1 10 23 https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/3cb471119f729abdeb5fed2859a359eb.pdf effa0a6e442a33884020c330de99243d PDF Text Text January 13th - January 26th 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 28 (No. 347) advocating justice | Building community Sharing free food with the homeless: what harm can it do? | 9 This issue sponsored by Rosie, Oscar, Phil and Jack INSIDE THIS ISSUE Community Issues Forum Kicks Off 2017 with Vice Mayor David Mann | 2 Education and Income | 3 Black Lives Matter Cincinnati: multiracial liberation movement | 7 Denver homeless protest against ‘clean up’ of downtown streets | 8 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: Wearying Winter JOSH SPRING Executive Director I am looking forward to the return of consistently warm weather. I know it may seem sort of uncreative to write about the current weather, but the winter really is the worst (I know this may not be a fact and that some of you disagree). The cold causes physical pain and leads to an increase in sickness; sniffles, flu, sinus infections, etc. The winter is especially hard on people without homes and especially on people without shelter. The winter also adds financial burden. It costs more and more to heat living and working spaces. Cold weather can wreak havoc on building structures, roads, sidewalks and automobiles. The winter also constricts a person. Wearing heavy coats means we move slower with less mobility - and those coats also cost money. I know stating these problems is not going to end winter (though we can end homelessness and therefore the effects of winter on people experiencing homelessness). And I know that truly ending winter (global warming) would be a terrible thing. But I am confident that you and nearly everyone you know agrees with at least significant portions of these feelings - even if you like the look of snow. Winter is also the enemy of community organizing. Winter adds difficulty to the prospect of people J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 7 getting out and acting together. I am sure you have noticed, but between the freezing temperatures and the holidays it seems that nearly everything happens slower in the winter. Timelines are extended, meetings are canceled or rescheduled, you have to set out earlier to get somewhere on time, so forth and so on. While I can recognize that fresh fallen snow looks pretty, I only enjoy it in pictures and snow-globes. All this personal dislike of cold weather aside, greater numbers of people with homes tend to be concerned about people without homes during this time of year because of the holidays and the cold. This concern is important. Homelessness, however, is a yearround systematic problem and we must respond to it year-round and work constantly to systematically end it, such that this systematic problem does not leave people prey to the harshness of winter or any other time. ------------------------ THE COMMUNITY ISSUES FORUM KICKS OFF 2017 WITH VICE MAYOR DAVID MANN REVIEWING CRITICAL ISSUES CITY AHEAD Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: BILL WOODS T he Community Issues Forum at Christ Church Cathedral kicks off 2017 with a presentation by Vice Mayor David Mann. At this Thursday lunch session on January 19th, the Vice Mayor will discuss critical issues that will confront City Government in the coming year. He will also comment about the current political climate in Washington and Columbus and how it might impact cities like Cincinnati. Mann, a former Congressman, Mayor, and multi term Council member, came out of political retirement to run for Council in 2013. Not only has he provided valuable experience to this body, but he has championed affordable housing and other grassroots projects that often were neglected in the City's fixation on upscale development. The Vice Mayor has decided to seek reelection in the fall. Forums at the Cathedral feature a wide range of community and public issues with an emphasis on social, economic, and political justice. In December, Two Forums focused on the tragedies of gun violence in Cincinnati, and the 2016 actions and goals of Black Lives Matter/ Cincinnati. Forums are free and open to the public, and they take place at the lunch hour every other Thursday Dr. Mark Mussman Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Michael Earl Patton, Steve McClanahan, Dr. Mark Mussman, Mike Brown, Jason Haap, Steve Sunderland, Bobby Morris, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones Photography/Artwork: Michael Flood, Michael Earl Patton, Mike Brown, Google Images, Bill Woods Vice Mayor David Mann Photo: Michael Flood from January to June. Time is always set aside for questions and comments from attendees, and lunches can be purchased on a first come, first serve basis. For further information call 3814994. ------------------------ THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �LOCAL Education and Income No. 347 | J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 MICHAEL EARL PATTON O Contributing Writer ne of the things that continually annoyed me in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election was the characterization of Trump supporters as “uneducated.” Besides its being dismissive of millions of people, it is unclear what the charge actually means. And it is probably wrong, too. I want to explore this a without getting a 4-year degree if you are considered “educated” or “uneducated.” And then comes the matter of why one should be so dismissive of those without college degrees. College degrees are necessary for many jobs, true, but those jobs are not the only ones that should command respect. In fact, the hosts of the PBS program McMicken Hall at UC Credit: Michael Earl Patton little, using exit polling data and once again using data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls. gov). First, what do these critics mean by “uneducated”? From the context, and the sheer numbers of supposedly uneducated people involved, it clearly does not mean people with NO education – people who never attended school at all. In checking I found out that what is meant is people with no college education, though it is not clear if you attended college This Old House have been talking recently about the difficulty in finding good trades people such as finish carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and masons. Their experience aligns with mine, and I also would add that most of my “educated” friends – those with a college degree – wouldn’t recognize a good job from a bad one. Their educated opinion is almost worthless in this regard. I would also add such trades as mechanics and machinists, along with traditional occupations such as farmers, barbers, cooks, police, soldiers, and ranchers (the list is meant to be suggestive, not comprehensive) are occupations that require skill and training. Some of these workers may have a college degree, but even if they don’t I am not going to dismiss their opinions out of hand. I see no reason why someone with, say, a journalism, sociology, or even an engineering degree should automatically be credible while others, who may have been succeeding at their jobs or even running their own businesses for decades, should be dismissed. Full disclosure – I have an engineering Labor Statistics data for a relationship between income and education. Sure enough, there is a strong correlation. People with higher incomes tend to have more college education. Further, people in all income quintiles (groupings of 20% of income, such as those in the bottom 20% of income, the next 20%, and so on) are going to college more often. Alas, the data I examined did not state how many of these received a degree, but these probably also have increased. Here is a graph I made from the data for the years of the past 4 presidential elections. I had to use 2015 data degree. I always strive to put together a credible analysis which I hope is evaluated on its own merits. Exit polling conducted by the New York Times showed that those who never attended college were almost as likely to vote for Clinton as for Trump (45% versus 51%). Only those with post-graduate education were much more likely to vote for Clinton (58% versus 37%). Or maybe not. Exit polling in this past election was not a reliable guide to the actual results because Trump’s victory was a surprise to all those who relied on these data. In other words, significant numbers of those polled may not have been telling the truth about their choice. Who were they? Who held back from saying they actually voted for Trump? Were they Bernie Sanders supporters still upset at Clinton? Were they immigrants who came here legally and who don’t like border jumping? College-educated women? People who don’t like the New York Times? I don’t know if anyone has researched this question, but I would be most interested in knowing more. I also looked at the Bureau of instead of 2016 because 2016 data have not yet been released. There is one final point I want to make about the so-called “uneducated” Trump supporters. Yes, it is true that Hillary Clinton received over 2.8 million more popular votes than Donald Trump. But that was still only 48% of the votes cast. Trump received about 46% of the popular vote. The other 6% went to third party or independent candidates. If we group all the conservative-leaning candidates together – Trump, the Libertarian and Constitution candidates, and McMullin who ran as an independent – they received almost 51% of the vote. Since that is just over half, it may not seem especially noteworthy, but that is a higher percentage than conservatives have won in the past several elections. I am NOT saying that as more people go to college, voters are more likely to vote for conservative candidates. I don’t think there is enough of a correlation, at least so far. But I am saying that we should not be so quick to dismiss people with whom we may disagree as uneducated. evidence concerning global warming and the role of human activity; if you are not aware of the science, there are several credible sources you can read (for example, http://climate. nasa.gov/evidence/). Suffice it to say that it is widely agreed that a critical element of the solution to climate change is globally moving away from fossil fuels as quickly as possible, hence the Paris Climate Agreement. We Must Act Against Climate Change STEPHEN MCCLANAHAN Contributing Writer W ith Mr. Trump’s election, climate change denial and skepticism has again entered the mainstream. This is an astonishing position given the plethora and rigor of scientific investigations that have studied the influence of greenhouse gases in 3 driving abrupt climate change. It is also alarming since climate change will literally alter the world for the worse, most notably for our children and future generations. It is not my intention to delineate the scientific THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED (Continued on page 7) �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 7 �5 LOCAL Fact or Fiction: Tools for Active Reading No. 347 | J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 T DR. MARK MUSSMAN Staff Writer here seems to be a crisis in news reporting these days, both on the small screen and in social media. Socalled “fake news” has been on blast for about a year, but even more now, as revelations that people are manufacturing news to get clicks online are exposed. I was trying to figure out if there was a way to expose fake news without using Google, or Wikipedia, or Snopes, etc. to verify. I quickly realized that there have been plenty of fake news stories circulated on social media (one or two, I’m sure I’m guilty of sharing) – stories that I should have been able to spot as fake almost immediately. Examining the source for satire (The Onion or even the column in the New Yorker) or sensationalism (USuncut or WorldStarHipHop) is a good place to start. But beyond that, how do we know if a story is real? I heard recently that some people are having an issue identifying fake news because we are so dependent on googling things, or we don’t have the necessary depth to decipher fact from fiction. It may be due to our reliance on instantaneous gratification, and waiting around, or wading through multiple primary source documents, is time consuming and often daunting. Whatever the case, there is a real need to understand the connection between the ability to critically think with an expanded world view and the impact on advocacy work. I began to think through the steps I use when deciding if something is real that I read online. I tried to go beyond the typical questions, like “Is it too good to be true?” to something more concrete. The results fell into the basic categories of Fallacies – Psychological, Logical and Mechanical. When you write a sensationalist piece, appealing to people’s emotions and trying to sway them, you are essentially simultaneously using both a persuasive technique and falling into a psychological fallacy. While passion is an important part of communication, it is important to keep personal attacks and humor to a minimum. I was reading an article today that name-called someone and I immediately wanted to stop reading the article. I felt that by using an ad hominem attack, I was ready to quickly disregard everything else the writer had to say. What does that negativity do but disable you from seeing things objectively? I hope to not fall into that trap. An introductory speech class will teach you all about persuasive techniques to connect with your audience. These techniques come in extra handy during debates when you are trying to win over an audience for votes. But these same techniques, while fiery and passion-laden, fall flat in honest reporting. What works for a human-interest story does not work for reporting about current events, so if the story you are reading seems to hit too close to home, or if it seems that the writer wants you to think something specific, it’s poor reporting. The S.M.A.R.T. section is taken from SMART Goals, which I felt took a nuanced approach to those concepts. If the article you are reading writes about things that can’t be measured but argues them as fact, there is something fishy going on there. If the “Breakdown Stereotypes” author makes simple generalizations like “all liberals” or it just seems strange that this article is coming out now, then it is probably just there to get you to click on it. I included these because they can quickly rule out real news. Finally, if you’ve looked at the headline and you don’t see the persuasive techniques or the SMART violations, then you need to move to logical fallacies before you can say it is real news. Logical fallacies are probably the most widely used methods of persuasion