 escape from poverty. “Poor children fact that percent of in France, Germany and the Nordic low-income 6- to 19countries are six times more likely to single year-olds escape poverty than their American mothers in are counterparts.” the U.S. overweight, work more which is hours than do single mothers in any almost three times the number from other wealthy nation, putting them 1980. Dr. J. Michael McGinnis of at risk for hunger and making it the Robert Wood Johnson harder for them to ever escape Foundation points out that the from poverty. “Poor children in current epidemic foreshadows a France, Germany and the Nordic future health crisis. “We may be countries are six times more likely raising the first generation of to escape poverty than their children that is sicker and dies American counterparts.” http:// younger then their parents. The www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp- sheer availability of food has led dyn?pagename=article&node people to graze throughout the day =&contentId=A16659-2003Dec19 on foods that are largely nutrientpoor and calorie-rich.” http:// AFTER THREE YEARS AND www.post-gazette.com/localnews/ $200 BILLION IN 20040101closeup0101p4.asp CUMULATIVE BUDGET SHORTFALLS, WORST MAY THE AMERICAN ACADEMY BE OVER FOR STATES, BUT OF PEDIATRICS STRESS WILL CONTINUE RECOMMENDS THAT (New York Times, January 5, SCHOOLS CONSIDER 2003) Tax revenues in most states RESTRICTING SOFT DRINK rose slightly in the second half of SALES (American Academy of 2003 for the first time since midPediatrics, Press Release, January 2001, ending three straight years of 5, 2004) In a policy statement, the budget shortfalls totaling $200 American Academy of Pediatrics billion. Slow job growth and rising recommends that school districts health costs will continue to stress consider restricting the sale of soft state budgets. The past three years drinks to prevent health problems represented a dramatic change in that result from over consumption. budget realities for many states. The Academy points to the Compared to the last recession in relationship between increased risk 1991, when states raised taxes by of overweight and obesity and 5.4 percent over the previous increased sugared soft drink year’s tax collections, taxes were consumption. They note that, as raised much less in 2003 (by 1.5 soft drink consumption increases, S T R E E T V I B E S February, 2004 FRAC News milk consumption decreases. They recommend that schools stock nutritious alternatives such as water, real fruit juices and low-fat milks to preserve funds from vending machines. In addition, the Academy recommends that soft drinks not be sold in competition with the National School Lunch Program. http://www.aap.org/ advocacy/releases/ jansoftdrinks.htm For the entire policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics:http:// www.aap.org/policy/s010119.html PRESIDENT OF CONSUMERS UNION URGES PARENTS TO CHALLENGE VENDING CONTRACTS WITH SCHOOLS, EMPHASIZE NUTRITIOUS CHOICES (Consumer Reports, January 2004) In this editorial, Jim Guest, president of Consumers Union, which publishes “Consumer Reports,” urges parents to challenge soft drink vending contracts between schools and beverage manufacturers in order to emphasize nutritious choices for school children. Noting that few states have laws regulating such contracts, Guest points out that it is up to parents and individual school districts to monitor what is being sold to students while at school. http://www.consumer reports.org/main/detailv4.jsp? CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id%20= 3719159F3EB50-4AD9-4D1AB029-1C55C5888754 MODEL WORKFARE SERVICES PROGRAM IN UTAH MAKES EFFORT TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FOOD STAMPS (Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, UT, January 5, 2004) Utah’s Department of Workfare Services has been highlighted as a model for the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, which requires all local workforce areas to develop a system to deliver federally funded employment and some public assistance programs at one location. In a report by the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Utah office was found to be a model program but still needed improvement in raising awareness of clients to public benefits available at the site. The low level of food stamp participation by clients (who are leaving the TANF program) was also shown as a concern. Since the report was released over a year ago, Utah has made efforts to increase access to food stamps. http:// www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/ 01052004/business/126235.asp FRAC’s web site is http://www.frac.org Page 19 Page 19 �TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline 820-2947 A.A. Hotline 351-0422 C.C.A.T. 381-6672 Talbert House 684-7956 Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 DIC Live-In Program 721-0643 TREATMENT: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Prospect House 921-1613 Starting Over 961-2256 TREATMENT: Women First Step Home 961-4663 Full Circle Program 721-0643 HOUSING: CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 Miami Purchase 241-0504 OTR Housing Net. 369-0004 ReSTOC 381-1171 Tender Mercies 721-8666 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 SHELTER: Both Anthony House (Youth) 357-4602 Caracole (AIDS) 761-1480 Friars Club 381-5432 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 Haven House 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 861-1111 St. John’s Housing 651-6446 Mt. Airy Center 661-4620 Volunteers of Amer. 381-1954 Need Help or Want to Help? If you need help or would like to help please call one of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless members listed below. SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Garden St. House 241-0490 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 St. Francis/St.Joseph House 381-4941 Formed in 1984, The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a membership organization. Our member groups serve the homeless through emergency shelter, transitional living facilities, permanent housing, medical services, social services, soup kitchens, and mental health/addiction services. The Coalition also consists of individual citizens who want to take an active role in ensuring that Cincinnati is an inclusive community, meeting the needs of all of its citizens. Join the fight to end homelessness; contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at (513) 421-7803, 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 OTHER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Center 241-2563 Freestore/ Foodbank 241-1064 Fransiscan Haircuts 651-6468 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental Health Board 946-8600 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Rsrc. Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-5491 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assis. Center 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Project Connect Homeless Kids 357-5720 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Women Helping Women 872-9259 MIDDLETOWN/HAMILTON (Butler County) St. Raphaels (Food Bank/Soup Kitchen) 863-3184 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 New Life Baptist Mission (Soup Kitchen) 896-9800 Hope House (Homeless Families/Singles) 423-4673 $1 Donation February 2004 Streetvibes BUY FROM BADGED VENDORS ONLY Cover Story Riverfront Campers Receive Settlement From Covington Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2004 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource February 2004 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Homeless Men Receive Settlement from City of Covington Keeping the Dream Alive in Cincinnati Pg 2: A New Year’s Challenge to a City Pg 3: Homeless News Digest Some Irreverent Thoughts on Religion Pg 4: Myths Breed Neglect, Violence Against Cincinnati’s Homeless Pg 5: Can You Force the Homeless into Shelters? Pg 6: The Peace Village Pg 7: How Do We Treat Our Fellow Man? Spirit of MLK Celebrated Pg 8: Vendors Pg 9: Making Shelters Safe for All Genders Pg 10: People Tell George Bush “Move-On”! Pg 11: Donate Pg 12: Now at Public Library; Through Our Eyes Pg 13: Words from the Evangelist Sheltered White Girl’s Eyes Opened by Shelter Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 16: Editorial Pg 17: More on Homeless Veterans Pg 18: The Iraqis Who Hated Saddam Hate the Americans More Pg 19: FRAC Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 2004 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty Andy Erickson Brendan Goodwin Mary Gaffney Elizabeth Linville Jimmy Heath Berta Lambert Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Brendan Goodwin Bush Cincinnati Covington Editorials Elizabeth Linville Evangelist Food Research FRAC GCCH Gender Equality George Bush Georgine Getty Iraq Jimmy Heath Martin Luther King Jr. Mary Gaffney memorial MLK New Years Peace Village Public Library Religion Saddam veterans Violence https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/72ca3f8258b73488cb0bfff92aa0c349.pdf 6acf4ac5a4e25537f156bb4449b934cf PDF Text Text Streetvibes January 2004 Homeless Memorial Remembers Those Who Have Died in 2003 As the sun went down on December 22nd, the shortest day of the year, people gathered in Over­ the-Rhine’s Washington Park to remember the homeless who have died during 2003. Since 1990, the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) and the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) has sponsored National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day on or near the first day of winter to bring attention to the tragedy of homelessness, and to remember our friends who have paid the ultimate price for our nation’s failure to adequately address the complex issue of homelessness. In an effort to maximize the impact of the day, the National Coalition for the Homeless encouraged state and local groups to join in the national event. Each year since its inception, the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless has been joined by state and local groups across the nation in holding special events to honor those who have died, and to recommit ourselves to the task of ending homelessness. This year over 100 cities sponsored events which included candlelight marches and vigils, graveside services, plays and other performances, and special religious services to remember the citizens in their city who have died without a home. A short, non­ denominational service was held in Cincinnati, followed by a gathering and refreshments at nearby Nast Trinity Church. The day was gray and unseasonably warm when the small, but dedicated group of clergy, homeless, formerly homeless and members of the housed community in Cincinnati gathered around the barrel fire in downtown’s Washington Park to remember those that died homeless in 2003. Huddled around the barrel fire for warmth and as a symbolic gesture, nearly 75 people and media took pause to listen to a litany of names of those that society has forgotten. The candlelight vigil featured a reading of each of the names of the 19 homeless people known to have died this year in Cincinnati. A candle was lit in memory of each name read. Oftentimes, homeless individuals pass away with no one to remember or mourn their passing. Homeless Person’s Memorial Day seeks to remedy that by gathering family members, shelter workers, government officials and concerned citizens in a ceremony to quietly remember. In an attempt to put a human face on the problems of homelessness the Homeless Memorial serves as a reminder of the countless who die needlessly every year in this country. Advocates place emphasis on the need for affordable housing, a true living wage, and substance abuse treatment for the homeless. Women and children continue to be the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. Homeless citizens, supporters go ‘Home for the Holidays’ at annual Coalition dinner can make a difference. One’s and fought his arrest” with media by John Zeh Cincinnati attorney Jennifer Kinsley had just finished her first year of law school and completed an internship at Volunteers for the Arts in New York City on a small stipend when she took the subway to the airport with her last $2.50 to fly home for a visit. Upon arriving at LaGuardia Airport with empty pockets, she got bad news: all flights to Michigan were cancelled. “I was stuck,” she told some 240 people gathered for the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless Annual Dinner on December 9. “Something of a drama queen, I sat down and balled and screamed with bloodshot eyes. It was very embarrassing.” Fate and personal outreach by another traveler intervened, helping her learn lessons that have since served her well and have helped local homeless people. The first, she smiled, call ahead and confirm the flight! problem can be solved by interviews under the Clay Wade someone reaching out to help.” Bailey Bridge. “He told the Kinsley put the lessons courtroom about his friend’s death she learned to work when under a bridge and there was not a Cincinnati police threatened to dry eye in court, including the arrest people living under judge’s,” said Kinsley. bridges last summer. That “The response was “was repugnant to me,” said dramatic. A little girl stopped by Kinsley, a former public under the bridge with a pillow. defender. “Jails should not be Coalition Dinner... replacements for homes or cont. on page 11 apartments. It offended my basic notion of human dignity, human rights.” Georgine Getty, Executive Director, A member of the addresses GCCH dinner crowd progressive law firm Sirkin, Pinales, Mezibov But a greater gift was help and Schwartz downtown, from another traveler at the airport. A woman, ironically also Kinsley obtained a restraining order from Judge a lawyer from Michigan, “was Susan Dlott that forced the willing to share my misery and City to give people living give me $40. I got to go home.” outdoors 72 hours notice Her experience illustrated before they are moved, both sides of an individual’s arrested, or have their heartfelt problem and how her personal belongings trashed needs were quickly met, exactly (as they were to make way the mission of agencies making for baseball parking). up the Greater Cincinnati Kinsley credits citizen Attorney Jennifer Kinsley gives keynote Coalition for the Homeless. address Don Henry, who “stood up “Sometimes the smallest things Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �ON A SCALE OF ONE TO A HUNDRED, HOW MUCH DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE CITY’S TREATMENT OF CINCINNATI’S HOMELESS? I WILL DONATE: $1 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 He’s only 18 months old and already he’s trapped in the cycle of homelessness in Cincinnati. His mother needs an affordable place to live and a job with a living wage as she escapes a life of domestic violence. The current treatment of homeless individuals in our city means that he may never be able to live in a home of his own. There are 25,000 people in Cincinnati that experience homelessness each year. More than one-third of those are women and children. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless believes that by addressing the root causes of the problem through education, advocacy and coordination of services, we can end homelessness in our city. The more support we have from the community, the further our efforts reach. Please cut the coupon and pick a box. It could mean that one less child will have to live in one. Send your donations to Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Page 2 �Editorial Homeless News Digest STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's alternative news source, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless and contains relevant discussions of social justice, and poverty issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for home­ less and other low-income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibes Vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes Vendor badge. All profits go directly to the vendor. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. GCCH Staff Georgine Getty - Executive Director Brendan Goodwin - Administra­ tive Coordinator Andy Erickson - Education Coordinator Elizabeth Linville - Civil Rights Coordinator Mary Gaffney - Receptionist Streetvibes Jimmy Heath - Editor-in-Chief, Design & Layout Photographers Jimmy Heath, Berta Lambert, J.Michael Skaggs Cover Homeless memorial in OTR’s Washington Park, photo by Jimmy Heath Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, and photos. We will give preference to those who are homeless or ven­ dors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes, de­ livered to your home each month, can be purchased for $25 per year. Address mail to: Streetvibes Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com web: http://homeless.cinci.com North American Newsbriefs by Molly Rhodes and R.V. Murphy Homeless newspapers in Germany became prime property in late October when J.K. Rowling offered them exclusive publishing rights to the opening chapter of the latest Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, before it hits the stores in its German translation. The first chapter was printed in more than 20 street magazines in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, according to the German news corporation Deutsche Welle (www.dw­ world.de). Rowling agreed to the early taste of the book as an effort to provide a much needed boost to the homeless services and jobtraining programs the street papers support. Rowling was herself an unemployed single mother living on welfare benefits before gaining success with the Harry Potter franchise. “It was the greatest gift to us to be able to publish the chapter,” Birgit Müller, editor of Hinz & Kunzt, Germany’s biggestselling street magazine, told Deutsche Welle. The offices of Hinz & Kunzt started fielding dozens of phone calls a day from impatient Potter fans as soon as the announcement was made. “The vendors are over the moon. It will give us a massive boost.” One of the four Ohio teenagers accused of kicking, urinating on, and shocking homeless people with a stun gun in downtown Cleveland this past August was sentenced to spend the rest of the year in jail, followed by 150 hours of volunteer work with homeless service organizations. “If I could order it, I’d order no Thanksgiving dinner, no Christmas dinner while you are there,” Cleveland Municipal Judge C. Ellen Connally told Joshua Langenheim, 19, at the sentencing hearing, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (www.cleveland.com). “You don’t deserve it.” Langenheim and his three accomplices were all caught when a video tape they had made of their attacks – which also showed them laughing at the people they were assaulting – was found in their car. The other three defendants are all minors and are currently undergoing trials in S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Juvenile Court. In his tearful read of his apology in court, Langenheim said, “I don’t know if this was the downfall… or the turning point in my life. All I know is that I look at things differently.” Poet David Fewster doesn’t paint glossy pictures of his life in his latest publication, Diary of a Homeless Alcoholic Suicidal Maniac and Other Picture Postcards. The autographical collection of poems details his life, from watching other homeless people, including one who muttered “loudly about a conspiracy theory involving George W. Bush, Saddam Hussein, Mariah Carey and a large buttered artichoke named Leon,” to picking up chicks at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, according to the Tacoma News Tribune (www.tribnet.com). Fewster published the book with the help of a $3,000 grant from the Tacoma Arts Commission, and doesn’t know what his next plan is for his life. “To be honest, I expected to be dead like 2 1/2 years ago,” he told the News Tribune. “I’ve obviously got a lot of problems to continue to sort out as I bop along.” For a copy of Fewster’s book, email him at davidfewster@netscape.net. Homeless people in Roch­ ester, New York are organizing. The city’s refusal to let the home­ less use vacant buildings has led to the formation of Poor People United, according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (Demo­ crat andCronicle.com). Last month, five members were arrested on trespassing charges for breaking into a down­ town building in an effort to publi­ cize the issue. “The county has refused to help,” said Charles Kellum, a member of the group. “That’s a human rights violation.” The group recently held a press conference in front of City Hall to draw attention to their plight. “We’re asking the commu­ nity to see this emergency,” said David Cox of Rochester, another member of Poor People United. “The poor are the ones suffering. I’m sick and tired of abstract activism for people thousands of miles away. When are we going to be concerned about our fellow Americans?” During the rally, partici­ pants held candles and read from the Universal Declaration of Hu­ man Rights, which the United Nations adopted in 1948. Some in the crowd said making those pleas was the least they could do. For the homeless, said activist Jessica Chapman, there was little else they could do. “We have only one thing left — our voices,” said Chapman, who works at a homeless shelter. A homeless man jailed for trespass made a donation in the “four figures” range to a children’s museum, according to the Ogden Standard Examiner. “Don’t let it be said that this isn’t the season to be giving,” said Ogden police lieutenant Dave Tarran. Lynn Goodwin, director of the Treehouse Children’s Museum, said she was surprised to find “a substantial amount” of money in a locked mailbox at Christmas Village near a playhouse the organization is auctioning. “We didn’t anticipate that anyone would actually put dona­ tions in the box,” Goodwin said. But last week, Goodwin found a stash of money orders that weren’t made out to anyone, so she called police. Neither she nor police disclosed the exact amount. “We thought the money may have belonged to someone else,” Goodwin said. “We thought it may have been stolen, and we thought it best to report it.” Tarran said that at the same time police received Goodwin’s call, they were investigating the source of some money orders in the same series that they found in the belongings of a homeless man who was in the Weber County Jail. The man had been arrested the night before for sleeping in a vacant inner-city home. The man said he received the money orders as payment of an insurance settlement. Police were suspicious, but an investigation of the man’s story, including interviewing the business that issued the money orders, proved he was telling the truth. Goodwin said she was told that the man wanted to rectify things in his past and wanted to make the donation to help children. “It was a very generous gift, and we appreciate it.” Goodwin said she only had one regret regarding the gift: “We do wish we knew who the anonymous gentleman was, so we could thank him.” The man told police he wished to remain anony­ mous. Page 3 Page 3 �History of Church Spans in his 3 year of service. I am Decades proud to say that in all these rd by Mary Gaffney, Member of St. years, 10 of the pastors were previously youth in the church John A. M. E. for the year 2004 and are now ministers with I bring greetings to each churches of their own. and every one of you in this first But there was a gracious month of the new year, 2004. May this year bring more love and lady minister, Rev. Sister Nina Robinson, who I can remember as happiness into your life. And to you my homeless friends, may this a young person, very close to my family, and the Rev. John Wesley year be more successful and Logan. Her work for God and peaceful in your needs and help. man was not easy, but she still My thankfulness in this maintained her faith. Now she New Year is that my God, your has gone to the Great Beyond. God, lets me see a New Year and Her church is still going strong will be able to be here to see that and there are my church, St. still beautiful John A. M. E., and gracious reached this ladies there. I 112nd year can hold anniversary. With dearly and this New Year remember the there is a long late Irene history. This Simpson, church was Maude Gray, founded in 1891 Hazel Jenkins by Rev. John H. and Phoebe Moreland on Mathew. George Street. Miss Mary Gaffney I have The name of the been a member of the Saint John church then was St. John Tabernacle A. M. E. Zion Church, Gospel choir for 57 years. Many dear ones have passed on to the until 1916. Under the leadership Great Beyond. And to the of Rev. James Foate, the name gracious ones who are still at was changed to St. John A. M. E. Saint John’s who have weathered Zion, and it moved to Barr and Mound Street, where it was under the storms, they were an inspiration to me. I say thanks to his pasturage from 1916 to 1925. Rachel Haynes, who celebrated The church began to grow. In 1935, under the leadership of Rev. her 100th birthday in October. J. L. Black it ran until 1938. St. Sister Loretta Jefferson and Sister Raynelle Mount have been loyal John Zion continued its growth and faithful members in the St. from there. Since then we have had 9 ministers. Rev. Charles H. John’s Gospel Choir for 65 years. There are faithful men too. Wilson is the current pastor, now Brother Alvin A. Walker served for 58 years in St John’s, working in Administrative Services, and was a member of the choir and a Scout Master with Troop 372 and along with Edward Jordan, was working in the Christian Education Department. These faithful ones have also gone to the Great Beyond. But with their teaching and love for the Alvin A. Walker youth, they are still there. Brother James Anderson started as a child and is still there, and has served in many capacities in the church. As I speak, I am not the only one in St. John’s to be thankful and proud of 112 years. There are generations of families still involved in St. John’s. To this we say “Blessed be the Glory!” We are looking forward to this year, reaching out to our fellow man, and growing stronger in the service of Our Lord. We Peaslee Neighborhood Center 215 East 14th Street Over-the-Rhine Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 621-5514 Letter.... Volunteer Carpenter Needed! The Homeless Coalition is seeking a volunteer to build shelves and doors for closet space in our new office. We will supply materials! Please call Brendan at the Coali­ tion, 421-7803, extension 13 Story, Editorial and Art Submis­ sion Deadline for Empowering our neighborhood children through peace, art and education The GCCH would like to thank Starbucks for their generous donation of coffee and pastries. the February 2004 edition of STREETVIBES is Friday, January 9th S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 say “Praise God from whom Blessings Flow!” St. James A. M. E. Zion Church, on the hilltop (3485 Wilson Avenue) was built with prayer by the late Reverend Nina Robinson. When the trees were cut down and the ground leveled off, Reverend Robinson and the congregation were there praying and asking God to bless the hallow ground. Everything that went into the original building of this Church was offered up to God first. Reverend Robinson is now deceased, but her vision and faith live on. She said, “I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined unto me and heard me cry.” To date, St. James A. M. E. Zion Church is pastured by Reverend Eleanor B. Wilson. God has been faithful to this congregation. A special program, “On the Right Track” meets every Saturday from 11:30AM to 1PM. This is a support group for recovering addicts (drugs or alcohol). The meetings are conducted by recovering addicts. Together, they reach for Heaven, knowing that al things are possible with God, if you just believe. Dear Editor, I have noticed since Alicia Beck retired from the Coalition for the Homeless that the obituary page has been missing. I say the page should be resurrected for the homeless friends of GCCH, and the low-income resident’s and supporters in the city. Sonny Williams, Over-the-Rhine resident Write Us! We’d like to hear from you.... Send letters or comments to: Streetvibes@Juno.com, or write the Coalition office attn: Streetvibes Letters, 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Page 4 �An update on the issue of panhandling by Andy Erickson, Education Coordinator outreach worker, has interacted with at least 103 mouth and you’re too close to a crosswalk (or people on the street, 35 of whom now have ATM, bank, or bus stop, among other things), some form of housing. you’re at risk of being arrested. From the Cincinnati Enquirer, October Back in March, Cappel’s costume and When panhandlers get arrested, most of 12th 2003: Cincinnati police arrested 55gift shop co-owner Rich Cappel said to the them go to jail because they can’t afford the year-old [name removed] Friday on Cincinnati Post, “Panhandling is probably the fine. Then they’re off the streets for a couple charges of improper biggest single deterrent to bringing people to days (30 at the maximum), and solicitation after a man asked when they get out they have just town to shop at our store.” More recently in a plainclothes officer for 10 November, Cappel talked to City Beat about the as little money as when they cents. According to police outreach program. “There’s no doubt about it,” went in. So they probably go reports, [the man] asked the back to panhandling – except this he said. “Things are going in a great direction, officer for the dime after dark which is refreshing. It’s a huge improvement time they know a little better and 20 feet from a crosswalk. from two years ago.” what they have to do to keep He is being held at the Rich Cappel sits on DCI’s panhandling from getting arrested. Also, Hamilton County Justice task force along with Police Captain Whalen, while in jail they are losing time Center on $500 bond. City Councilmembers Pat DeWine and David that could be spent looking for Under the city’s existing Andy Erickson jobs or services to help them get Crowley, homeless advocates, social workers, panhandling ordinance it is illegal and downtown business owners. Cappel isn’t out of their current situation. for anyone to verbally ask anyone else for The panhandling ordinance hasn’t solved the only one who thinks the outreach position “money, goods or any