that get left unchecked. If you don’t understand them, then you will have trouble rationalizing the issues with the statements that are being made. It is completely possible to convince people of things using logical fallacies. Being able to point them out, even by just reading the headline of an article, is a skill that takes time, but will eventually save you plenty of time and a headache. As corporate media becomes more and more conglomerated, it is more imperative than ever to develop these skills. It may not be enough to stop fake news operations, or even poor reporting in mainstream media, but it will empower you to take on falsehoods one fallacy at a time. Understanding fact from fiction strengthens your advocacy work and increases your ability to create change in our community. “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Mark Mussman at (513) 421.7803 x14 Educational Programs Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau We will come to your organization, school, or business Alternative Breaks: Cincinnati Urban Experience College students stay with us and participate in service and learning in the community Social Justice Walking Tours Please sign up for an Educational Program on our website CinciHomeless.org Learn about the rich cultural history, struggles, and collaboration in our community Streetvibes Shadow Experience distributing Streetvibes newspapers and learn fron a seasoned professional THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �6 LOCAL J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 7 (Continued on page 12) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �LOCAL Black Lives Matter Cincinnati: A multiracial movement for liberation 7 No. 347 | J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 S ince it was founded in December 2014, Black Lives Matter Cincinnati has become the leading voice for black liberation in the city, working to mobilize people to demand an end to police brutality, institutional racism, and other injustices. “It’s a fight for black liberation, but it’s not a black fight,” said Brian Taylor, one of the original BLMC founders and a member of its steering committee. “Just like the fight for women’s liberation is not just a women’s fight.” BLMC is unapologetically multiracial, despite the frequent MIKE BROWN Contributing Writer are less sure are welcome to come and learn and find out.” BLMC looks to create change from the community level up. Leaders on the ground mobilize people in the streets, about 12,000 in 2016, according to Taylor. “Our real power is in numbers,” he said. “Racism is the original sin of U.S. culture,” said Meg Bruck, 67, a white resident of College Hill and the great granddaughter of a Civil War era abolitionist. “It deprives white people of our humanity, and it is our class congregation decided to become an “open and affirming” church to the LGBTQ community and, after the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson later in 2014, a faith ally of BLMC. “They’re doing some really important work in this city,” said Rev. Ian Strickland, the white pastor of Over-the-Rhine Community Church on Race Street, referring to BLMC. “They do a lot to name problems that people don’t want to talk about, but also offer solutions,” citing the idea of restorative justice in schools. In addition to actions in the street, they’re educational, said Strickland. For Sam Katz, 22, a student in the jazz studies department at the College Conservatory of Music, BLMC helps fill the void left by many student organizations, such as the Irate 8, whose visible activism on campus withered when its founders graduated from the University of Cincinnati. Katz, who is white, is a member of BLMC. BLMC stands not only for black liberation, but also human liberation. For Taylor, the two are related because the same system, rooted in free-market capitalism, oppresses most people. It pits people against (Continued on page 8) Black Lives Matter Cincinnati Rally in Washington Park Credit: Mike Brown Brian Taylor, Black Lives Matter Cincinnnati Credit: Mike Brown misconception that it is anti-white. It is also feminist, queer, nondenominational, pro-immigrant, pro-labor, and pro-union. “We mean it when we say anybody who agrees with our principles and is willing to organize their time and effort to fight to achieve them is welcome,” Taylor said. “Those who STEPHEN MCCLANAHAN (Continued from page 3) The United States has a major role to play since we are one of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary greenhouse gas. We must recognize and account for the true environmental and health costs of carbon fuels which we currently do not pay for. The most effective first step towards a solution is to enact revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend (CF&D) legislation. This policy places a steadily rising fee on fossil fuels based on the amount of CO2 produced. Fees are collected at responsibility to dismantle it.” Bruck takes that responsibility seriously as a member of Black Lives Matter Cincinnati. “We stand in solidarity alongside of the Black Lives Matter Cincinnati movement,” said Rev. Alan Dicken, the white pastor Carthage Christian Church. In 2014, the white, working the point at which carbon fuels enter the market and are placed in a trust fund. 100% of the fees collected, less administrative costs, are returned directly to households on an equal shares monthly basis (each adult receives one share, children receive ½ share with a limit of 2 children per family). Border adjustments discourage business relocation. Individuals and businesses are free to make independent choices about their energy usage. This policy will incentivize the free market, which will respond to provide alternative energy sources that avoid or minimize the use of carbon fuels. CF&D has been studied in detail. Black Lives Matter Cincinnati Rally near Cincinnati Police Department District 1 Station Credit: Mike Brown Most importantly, it is a real step towards substantially lowering CO2 emissions. Because it is revenue neutral and free market based, it does not grow the size of government or require additional regulations. Contrary to the existing mindset that protecting our environment can only come at the expense of our economy, CF&D provides a substantial economic stimulus, creating an estimated 2.8 million jobs in 20 years. Due to the dividend, just under twothirds of US households break even or receive more each month than they pay in higher prices; the other one-third pay more because of the amount of fossil fuels they consume. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED It is a progressive policy in that it protects lower income households since they tend to use less fossil fuel. Moving away from fossil fuels literally saves lives; an estimated 13,000 lives are saved annually after 10 years, with a cumulative 227,000 American lives saved over 20 years. And by addressing climate change, we are addressing one of the major national security threats identified by the Department of Defense. We have a very real problem in climate change and an innovative solution; we only lack the political will. Please call your member of Congress to demand action on climate. �e 8 NATIONAL Denver homeless protest against ‘clean up’ of downtown streets P olice and clean-up crews armed with brooms and trash bags were met by angry and frustrated homeless residents just north of downtown Denver in November. Uniformed officers were detailed to ‘clean’ the area’s sidewalks of bicycles, wheelchairs and shopping carts filled with personal items. A tense day with sporadic protests by the homeless and their supporters broke out with campers fearing they would lose their homes and property in the sweep. During the peaceful protests, GILES CLASEN Courtesy of Denver Voice / INSP.ngo the homeless co-operated with the police, loading their belongings into shopping carts which were temporarily moved into storage. Most of the people affected were expected to be able to return to the sidewalk camp after the area covering three streets had been completed. Officer David Hunter of the Denver Police Homeless Outreach Team, said, “Everyone wants a peaceful resolution. We want to clean up and be gone.” John Gerhard Jr says, "ìt isn't easy being homeless when youíre handicapped." Credit: Giles Clasen MIKE BROWN (Continued from page 7) one another, blinding them to the larger systems and institutions that push them down. This is why he refuses to accept the idea of some activists that all white people are the oppressors who should work separately to dismantle racism. “It’s easy to think that white people are evil, but it lets off the hook the system of greed behind the racism and oppression,” said Taylor. Yet, to people of color, he said, the hands of oppression are white and male, belonging to people who are vested in a system that gives them disproportionately more power and economic benefits. There is a core group of about J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 7 25 to 60 people depending on circumstances, said Taylor, who estimates that active members number several hundred. About half are white. The five-person steering team is comprised of four black people and one white person. BLMC is a volunteer organization. According to Taylor, no one is paid for the work they do, and often the leaders pay for organizational expenses with their own money. BLMC adopted the name, Black Lives Matter, Taylor said, because the name was inspiring. But he is quick to point out that BLMC is independent of the national movement, with no affiliation and no access to its funding. “The politics of the Black Lives Matter national organization is only a small slice of the black Black Lives Matter Cincinnati Rally for Sam Dubose Credit: Mike Brown Denver Voice spoke to four residents caught up in the sweep. They were among the residents who were vocal about exercising their right to protest and why the sweep highlights the wider issue of finding shelter and affordable housing in the area. John Gerhard Jr. “I’ve been here since August. I stayed in a shelter the first two weeks, but I was eaten up by bed bugs. It’s also difficult to get from downtown to some of the shelters. You can wait for an hour or longer for a bus to come by with an opening for a handicapped person. “Being in a chair makes it harder. It isn’t like I don’t try, but there is no place to go. I broke my back in a car accident. It isn’t easy being homeless when you’re handicapped. “I know it isn’t easy for the city; it isn’t easy for anyone. I think there are some better solutions. There are abandoned lots waiting to be purchased. No construction yet. We should utilize the lots. We should make temporary campgrounds until they start construction. “We work hard to make these sidewalks work. We wake up every morning and sweep the sidewalks (Continued on page 12) "I am a transsexual. I don't think that makes it harder out here for me. It's hard for everyone," explains Littiah Fabre. Credit: Giles Clasen liberation movement, even though the media projects it otherwise.” For Dicken, BLMC, is appropriately named. “God time and time again reinforces the idea that all lives matter. But we have not done that. We have not earned the right to say that yet. So, until we can say that black lives matter and until we live lives that show that, we cannot claim what our God claims.” “Many white people ignore or hide from racism, or they think it doesn’t exist,” said Troy Jackson, director of the Amos Project, a faithbased organization that regularly partners with about 40 of the city’s (Continued on page 11) Elizabeth Hopkins, Countdown to Conviction Coalition Credit: Mike Brown THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �NATIONAL Sharing free food with the homeless: what harm can it do? No. 347 | J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 O ver 70 cities in the United States have passed laws banning or restricting the sharing of free food with the poor outside. A new theory being used to justify limits to the sharing of meals outside is being adopted by city officials. The City of Phoenix, Arizona, is the latest municipal government to claim that outdoor food programs prevent homeless people from getting help they can otherwise only get by eating at indoor facilities. In September, National Public Radio reported, “‘Don’t feed people living on the streets.’ That’s the message the city of Phoenix is spreading. Staff said it’s necessary to protect vulnerable people, neighbourhoods and businesses.” Riann Balch, deputy director of Phoenix’s Human Services Department, replied to the message by saying, “It’s usually a hard conversation to have at first because feeding is really something that’s ingrained in communities as a good way to help.” When faith and communitybased groups deliver meals to homeless people or organise feeding times, they often hear words of gratitude, but Balch says they also need to hear another consideration. “They [the groups] are prolonging homelessness by giving the person what they need to stay out on the streets.” Ten days later, US Federal District Judge William Zloch ruled that Fort Lauderdale’s City Ordinance No. C-14-42 restricting the sharing of meals outside to the homeless was legal. City officials hired Marbut Consulting to help them provide a justification for its law against feeding the hungry outside. The ordinance effectively bans the sharing of meals anywhere outside since there is almost no place in the city that is not 500 feet from a residence or other prohibited location. Judge Zloch was born in Fort Lauderdale and lives in the area and must know that his ruling also makes it nearly impossible for anyone to “legally” feed the homeless. Back in November, 2014, Robert G. Marbut Jr., justified the city’s law to Rachel Martin on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition. He said: “If you give cash out on the street, generally about 93 percent of it goes to alcohol, drugs and prostitution. And if you give food on the street, you end up in a very convoluted way, but still an important way, preventing people from going into 24/7 programming. “We’ve done a lot of research. And just really getting to the big picture, there’s this move on the right to criminalise. And there’s a move on the left to do nothing—just feed people in parks. And you don’t get 9 homeless people in need of treatment are finding help at indoor meal Courtesy of Spare Change News / INSP.ngo programs. During my over-36 years of providing meals on the streets, I recovery from homelessness by being program, they would have access to a find most people that eat with Food on a jail cell floor. rehabilitation program. Not Bombs also obtain meals at “Equally you don’t get recovery Clearly not everyone that is indoor soup kitchens. from being on a park bench or out on homeless needs drug or alcohol If experts like Robert Marbut a beach or under a bridge. Where you treatment. For example, a National are correct, people who eat at these get recovery is when you go into 24/7 Center for Family Homelessness indoor programs should be receiving programs that holistically address the report found that an estimated drug or alcohol treatment, but this is not the case. It is also my experience that getting into a drug or alcohol treatment program is difficult if not impossible even for those living outside who are desperate to end their addiction. There are a few exceptions. I had one friend named “Little Bit” who was desperate to end her abuse of crack cocaine. She ate with us nearly every Monday at the entrance to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. I took her to a local rehab program. They agreed to take her for free. She had to arrive in the afternoon on a Monday six weeks from the day we booked her treatment. I encouraged Little Bit to eat at People eat a Thanksgiving meal outdoors served in the Skid Row district of Los Angeles. Food Not Bombs every week so I 70 cities across the USA have banned the sharing of free food with poor and homeless could make sure she remembered to people. Credit: REUTERS/David McNew go. I wrote down her appointment in my date book and reminded her condition of homelessness.” 2.5 million children experience of her appointment every time I saw Marbut’s research included homelessness annually, continuing a her. spending several days ‘pretending to steady rise between 2006-2010. Finally the day arrived and she be homeless.’ He told Rachel Martin: Studies show no evidence that came to eat with Food Not Bombs, “I’ve probably lived homeless maybe most of these children need drug or and I was able to take her to the 120 days when you add them all up.” alcohol treatment. Sure, some of their appointment. Little Bit returned to Food Not Bombs months after she entered the program dressed in a nice suit. She was thankful and gave me a hug of gratitude. She’d found her route to sobriety by having frequented a program that provided food outdoors. Little Bit’s success was 20 years ago, but conditions are not so different today. Last year my girlfriend Abbi Samuels and I tried to help a family protect their child from confiscation by Child Protective Services. They came to eat at Food Not Bombs and enjoyed their free meals outside on the steps of the Santa Cruz Post Office. We learned that the father used heroin and wanted to stop. The drug treatment centres charged thousands of dollars and had waiting lists. The only free centre required participation in their Christian Services. His child was taken to foster care before he found help. A Santa Cruz Sentinel Editorial from March 20, 2013 read: “No issue has so divided the greater Santa Cruz Keith McHenry picture as he was arrested for sharing free food in San Francisco in community as providing day-use 1988. The San Francisco Police made nearly 1,000 arrests of people volunteering to services at the Homeless Services share vegan meals with Food Not Bombs from 1988 to 1997. Center. The public’s perception that Credit: Courtesy of Food Not Bombs transients continue to be a visible— often unwanted —presence in the city, A main aspect of the theory of parents could benefit, but that is still county and downtown Santa Cruz “street feeding actually increases and not the principle solution to finding a in particular… And a longstanding, promotes homelessness” suggests safe home for most of these children. persistent outcry that Santa Cruz is people live outside because they And drug or alcohol addiction is not a magnet for transients from other are alcoholics or drug addicts and the only cause of homelessness. that if they ate at an indoor food There is also little evidence that (Continued on page 10) MALCOLM JACK THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �10 LOCAL The Lucky Cat Museum T J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 7 JASON HAAP Contributing Writer ucked away inside Essex Studios, the hypnotic sway of hundreds of cat paws beckon. This is home to The Lucky Cat Museum, one of only a couple worldwide dedicated to maneki-neko, those figurines that appear, to those of us in the West, as "waving cats." Perhaps you've seen these figurines next to cash registers at certain Japanese restaurants. They are not really waving, as the motion, MALCOLM JACK (Continued from page 3) places mainly because of the support and services available here. Critics say Santa Cruz cannot be expected to solve a national problem—and that day services contribute to an ongoing public safety problem.” Many of the city’s “transients” have lived in Santa Cruz for years with a large number having been born in the city. Most day-use services, including meals, ended in June 2015. I believe the real reason cities in Japanese culture, is instead beckoning - urging the viewer to come closer. And if you want a closer look, The Lucky Cat Museum is just what you need. Curated by Micha Robertson, collecting maneki-neko became a personal passion that ultimately started taking too much space in her home. "About four years ago, a friend of mine decided to get a studio here," explained Robertson. "We needed to want homeless services to move indoors is to hide the problem so they will face less pressure to fund solutions. National and state officials also support local efforts to drive the homeless crisis out of sight so they too will not be forced to divert tax dollars away from programs that please their campaign contributors. Food Not Bombs shares its meals outside so people who would otherwise ignore our social, economic and political ideas might happen upon our message. We want to encourage public support for a clear the collection out of the house for the room, and so I asked if I change in society where no one is forced to eat at a soup kitchen or live on the streets. We want the public to ask if we really should we be spending half our federal income tax dollars on the military while making cuts in education and social services? Encouraging a public discussion on these issues by sharing vegan meals on the streets and providing literature at visible locations does not mean Food Not Bombs can’t also help people get treatment for addictions or find employment. Since we encourage those who THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED (Continued on page 11) come for our food to participate as equals in the running of our local chapters, it is more likely those we eat with will gain a sense of self-esteem. This is the type of respect people need to change their lives. Banning “street feeding” is not going to help end homelessness. Changing society by providing education, housing and hope can. Keith McHenry is the co-founder Food Not Bombs. ------------------------ �LOCAL OVERCOMING THE THREAT TO HEALTH CARE No. 347 | J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 T he threat to Obamacare stands in front of us like a ticking bomb. Unprepared for medical and drug expenses, millions of people are shuddering at the thought of returning to a time when the lack of good insurance could tip a family into financial disaster and psychological catastrophe. Not having financial reserves necessary for short or long term hospital stays, critical drugs, or repeated doctor visits, the person without health insurance panics: not visiting the doctor when there are warning signs, not going to the hospital until the pain is too great, and choosing a life of fear as the major alternative. Sadly, this condition, which may affect 30 million people this year, is too often the current conditions facing poor people in our community and country. Health care for the poor has been too little, too late, and too insulting. The poor are blamed for their illnesses, rebuked for costing the tax payer money when MIKE BROWN (Continued from page 8 congregations around issues of race and economic justice. “Other white people, who acknowledge racism, become paralyzed by the issue, too fearful to talk because they are afraid of saying the wrong thing,” said Jackson. “And then there are the white people, the ‘saviors,’ who think they have all the answers, but really need to listen instead.” “This is not the time for faith communities to be silent,” said Dicken. “Especially in white communities, many people feel this isn’t our struggle, this isn’t our issue. But when we choose to stay quiet, then we’ve made a choice. Our silence speaks volumes.” Luke Smith, 19, joined BLMC in November. Smith, who identifies as a straight white male, said, “It is JASON HAAP (Continued from page 10) could set up a museum in the studio. The first space was about a third of the size of this one. The collection just keeps getting bigger, and we just decided it should be a proper museum." "I just want to share it with everybody," Robertson continued. "It's no good if it's all at my house where nobody can see it." There is definitely a lot to see. While, at first glance, the space can come across as repetitive (after all, how many ways are there to make a waving cat?), upon closer inspection one really starts to appreciate the craftsmanship and the individual artistic expression of each piece. Robertson gets most of her lucky cats from online purchases and auctions in Japan. She has a lucky cat slot machine. She has animatronic lucky cats. She has inflatable lucky cats. She has original lucky cat artwork - STEVE SUNDERLAND Contributing Writer 11 in Washington or Columbus. Your health is our priority." We are building support for our program of education and action. It shows us that, given a real chance, people can actively and responsibly join in better health care for all. Our volunteers have heard stories from people who are homeless, impoverished, and sick and also heard stories of people caring about their families, overcoming bad treatment from doctors and hospitals, to make a better life for their families. Learning about the resilience of people, seeing education lead to health-based action, and knowing that lives are being held in a compassionate embrace, has made us redouble our efforts. We know that the road to cancer care for the poor and minorities, in particular, is long. But we intend to navigate the surest and most caring way. For more information, please go to our website:cancerjustice.com. they attend the emergency room, and implicitly told that health care on any regular basis is not for them. The poor do not really know that the US is the only major industrial power in the world that treats its people so shabbily. The middle class is waking up to the fact that the loss of their health insurance may plunge them into poverty and risky behavior. There are forces in our society, our community, and our nation that are working for health care of high quality for all, including the keeping of reasonably priced doctor, hospital, and drug insurance. My organization, the Cancer Justice Network is one of them. We have teamed up with over 20 social service agencies, two universities, medical students, nursing and social work students, and community organizers to offer free and high quality education about the steps to stop cancer in the lives of the poor. Over the past 3 months we have presented to over 500 people at dinners for the poor at Christ Church Cathedral, Madisonville Education and Assistance Center, and Churches Active in Northside. We have brought Navigators, trained volunteers, ready to take people to screenings at Crossroad Health Centers or the Cincinnati Health Departments clinics. Poor people have found their voice in terms of wanting to talk about their health concerns, rising questions and concerns to our Navigators about the steps to following through on exams, treatments, and surviving cancer. Thanks to many supporters, we will be expanding our efforts in the new year by visiting churches, schools, community centers, and agencies like the FreeStore Food Bank and St. Vincent de Paul. We are sending a clear message: "We are continuing to offer our services for high quality cancer care no matter what happens important that I use my privilege, because I do have privilege whether I like it or not, for good, instead of just using it for myself.” BLMC formed a city-wide coalition, Countdown to Conviction, in October before the trial of University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing, accused of murder in the fatal shooting of Sam Dubose, a black motorist. “I just can’t think of a more raw expression of the demeaning of black lives, the demeaning of human life, than one person executing another person in the course of stopping them for not having a license plate,” said Bruck. “To me, this is a pretty clearcut case of police overstepping their bounds, police brutality, and systemic racism in this country,” said Katz. The inability to convict Tensing represents a fundamental flaw in the system, he said. “For 400 years, the judicial system has repeatedly failed to hear the cries of African Americans,” said the 12-member board of the AMOS Project in the statement declaring its membership in the Countdown to Conviction coalition. “Rather than saying we should put our faith in a system that has time and time again shown its bias, we’re going to call for what we believe justice to be [that is, a conviction], and ask the courts to align with that, rather than for us to align with the courts,” said Dicken, whose church has joined the coalition. Strickland’s church has also joined the coalition. “Being part of the coalition is us saying, there is a problem in our country where unarmed black men are getting shot and killed by the institution that is meant to protect and serve them. And there needs to be some form of accountability, consequence, and ultimately a formal declaration saying this is wrong.” “Marches, actions, and rallies make a difference,” said Taylor. “People change when they are on the streets with other people in unison demanding something.” Bureaucracies, in Taylor’s view, also respond when masses of people demand change in institutions like the criminal justice system, and refuse to accept anything less than justice and equality. [This article originally appeared on the Cincinnatians For The American dream blog at: https:// c4ad.wordpress.com/ You can email Mike Brown at mbrown.c4ad@ gmail.com some from local artists, and some from overseas. She has big ones and tiny ones, traditional ones and modernized ones. She even has a tiny figure of a traditional market stand, on the shelves of which is a lucky cat among other wares, including a tiny bobble-head figure where the head actually bobbles. She has a gift shop, where you can get things for just a couple bucks, all the way up to $30 and more. She has a vending machine where, for only 50 cents, you can turn the crank and get a golden egg, filled with small lucky cat swag. If you can think of something involving lucky cats, she has it on display. And if it's not on display, it's surely featured in one of the many books she has collected featuring pictures of even more lucky cats! The Lucky Cat Museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 3-6pm. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Find it at 2511 Essex Pl, Cincinnati, OH 45206. You might need to ring the bell to get inside, but it's totally worth the trip to experience this one-of-a-kind collection. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED ------------------------ �12 L STREET VOICE NEW YEARS EVE AT Joseph House ooking for something to write about. I searched the Internet for ideas and ran across Writing about Nothing. Sounds oxymoronic, when you write something it has meaning to someone so how can it be about nothing? Nothing to me may mean the world to someone else. Oh well, that’s a debate for scholars not a recovering Alcoholic like myself. This is about New Year’s Eve at Joseph House. I am going to start with how my morning began and how it has gone since then. I awoke at 5am to do laundry, you see around here doing laundry can be a race between who gets up the earliest. I chose to arise early and get it over and done with. After about 2 hours of washing and drying my clothes it was time for breakfast. For me eating 3 meals a day is key in my recovery. Not eating can tend to lead me to self-destructive behaviors and into a relapse. So, I ate some ham and eggs (cooked it myself mind you), and it was good, at least it was edible. Shaving and showering came next, that became the first disaster of my day. I cut myself 3 times, twice on my face and once on my bald head. I wanted to blame the razor but it was GILES CLASEN (Continued from page 8) clean. Not everyone does that, but enough of us do it to make it work. We care about it being clean. We care about Mother Earth.” Joshua Griffin “I yell at the cops. I scream at them because I am passionate. I am fighting. There is no one out there fighting for us. You see a crane over there building a building. You see new businesses opening. You see the city growing. The mayor, he is trying to build something to bring up more businesses. But they’re not building affordable housing for people like us. We aren’t part of the city’s plan. “We try to work. We go to work for Ready Man or for a tip agency or day labor and we make nickels and dimes, pieces of crumbs. We can’t get out of here. We can’t get our own BOBBY MORRIS Contributing Writer me rushing to get finished and move on to the next task of my morning. The phrase “Mindfulness” popped into my head during this fiasco but I disregarded it and put some spit and Vaseline on it and called it a job done. Moving on, next was getting to my Saturday morning meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. I called my sponsor he agreed to come pick me up along with another recovering Alcoholic and we were off. The meeting brought on challenges I was not ready for. I was seated next to a newcomer. I must say it was a female newcomer and being the good AA person I am I introduced myself and welcomed her to the meeting. Did I mention that she was cute? Besides that, she smelled amazing! I was lost in my imagination most of the meeting due to the aroma of perfume, but could hear two key events in the man’s story that I could relate to on a personal basis. His wanting to “kill” his father for the abuse he had been doing to his mother and the rest of his siblings. I too had that exact same feeling and thoughts and that day in my past came rushing back into J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 7 my mind and I began to become a little emotional. Shaking that off, the second event was his time he spent at Prospect House another treatment facility that I too have spent time at and his difficulty in seeing where he was at fault in some instances were again like mine. I asked myself, “did God bring me here this morning to hear my story and give me a look at how I too can overcome my past? This question I will save for my journal entry tonight. Oh, it’s only 7:35 in the evening that I am writing this so bedtime isn’t until another 2 ½ hours from now. Nothing happened between me and the cute newcomer so let’s get on with my afternoon. I came back to Joseph House, ate my lunch of potato wedges and juice and tried to take a nap. I did succeed in getting maybe a solid hour of rest during my nap but nothing like I was expecting. Upon waking I read my Horoscope (Aries) and it said “Wanting is an Affirmation that you lack something”. Cryptic as it sounds, I used up about 1 hour of my day doing what was suggested to me by my counselor. To stop and think about how I am feeling and try to see if there is something that I am ignoring and I should address it. I did this and what came to me was that 1. I am hungry 2. I am tired 3. I need to get out of this room. So, I did number 3, I left the room and went to watch some football. Everything is well with me now, life is good, so I thought. I forgot I am hungry. It’s about dinner time now 4:15pm (we old veterans eat early around here) so I went to Alabama’s fish restaurant and got me a Cod dinner. Excellent meal. Then the tiredness creeps up on me and another nap I take. This one was for only about 20 minutes due to a recent surgery I had and sometimes it’s a pain in the ass (pun intended) so I took care of that and went back to the football game. Not a big TV guy so I left that and started wondering what I should write about. That brings us to about 1 hour ago, when I ran across the “Writing about Nothing” article online. It was the catalyst for this short history of my New Year’s Eve at Joseph House. No lowering of the ball at Times Square for me, No Rockin’ Eve, no champagne toast at midnight (I am an Alcoholic) just journaling, prayers, and in my bed by 10pm. So, that is how I spent New Year’s Eve at Joseph House. The End. ------------------------ place. “It feels like we are losing our home today. “We have been out here and we will be out here. We feel like they are taking our space, our home and not treating us like human beings.” Shannon Wolf “I’ve been living here since February. I went through the sweeps in the spring. My wife and I stayed away for three weeks before we moved back to these sidewalks. “I stay safe by living out here with my street family. Our street family means safety, protection, and support. When they make us move we lose our family a bit and it is harder out here.” Littiah Fabre “We sleep out here and live out here. This is the end of the road. We aren’t here because we want to be, John Gerhard Jr pictured with his protest placard during the day of the sweep. Credit: Giles Clasen "When they make us move we lose our family a bit and it is harder out here," Shannon Wolf says about the protection he feels around his ìstreet family. Credit: Giles Clasen we are here because we have to be. It feels like (the police) come here to make war. Not me. I’m a person of peace. “I am a transsexual. I don’t think that makes it harder out here for me. It’s hard for everyone. I stay in the women’s facilities; I’m a woman. I’m sorry I don’t look good. You can’t look good homeless. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED All you’re doing when you move us from downtown is we move to the suburbs. We move to the parks. We move to the alleys. Then when it’s all clear we move back. If you can get four or five, or ten of us off the street, that’s a start. We can change this!” ------------------------ �13 STREET VOICE No. 347 | J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 Living By Goodness A BAD MOMENT IN MANHATTAN Each day God gives us life I saw up ahead was the Trump Tower. How merciful our creator My face gave forth an automatic glower He gives us a wonderful start I'm on vacation and I shook my fist. To live life with breath I won't have it spoiled by a narcissist. In our lungs and a beating heart I want to enjoy the last days of Barack, Living by goodness and by grace Before facing that inaugural shock, Thank you God for another day BILL WOODS Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer Living by goodness makes one feel good And thankful for Gods good grace A NEW BEGINING GOD IS GOOD, NOT SOME OF THE TIME BUT ALL THE TIME 24/7 I BELIEVE THAT BE THE REASON WE LIVE ON EARTH AND GOD LIVES IN HEAVEN KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer LOOKING BACK ON MY LIFE AND THE SO MANY CHANGES THAT I WENT THROUGH LEARNING FROM REPEATED MISTAKES GOOD AND BAD UNTIL I LEARNED WHAT TO DO WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer REALIZING TODAY KNOWING WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT PLUS THE METHOD TO USE I SEE NOW THAT HAVING KNOWLEDGE DOESN'T DETERMINE THE ROUTE WE CHOOSE I KNOW NOW THAT EVERYDAY ABOVE GROUND IS A DAY TO TAKE HEED AND LEARN I KNOW NOW THAT MY CHOICES WILL DETERMINE WHETHER I LIVE WITH GOD OR I BURN TODAY, KNOWING, UNDERSTANDING WITH THE REALIZATION THAT YESTERDAY IS PASSED PRAYING AND HOPING MY WORDS WILL LINGER IN YOUR MEMORY MAKING A CHANGE TO LAST IF YOU HAVEN'T PAID ATTENTION TO YOUR LIFE MAY YOU LOOK BACK AND SEE THAT A NEW BEGINNING IS WHAT'S UP FOR THE POLITICIANS AND THAT INCLUDES YOU AND ME WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 116 Across 1. Regular hexahedron 5. Part of the Roman calendar 9. Globe 12. Inclined to anger or bad feelings 13. Part of a church 14. Kind of tide 16. Debate 17. Ship's company 18. Instance 19. Musical notation 20. Female deer 21. Right-hand page 22. Strong and sure 24. Health resort 26. Party for women only 27. Any high mountain 30. Fish eggs 31. Long plaintive cry 33. Gait of a horse 35. Partially opened flower 36. At the peak 40. Vast body of water 41. Point 42. Legendary creature 43. Cogwheel 44. Discharge a debt 45. Boarder 46. Traditional Highland dress in Scotland 48. Small vegetable 49. Colony insect 50. Historic period 53. Cereal grass seed 54. Aura 56. Untrue 58. Insane 59. Any of the main branches of a tree 63. Berserk 64. Mane 66. Shinbone 67. Mature 68. In addition 69. Occurrence 70. Novel 71. Military dining room 72. Following J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 7 Down 1. Ringlet 2. Exhort 3. Deception used in poker 4. Oculus 5. Revenue 6. Challenge 7. The night before 8. Darn 9. One time only 10. Range 11. Cover with liquid before cooking 12. Pouch 15. Drudge 20. Vertical fall 21. Uncooked 23. Metallic element 24. Close 25. Seed case 27. Highly excited 28. Decorative woven fabric 29. Supplication 32. Bring ashore SODOKU PUZZLE NO 246 - MEDIUM 34. Songbird 35. Young male person 37. Worn in ancient Rome 38. Portent 39. Saucy 41. Meeting arranged in advance 42. Target 44. One of the strands twisted together to make rope 45. Travel in front of 47. Anger 48. Lighthouse 50. A great distance 51. Street urchin 52. Run away to marry 55. Mediterranean fruit 57. Skid 58. A failure to hit 60. Wild goat 61. As if new 62. Nocturnal mammal 64. Amateur radio operator 65. Beer 66. Decimal base PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 343 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 115 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 245- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �RESOURCES No. 347 | J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 Shelter: Women and Children Central Access Point Bethany House 1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 381-SAFE 557-2873 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road, Cinti, OH 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224 Mercy Franciscan at St. John 981-5800 Salvation Army 762-5660 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 131 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Shelter: Men City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Shelterhouse 721-0643 1805 Dalton Avenue, Cinti, OH 45214 411 Gest St. Cinti, Ohio 45203 Parkway Center 784-1853 961-2256 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline CCAT 351-0422 381-6672 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 First Lutheran Church 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry Mercy Franciscan at St. John 562-8841 NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach 682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205 961-4555 381-1954 421-5211 Food/Clothing 271-5501 Starting Over Tom Geiger House Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn VA VA Homeless Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 221-HELP 721-8666 2401 Reading Road, Cinti, Ohio 45202 241-1064 Prospect House 921-1613 Talbert House Tender Mercies 2401-, 2411 Reading Rd, Cinti, Ohio 45202 FreeStore/FoodBank Charlie’s 3/4 House 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 421-0065 241-2600 241-2563 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill industries Healing Connections Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Mary Magdalen House 771-4800 751-0600 579-8547 721-4811 1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 215 E. 14th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Northern Kentucky 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 721-4700 421-7803 Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center Faces Without Places Stop AIDS 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Center for Respite Care 3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229 $100 Center Independent Living Options Emmanuel Community Center Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center for 26 issues 351-3500 977-4489 Other Resources Hamilton/Middletown Health 621-5300 981-5800 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP 1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 977-6800 859-572-6226 381-2247 5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 535-2719 591-2246 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing Crossroad Health Center St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside 1125 Bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214 Interfaith Hospitality Network 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave Cincinnati, OH 45220 961-4080 961-0600 2825 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti 352-6363 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Mercy Franciscan at St. John 981-5800 St. Vincent de Paul 661-4620 Cincinnati Health Network 621-6364 4600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 961-1983 Our Daily Bread 112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Lighthouse on Highland (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave Cincinnati, OH 45219 569-9500 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206 4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 Shelter: Both Housing: 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 15 St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY 981-4200 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 859-491-8303 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 421-2437 ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 621-1868 Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary 859-491-3335 859-572-6202 $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 J a n 13 - J a n 2 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 7 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. 