other form of gratuity” has caused a huge improvement. At a recent anything. It’s not ending panhandling, and it’s after dark or within 20 feet of a crosswalk. The meeting, Captain Whalen stated that the police not getting people off the streets. It’s just newest revision to that ordinance, passed in were “ecstatic” about the new outreach program getting people arrested and costing taxpayers 2003, bans panhandling everywhere else, too – and how much it has helped. even more money. unless you’ve got a license. About 100 One of the reasons why the outreach Not surprisingly, the ACLU recently panhandlers have been arrested since June. worker program has gotten rave reviews, while announced that it would sue the City of The panhandling ordinance is worded so the panhandling ordinance has gotten the city Cincinnati for violating panhandlers’ First vaguely that a businessman who asks to borrow sued again, is that Amendment right change from a friend for the parking meter is in the outreach to free speech. violation of the law. Of course, he would never The panhandling ordinance is worded so worker program Last year, be arrested because this isn’t the intention of the vaguely that a businessman who asks to treats panhandlers when City Council panhandling ordinance. The intention is to borrow change from a friend for the parklike humans. was drafting the make it as easy as possible to arrest the scruffyCouncilmember Pat ing meter is in violation of the law. Of registration looking people who ask you for money DeWine’s response portion of the course, he would never be arrested because downtown. to panhandlers has panhandling this isn’t the intention of the panhandling Councilmember Pat DeWine, the main been to equate ordinance, the ordinance. The intention is to make it as sponsor of the panhandling ordinance, would them with litter, Coalition for the have liked to ban panhandling altogether. But easy as possible to arrest the scruffy-looking graffiti, and broken Homeless was he knew that a ban on panhandling would people who ask you for money downtown. windows – trying to convince violate the First Amendment right to free “quality-of-life them that a more speech. “If you can’t ban it, the next best thing issues” that he repeatedly says the city needs to compassionate and proactive approach would is to regulate it out of existence,” said DeWine clean up. But you can’t throw panhandlers in help solve the issue better than the city’s during a City Council meeting on the jail like you can throw litter in the dump. The punitive ordinance. We stressed that the only panhandling ordinance. ACLU effectively said the same thing when they way to stop panhandling would be to eliminate The law does not apply to “the act of announced their lawsuit against the city. the need for panhandling. We asked them to passively standing or sitting with a sign” as long The city needs to understand that create a $50,000 position for an outreach as there is no “vocal request other than a homeless people and panhandlers are citizens, worker who could work one-on-one with response to an inquiry by another person.” If too, and they need to treat them as such. If for panhandlers to find out why they need to you’re quiet, you’re okay. If you open your the comfort of downtown visitors, city officials panhandle. The will attempt to “legislate out of existence” a outreach worker panhandler’s right to ask for a dime, what is the could then help find city saying to panhandlers? That they don’t care services that the about them or their problems. panhandler might People shouldn’t have to beg on the need to get out of street, and downtown visitors shouldn’t have to their situation. City feel distress because of the panhandlers they Council said no. encounter. These are two different groups who But another have two different needs. But the City’s organization was response to this issue has so far been one-sided: The Know Your Rights listening. Brochure is now available at the they kick the rights of the poor and homeless to Downtown Coalition’s office. The brochure is the side so that the comfortably housed can feel Cincinnati, Inc. a legal guide for Cincinnati’s (DCI), a coalition of more comfortable. homeless and covers a person’s If we’re going to solve some of the downtown basic rights when interacting with issues surrounding poverty and homelessness, businesses, thought the police, as well as some local we need to do it in a way in which all people get they’d give the laws that might be of interest to the treated with respect. We need more people to outreach worker a homeless population. If you are a jump on board with services like DCI’s outreach try. They put up homeless person or if you work $25,000 of their own program, a program that works with other with homeless people and would organizations to help people out of poverty and money to hire like to obtain free copies of the someone who could homelessness once and for all. We need to brochure for yourself or your move away from thinking that jail time is a engage panhandlers agency, please call 421-7803, or solution to panhandling. Forcing people to sit in downtown. Since stop by the Coalition office and pick jail for need of a dime isn’t going to help the city September, Brent one up. Chasteen, DCI’s new or the panhandler move ahead. Know Your Rights Brochure Available! S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Education Page 5 Page 5 �The Peace Village by Dr. Steve Sunderland Another killing of an police “have to” do it this unarmed African American male by way, is the mantra. our police: Doesn’t that sentence The racial drive the blood to boiling? Last implications are weekend a neighbor was killed frightening: No white while eating and going in and out person has been killed by of a local White Castle. I had the police in the past few never met him nor ever seen him. years and the black citizens of Cincinnati have He was like most of my neighbors in that he went to work, had his seen the research that own family and friends, and was documents more black being pulled over by white largely invisible. I don’t know what he did to provoke 6 police police officers. Black officers to beat him senseless until leaders, largely clergy, have tried to maintain a he died. All the videos of the killing do not include what low key line toward the happened just before he tried to brutality and the pattern of violence directed punch a police officer. Our city has practiced its toward black males by our Image from police cruiser video camera. At this point Jones is subdued, on the reaction to these events and we police. Just recently, at a ground in front of car, and his breathing has stopped. large black church, I shall continue to play out the call and response of blacks and whites attended an interfaith meeting of and children who are out too late, Waiting out the monitor, to the unanswered questions. What several thousand, that called for discouraging the media from being just must not be tolerated. Last meager improvements in city is not being talked about, what month there was a funeral for Mr. a watchdog on the absence of does not seem worthy of discussion services relating to employment of Nathaniel Jones. And the city progress, placing the blame on is that the police chief and his minorities and alternative services ticks... misguided liberals, or radical for women instead of jail. The division has not taken the steps in (The name of the deceased blacks, doing nothing unless the prior months to work with our issue of police incompetence was person is the same name of one of pushed to the point of agreement for controlling police slipped under the rug. At another embarrassment, and then doing just Cincinnati and the country’s most meeting, called by a liberal force in good faith. Several distinguished jurists, Judge the barest level, are all tactics in reviews by a federal court women’s organization, to discuss Nathaniel Jones. Judge Jones was evidence in Cincinnati at this time. appointed “monitor” the lawyer for the NAACP after And so we are back at a have sharply Marshall left and responsible for flash point. Our city’s successful criticized the police pushing many of the most critical mounting of a riverboat holiday to division and the civil rights cases. He served very end the summer, coupled with the police chief for well on the federal bench, 6th upswing in fortunes of our slowly complying Circuit Court, for many years, he professional football team, added with the center of was a key part of the effort to end to by the selection of a female the agreement: new apartheid in South Africa and just president for the University of and serious training recently retired from the bench to Cincinnati, and the completion of of police officers be a private lawyer. I remember the funding campaign for our who are facing the lonely picket that I was on national museum on “the mentally ill people; outside the Federal Building in underground railroad,” have all new and better ways Cincinnati as several of us made it disguised what is rotting in of working with Cincinnati’s bowels. Well meaning clear that the police-community African-American collaborative needed to be signed, and intelligent people are so Dr. Steve Sunderland males who are and Judge Jones, coming out of the frustrated as to be incoherent. accosted by the Whatever remained of the coalition building, and giving me a smile and police; and, participating in our police-community agreement, a thumbs up. The identical name between the black ministers, the community problem solving the tone was low key, shrugging calls out to many of us who are so liberals, and agents of the local our shoulders about police meetings on a regular basis to thankful that Judge Jones has had a government, is further broken. understand the community. slowdowns, and committing to full life of justice seeking. Sadly, Racial lines have been quickly The police seem to have keep some kind of pressure on the the other Nathaniel Jones will drawn. Symbols of might over police to follow the agreement. No right are back is full sway. The heard that they were deficient in never have the opportunity for any “communicating” their reasons for police were present at this meeting. basic institutions of amelioration kind of life.) violence and so they offered a Rather than building teams have yet to enter in with anything Dr. Steve Sunderland, media blitz on what had happened, of people to successfully that supports the kind of changes professor of Social Work at even though some of the key facts demonstrate inter-cultural necessary for peace. We need an the University of Cincinnati, continue to be unclear. cooperation between the police and urban will that will work to educate is the Director of The Peace Communication with community as the community, the method of our police force in non-violent Village, a group of an ongoing way of building police and governmental methods when appropriate, limited individuals from the relationships with groups is not participation has been to violent means when necessary, and national and international part of their understanding. Police demonstrate competence in cooperative methods all the time community committed to are saying that they cannot be “running in place.” The police with citizens who want to be allies examining all issues of supervised or held accountable for chief, the mayor and the city for justice and order in our city. Peace in the world. Dr. violent responses to people who manager have all shown that if they We need citizens to stand up to Sunderland also heads up are threatening them. They are only do nothing, the problem may police terrorism and say it will not Posters-for-Peace which “trained” to act and that is be minimized and go away. Doing be permitted again. We need engages people in sufficient for their actions. Sadly, the agreement with the police and leaders in city government that are expressing their visions of our city manager, mayor and city the community may suggest that active in building bridges of racial Peace, in their own words, council are going along with this the problem, whatever that is, may harmony. Killing mentally ill through the creation of attitude on the part of the police be festering, lingering, ticking, and/ people, beating to death drug over posters. chief and the police union. The or worthy of consideration. dosing people, or, mouthy teens, S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Peace Village Page 6 �U.S. Conference of Mayors - Hunger and Homelessness indicated that requests for assistance were not Denver Mayor John Survey 2003 surveyed emergency assistance facilities Hickenlooper, Detroit Mayor met. 25-City Survey Finds Unemployment, Lack of Affordable Housing Account for Increased Needs have had to decrease the number Cedar Rapids Mayor Paul of bags of food provided and/or Pate and co-chair of the the number of times people can Conference’s Task Force on receive food. Of these cities, 48 Hunger and Homelessness, said percent have had to significantly “These survey results indicate, as limit food provided. they have in past years, that there Hunger and homelessness The survey finds that 59 is still a great deal to be done to continued to rise in major American cities over the last year, percent of those requesting emergency “These are not simply statistics,” according to the new U.S. food assistance were Conference of Mayors-Sodexho said Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, members of families Hunger and Homelessness who co-chairs the Conference’s Survey, released last month at the with children and their parents, and that Task Force on Hunger and Conference of Mayors 39 percent of the Headquarters. As the overall Homelessness. “These are real economy remained weak, requests adults requesting such people who are hungry and homeassistance were for emergency food assistance less in our cities.” employed. increased by an average of 17 “These are not percent over the past year, and simply statistics,” said Nashville address the serious issue of requests for emergency shelter homelessness in America.” assistance increased by an average Mayor Bill Purcell, who cochairs the Conference’s Task People remained homeless of 13 percent in the 25 cities Force on Hunger and for an average of five months in surveyed. Homelessness. “These are real the survey cities. Sixty percent of “This survey underscores people who are hungry and the cities said that the length of the impact the economy has had homeless in our cities.” time people are homeless on everyday Americans,” said Twenty-three participating increased during the last year. Conference of Mayors President cities reported that lack of Single men comprised 41 percent and Hempstead (NY) Mayor affordable housing was the of the homeless population, James A. Garner. “The face of leading cause of homelessness. families with children 40 percent, homelessness has changed and Other causes most likely single women 14 percent, and now reflects who we least attributed to homelessness unaccompanied youth five suspect. During this holiday include mental illness or lack of percent. season, I urge all Americans to needed services (18 cities), lowIt is estimated that recognize their obligation to help paying jobs (17 cities), and