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KENNETH BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 LARRY FILES SINCE 6/2012 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MAXINE GRANT SINCE 4/2015 MEACO WAITE MELISSA MOSBY SINCE 9/2014 MICHAEL BEHYMER RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY WOODS SINCE 4/2015 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 TINA SINCE 4/2015 TODD HANLEY SINCE 5/2014 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRAIG SMITH SINCE 5/2014 GLENDA CANTRELL GREGORY WILSON SINCE 1/2012 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOHNNY KERNS SINCE 9/2012 KIM GREEN SINCE 1/2010 KRISTINE HOFSKY SINCE 3/2015 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 MARK SHEARS SINCE 4/2007 MAURICE GOLSBY MIKE CARANO SINCE 4/2016 MYRA WILSON NEBRASKA SINCE 3/2015 PERVIS MENTON SINCE 8/2015 RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 1999 RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006 TONY THOMAS SINCE 3/2005 VICTOR MUMPHRY LOTTIE MANNER WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 cincistreetvibes.org THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED TALINA HILL SINCE 2/2015 WILLIAM BURDINE SINCE 8/2009 TARA HILL SINCE 4/2014 WILLIAM SIMMS SINCE 4/2014 � 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 2017 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 13-January 26, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director The Community Issues Forum Kicks Off 2017 with Vice Mayor David Mann Reviewing Critical Issues City Ahead Pg 3: Education and Income Pg 4: Fake News? Pg 5: Fact or Fiction? Pg 6: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 7: Black Lives Matter Cincinnati Pg 8: Denver Homeless Protest Against ‘Clean Up’ of Downtown Streets Pg 9: Sharing Free Food with the Homeless Pg 10: The Lucky Cat Museum Pg 11: Overcoming the Threat to Health Care Pg 12: New Year’s Eve at Joseph House Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 13-January 26, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Michael Earl Patton Steve McClanahan Dr. Mark Mussman Mike Brown Jason Haap Steve Sunderland Bobby Morris Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Michael Flood Mike Brown Google Images Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Bill Woods Black Lives Matter Bobby Morris Cat Museum Denver Dr. Mark Mussman Google Images health care Jason Haap Joseph House Josh Spring Kim Green Michael Earl Patton Michael Flood Mike Brown police brutality Steve McClanahan Steve Sunderland University of Cincinnati Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/f39678658de09379acd42b026ffcf063.pdf 64789980ac3c3577408439a7a01ccf67 PDF Text Text January 27th - February 9th 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 29 (No. 348) advocating justice | Building community Civil Disobedience | 9 This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter INSIDE THIS ISSUE Our Daily Bread Reopens | 2 A Tale of Two Protests | 3 Community Leaders call to protect the Affordable Care Act | 4 Why we should support public education | 9 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: Council Candidates and Homelessness JOSH SPRING Executive Director T his year in Cincinnati we will elect a mayor and all nine members of city council. People have started announcing their candidacies. Those elected will be elected to a four-year term. Candidates will start attending community council meetings, holding press conferences, and attending social functions. There will be forums and editorial write-ins to the Enquirer. The folks who will be elected will make important decisions that will affect people. Past councils have also actively decided to not make decisions and not take action that would bring positive systematic change. O This election year, let’s make homelessness and the need for affordable housing a paramount election issue. Ask what they will do to get the city to invest in affordable housing. Ask how they will hold market-rate developers accountable. Ask how they will leverage untouched revenue sources to invest in affordable housing. Ask how will they shift city priorities to significantly increase affordable housing. Explain that our shelters are all over-capacity- families with children, young adults, single women, single men. Explain that daily single women and families with children are turned away from shelter because J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 8 there simply is no more room because there is so little affordable housing to prevent homelessness. Explain that the answer to homelessness is to have affordable housing available for those who are without a home and making affordable housing available to people who are currently paying rents and mortgages they cannot afford. For many, many people in our city separate periods of homelessness have become what probably feels like a fact of life. So many parents spend their hours trying to figure out how to keep their children from needing shelter. Folks are sleeping outside, in abandoned buildings, in cars, parks and under bridges. More people than we know are bouncing from couch to couch, to car, to park, to couch, often in unsafe situations. Last year at least 72 people in our area died because of homelessness. Any candidate worth your vote will be able to tell you with passion how they plan to attack this issue head on. ------------------------ Our Daily Bread Reopens n Monday morning January 9, there was a deadly shooting at Our Daily Bread in Over-theRhine. According to authorities it was a domestic dispute. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. According to police, Robert Jacobs entered the building and shot two people. Deante Mattocks was pronounced dead at the scene. Jacobs had been in a relationship with his female victim that was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Dion Peoples was arrested the following day for providing the weapon. Our Daily Bread reopened Monday morning January 16, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr day. At 11:00 a.m. they held a press conference where Georgine Getty, their Executive Director spoke. “The Our Daily Bread family is proud to reopen our services today and welcome back our guests,” said Getty. “Words cannot express how difficult this past week has been and how much we have missed doing what we do: providing food and safety for everyone who needs us. We look forward to resuming our mission of serving up stability and hope and continuing to follow the vision and spirit of our founder, Cookie,” she said. Ruth “Cookie” Vogelpohl was the founder of the organization in JUSTIN JEFFRE Staff Writer 1985. Cookie, who was known to so many who have experienced homelessness and/or work in this field, passed away on December 17, 2016. “While the act of violence that took place in our agency one week ago was shocking, it was also isolated. For 32 years, we have been a gathering place for many types of people from many (Continued on page 11) Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Justin Jeffre, Key Beck, Bill Woods, Michael Earl Patton, C.J. Peirce, Kate Gallion, Dr. Mark Mussman, Jorge Garay, Jason Haap, Bobby Morris, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones Photography/Artwork: Our Daily Bread, David Little, Key Beck, Dr. Mark Mussman, Chas Wiederhold, Michelle Dillingham, Bill Woods Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Cookie Cooking Credit: Our Daily Bread THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �3 NATIONAL A Tale of Two Protests No. 348 | J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 KEY BECK T Contributing Writer he weekend of January 21 and 22 will go down in history. It will go down in history as a day that democracy was in action. A day where citizens came together in a rally cry for justice, equity, and basic human rights. This past weekend was a monumental grassroots effort in solidarity, democracy and civic justice. On January 21 during the 2017 Inauguration, protesters raised their voices of concern, fear, and disillusionment. They held signs, marched in the streets and battled -both figuratively and literally -- police officers. The Women’s March on Washington, held on January 22, has been deemed the biggest single day protest in US history, boasting over 1.6 million participants nationwide. The energy was high, the demands were simple, and the impact was felt. As I entered the National Mall on both days, you could hear chants of solidarity, “Whose Streets, Our Streets”, yearnings for equity, “My Rights, My Body” and words of condemnation “We Need a Leader, Not a Mean Tweeter.” It was very clear by the sheer number of people holding anti-Trump signs that we weren’t here to celebrate, but to protest. People from across the nation came together for a two-fold purpose: (1) protest the election of Donald Trump (in essence protesting the oppressive laws and systematic -and legalized -- injustices happening in our current political system and (2) support the basic rights of women/womyn’s and demand for inclusive support from our current administration by marching through the streets of Washington D.C. While the Women’s March on Washington was an officially sanctioned event, the protest happening during the inauguration was not supported by any law, political or city officials. And there were vast differences in the impact and reception of the two protests. The barrage of white feminism was coddled and condoned, as evidenced by the officer's attention and care to hurt women and their requests. A vivid juxtaposition to officers shooting tear gas, sound grenades and hard pellets at peaceful protesters over lines of riot police locked shield to shield. In one situation we were treated like the privileged, while the other was treated like the untouchables. It wouldn’t be fair to make such a comparison without more detail to set the stage. The Inauguration Protest took place between the streets H, K, 12, and 13. The number of protesters, numbering somewhere in the thousands, were dwarfed by the enormous police presence and the massive amount of press groups. The main force behind these protest were young people of color but there were other groups, the anarchist groups not with protesters who were seen destroying bank windows, limos and circular boxes. People were angry. People were hurting. People were peaceful. But, the police didn’t care. On multiple occasions, police fired tear gas and sound grenades at peaceful protesters with hands raised in the air. A young, white women confronted the line of officers imploring that, “this is how you treat non-violent protesters. Where is the justice? Where is the humanity?” as they continually pushed her and other folx back while yelling for us to move. At one point, police officers blocked the sidewalks and curbs, encircling us in the street while simultaneously telling us to get on the sidewalk. They didn’t respect our wishes not to be touched or pushed. They didn’t hesitate to roll motorcycles within an inch of our bodies, at times almost crushing our toes with tires. The Women’s March on Washington was a lot bigger and a lot more hands off. With over 600,000 people in D.C. we filled the National Mall and spilt into the streets covering Police Disrupt Peaceful Protests with Riot Formation. Photo: Key Beck Women's March on Washington Photo: Key Beck blocks and blocks. The participants looked dramatically different being majority white women. Many were young, but it was obvious this was a movement of Generation Y and X. Police could be seen waving at protesters, cordially responding to requests and helping people who fell or had injury. (I should say that police actually were pushing people down and hurting them, without giving medical attention the previous day). While this march focused on mostly on women’s rights, the intersectionality could be felt. There (Continued on page 7) Police in Riot Gear Separating Crowd Women's March on Washington Photo: Key Beck Photo: Key Beck THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 LOCAL Community Leaders call on Sen. Portman to protect the Affordable Care Act O n Thursday morning January 12, community members gathered at the Interact for Health Conference Facility in Oakley to address the positives of the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare, which is currently under attack by the new administration and members of the new Congress. Religious leadership outlined what they say is the moral component of denying care, and medical experts addressed the impact of the ACA on the heroin epidemic. They summarized why they believe Senator Rob Portman should stand up for Ohio residents who would be dramatically impacted unless the ACA is preserved. “My tradition teaches, and I'm sure others do too, that healthcare is one of the most important services a community must provide,” said Rabbi Margaret Meyer. Meyer is the President of the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati and a member of the Jewish Community Relations Committee and the Jewish Federation. She continued, “it would be irresponsible, and I believe immoral, for our elected representatives to repeal the Affordable Care Act and deprive fellow Americans of the affordable and accountable healthcare they deserve." Then she quoted Governor Kasich who said, "What happens to those 700,000 people. What happens to drug treatment? What happens to mental health counseling? What happens to those people with high cholesterol and heart disease? What JUSTIN JEFFRE Staff Writer Rev. Damon Lynch, Jr. Photo: David Little happens to them?" Meyer’s response, "Well, Governor we know the answers. And they're not good." "Coming from the perspective of what God would like, he likens our bodies to his temple. We are his temple and our bodies are important to him. The welfare, the well-being of our bodies is important to him. So this for me, and my constituents, it’s a God thing. This was against his will,” said Rev. Damon