substance abusers account for 30 their neighbors in need.” substance abuse and the lack of percent of the homeless Twenty participating cities needed services (17 cities). population in the survey cities and reported that unemployment and Participating cities were persons considered mentally ill various employment-related account for 23 percent. problems were the leading causes most likely to attribute homelessness to a lack of Seventeen percent of the of hunger. Other causes most affordable housing (21 cities), homeless in survey cities are likely contributing to hunger mental illness and the lack of employed and 10 percent are include low-paying jobs (13 veterans. cities), and high housing costs (11 needed services (20 cities), substance abuse and the lack of Eighty-seven percent of cities). needed services (19 cities), and the cities surveyed expect that As need increased, 56 low-paying jobs (17 cities). requests for both emergency food percent of the cities surveyed Eighty-four percent of the assistance will increase again over reported that people in need were cities reported that emergency the next year. Ninety-one percent turned away due to lack of expect that requests for resources. Over 14 percent of the shelters have turned away homeless families due to lack of emergency food assistance by requests for emergency food resources. Over 14 percent of families with children will assistance are estimated to have the requests for emergency food increase next year. Eighty-eight gone unmet during the last year. assistance are estimated to have percent expect that requests for For families, 15 percent of the gone unmet during the last year. emergency shelter will increase requests for assistance have gone For families, 15 percent of the next year, and 80% expect unmet. Just over half the cities requests for shelter by homeless families will increase in 2004. Even with an improving economy, city officials believe that economic conditions will continue to have a negative impact on the problem of hunger and homelessness. The mayors of the 25 cities included in the survey are members of the Conference of Mayors Task Force on Hunger Streetvibes@juno.com and Homelessness. They are or Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle, Streetvibes Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley, 117 East 12th Street Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Cincinnati. Ohio 45202 Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, DEAR READERS! Send us your Vendor Stories Do you have a favorite Streetvibes Vendor that you would like to tell us about? Send your stories or comments to: S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Hunger Survey Kwame Kilpatrick, Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn, Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson, Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Phoenix Mayor Skip Rimsza, Portland Mayor Vera Katz, Providence Mayor David Cicilline, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, San Antonio Mayor Ed Garza, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, and Washington Mayor Anthony Williams. The complete survey can be downloaded at usmayors.org. Wish List... Can You Help? Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoestring budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Can you help us with some of the following items? * Digital Camera & Accessories * VCR for making copies of Streetvibes TV show and for educational packets * Blank VHS tapes * Desktop paper folder * Supplies (paper towels, toilet paper ) * Cleaning Supplies * Office Supplies - postage stamps, floppies, copier paper and other supplies If you can help, contact us at: Streetvibes, c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 117 East 12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: Streetvibes@juno.com Write Us.... We’d like to hear from you! Send letters or comments to: Streetvibes@Juno.com, or write the Coalition office attn: Streetvibes Letters 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Page 7 Page 7 �Through Our Eyes: Reflections on Homelessness Each vendor must sign and agree to abide by the following code of conduct.... takes you on a experiential journey of learning by high school students as they leave their suburban comfort zones to explore the homeless of Cincinnati. A collaboration of Cincinnati’s Mother of Mercy High School and the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, Through Our Eyes attempts to educate high school students and the larger community about homelessness. The books are available from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless for $10 each, plus $2 shipping and handling. Make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 117 East 12th Street, Cincinnati Ohio 45202. For more information call (513) 421-7803 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. If a customer donates more than $1 for a paper, vendors are allowed to keep that donation. However, vendors must never ask for more than $1 when selling Streetvibes. 2. Each paper purchased from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) costs 20 cents. Papers will not be given out on credit. Old papers can not be traded in for new papers. 3. Streetvibes may only be purchased from GCCH. Never buy papers from, or sell papers to other vendors. 4. Vendors must not panhandle or sell other items at the same time they are selling Streetvibes. 5. Vendors must treat all other vendors, customers, and GCCH personnel with respect. 6. Vendors must not sell Streetvibes while under the influence. 7. Vendors must not give a “hard sell” or intimidate anyone into purchasing Streetvibes. This includes following customers or continuing to solicit sales after customers have said no. Vendors must also never sell Streetvibes door-to-door. 8. Vendors must not deceive customers while selling Streetvibes. Vendors must be honest in stating that all profits go to the individual vendor. Vendors must not tell customers that the money they receive will go to GCCH or any other organization or charity. Also, vendors must not say that they are collecting for “the homeless” in general. 9. Vendors must not sell papers without their badge. Vendors must present their badge when purchasing papers from GCCH. Lost badges cost $2.00 to replace. Broken or worn badges will be replaced for free, but only if the old badge is returned to GCCH. 10. Streetvibes vendor meetings are held on the first weekday of the month at 1pm. The month’s paper will be released at this meeting. If a vendor cannot attend the meeting, he or she should let us know in advance. If a vendor does not call in advance and does not show up, that vendor will not be allowed to purchase papers on the day of the meeting or the following day. Five free papers will be given to those who do attend. 11. Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in termination from the Streetvibes vendor program. GCCH reserves the right to terminate any vendor at any time as deemed appropriate. Badges and Streetvibes papers are property of GCCH, and must be surrendered upon demand. Buy Streetvibes From Badged Vendors Only! Streetvibes Vendors are required to sign a code of conduct and agree to abide by all the rules of the Streetvibes Vendor Program. If a Vendor misrepresents or breaks the rules, she/he may be removed from the Program. To report a Vendor, call 421-7803. ext. 16 Authorized Vendors always wear a Badge! Front Streetvibes vendors are paticipants in a program at the Coalition for the Homeless that allows them to distribute the Streetvibes newspaper for a $1.00 donation. The money used to purchase the paper goes to the individual vendor. Vendors are not employees of the Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors are not fundraising for the Coalition for the Homeless. Back of Badge While we make every effort to provide a forum for those without a voice, STREETVIBES and the staff of THE GREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, is not responsible for statements, and do not necessarily endorse the opinions of the people whose writings are represented here. S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Page 8 �French Lawyer; World Leaders Should Take Stand in Saddam Trial Controversial French lawyer Jacques Verges says he is willing to defend Saddam Hussein in court and, if he can, bring world leaders to the witness stand, in what could be a huge embarrassment for the United States, France and other countries. Verges spoke to last month at the end of a visit to Amman to visit the family of former Iraqi deputy prime minister Tareq Aziz to prepare for his defense following his surrender to US troops after the fall of Baghdad. Asked if he was also ready to defend the former Iraqi leader, who was captured last Saturday night by US troops in northern Iraq, Verges said: “If other people seek my counsel I would have no reason to refuse”. But he insisted that “all Western heads of state”, from the time of the 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran war to the latest Iraq conflict, should take the stand when the imprisoned former Iraqi officials go on trial. “At the Nuremberg trial, the four allies accused the Nazi leaders of certain war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Verges said, in reference to the trials of leading Nazi party officials after the defeat of Germany in World War II. “Right now the former Iraqi regime is being blamed for certain events that took place at a time when its members were treated as allies or friends by countries that had embassies in Baghdad and ambassadors not all of whom were blind (to Iraqi crimes),” he said. “Today, this indignation appears to me contrived,” he added. “When we reprove the use of certain weapons (we need to know) who sold these weapons,” he said about Iraq’s past purchase of arms from France, Britain, the United States and Russia. “When we disapprove of the war against Iran (we need to know) who encouraged it,” Verges added. The United States maintained ties with the Saddam regime in the 1980s and tacitly approved the war on its nemesis, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in Tehran. Verges also slammed the UN embargo that was slapped on Iraq after it invaded Kuwait in 1990 and criticized the US administration’s backing of the sanctions, which he said caused the death of an estimated half-a-million people. “Mrs. (Madeleine) Albright once said that this is the price to pay for democracy,” he said of the secretary of state under former US president Bill Clinton. “If that is the case then it should be said as well and only then will a trial be fair. Otherwise it will be an execution of hostages,” he said of the former Iraqi leaders now held at secret locations by the US-led coalition. A quintessential devil’s advocate who has made a career of arguing what most choose not to hear, Verges, 79, has half a century of experience defending unpopular causes. His clients included the likes of Gestapo chief S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Klaus Barbie and convicted terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, alias Carlos. More recently he became vice president of the International Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic and represented the former Yugoslav leader in a suit before the European Court of Human Rights. Tareq Aziz’s family, which has found sanctuary in Jordan, has sought his help to defend the former Iraqi official, who suffers of heart trouble and diabetes. “The first course of action I will take is to find out about his health because he is sick and has heart troubles,” Verges told AFP, adding that he has a “lot of respect” for the veteran Iraqi diplomat. Verges is also demanding that the coalition in Iraq release a “written and precise document” listing the charges they have against Aziz and all the other prisoners. “My course of action ... must benefit all the prisoners because when we solve the status of Mr. Aziz we solve the status of the others,” Verges said. Write Us! We’d like to hear from you.... Send letters or comments to: Streetvibes@Juno.com, or write the Coalition office attn: Streetvibes Letters 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Streetvibes: A proud member of the North American Street Newspaper Association.... Representing over 50 street newspapers throughout the United States and Canada www.nasna.org World News Page 9 Page 9 �photo by Jimmy Heath Blessed is he that considereth the poor by Vera Zlatkin There are Angels among us that we never see, For they are hid by the grime of the street, By hair that is tangled and matted, And by newspapers wrapped ‘round their feet. There are Angels among us that we never hear, For the noise and the din of the street. Their cries go unheeded, their voices unheard, “please help, we have nothing to eat.” But we go on our way unaware that we Have passed by Creatures of the Light; Without having been touched or moved to respond, We lost our blessing that night. I wrote this poem for Clara and KY, a homeless couple who died in a fire in Clifton Heights. Their bodies were found in an abandoned house where they had taken shelter from the rain and the cold. I am dedicating this poem to the people who were forced to move out from under the bridge and to seek shelter elsewhere, after the mayor declared them to be an “eye-sore.” I am dedicating it to all of you along with this prayer, Entrance to abandoned house in Clifton where KY and Clara died. Their handwritten sign welcomed everyone. “May you always be safe, and may you find the shelter you seek.” I met KY and Clara at a rally opposing the war in Iraq. We talked for a few minutes while I waited for my bus. Clara noticed that it was getting dark and she asked me if I had far to go after I got off the bus. I assured her that I would be fine. KY pointed at an alley on the other side of Calhoun photos by Jimmy Heath In Memory of Lee Scalf.... Lee passed away in December of 2003. Early in his life, Lee was a coal miner, wood and coal hauler, and at one point operated his own mining business. His skills as a carpenter, and extremely creative and competent fix-it person served him well in his work for ReSTOC, the Drop Inn Center and self-employed as a maintenance and general construction specialist. He was an avid fisherman and hunter and loved to be in the woods, mountains, country and nature. He was a big John Wayne fan and loved to read western and frontier stories. A self-declared “down home” person, Lee’s fondest memories were of fishing trips with friends and streamside meals of fresh pan-fried fish served with good conversation. Lee was a compassionate and generous person, frequently sharing his skills and financial resources with those in need. He spent much of his personal time from work tending to elderly ReSTOC tenants in Over-the-Rhine and helping them with special maintenance projects. He also S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Street. “That’s our home,” he said. I liked them immediately. I was impressed by their openness, by their obvious devotion to each other and their sense of social justice, but most of all I was impressed by the fact that even with their own struggles to simply survive, they were kind enough to express concern for the well-being of a stranger. Clara and KY (a Vietnam veteran) were good hearted people who blessed us with their presence here on earth. Please don’t let them be forgotten. I know they must have touched many lives. If you knew them, if they touched your life, tell about it, or write about it. Keep their memory alive. Send your reflections to Streevibes. Lee’s ‘famous’ ruler suspenders the Drop Inn Center recounted a spent many weekends at the Drop road trip to Mexico that he made Inn Center doing unpaid repair with Lee and some of his friends. work, and visiting with and It was a hilarious adventure encouraging residents along the fraught with arguments and path of recovery from substance mishaps. Bonnie Neumeier abuse. Lee was 12 years in brought her guitar to the service recovery from alcoholism. During for Lee and his years at ReSTOC, he A self-declared “down home” person, sang songs with the passed many Lee’s fondest memories were of audience. of his fishing trips with friends and Others came construction streamside meals of fresh pan-fried forward and skills and fish served with good conversation... shared their techniques on stories of Lee to others. and their good times together. Lee There was standing room Scalf’s family, also present at the only at Lee’s memorial service at memorial, was surprised by the Nast Trinity Church in Over-theRhine. Lee’s friends came forward many friends that Lee had made in his life and work. Lee will be and spoke about his life and their missed by everyone. relationship with him. Tom Lee of Page 10 �Coalition Dinner... a political action organization to advocate for the needs of Greater Cincinnati homeless citizens who Johnny on the Spot put up a had no voice in the halls of portable toilet.” With the court order, “people no longer have to power. It began with a coalition of 15 groups and advocates fear that they will be arrested for sleeping under a bridge,” she said. gathering to address homeless “Police must help the homeless peoples’ plight. It has grown to over 70 member agencies: person contact the Coalition, advocates for the poor and which helps solve problems with its communal approach.” homeless, homeless individuals, shelters, transitional houses, Coalition director Georgine Getty hailed Kinsley as emergency food programs, social “one of her personal heroes,” service agencies, churches, and low-income housing groups/conoting “what an incredible year this has been for (GCCH).” Getty ops. Its membership crosses all thanked Streetvibes vendors for political, social and religious lines. helping circulate 60,000 copies last year and writers/editors for Streetvibes, the region’s getting the paper rated the third homeless newspaper, covers social justice and poverty-related best in North America by the North American Street Newspaper issues once a month. Becoming a Association. vendor is one key way for Fanny Johnson (left) presents Service Provider of the Award to Annie homeless and other low-income Dinner participants Coleman applauded the ten or so vendors people to get back on their feet. who enjoyed the tasty pasta dinner It’s a hand UP for people who are at Xavier University’s plush Schiff often in a place of Family Center. “Every day you getting only a hand out, are the face of the homeless or even no hand at all, coalition,” Getty told the vendors. says GCCH’s Getty. “You piss off some public official This year’s every day.” Mayor Charlie Luken dinner was has called the monthly tabloid his underwritten by Rudler biggest pet peeve. & Associates, Sisters of Getty is proud that GCCH Charity, Xavier U’s Office of Mission and convinced the business-led Downtown Cincinnati Inc. to hire Ministry, First Step an outreach worker to point Home, First Unitarian panhandlers toward area agencies Church, Goodwill, SC where they can find help; “...part Ministry Foundation, of a philosophical shift in looking Sodexho, Lighthouse for ways to end poverty instead of Youth services, Drop mere homelessness.” Inn Center, Winton Savings & Loan, and GCCH was featured a lot Xavier University. in local and national news, “reaching 5 million, 600 thousand GCCH’s agenda for 2004 and her own people,” said Getty. recent experience show And over 30 Mother of Mercy High School students that much work Rodney Sutton (left) receives the Jimmy Render Award for Homeless Activism remains to be done, helped GCCH publish a book from GCCH Board Member Kevin Finn Kinsley said. The City with an “amazing” array of interviews, profiles, photos, is making panhandlers register or face fines artwork, and personal reflections that will help GCCH fulfill a New and even jail. “It’s an Year’s resolution, Getty said. unfair, unconstitutional (approach) to The “Through Our Eyes” paperback will be embedded in an solicitation of educational packet with handouts donations. Needs must be met. We must and a videotape to help teachers educate friends, explore systematic causes of homelessness in area schools’ families, others.” One thing is 2004 curriculum. certain, Kinsley One aim of the school outreach project is to “reduce the concluded, “As we move forward, we will perpetual violence” against homeless people, Getty said. “We do it by giving and must keep shining the spotlight on receiving together.” homeless people. There must be Cincinnati no rest until every man, woman, native John Zeh lives and child has a safe home to go in Over-the-Rhine and to.” helped write The Greater Cincinnati “Ecotactics, The Sierra Coalition for the Homeless, now Club Handbook for Bonnie Neumeier (right) presents the Buddy Gray Lifetime Achievement Award to at 117 East 12th Street in OverEnvironment Activists” Sister Mary Graff the-Rhine, was formed in 1984 as for Earth Day 1970. cont. from page 1 S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 GCCH News Page 11 Page 11 �News & Editorial Faces of Homelessness in Santa Cruz by Becky Johnson and Robert Norse WHY CAN’T THESE KIDS COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS? Santa Cruz, Ca. — When Stacie and Orley Jones arrived in their RV from Kentucky, they thought they were planning a better life for their four kids. They didn’t know how hard it would be to get housing, and wound up living in their RV much longer than they had anticipated. One day in April, social workers from Child Protective Services showed up and took all their kids. “They’d gotten an anonymous complaint that we were having sex in front of our kids and that I was smoking marijuana in front of my kids,” said Orley. “It wasn’t true, of course,” said Stacie. No such charge was ever filed against the couple and no witness ever came forward to testify against them. But their children were not returned. “CPS is trying desperately to find something to pin on this couple to justify the seizure,” reports Roxanne Acquistapace who founded “Independent Advocacy” to help people like Stacie and Orley who are caught up in a system which divides and sometimes destroys families under the guise of protecting them. During court ordered counseling, Stacie was asked to report intimate details of her sexual life with her husband, and chastised when she failed to be forthcoming. The counselor also intimated that she should leave her husband. Acquistapace was outraged. “They have no business pressuring people to make those kinds of decisions with their lives, but then they are homeless and living in an RV. They feel they have some kind of right to pass judgment on them.” Despite no charges having been filed, Stacie and Orley are being told they must wait until January to get their kids back. Judge Robert Yonts, perhaps under pressure from nervous CPS officials, issued a gag order on the couple and the attorneys, banning them from talking about the case. (The Jones had been appearing on a local radio show.) They are not allowed to bring friends and supporters into the courtroom. 4-DAY JURY TRIAL FOR A DOG ON THE BEACH When Jhon Golder took his dog onto its beach, he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong. “There were two other people with dogs on the beach too.” Yet when Officer Eric Seilly ordered him off the beach, only Golder was cited. “They ran my license and a warrant for my arrest came back that I knew shouldn’t have been there,” said Golder between one of the hearings for his jury trial. “They charged me with resisting arrest and with assault on a police officer, both misdemeanors, so I qualified for both a public defender and a jury trial.” The jury found Golder innocent on the assault charge but guilty on the resisting arrest charge. The jury also was told that the original arrest warrant had been reported in error just as Golder claimed. Golder was sentenced to 60 days in County Jail, 54 days suspended, 120 community service hours, $120 restitution and two years probation. The original “dog on the beach...” charge was never prosecuted. CITY SELLS OUT SENIORS Homelessness in Santa Cruz is a direct result of the lack of affordable housing in the City. The DeAnza Senior Mobile Home Park on the cliffs overlooking Natural Bridges State Beach was one of the few such places that provide at least 198 senior households with affordable housing and rent control. But when MHC, the owner of the park sued the City for denying them a reasonable return from their asset (they bought the park in 1994 for $8.4 million knowing full well that all residents were protected by a rent control ordinance) they claimed the park was really worth as much as $80 million. The City spent about $500,000 in legal bills fighting the suits, but in August suddenly settled and on August 23rd, they voted 6 - 1 to gut the rent control ordinance. The one concession they had wrangled from MHC were 34 year leases for the current DeAnza residents only, the automatic effect was the loss of equity in their homes for most of the seniors. Critics argued that the City could win the suit if they continued. But Mayor Emily Reilly claimed she couldn’t “bankrupt” the City by defending the senior’s assets. Council member Rotkin warned the City could lose up to $16 million if it were to continue and to lose the suit. “That is highly unlikely,” argued Attorney Michael Constantine who wrote the San Mateo mobile home rent control ordinance. “At best they could get the differences in the back rent — a sum of about $1.5 million, if they S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 could win at all.” The City cited Belcher. Homeless activists are budget woes was the sole reason hopeful this victory will rein in the for the settlement. Two months police department. City Council, later (Nov.25, ’03) City Council which abolished the Citizens Police voted to spend $300,000 on golf Review Board last January, is course improvements. prone to rubberstamp every police MOVE-ALONG ORDINANCE request for increased funding and TO BE TESTED AT TRIAL authority. Steve Argue and Matt MORE HOMELESS DEATHS: Hartough both refused to move a DOMINICAN HOSPITAL political table after one hour’s time NEGLECT, DISCRIMINATION from a location in front of the CHARGED Pacific Trading Company that both Patches died late this men were boycotting. City Council summer when she sought treatment passed a Move-Along Every Hour for an infected arm four times at law along with other anti-homeless Dominican Hospital. Night after night she was turned away. On her laws last January to please merchants against the fourth trip to the emergency ward recommendations of its own she was admitted and scheduled for an amputation of her infected arm. advisory committee. Pacific Trading Company Two days later, the day before owners Carolyn and Clark Heinrich surgery, she died. Her husband Chico, claimed they kept turning not only supported these laws but played an active role in lobbying her away because they were the City to spend $7000+ to move homeless and had no insurance. On November 14th, Linda a planter railing out 8" eliminating 20+ seating spaces to Patches died late this summer when she discourage street sought treatment for an infected arm four musicians, youth, times at Dominican Hospital. Night after and homeless. night she was turned away. On her fourth Both Argue and trip to the emergency ward she was admitted Hartough were and scheduled for an amputation of her arrested and jailed infected arm. Two days later, the day before for failing to surgery, she died. Her husband Chico, comply with the claimed they kept turning her away because new law, enacted they were homeless and had no insurance. in January of 2003. BLUE LAGOON WINS Sipos was taken to the emergency room, suffering two seizures in the POLICE HARASSMENT TRIAL ambulance. The ER personnel In federal court, the owners were able to treat a third seizure she had in the ER ward. Yet Linda of the Gay-friendly “Blue Lagoon” won a lawsuit against the Santa was released in a wheelchair in the Cruz Police Department for rain later that evening when a blood test showed a trace of harassment when they sent uniformed officers into the bar with alcohol in her system. C.J., her a German Shepard police dog to common-law husband, begged the staff to admit her. sniff the customers and hang out for hours at a time. And of a police “They told her to get a bus officer in full uniform standing out in the rain in a wheelchair,” C.J. cried, sobs catching in his throat. at the front entrance with a police dog. Why did then Lt. Patricia “I woke up the next morning ( in Sapone of the SCPD do it?” their campsite) and she lay dead beside me.” C.J. is a well-known “She did it to further her career,” said Reno civil rights street musician in Santa Cruz who attorney Terri Keyser-Cooper. helped start the recent street “And she did it because she could.” performers union SAFE (Society Wells said “The City has for Artistic Freedom and denied any wrong-doing but the Expression). “For the past 5 1/2 jury has already awarded $116,000 years I woke up every morning in damages and court costs and with Linda and told her I loved her. legal fees. The combined legal I don’t know how I am going to go costs for both the plaintive and the on without her.” defense will run over a million FIRST OFFICIAL DEATH BY dollars.” On November 25th, The EXPOSURE REPORTED City Council met in closed session “Crazy Jimmy” who many to consider whether to appeal the knew on Pacific Ave. died on verdict. Patty Sapone was widely November 23, 2003 in the considered to be next in line for Pogonip. Coroners are labeling the Chief of Police in Santa Cruz, a death of James Cline Jr., age 57, as position only recently vacated by at least partially due to exposure. the retirement of Chief Steven West Coast News Page 12 �Absolute Poverty The Dominican Republic and an outsider’s point of view by Mahri Leonard-Fleckmann If I had an English dictionary with me, I would be tempted to look up the word “poverty.” From where I am right now, sitting on my porch watching the sun set through the palm trees, eating fresh cow cheese, it is hard to believe I live a poor life. When I imagine that word, I see a different world, one of hunger and thirst and dirty, exhaust-filled streets; when I imagine that word, I see a world where there is no roof over your head, nor people to care for your well-being, nor water available to drink. Yet from an outsider’s point of view, poverty does not reach an