Lynch, Jr. Senior Pastor, New Jerusalem Baptist Church. Lynch serves as a Director of UC Health and a Board Member of University Hospital. Rev. Lynch REFLECTIONS ON THE INAUGURATION BILL WOODS T he event many of us were dreading took place on Friday January 20th. Donald Trump was sworn in as the forty-fifth President of the United States. Critical issues such as health care, climate change, immigration, and Civil Rights now hang in the balance, and a large percentage of Americans fear the worst. In reading Trump's inaugural address, however, one paragraph rings true to me. He declared: "The establishment protected itself but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories. Their triumphs have not been your triumphs, and while they celebrated in the nation's capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families across our land." This economic inequity Contributing Writer and the corporate and political establishment's failure to address it caused a large number of Democrats to vote for Bernie Sanders, and it garnered Trump enough white working class votes to win the GOP nomination and the November election. In a June Streetvibes article, I pointed out the antiestablishment mood that seemed to be behind the results of both parties' primaries. Only Sanders and Trump as candidates were framing their messages to connect to this growing public attitude. The factors behind the 2016 election results have been developing over time. Recent studies provide evidence of both a growing lack of confidence in our political and governmental systems, and the actual dysfunction of our public systems. Reviewing the governments of 153 countries with representative democracies, the Electoral Integrity Project, conducted by Harvard University and the University of Sydney, ranked the U.S. as 52nd in terms of electoral integrity. Part of the research team for this project, Pippa Norris, a professor at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, noted: "There is a persistent lack of confidence in U. S. political institutions which allows populists to make hay, and the institutions need an overhaul, because some, like elections, are badly broken." Meanwhile, a Gallup Poll conducted early in 2016 revealed that only 30-percent of those polled expressed confidence in the honesty of our elections. As the perceived outsider who promised to shake up the system, Trump was the beneficiary of this THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 8 was a public supporter of Senator Portman in 2016. On a call with Portman’s office he said, "We've been buddies across the years. We've helped him do a lot of stuff. So we've done a lot." Are you disappointed in Sen Portman? "I am." "If they had good intentions to modify or to tweak it, they wouldn't be moving to repeal with no replacement in sight." said Lynch. Adding, "If it is repealed, something has to be done the very next day to make sure there is no cut in terms of what communities need. So I think we need to push in that regard." According to Dr. Nancy Elder, "Drug abuse is a chronic relapsing health problem, and it often leads to other health programs. But treatment is effective." Elder is a Professor at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Cincinnati. "There are currently no options in Ohio for medication-assisted treatment unless you have cash or insurance, and I include Medicaid as insurance. Now what kind of cash? The medications alone cost over $500 a month. And you start throwing in the other treatment costs, and Hamilton County Mental Health Board estimates that it could cost as much as $22,000 the first year to treat opioid addiction. On average maybe three to five thousand dollars. Nobody can pay that. Certainly my patients, those who have already entered unemployment and poverty do not. We need to have Medicaid for our most vulnerable people in our society," she said. When asked what people can do to save the ACA Rabbi Meyer said, "We have a lot of gatherings coming up this weekend. We need to get the word out. And contact Portman. I don't know if it'll do any good, but he's got to hear from us." disenchantment with representative democracy. However, there is little that the new President has proposed that would make life better for economically squeezed Americans, and his selection of billionaires and Wall Street financiers for high positions doesn't look like a foundation for taking on the corporate and financial elite. In fact, the tax reform plan that he proposed during the campaign would once again cut taxes for the wealthy. Many labor leaders do support his promise to renegotiate trade deals, and his infrastructure renewal proposal would create new jobs. As a critic of current politics, Trump lacks any proposals to actually reform the system. Although he initially attacked his GOP opponents who were receiving huge Super PAC contributions, his list of potential nominees for the Supreme Court vacancy do not appear to be jurists who would wish to repeal The Citizens United ruling. Since he built a false premise about rigged (Continued on page 11) �LOCAL Residents Continue to Oppose Pipeline No. 348 | J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 MICHAEL EARL PATTON Contributing Writer T he route map for Duke Energy’s proposed pipeline extension has now been revised twice. The first proposal showed three possible routes. The second proposal, contained in the first of the formal application to the Ohio Power Siting Board, reduced this to just two possible routes and had adjusted these routes. The pipeline diameter was reduced to 20 inches and the pressure to a still high 400 psi. For comparison, the current pipeline supplying natural gas to the area, “Line A,” is a similar residential and others commercial or industrial. The opposition remains strong. A public meeting called by opponents at the Evendale Recreation Center on January 12 was full with about 200 people in the room. The parking lot was FULL and I only found a space after circling when someone else pulled out. The opposition seems to be based on several concerns, two of which are safety and the diminished use of the properties which the pipeline crosses. It is not supposed to happen, but there have been accidental Duke Energy Route Map Revision 1 Credit: Duke Energy diameter and operates at just 150 psi. Duke just revised the application on January 20, again making several adjustments to the possible routes. This is the route map that is shown below. The adjustments were made because of community opposition to the pipeline, which would cut across hundreds of properties, some explosions of natural gas pipelines. The best known is probably the San Bruno pipeline explosion in 2010 which killed 8 people and destroyed 38 homes in the San Francisco Bay area. Eyewitnesses reported that the flames reached 1,000 feet high. There have been several gas pipeline explosions since then, but none in areas that were as densely populated. A representative from Duke Energy was not at this meeting (at least not openly) but has said in the past that the line will be built to a high standard and that there will be regular safety checks. Others have still expressed concern that the required diligence may slacken off over the years. Duke Energy’s application for the pipeline gives the number of residences within 100 feet of the pipeline and the number within 1,000 feet. Whichever route is chosen, there will be over 100 residences within 100 feet of the pipeline and over 2,000 within 1,000 feet. Another major concern was that of easements. N.O.P.E., Neighbors Opposing Pipeline Extension, expects that the typical easement for the pipeline will be 40 feet wide – 20 feet on each side of the pipeline. Trees, shrubs, and any structures would be removed. The property owner would be restricted as to what they could do in the future in this area. Maintaining a lawn, gardening, and parking would be allowed; construction would not. Further, Duke Energy would have the right to re-enter your property in the future to do maintenance on the pipeline. This will certainly reduce the value of your property, and it would probably be best to discuss the value lost with a real estate agent. Duke Energy will offer compensation, but this amount might be less than what you think was lost. Further, as was pointed out, the payments from Duke Energy will end but the easement will go on forever. (I have personal experience with that sort of thing. There is an easement across the back of my yard for a sewer line that is 95 years old, still valid, and which prevents me from a constructing a new garage there. It did not show up in a title search when I bought my house because of its age, but it is still valid nonetheless. The Metropolitan Sewer District told me about it a few years ago when I discovered a couple workers in my backyard.) One of the speakers mentioned the importance of closely reviewing any easement agreement. For example, it might not mention that the top soil removed has to be put back on top so that things can grow again. If this isn’t specified the top Good Food Purchasing: Here is what’s going on locally T he Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center, (CIWC) along with Woman’s City Club of Greater Cincinnati, C.J. PIERCE Contributing Writer (WCC) committee Thriving Cincinnati gathered for a forum on Good Food Purchasing on January 9th. The goals: 1) Is to bring locally grown, farm to table, healthy food option and learning into our schools. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 5 soil might be put back in the bottom of the ditch, and getting anything decent to grow again on top will be very difficult. Former U.C. Law Professor James O’Reilly spoke about whether you are obligated to allow surveyors from Duke Energy to enter your property. The brief answer is no, you can simply say, “I refuse permission for surveyors to enter my property.” Duke Energy would then have to get a court order to continue, and you would have a right to contest this. As he said, “Those who remain silent are consenting.” Admittedly, if no one is home the surveyors might still trespass and do their work without getting your permission. After the meeting Professor O’Reilly passed out a sheet with further general information about the easement process. With the appropriate cautions that this is not individual legal advice, if Duke Energy sues to seize your easement you should call your personal attorney or the Lawyer Referral Service at 381-8359. If you delay, Duke’s lawyer will ask the judge for a default judgment against you. A couple other items mentioned was that the proposed pipeline extension is part of a larger “Master Plan” from Duke Energy, but what that master plan is has not been disclosed. What is the need for all of this of this extra gas? They admit that that they are not planning for a large increase in the population. Then there is the question of whether there will even be enough natural gas available to fill all the pipelines that are being planned around the country. After all, the amount of natural gas produced is actually declining of late. What may be the last of the mandated public informational meetings will probably have occurred (January 26) by the time you read this, but you can still make comments directly to the Ohio Power Siting Board: www.opsb.ohio.gov. Look for the heading “Power Siting Cases,” then click on “Pending Cases” followed by “Duke Central Corridor Extension Gas Pipeline, Hamilton County.” There is a place for public comments. Duke Energy’s website on the pipeline is: https://www.duke-energy.com/ home/natural-gas/central-corridorpipeline-ext The website for the main opposition group is: www.NOPEcincy.org 2) Within this initiative is also assuring that the farm workers are receiving real, livable and sustainable wages. In addition the company must provide and require health and safety gear and clothing that protects the worker within the working environment. 3) To provide the healthiest food options the Good Food Purchasing is (Continued on page 12) �6 LOCAL J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 8 (Continued on page 12) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �NATIONAL One Woman’s view from the Women’s March on Washington 7 No. 348 | J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 B lowback. Following the 2016 Presidential election, having witnessed the winner’s strategy of divide by hate, conquer by fear, a loose affiliation of activist women leaders called a national day KATE GALLION Contributing Writer of resistance for January 21. What started as a women’s protest against the bigotry and hate-baited rhetoric of the Trump campaign- quickly Women's March on Washington marchers on Metro Credit: Jim Luken Women's March on Washington Marchers Credit: Jim Luken KEY BECK (Continued from page 3) was signs and chants for equity for those with an immigrant status, protectors of land and water rights and marginalized black and trans lives. It was awesome to feel and be part of a movement this size, but it was easy to feel the issues of the truly oppressed being overlooked by the demands of the privileged. Perhaps this is a projection of my feelings as a non-binary, queer person of color or perhaps this was a reality only felt by those who are most oppressed. Regardless, these feelings were shared as one could see by looking as certain signs in the march. Both marches gave me a feeling of solidarity and inclusion. Both inspired me to do great work. But, only one had me fearing arrest or my safety. And, in my personal opinion, only centered the most marginalized of the oppressed (people of color, transgender and queer individuals and undocumented citizens). Police were not shy about their distaste for protesters exercising their rights to peacefully assemble at or around the inauguration. Nor were they shy about their calm disposition and willingness to support the marches morphed into a public re-dedication to America’s core democratic values (often espoused, rarely achieved): Equality, Fairness, Human Rights, Social Justice for all. Intersectionality and collaborative social media skills aligned for the staging of the largest global day of citizen activism in history. The Women’s March on Washington was the epicenter drawing more than 500,000 allies, with 300 cities around the world staging sister marches and 3 million global participants. A massive coordinated protest. When the call for a women’s resistance to Trump emerged just hours after the election, it was fueled by anger at the sexist, racist, bigoted language and divisive tactics employed by Trump, (who lost the popular vote by three million, but won the archaic Electoral College (an instrument with a racist past undermining the will of the people’s vote.) Anger was