extremity far beyond this one. Families often are lucky to make 1,000 pesos a month (roughly $30). Children go without shoes, babies without diapers, adults without shirts, and in a September school panic, mothers wonder how to scrape together enough money to purchase 40 peso notebooks for their children (a little over $1). People cook over outdoor fires, houses are made of cheap wood or heavy leaves, and about half have dirt floors. Electricity is nonfunctioning, and the people feel blessed that the recent construction of a potable water system with taps limits trips to the river. Yes, it is a poor community. However, here in my small rural village in the Dominican Republic, I have quickly learned that poverty is not always so easily defined. Undeniably, the people of my community of Gurabo have very few things. They have never gone to a restaurant nor have they seen a movie. They lack the most basic health education; many do not know how to read. Their diet consists of rice and beans, and the sign of Christmas wealth is a family’s ability to roast their own pig. On the other hand, food is never lacking. Neighbors feed each other from bottomless vats of rice. In this rich land, there is an over-abundance of avocado and mango, the most expensive fruits in U.S. grocery stores. The air is perfectly clean, and children run along the dirt road with no concept of the dangers of cars or strangers. When one woman falls ill, the entire village takes care of her and her children. And you would never catch a person sleeping on the ground unless so desired. Of course, it is not all so romantic as I portray. First, remember that I live in a beautiful village and so escape the dangerous, stifling city barrio. Second, work is impossible to find outside of factories and the sporadic selling of crops, and because of this, some of the men spend their days in a drunken haze. Girls get pregnant between the ages of 12 and 14, and men beat their wives or girlfriends without second thought. Most importantly, the Dominican Republic lacks the state security nets that help those in poverty in the U.S., and the poor must rely on neighbors for food since soup kitchens and welfare do not exist. However, many of these things are universal as well. As in the U.S., people lack good healthcare and education and are often overlooked by the government. And as in all societies, poverty forms a cycle that is difficult to overcome, and families often find themselves rewriting history through the generations. Sometimes though, I wonder. Here in my village, people do not pine for American wealth. The pain of materialism does not touch their unknowing minds, and they seem to benefit from a much purer happiness found in the company of friends and the time to sit in the late-afternoon sun and visit with neighbors. Since arriving in this country one year ago, I have gone through several paradigm shifts. The first, obviously, was the severe lifestyle change between middleclass American and poor Dominican culture. The second came when I visited the poorer side pined for my simple life in Gurabo, where surprisingly, I had never of the island, the hell called Northern Haiti. While entering the been so content. So what is poverty? Dominican Republic had placed a Perhaps it is the streets of St. Louis new rung on the stepladder of my on a cold winter night, with no perspective of poverty, Haiti made chance of seeing a friendly face or my village seem like heaven. The being offered a plate of food. roads there were potholed and Perhaps it is the Dominican dusty, impassible but for the rare, Republic or Haiti, with their severe dilapidated bus system known as economic failure and non-existent the “tap-taps.” The land was hard social programs. Perhaps real and dry, and for that reason there poverty is found within the arms of were virtually no crops or food. the rich, who search for meaning There was very little water and within the material wealth of their people flocked to the almost nonexistent, drained wells. Huts were lives. Or perhaps it is none of the above or all of them combined. slapped together with cow dung, I have come to believe one and people squatted on the streets thing in the past year, which you to defecate. For every case of malnutrition found in the However, many of these things are universal as Dominican well. As in the U.S., people lack good healthcare Republic and education and are often overlooked by the there were hundreds in government. And as in all societies, poverty forms a cycle that is difficult to overcome, and families Haiti, and often find themselves rewriting history through the the little generations. Sometimes though, I wonder. Here in children held out my village, people do not pine for American wealth. their hands to you with may find naïve and romantic (you desperate hunger in their large, could easily be right): poverty is a yellowed eyes. flowing term, incapable of a After Haiti, I returned to the U.S. for a visit, and what I saw concrete definition. To me, poverty has nothing to do with there reminded me of Haiti’s monetary wealth or the access to hunger in reverse. There was no air-conditioning or heating systems. lack of food — in fact, there was Poverty is a lack of something an over-abundance. People appeared as the living dead in their much deeper, an emptiness of spirit that can be found in any culture, in manicured outfits, walking hurriedly without bothering to even any social bracket, in any economic condition. So I urge you to take a glance at the people around them. moment to redefine your own It seemed to me they were racing the clock, hungrily searching for an wealth and consider carefully where your poverty lies. unnamed happiness, buying Mahri Leonard-Fleckmann lives anything and everything. They among the poorest of the poor in were missing the beauty of the sky the Dominican Republic with the and devaluing the importance of family and friends. I felt stifled and Peace Corps. Berta’s Art Corner.... Dancing in Steel Concrete and Sky. Entrance to Ruth Lyons Lane on East 6th Street, Downtown Cincinnati. Photo by Berta Lambert S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Page 13 Page 13 �The Snag in the Sweater is Repaired Always with you, Always with me by Dr. Steve Sunderland by Brett Zwolinski I caught my sweater on a nail And it ripped. The company promised to repair it. And they did. mountains we climb and seas we traverse time we buy and life passes by in my mind there is but only one thought... maddening horror, pent up fear illusions, inebriating crimes told again and again, the story of mine whose life are we seeing? how and when did it all begin? A snag repaired. Some worker opened the Cardboard box, Took out the damaged garment, Laid it out And decided where the nail Had ripped the threads. times immemorial, death unveiled empty and bleeding, caroused and cheating Needles were on a table and One was selected. Wool was found, Matched, And then the weaving Of the rip began. to let go... Now we hold on even tighter grasp for breath of fresh air; ahhh... the spirit released... earth inhaled to our nostrils becoming one with yourself in passionate fit rage and rancor, tearing at flesh killing me softly, taking my breath The weaver may have paused. Checking for the placing of The new with the old. To see the blend. After more weaving, More checking, And more weaving Until finished. A friend may have been Invited to look At the finished sweater. New hands held the repair, And a nodding occurred. Agreement was reached That the hole, once so Clear, had disappeared into the whole, taking On a completeness, A finality, and A healing. The sweater was placed in a new box, Addressed and sent Knowing that a gift Was being offered. love is liberty, love is freedom love is mercy, love is justice Yes, I too... NOW, WHO WILL LEAD THE WAY? by Gina Miller Yes, I too have been homeless. Yes, I too have been hungry. Yes, I too have been without money. Yes, I too have been unemployed. Yes, I too have been ridiculed. Yes, I too have felt alone. Yes, I too have felt afraid. Yes, I too have thought of suicide. Yes, I too have struggled. Yes, I too have become courageous. Yes, I too have reached out for help. Yes, I too have become employed. Yes, I too have returned to school. Yes, I too have a permanent place to live TODAY. Yes, I too am willing to help other people. Yes, I too am grateful! buddy, you led the way to help the downtrodden people, who could not help themselves; Homeless, Low-Income Housing you, with “in-your-faceconfrontational-attitude” Now, who will lead the way? Earnest, you led the way with the Civil Rights Movement, bussing and discrimination, you, with your quiet & yet, steadfast attitude; Now, who will lead the way? I opened the box and Removed the sweater. One hole invisible And the sweater glowed. The Peace Village is warmer For our repairing the rips And snags of violence. No tear is too small. No thread so different it can’t be used. No holding in hands of weavers Too crippled, too new, too Frightened to seek to Make whole. At times of war, violence and fear, Weavers weave. At times of death from bullets and bombs, Weavers weave. At times when injustice had tripped the heart, Weavers weave. Strangers left the new Peace in their hands. As the light shines On our work, We place our work in The hands of those Who are weavers And we are grateful. S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 My Simple Prayer by Robert Manassa Each nite before I go to sleep I pray a prayer of my soul to keep Please protect the ones that I love Guide them and keep them And let them know that I’lll always love them so Father God – full of grace Please give me the strength to run this race At times it is almost too hard to bear But I don’t forget that you are always there You’ve been with me through thick and thin By my side you’ve always been Mac, you led the way empowered people for a peaceful planet; fought for arms disarmament, you, with your quiet voice, put up a hard & strong fight; Now, who will lead the way? All of you, were branded Radicals, Troublemakers, Renegades; All had the strength of giants; NOW, WHO WILL LEAD THE WAY? Judi Mendriski Help me to learn to love my neighbor as myself And when you’ve done all that you can do Give me a house in your Kingdom Where I can praise and serve you forever more Art & Poetry Page 14 �Winter by Michael Henson Season of silence. Snow drops through the empty halls of air. Silence builds sedimentary seam upon seam. By day, by night, the white screen falls. Tomorrow, the slush of labor. Tomorrow, the rasp of blades. Tomorrow, the clatter of silicon. For now, the loud, the hard are smothered in the fall of snow. The white mouth swallows sound. A shotgun, a man chopping wood the vigilant cough of a buck fall and die in the bonecold air. The truck that rattles the bridge floor The hish of cars on the highway A shout in argument fall and die, fall and die. All sounds rise to fall and die. A Single Woman’s Prayer Undying Love Dear God, I’ve faced another day, Praying true love would come my way. I give my cares, and woes to you. Knowing you will see me through. Praying you will send a brother, Who wants more than a convenient lover. Someone who is kind, and gentle Softly sweet, sane not mental. Someone who can see in me All the reatness that’s in me. Who will be a guiding light, When I can’t sleep late at night. Who will give me space to work things out, Whenever there is even far doubt. He who’ll be my perfect mate, I’d prefer that he be straight. Accept my strength and never fear Or cause my eye to black and tear. But most of all, before I end, Make this man my dearest friend. She speaks to me in hushed tones. I look to the heavens to seek her face. But I cannot find her. Now listen: sibilant lisp of the universe For information on submitting your poetry or art to STREETVIBES email Streetvibes@juno.com by Larry Ushby She speaks once again. I look once more to seek her... But still I cannot find her. I close my eyes and she speaks I hear her. The small, still voice says she loves me. My heart beats wildly when I hear those words That is when she gives to me her Undying Love I Hear You On the phone...all alone You had the nerve to say “I miss you in a special way” Explained all that you did today The unpacking was going well Talked about the drive from hell I thought, he is crazy He must be. “Though I’m glad he arrived safely” So you say there are plans for us. I bought a ticket for the bus Packed a bag and off I go Because I miss you- and you me so. You had so much to say About us two when times were gay, There is only one thing left to say I hear you! by Jimmy Heath Shutter Speed Street Scene, Havana, Cuba S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Art & Poetry Page 15 Page 15 �The Taxing Truth by David Bisson Lurking behind the recent string of federal tax cuts are the blueprints for a far-right-wing revolution. In a June column in the Washington Post, Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform and the radical right’s antitax ringleader, laid out a program to transform our current tax system into a single flat tax on wages. Unlike Steve Forbes and others who have tried to radically alter the tax code in a single swoop, the contemporary conservative movement favors a more gradual assault. “The new Republican policy is an annual tax cut,” proclaimed Norquist, and “each of the Bush tax cuts, past and proposed, moves us toward fundamental tax reform.” When they say “fundamental tax reform,” rightwingers are talking about dismantling the progressive tax system that has facilitated social progress in the U.S for the past 70 years. They are trying to smother the widely held belief that people should be taxed at different rates based on their ability to pay. And they are proposing a change in the tax system that would hurt most Americans by shifting the tax burden off capital and investments and onto the wages of low- and middle-income taxpayers. To market what should be a wildly unpopular agenda, the conservative movement has devised an arsenal of disinformation. For three years in a row, President Bush has exploited workers’ insecurities in a stagnating economy to pass major tax breaks for his wealthy campaign donors under the guise of economic stimulus. This summer’s 2003 tax cut provides a potent example: although it was sold as a “jobs and growth” package, the bill is a targeted giveaway to high-income earners and investors who are likely to save their windfalls. Working taxpayers, by contrast, would spend tax cuts now in ways that would stimulate job creation and economic growth. The only thing Bush’s tax cut stimulates is growth in economic inequality. An honest look at the numbers reveals the tax cut’s staggering inequities. Over the next 10 years, the bill will deliver the same amount, $90 billion, in total tax cuts to the top one-tenth of one percent of all U.S households — the tiny number with yearly incomes over $1 million — as it will to the entire bottom 88 percent. Already, the Republicans’ annual tax cut strategy has had dire consequences for America’s fiscal health. In July, the Bush Administration announced an estimated $455 billion federal budget deficit for fiscal year 2003. A long-term analysis by the Center for Budget Priorities (CBPP) concludes that “under realistic projections, budget deficits will remain at or above $325 billion for each of the next ten years and total $4.1 trillion over that period.” While the Bush administration and its supporters have been quick to blame the deficits on unanticipated spending demands, the CBPP report demonstrates that federal tax breaks enacted since 2001 will, over 2003 and 2004, cost nearly three times the combined costs of combat and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan, reconstruction and relief after the 9/11 attacks, increased expenditures on homeland security, and the cost of fighting terrorism worldwide. America is at a crossroads of tax and budget policy. The choices made by citizens and legislators in the near future will lead the nation down one of two diverging paths. Politicians and pundits on the right have offered assurances that the deficits are “manageable’ while advocating ever more tax cuts aimed at the Break My Fall Inn when we saw previews for the movie, “Homeless to Harvard: the Liz Murray Story”. The staff agreed to let us watch the first half, due to our bedtime. As Liz’s story unfolded, it was clear that many of the women in the room were deeply moved. Liz was just 15 when she became homeless. She had grown up with loving, but drug-addicted parents in NYC. When Liz’s mother was diagnosed with AIDS, the family broke up. Eventually, social services came and took her away from her father because she never attended school. She went to live with her mom and grandfather but ran away. The last scene we got to watch that night was when Liz’s mother died of AIDS. I thought that if I could see the rest of the movie I might be able to get out of my own downward spiral, and wrote about it on my on-line journal. Liz Murray stumbled across the post and invited me to her apartment in New York City so I could watch the second half of the movie… with her! I jumped at the opportunity and a week later I was on the bus. Liz and I hit it off immediately. We were the same age and although our childhood and homeless experiences were very different, we had a lot in common. We went out to eat, and then watched the rest of the movie. I sat next to her as I watched the story of how she rose above homelessness to get herself into Harvard University. Although she never really attended school for any continuous time, she decided to go to high school at age 17 and graduate in two years at the top of her class—while homeless. She ended up getting a New York Times Scholarship to Harvard. She is currently attending Columbia University, giving speeches about her life, and writing a book that will be out in the spring. Liz was amazed by my story. She kept telling me that I had a lot of potential. She was so positive about my situation. She kept reminding me that I wasn’t going to be homeless forever, that like her; I would have an apartment someday. I left Liz’s house determined to do something with myself, but I wasn’t quite sure by Crystal Evans It was February when I ended up homeless. But I realized long before that my life was in a downward spiral. Every time I hit what I thought was rock bottom, something else would happen and I’d fall a little deeper. I had run away from spiritual and emotional abuse at home at age 19. A few months later I ended up with a traumatic brain injury and a broken neck in a car accident. Because of the brain injury, I lost nine jobs in 16 months. I became homeless, got on my feet, and found myself homeless again seven months later. I was afraid I was never going to stand again, and that I would always be a nobody. Before ending up homeless I had goals for myself, but after living in a shelter surrounded by drug addicts, alcoholics, those with mental illness, and people dying of AIDS, I saw no hope. Most of these people had been homeless for years, and many were my age when it first happened. I was staying at Pine Street wealthy. Accepting this conservative revolution is likely to produce a fiscal train wreck that the right will use to justify elimination or privatization of social programs that most Americans want and need— namely Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The main beneficiaries of that train wreck would be large corporations that would profit from privatization of core government services, and wealthy individuals who do not depend on the current safety nets and who would keep more of their incomes under a flat tax. The remaining majority would have less job security, healthcare, and retirement security. If the right succeeds in shifting responsibility for funding social programs to state and local governments whose tax systems disproportionately burden people with lower incomes, most people would pay more taxes for fewer services. Or we can choose the other path: honoring our commitments to aging generations while investing in a future of shared opportunity and prosperity. David Bisson is an intern at United for a Fair Economy and an Economics major at the University of Massachusetts— Amherst. what. On my list of goals before I ended up homeless was to finish school. What was I waiting for? What was stopping me? I couldn’t think of anything. I already knew I could get help paying for school from MassRehab because I was disabled. I decided to apply to Harvard Extension School and go for the writing program. I’m still homeless but I am also a student. I’m in rehab at Spaulding Rehab Hospital for my brain injury. I volunteer at Ronald McDonald House and the Children’s Hospital. I keep an online journal on homelessness. I have been speaking at colleges in the New England area, and I’m applying to Harvard University for fall of ‘04. Liz Murray and I are still in contact, and she will continue to be my inspiration. I want other people to know they can rise above homelessness and get somewhere in life. Being homeless doesn’t mean your life is over. It’s simply another challenge a person must overcome, one that makes one stronger in the long run. Reprinted from Whats Up Boston, December 2003 Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression of the views and opinions of our readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Editorial Page 16 �New Budget Eliminates Mandatory NewsDomestic & Editorial Violence for our state. Services web site and search each that nearly half of the women Training Then why hasn’t Ohio adopted the of the counties for the exemptions receiving public assistance are Option More Important Than Ever by Judi Clark As all of us were working hard to save social services and education, a little known act known as the Preferred Arrest Bill was quietly abolished. This act, HB 335 signed by former Gov. Voinovich in the 1993-1994 session, made domestic violence training for caseworkers mandatory, recognizing the number of domestic violence victims seeking assistance. Enacted prior to the 1996 welfare reform bill – TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), and Ohio’s subsequent devolution of OWF (Ohio Works First) to each of the 88 counties, HB 335 was rarely enforced, as far as we can tell, once TANF went into affect. It is more important than ever for Ohio to adopt the Family Violence Option. Studies show victims of domestic violence. Abuse is a major obstacle to becoming self-sufficient. The Family Violence Option (FVO) will allow Ohio to “waive program requirements for a victim of domestic violence when complying with the requirements would make it more difficult for the victim to escape domestic violence or would unfairly penalize the individual.” What this will mean to individual counties in Ohio is an increase in the number of hardship and good cause exemptions they are allowed to give. Fewer families would be sanctioned and lose their assistance. The Family Violence Option was part of the 1996 welfare reform bill (TANF). Currently forty states have adopted the FVO. Ohio has 88 counties with 88 different sets of criteria for hardship and good cause exemptions. Go to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family (www.state.oh.us/scripts/odjfs/ hardship). It’s amazing how different each county is. We have to wonder if anyone in Columbus is keeping track of how each county is doing things. No wonder families are falling through the cracks! Many counties don’t even have specific rules for domestic violence victims. Caseworkers seem to be making it up as they go. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has a protocol in place for states to use which includes training for caseworkers in screening public assistance applicants and recipients, and identifying victims of domestic violence. Caseworkers can then offer support services to families to help victims. A statewide training program in Ohio would make it easier for many counties to get training for caseworkers. Ohio could simply adopt the recommendations of HHS and not spend time developing a new plan Economic Recovery Leaves Ohio Behind November marked the national observance of Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week (November 1622), and Ohio¹s homeless organizations are focusing on the huge unmet demand for shelter in our state. “We want people to know that Ohio experienced an average increase of approximately 30% in demand for shelter from 2002 to 2003,” said Rick Taylor, Managing Director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. This data was compiled from a survey of three fourths of the shelter programs that receive funding from the State of Ohio. To respond to this growing demand, shelters and services throughout Ohio are calling on community leaders to put in place resources and policies to address the growing flood of families and individuals who are finding themselves homeless. While the economic picture for the country points to some economic recovery, Ohio is not one of the states seeing improvement. Ohio continues to see unprecedented increases in families and individuals in need of shelter. Ohio rated second to last among states in job growth from the end of 1997 through last year. Ohio Policy Matters reported Ohio lost 118,500 or one out of seven Streetvibes Vendor: 80 cents Printing and Production: 20 S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 manufacturing jobs from March 2001 to March 2003. The impact of these losses continues in September 2003 with 6,500 Ohioans running out of unemployment benefits. With loss of manufacturing jobs for 38 consecutive months, Ohio has seen huge increases in foreclosures and evictions followed by double digit increases in request for shelter “Given that Ohio lags behind all other states except Michigan in job growth and the inability for many to find jobs, it is no wonder we are seeing many Ohioans losing their homes,” said Taylor of COHHIO. Local and state advocates are asking for Where Your Dollar Goes... The Streetvibes program maintains a minimal overhead cost so that our vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. Please call our office at 421-7803 for more information about the program. Many thanks for your support. Ohio News FVO? It’s a little tricky, but it can be done. If Ohio administered the Ohio Works First (OWF) program at the state level instead of devolving control to each county, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) could simply tell the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that Ohio will adopt the FVO. Because of the devolution of control of OWF policies to each county, it will take an act of the Ohio Legislature to adopt the FVO. This is actually quite simple, but our state legislators are trying to act like it’s complicated. Ohio Empowerment Coalition will work hard in the months to come to convince our legislators that this is not only fiscally responsible for Ohio but the humane thing to do. We urge each of you to contact your legislators and talk to them about the Family Violence Option. community discussions involving those experiencing homelessness to construct both statewide and local plans to address homelessness. Advocates are seeking help from the community, media, religious organizations and the collective talent that exists in Ohio to finally address the problem of our citizens living for years in shelters, on the streets and in abandoned housing. What is the revolution that we need? We need to dissolve the lie that some people have a right to think of other people as their property. And we need at last to form a circle that includes us all, in which all of us are seen as equal... We do not belong to the other, but our lives are linked; we belong in a circle of others. Barbara Deming The first thing to be disrupted by our committment to nonviolence will be not the system but our own lives. James Douglass Story, Editorial and Art Submission Deadline for the February 2004 edition of STREETVIBES is Friday, January 9th Page 17 Page 17 �Visit to Chrysalis by Ellen Sinis In LA, there are maps available for just about everything. A map of the stars on Hollywood Boulevard. A map of celebrities’ homes in Beverly Hills. A map of the studios where Clark Gable and Greta Garbo became legends. But one place you won’t find a special map for is the twenty block section of downtown known as skid row. In fact, not even the police seem to know who or what is there. A week-and-a-half ago, my journey through skid row began in a parking garage in which my rental car was protected from the community outside by wrought iron bars that stood two stories tall. On the sidewalks beyond the garage, I walked with my fellow visitors past dozens of people that called this street home. We saw addicts shooting up, gamblers tossing dice, and dealers making sales. But most disturbingly, we saw people who were together on the street, yet were totally alone in the world. In fact, homelessness is just as much about being alone as it is about being without shelter. It is as much about being disconnected from society, self, and hope as it is about living just to survive. After crossing the street, we arrived at our destination, the Chrysalis Center, a Taste of the Nation grant recipient. Chrysalis provides training and resources to help homeless men and women find jobs. For the hardest to employ, it provides jobs as well, through two businesses that together take in over $3 million each year. Just inside the door, we found ourselves in a serene environment. Chrysalis was closed for lunch, but as we spoke with its leaders, we could see the line of clients forming outside the door. The lunch hour concluded, and it took not 30 seconds for the room to come to life once the door was opened. In half a minute, about 25 people entered into the room with a clear sense of purpose. They went immediately to work...using the phones to make follow-up calls on applications, using the computers to look for jobs, signing up to see a case manager, and filing into classrooms. The bustle of activity stood in stark contrast to the streets outside - the positive atmosphere was almost palpable. It was clear that Chrysalis provided much more than a path to work; it provided a supportive environment in which clients where sharing positive experiences in community with one another. Chrysalis offered not just the skills and tools to be successful at work; it also offered the relationships and support network to feel successful in life. For the homeless, it is unlikely that the former will exist for long without the latter. Chrysalis uses the tagline “Changing lives through jobs.” A job is the goal for each individual, but a successful job search is the inspiration for the whole Chrysalis community. Their shared ritual provides some insight into the strength of that community. Every time a Chrysalis client gets a job, he or she is invited to ring the success bell. Standing in the middle of Chrysalis’s main room, the client rings the bell, often with tears dripping from her face. Everything in the building stops, and the cheers begin. This ritual is a simple celebration of one person’s success, and a whole community’s shared purpose. It serves as a reminder that success is possible, and helps clients know they are no longer alone. Today in LA, the police department will release its newly freed prisoners in skid row. The foster care system will drop off the children who have just aged out of its program by turning 18. These new residents of skid row will join the thousands of people living on the streets, or, if they are lucky, the thousands living in shelters. They may be offered food to satiate their hunger. But until they find hope and purpose, their hunger for wholeness will continue. I am grateful that Share Our Strength is also helping to satiate that most important hunger, replacing disconnectedness with community, and despair with success. by Kevin Smith, Aiken High School Prisoners Advocacy Committee — Ohio PO Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-1746, or submit a prisoner’s name and jail number at cleves1947@yahoo.com Finding pen-pals for people incarcerated in jails throughout Ohio. Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression of the views and opinions of our readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 Editorial Page 18 �FRAC News From the Food Research and Action Center FOOD STAMP PARTICIPATION INCREASES IN SEPTEMBER 2003 TO MORE THAN 22.7 MILLION PERSONS; IS ABOUT 5.8 MILLION PERSONS HIGHER THAN IN JULY 2000. (December 4, 2003) Participation in the Food Stamp Program in September 2003 (the latest data available) increased by 353,413 persons from the previous month, to 22,705,267 persons, as high rates of joblessness continued, more states improved access, and the effects of the food stamp reauthorization improvements continued to be felt. According to FRAC’s analysis of preliminary monthly data from USDA, in the last six months the caseload grew by an average of more than 281,000 persons per month. In the 12 months before that, the average was 150,000 per month. The September 2003 level of Food Stamp Program participation represented a rise of more than 2.9 million persons compared to the September 2002 level, nearly 4.9 million persons compared to September 2001, and about 5.8 million persons since July, 2000. http://www.frac.org/html/news/fsp/ 03sept.html BUSH ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERS ADOPTION OF ERADICATING CHILDHOOD HUNGER AS A MAJOR GOAL FOR 2004. (Washington Post, December 5, 2003) The Bush Administration is looking for big ideas to put on the top of its agenda for the year leading up to the presidential election. One major idea being considered is announcing that the United States will return a person to the moon. Among other ideas being considered for announcement during January’s State of the Union address: ending childhood hunger. A senior administration official said policy experts have been “going to considerable effort to see how much it would cost to attack child hunger.” http:// www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ articles/A36960-2003Dec4.html REPORT LINKS INADEQUATE CHILDHOOD NUTRITION AND UNREALIZED INTELLECTUAL POTENTIAL. (Chicago Tribune, December 2, 2003) A study that appeared in the November issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, found that good nutrition and schooling can lead to substantial intellectual gains in adulthood. The study examined Guatemalan women who had been given nutritional supplements in the first two years of life and schooling through the primary grades. Women who were given nutritional supplements improved their academic achievement scores significantly over women who received schooling alone. “You’re going to get quite a return on your investment if you foster education. But if you also improve nutrition in early childhood, your return will be magnified,” said Reynaldo Martorell of Emory University, author of the study. Another study of identical twins conducted by researchers at the University of Virginia showed that growing up in poverty can erase a number of points from a child’s IQ score. The Virginia study found that deleterious mental factors account for 80 percent of the decline in IQ scores of very impoverished twins. These studies contribute to a growing conviction among scientists that gene function is highly dependent on environmental conditions. http:// www.chicagotribune.com/news/ local/chi0312020135dec02,1,680344.story (free registration required) COLUMN: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HUNGER. (Seattle PostIntelligencer, Seattle, WA, December 5, 2003) In this piece, columnist Helen Thomas of Hearst Newspapers highlights that it will take more than charitable donations at Christmas to deal with the problem of hunger in the United States. The Census Bureau says 34.8 million Americans live below the poverty level. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World, estimates it would cost the federal government $6 billion annually, or six cents per person per day, to expand government programs such as school lunch and food stamps to cut the hunger rate in half. Thomas points out that while many want to help the poor, others believe in survival of the fittest, such as President Reagan’s counselor Edwin Meese, who told reporters “that poverty was merely anecdotal and that people went to soup lines ‘because they don’t want to pay for their lunch.’” Writes Thomas: “Much as private and religious groups may try to provide for the poor, it is still the responsibility of this government to make sure no one is left behind in the bread line. We are our brother’s keeper.” http:// seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/ 151106_thomas05.html S T R E E T V I B E S January, 2004 WORKING PEOPLE CANNOT SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES IN AMERICA. (Newsweek, December 1, 2003) In this column, Anna Quindlen describes a new kind of poverty in America: Officials at urban food pantries note that more and more low-wage workers are coming to them for emergency food assistance. “America is a country that now sits atop the precarious latticework of myth...that work provides rewards, that working people can support their families.” “You never used to see kids at soup kitchens,” says Julia Erickson of City Harvest in New York. During the economic boom in the 1990’s, a quarter of American workers made less than poverty level wages ($8.70 an hour for a family of four) and many did not have health insurance, sick pay or retirement provisions. According to Beth Shulman, author of “The Betrayal of Work,” the bottom 10 percent of American workers earn just 37 percent of the median wage, while their counterparts in other industrialized nations earn upwards of 60 percent of the median wage. In addition, those countries provide health and child care. http://www.msnbc.com/ news/997103.asp?cp1=1 COLUMN: RECORD FEDERAL DEFICIT WILL HAMPER FUTURE OPPORTUNITY FOR TODAY’S CHILDREN. (Los Angeles Times, December 1, 2003) In this column, Ronald Brownstein makes a direct connection between the Bush Administration’s current fiscal policy, record deficits, and the costs to the next generation of taxpayers. He points out that much of the funding for President Bush’s policy initiatives, paid for by increasing the national debt, simply transfers the bill to the next generation. The administration’s tax cuts would reduce federal revenue by $400 billion per year by 2012. Meanwhile, the annual bill for many of government’s functions will increase over the next decade: Medicare will cost more than $500 billion per year, defense spending will reach $600 billion annually, and interest payments on the federal debt will climb to $350 billion. “To call this behavior a breakdown of fiscal responsibility misses its true nature. This is a stunning abandonment of generational responsibility. Washington is behaving like a father who steals his kid’s credit card and goes on a bender.” http:// www.latimes.com/news/ nationworld/nation/la-naoutlook1dec01,1,2243514.story (free registration required) FRAC News OP-ED: PROPOSED FEDERAL TANF RULES WOULD FURTHER STRAIN STATE BUDGETS, HURT RECIPIENTS. (Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia, PA, November 24, 2003) In this op-ed piece, Jonathan M. Stein criticizes the proposed TANF legislation now making its way through Congress, saying it would further strain state budgets by imposing stricter work requirements without providing federal funds for child care and job training. Such mandates would leave Pennsylvania and New Jersey “Govs. Rendell and McGreevey with little choice but to slash crucial services.” The proposed TANF legislation would also hurt TANF recipients who would be forced to work 40 hours a week in an economy where the average American works fewer than 40 hours per week and 2.5 million jobs have been lost since early 2001. http://www.philly.com/ mld/dailynews/news/opinion/ 7338708.htm REPORT: RECORD NUMBER OF NEW YORK CITY EMERGENCY FOOD PROVIDERS CLOSE OR RATION FOOD BECAUSE OF DEMAND. (New York City Coalition Against Hunger, November 25, 2003) Demand at New York City’s more than 1,000 emergency food providers increased faster than their ability to meet that demand, forcing 36 agencies to close entirely and nearly half of the remaining agencies to ration their food by turning away hungry people, reducing portion size, and/or cutting hours of operation. Providers that stayed open were forced to turn away almost 150,000 New Yorkers, of whom 41,796 were children —a 330 percent increase among children compared to three years ago. The New York City Coalition Against Hunger’s annual survey of New York City hunger also found that 83 percent of food pantry and soup kitchen officials said that the demand for food will increase over the next six months. “It is clear that struggling charities can no longer be the city’s first line of defense against hunger and poverty,” said Joel Berg, Executive Director of the Coalition. Press release: http://www.nyccah.org/ media/overall%20pressrelease.doc (Word Document) Full report: http://www.nyccah.org/media/ fullreport.doc (Word Document) The FRAC website is http://www.frac.org To subscribe to the weekly FRAC News Digest go to: http://capwiz.com/frac/mlm/ Page 19 Page 19 �TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline 820-2947 A.A. Hotline 351-0422 C.C.A.T. 381-6672 Talbert House 684-7956 Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 DIC Live-In Program 721-0643 TREATMENT: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Prospect House 921-1613 Starting Over 961-2256 TREATMENT: Women First Step Home 961-4663 Full Circle Program 721-0643 HOUSING: CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 Miami Purchase 241-0504 OTR Housing Net. 369-0004 ReSTOC 381-1171 Tender Mercies 721-8666 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 SHELTER: Both Anthony House (Youth) 357-4602 Caracole (AIDS) 761-1480 Friars Club 381-5432 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 Haven House 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 861-1111 St. John’s Housing 651-6446 Mt. Airy Center 661-4620 Volunteers of Amer. 381-1954 Need Help or Want to Help? If you need help or would like to help please call one of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless members listed below. SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Garden St. House 241-0490 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 St. Francis/St.Joseph House 381-4941 Formed in 1984, The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a membership organization. Our member groups serve the homeless through emergency shelter, transitional living facilities, permanent housing, medical services, social services, soup kitchens, and mental health/addiction services. The Coalition also consists of individual citizens who want to take an active role in ensuring that Cincinnati is an inclusive community, meeting the needs of all of its citizens. Join the fight to end homelessness; contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at (513) 421-7803, 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 OTHER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Center 241-2563 Freestore/ Foodbank 241-1064 Fransiscan Haircuts 651-6468 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental Health Board 946-8600 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Rsrc. Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-5491 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assis. Center 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Project Connect Homeless Kids 357-5720 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Women Helping Women 872-9259 MIDDLETOWN/HAMILTON (Butler County) St. Raphaels (Food Bank/Soup Kitchen) 863-3184 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 New Life Baptist Mission (Soup Kitchen) 896-9800 Hope House (Homeless Families/Singles) 423-4673 $1 Donation January 2004 Streetvibes BUY FROM BADGED VENDORS ONLY Remembering those who died on the streets... Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2004 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource January 2004 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Homeless Memorial Remembers Those Who Have Died in 2003 Homeless Citizens, Supporters go ‘Home for the Holidays’ at Annual Coalition Dinner Pg 2: Donate Pg 3: Homeless News Digest Pg 4: History of Church Spans Decades Pg 5: An Update on the Issue of Panhandling Pg 6: The Peace Village Pg 7: U.S. Conference of Mayors-Hunger and Homelessness Survey 2003 Pg 8: U.S. Conference of Mayors-Hunger and Homelessness Survey 2003 Continues Pg 9: French Lawyer; World Leaders Should Take Stand in Saddam Trial Pg 10: Blessed is He That Considereth the Poor Pg 11: Coalition Dinner Continued Pg 12: Faces of Homelessness in Santa Cruz Pg 13: Absolute Poverty Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 16: Editorial Pg 17: New Budget Eliminates Mandatory Domestic Violence Training Economic Recovery Leaves Ohio Behind Pg 18: Visit to Chrysalis Pg 19: FRAC News Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 2004 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty Andy Erickson Brendan Goodwin Mary Gaffney Jimmy Heath Elain Coffy Elizabeth Linville Berta Lambert J. Michael Skaggs Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Brendan Goodwin Church domestic violence Economic Recovery Editorials Elain Coffy Elizabeth Linville Food Research FRAC GCCH GCCH Dinner Georgine Getty Holidays Hunger J. Michael Skaggs Jimmy Heath Mary Gaffney memorial Ohio panhandling Peace Village Saddam Trial Santa Cruz Survey U.S. Conference of Mayors