righteous. Fear was endemic. Women began to participate in Facebook groups speaking of diminished rights, marginalization, inequity and victimization by the pervasive violent rape culture. What happened next is remarkable. Anger converted to action, and out of the momentum emerged an inclusive agenda of human rights and social justice reform. Pilgrimage the drive from Cincinnati to D.C. Every rest stop and gas station was teeming with women in pink “pussy hats”- variations of a knit cap with kitten ears. From gas pumps, to buses on the turnpike. from Union Station to The Mall - a massive wall of pink hats. We walked past the Canadian Embassy toward the National Gallery, until we were stopped still by the crush. The march to the White House began at 1:00 pm, but our feet couldn't move for a full hourat which point we flowed off route, opening more streams, eventually rejoining the body of protestors. But this action was already beyond protest. It had morphed into an entity of political will, a movement not of partisan politics, but of transcendent human power. Curiously missing were police, guns, security and obvious surveillance. No helicopters, no drone cameras. Consequently, we are missing the customary aerial angles of the entire march. Lacking that evidence it becomes much easier to diminish and dismiss. Trump’s tweets of the day embraced the false narrative of a small turnout. Administration spokesperson Kellyanne Conway preferred the term “alternate truth” to describe Trump’s myopia. However the mute testimony of thousands of signs and (Continued on page 11 Women's March on Washington Marchers Credit: Jim Luken the following day. It was very apparent that the objective of officers was to disrupt and diffuse the protest at the inauguration, while the goal was to support and provide safety at the Women’s March on Washington. It’s for this reason that we need more inclusion in our movements. We need more coalition building between groups. I would have loved to have one million plus citizens at both marches. Some argue that white feminism has been fought on the backs of women of color. In the same vein, some argue that movements like Black Lives Matters is exclusionary of those who occupy a white body. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Regardless of the truth or fallacy, we need more feet on the ground. We need people willing to step up and step out. There is no reason why both marches and protest shouldn’t be protected and supported by officers. There is also no reason for us to have to choose one movement/action over another. As Hillary Clinton stated, “We are Stronger Together” and I think it is about time we show it. No longer should we have multiple movements. We need to demand our rights together because together we can achieve great things. ------------------------ �e 8 NATIONAL Civil Disobedience W DR. MARK MUSSMAN Staff Writer ith tears in her eyes, shaking and stuck in the intersection, a woman pleads with protesters to let her through. “I need to pick up my kids from school – they can’t get home without me!” Between sobs, she asks anyone who will listen, “Please! Why can’t you let me go?!” Her voice changes from sadness to terror – will she be stuck here much longer? Why won’t those police officers help her? Why are the streets blocked in the first place? At noon, on January 20th 2017, at the time American Presidents are kept a hard wall against the police. For several tense hours, a four block radius around 12th and K were shut down, creating a traffic nightmare in the area. News reports claim that 230 people were arrested and property damage exceeded $100,000. Several businesses of note, such as banks and coffee chains, were targeted because of their role in oppression here in the United States and across the globe. Their windows broken with crowbars and hammers, these corporations had new windows in place just hours after the initial confrontation. J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 8 station in DC was the lack of crowds. Even though the police had cordoned off an area around the parade route, known as the “Red Zone,” the streets and sidewalks seemed barren, except for people with signs disavowing the new President’s legitimacy. Slogans lambasting the character of the new leader mostly peppered the areas around the police checkpoints and around Trump International Hotel. Chants started early, some from the standards, but also some chants with nuances regarding the newly elected President. I arrived to Pennsylvania Avenue just moments before noon, and heard portions of the Inauguration Ceremony on the loudspeaker. People in the streets jeered and derided the words heard over the speaker. were also prominently displayed throughout the city. After the Inaugural Ceremony, I began to hear that “riots” were happening at K and 12th Streets, so I headed that direction. By the time I got there, the intersection was occupied by police officers, but they were still shooting loud sonic grenades into the crowd to push it back further – eventually to a block near a park that later hosted an antinuclear weapons mini-music festival. To symbolize the death of traditional media and the control of the capitalist class, people threw newspaper boxes into the street and set them on fire. The burning newspaper vending boxes set the tone for the eventual occupation of the intersections surrounding the block. Just a few A police cruiser shows damage to its window The Limo that was vandalized, later burned Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman typically sworn in, the streets of our nation’s Capitol, Washington D.C., erupted in chaos. 12th and K Street became the flashpoint between hundreds of people – of many different backgrounds – and police, armed with riot gear and special munitions. The riot police took the intersection with divide and conquer tactics by launching sonic and pellet grenades in the center and pushing people out of the intersection in four different directions. People ran from the intersection, but many It seems to me that people are not comfortable acknowledging the role of inconvenience or property damage in civil disobedience. We are encouraged to distance ourselves from the spectacle because it may not seem to advance our peaceful cause. This act of destruction may seem like a purposeless or childish response to injustice, but it is an important tactic in the vast array of ways to address grievances. The first thing I noticed when I emerged from the Metro Center train Crowds began to surround the police checkpoints, shutting them down and preventing people from entering or even getting around the checkpoint. The mood of the crowd was very apprehensive as Trump supporters in the signature red baseball caps with “Make America Great Again” scrawled across them shared space with people with “Make Racists Afraid Again” hats and signs showing the President in compromising positions with Russian Leader Putin. Shepard Fairy’s iconic poster designs feet from the burning newspaper, a limousine was destroyed – first broken then burned. A road flare was the kindling used to start the fire. What could be more symbolic of the current administration than a burning limousine? If Donald Trump is able to function as President of the United States, he must recognize the resistance towards him, rather than attempt to discredit anything that doesn’t flatter him. Civil (Continued on page 11) Media document the burning of the newspaper boxes One of many intersections that were taken over by protestors Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �9 LOCAL Vandalism and Racist symbols at Withrow University High School No. 348 | J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 R JUSTIN JEFFRE Staff Writer acial slurs, swastikas and the name “Trump” were spray painted at multiple locations at Withrow University High School in Hyde Park. According to police the incident occurred on January 21, between 11:30 p.m. and midnight. Video footage of the perpetrator has been released and shared widely on social media, but the person was wearing a hat and had their face covered. Police believe it was a white male that acted alone. The incident is part of a string of similar acts here locally. A swastika was painted on a sign at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, an interracial couple’s home was vandalized with swastikas and other racist images and similar images were painted on the Loveland bike trail in recent months. The overwhelming majority of the Withrow’s student population are minorities. The school’s football team recently made headlines for kneeling during the national anthem before football games in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick’s protests against police brutality and oppression of people of color. These local acts are part of a larger trend though. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center there’s been a large uptick in hate crimes across the nation since the election of President Donald Trump. These types of incidents happened during his campaign but have become more frequent following his election. The Anti-Defamation League released a report in October about the rise of anti-Semitic harassment and the NYPD reports that hate crimes are up 31% compared to last year. Gov. Andrew Cuomo told CNN, "The ugly political discourse of the election did not end on Election Day. In many ways it has gotten worse, [turning] into a social crisis that now challenges our identity as a state and as a nation and our people." The graffiti at Withrow was removed on Sunday. On Monday January 23, around 200 community members gathered early in the morning to greet and show students support as they arrived at school. Restaurateur Jeff Ruby has offered a reward and authorities encourage anyone with any Why we should support public education I JORGE GARAY Contributing Writer am the father of five wonderful kids, two of which are in Cincinnati Public Schools. I am crazy about my kids; I kiss them every day and will even say I am addicted to them. I support the public schools because school is like a second home to our kids, where they spend a lot of their time outside of their first home, and public education is the most democratic. Public education, to me, means everybody is welcome regardless of race, sexual orientation, culture, status, etc. Public means all the members of a community. This year has enforced my belief, more than ever, that our public schools need more support. One example I will give is an event that happened shortly after the election. My kids, along with others that attend their school, are Latino. One day, my 11-year-old daughter was sitting with a friend at lunch when two older kids of different ethnicity approached them. They turned to my child and said, “You’re from America, right?” Then they focused on her friend, who was born in Mexico, and started harassing him, calling him names and telling him to go back to Mexico, all the while stabbing their pencils into the small boy’s orange that sat on the table in front of him. This election has caused many people to forget what public and community mean; we must not allow that to happen. Why do I support public Parents and Supporters Gather at Withrow Bridge to Welcome Students Credit: Chas Wiederhold information about the incident to call CrimeStoppers at 513-352-3040. The city of Cincinnati is currently reviewing its hate crime response. Cincinnati has one of the toughest hate crime laws in the country which now includes attacks against people experiencing homelessness. education? Because education is not just about turning our kids into lawyers or doctors, but it is about teaching individuals how to be better human beings. Public education is an opportunity and a chance for every child to bring themselves up. I support it because it is a basic human right – as much as food or water. Our kids deserve to be in schools that have the resources and the support from the administration to get rid of the bullying and discrimination. Our kids also deserve to learn what diversity truly means, to accept and respect other human beings, rather than to focus or obsess over comparing themselves to the person they stand next to. Public School Rally Credit: Michelle Dillingham THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED [Jorge Garay is a parent of two students at S.C.P.A.] ------------------------. �10 R ecently, I've struggled to determine where certain boundaries should reside. When is something "weird" versus "normal"? "Healthy" versus "mentally ill"? I'm not sure I know anymore, and that fact troubles me. First, let me state that I don't really care what people do with their lives or lifestyles, so long as it does not cause harm. If you are a transgender person, I don't care if you want to have gender reassignment surgery. However, if I proclaim that transgender people are "weird," I will undoubtedly get slammed as intolerant, insensitive, and a bigot. I don't want to call transgender people "weird." That's not my point in writing this. There is a Canadian named Stefonknee Wolscht who was born as a man, had a wife and children, and then decided to live as a 6-year old girl. It's that last part that gets me. Set aside the gender identity issue for a moment, and focus on the notion that an adult can decide she's really OPINION Call me weird if you want JASON HAAP Contributing Writer a 6-year-old girl. Wolscht reportedly lives with "adoptive parents" who let her live as if she's their daughter. Stefonknee is 6'2" and 47 years old. Let me be clear: I don't care if this is what Stefonknee and her new parents want to do. I won't try to stop them. But I think it's weird, and I don't think I should be labeled as some sort of intolerant sounding word ending in "-ist" because I think so. There is a 21-year-old Norwegian woman who feels like she is a cat trapped inside a human's body. Her name is Nano, she wears clip-on ears, she walks on all fours, and she meows. Once again, I'm not going to try and stop her. It's not really my business if that's what she wants to do with her life. But I think it's weird. And I believe it's okay to think that. Is it possible that Nano isn't really a cat trapped inside a human's body, and instead that she suffers from a mental illness? Before answering that question, what if I told you about a person who has multiple people living in his body? Would that be a mental illness? Yes. It's called "schizophrenia." For some reason, if multiple people are trapped in or if they otherwise manifest in a single body, it's considered a medical condition. Why not use the same terminology for Nano, the cat woman? What about the 6'2" tall, 47-year-old six-year-old? I struggle with the boundaries here. I don't want to say that transgender people are "mentally ill." But where do we draw the line? If you think you are a toddler trapped in a grown up's body? A feline in a human's? Why might those be okay, but not multiple personalities? There are other things I find weird, like face tattoos, or holes in earlobes the size of fists. And, again, I don't care if people do that. It's just THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 8 strange to me. I think it's weird when omnivorous people refuse to eat delicious food because it's "vegan." I think it's weird that people genuinely seem to enjoy drinking shitty beer. Or how about the fact that people think meat from a pig's butt cheek is tasty, but freak out when I talk about facial cheek meat? I do not pretend to be a pillar of normalcy myself. I do plenty of weird things, and people tell me so all the time. I don't think this makes them intolerant, or bigoted. So that's another line I can't quite understand: why calling some traits "weird" is okay, while calling others "weird" makes someone prejudiced. In a couple months, I will turn 42. The more I ponder life, the universe, and everything, the more I feel like a stereotypical old white guy, getting crotchety about the crazy things people are doing "these days." ------------------------. �11 LOCAL No. 348 | J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 Trump Supporters in the foreground attempt to ignore protestors at security check Protest in DC near Hard Rock Cafe and Security Checkpoint Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman DR. MARK MUSSMAN (Continued from page 8) disobedience is necessary when the government does not function in a JUSTIN JEFFRE (Continued from page 7) walks of life. While we have certainly had squabbles within our doors, as all families do, we have never before had this level of violence, nor do we expect to again,” said Getty. Adding, “Nonetheless, we have instituted some new security measures to help preserve the safety of all within our doors. We thank our guests and volunteers for their patience with the new system and mourn with them the need for this in our home.” New security measures include two contracted security personnel who will “wand” each visitor to check for weapons and store each visitor’s belongings in a secured area until they are ready to leave the way that serves all. When individual rights are being threatened it is most important to use civil disobedience to help get the message out, help create cohesive groups, and bring the change through pressure. If we don’t recognize that injustice hurts us all, there will be no change. Sadly, “no change” affects people who are marginalized most, and this is something that we must recognize before we can move towards justice. building. Getty expressed condolences to the family and friends of Deante Mattocks. “No one should ever have to go through the suffering that you are going through. He was a young man, an artist, a brother, a son, a father. He will live on in his children. You are all in our prayers and we will never forget Deante. Our prayers are also with the young woman who was harmed. We wish you a full recovery and a full life, filled with peace,” she said. “First, I would like to thank the staff and volunteers of Our Daily Bread. We are more than co-workers, we are family. We have leaned on one another this week, cried together, and even laughed together once or twice. Every single member of this team came back the next day. Together, we have rebuilt Our Daily Bread and it will continue to be a beacon of love to all who need us. Thank you also to the friends and family of staff and volunteers. You were there when we needed you. If we are strong, it is only because we have so many rocks to hold us up. If we continue to love, it is only because we receive the love we need,” said Getty. Getty went on to thank Model Group, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, the soup kitchen community, the Cincinnati Police Department, the police trauma team that provided their staff with counseling. And, “Finally, one last thank you to everyone who has already or will step forward in the weeks to come. Our Daily Bread is a space of hope, of comfort, of shared meals, and ultimately, of love. Thank you for walking with us through the worst part of our journey and reminding us of all of the good left to do,” she said. Our Daily Bread is Cincinnati’s largest soup kitchen, serving between 400-500 meals per day, Monday – Friday. In addition, Our Daily Bread also provides social work services and Kid’s Club, and after school program. In continuous operation since 1985, Our Daily Bread remains a beacon of Stability and Hope in Over the Rhine. It’s located at 1730 Race St., on the corner of Race and Elder across from Findlay Market. I’ve awakened from a surreal winter’s dream. Trees are bare, temperature neighboring near San Francisco of memory. Fog insinuates in, out. We are familiars yet gravitational forces have separated us. Now reunited we finish sentences before they are... Hearts and heads aligned. Some terrible thing has happened, we are implicated in a disaster and we have to “fix it”. We trickle, then pour onto the trains compacted into raspberry gelee with a cohesion of purpose unspoken, then shouted. Alone, we are burdened with shame and dread. Together we form a system. The well within has opened and we know- WE can do this. WE have this. KATE GALLION (Continued from page 7) posters left on the steps of Trump’s hotel, lining the Mall, stacked at the Metro stations, bear witness to our presence and commitment to stand up and fight back. Why we march… Partisanship has failed us. Corruption and lack of credibility plagued the contest. One half of the citizenry declined to participate. We march for essential women’s rights to reproductive healthcare, the defense of Planned Parenthood, LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights, religious tolerance and critical reform of the racist oppressors of police and judicial violence. We have transcended partisan politics to achieve solidarity with women’s rights and human rights as the goal. This is the start of a resistance groundswell, but what comes after? What does the “work” look like, and is it sustainable? (On his first full day in office, President Trump re-instated a Reagan era ban on the use of U.S. foreign aid funds for abortions or BILL WOODS (Continued from page 4) elections and illegal voting during the campaign, the forces that support tougher restrictions for registering to Protest in near Hard Rock Cafe and Security Checkpoint Credit: Jim Luken abortion counseling). Guessing he didn’t get the pink pussy hatted message. Perhaps he’s crafting “alternate facts”. Gloves off, imperative. ----We Are Water resistance vote and voting will probably be more active than ever before. Thus, as we start the first full week of the Trump Administration, reformers and civic activists better be ready to take up the cause of renewing democracy themselves. The huge women's marches in cities across the country bode well for enlisting recruits for grassroots campaigns to take on causes such as Congressional redistricting reform and protecting THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED is Knee to hip, shoulder to shoulder to shoulder. This machine destroys hate and fear. We are smiling now. We’ve eaten dirt. We are water. voting rights. The organizing tool in the coming months and years must be collaboration. Only by coming together with our diverse progressive causes do we have a chance for success. �12 T STREET VOICE The Road to Redemption o start I must say this is about me and my experiences here at Joseph House. These are all my opinions and thoughts. I came here in September of 2016. Having been living with my mom for the past 25 years after getting honorably discharged from the US Army. I came here to save my life. I am an Alcoholic. Writing that simple 9 letter word has more meaning to me than any other word in the human language. I must admit that to myself daily or I will forget why I am here. I was here 3 years ago, but wasn’t ready to stop my destructive lifestyle and more importantly be honest with myself and others. Joseph House is a place for Veterans like myself who suffer from the disease of Addiction. C.J. PIERCE (Continued from page 5) requiring the humane treatment of livestock. 4) With a drive toward sustainability and cutting down on the waste. Thus keeping functional foods and products out of the landfill. Foods often get thrown away that are still good. EX: an apple being discard because of a bruise, yet the apple is still eatable. BOBBY MORRIS Contributing Writer Let me describe who I was at my mom’s house. I was that creepy Uncle who stayed upstairs at his mom’s house who only came out to get something to eat or to do that weekly chore of putting the garbage on the curb begrudgingly. I was so isolated from life that I forgot how to feel. I was disconnected from my family and from reality. I was in a state of depression many like me can identify with. After years of this I finally had enough and made the call to Joseph House for help. Since that day in September my life has transformed. Redemption had begun without me knowing it at the time I start my day with chores, being For a brief video on GFPP: http:/vimeo.com/realfoodmedia/ gfpp?ref=em-v-share The unspoken message in this meeting was there’s variety of groups and individuals working toward good food options for our schools, our communities and neighborhoods, each with a desire to do their part for every person fairly, justly and equitably. Some of those attending were Vivian Rodger’s a C.P.S. parent “Breakdown Stereotypes” responsible is something I lack. At my age this is something I should have learned at 14, but at that age I was drinking and drugging. Joseph House uses simple activities to get me to get in the habit of doing what’s right. It’s a struggle somedays and I think even non-Alcoholics can relate to struggling with things at times. Being a Veteran is a common thread for us. Taking orders and doing things with an attention to detail has been lost over the years but not forgotten. Joseph House reminds me of that constantly. Working in groups and going to meetings allows me to get to know who I am. Here the recovery is individual based. Each one of us have our own difficulties and with the help of staff (my Counselor) I have grown. and activist for healthy foods in our schools; Michaela Oldham, Director of Greater Cincinnati Food Policy Council; Megan Gakabrill, Slow Food; Michael Taylor a Naturalpath; Penny Shore, Wyoming Farmers Market; Harriet Matthey, Soul Cycle and several members of CIWC and WCC. All deserve to have healthy options that are easily accessible and the quality of our foods determine our health. To give oneself and our J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 8 I am not perfect each day but I see the small changes in my life. These small changes will eventually lead to a better me and with that a productive member of society. That is one of the goals of my recovery to redeem that in which I have lost and have destroyed in other people. To conclude this brief stint into the life I have here in Joseph House. I would say that I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world right now. I can see the redeeming qualities in myself and the others around me and with that in mind we all can make the people in our lives proud to know us once again. REDEMEPTION IS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE HELP AND AID OF PEOPLE LIKE THOSE AT JOSEPH HOUSE TO CARRY YOU THROUGH THE ROUGH PATCHES UNTIL YOU CAN SEE THE GREEN PASTURES UP AHEAD. children the best, to become the best each of us can be, starts with the nutrition of our foods. This requires ALL of us to do “our part” to resist convenience, to support our local venders that purchase from other local venders, especially those that are also investing in sustainable practices. [C.J. Pierce is a member of the Woman’s City Club Thriving Cincinnati Committee.] “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �13 STREET VOICE No. 348 | J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 Crying Rain AN INAUGURAL CRITIQUE Looking out the window Little Jack Horner The rain is falling hard, and fast Sat in a corner There are intervals of thunder Watching the Inauguration. Slashing ever so often He said with a sigh: And then it suddenly stops "I prefer leftover pie Until the next thunder slash appears To Trump's bleak oration." It lets you know that God is, near BILL WOODS Contributing Writer So take heed LIFE GOES ON Listen to his might THESE YEAR BEING GONE REST ASSURE HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF RIGHT HERE Because thunder and rain, THE MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE WITH THE MEMORIES WE Will, be coming HOLD SO DEAR KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE THOUGHT OF DAYS GONE BY I CAN SEE A PICTURE OF HISTORY IN MY MIND THE MEMORY OF TODAY AS WE REMEMBER OUR HISTORY WITH OUR HEARTS COMBINED THE MIND IS FOREVER LIVING AND BY GODS GRACE WE WILL FOREVER GO ON THE MIND WITH A MEMORY, FUNNY YOU DON'T RERMEMBER THE DAY YOU WAS BORN! THE DAY YOUR MEMORY COMES INTO PLAY YOU BELIEVE IN HEARING STRANGERS THE DAY YOU WERE GROWN, YOUR PARENTS COULD NOT TELL YOU BOUT THE DANGERS THE UNDERSTANDING THAT LIFE GOES ON IS FOR YOU TO SEE AND BELEIVE GOD IS GOOD 24 7!! I BELEIVE WE ALL WILL LIVE FOREVER CAN YOU BELIEVE ME!!!! WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 117 Across 1. Institute legal proceedings against 4. Junk e-mail 8. Hoodlum 12. Hex 13. Type of cabbage 14. Wading bird 16. Not in favor of 17. Golf club 18. Bird of prey 19. Spiritual being 21. Refuse to acknowledge 23. Physically skilful 24. Sheep 25. Woodwind instrument 27. Beam 29. Scheme 30. Worthless or oversimplified ideas 31. Cutting tool 34. Brash 37. Ancient German alphabet character 38. Pool stick 39. Corrode 40. Crone 41. Naked 42. Mountain 43. Large predatory feline 45. Parka 47. Month 48. Consumed 49. Humble request for help 50. Hotshot 51. Drink made by steeping, boiling and fermenting 52. Cooking utensil 55. Space for movement 58. To a greater extent 60. Topic 62. Relating to hearing 64. Writing table 66. A particular environment 67. Superficial abrasion 68. Part of a calendar 69. Fabric used to dress wounds 70. Sleigh 71. Smoke and fog 72. Of long duration Down 1. Tendon 2. Undo 3. Way out 4. Snow runner 5. Minister of religion 6. Solitary 7. Bill of fare 8. Definite article 9. Intoxicating 10. Exhort 11. Outdoor game 12. Semiprecious gemstone 15. Mesh 20. Part of an egg 22. Food from the husks of cereal grains 26. Larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf 28. Primate 29. Domestic companion 30. Breed of dog 31. Evidence of past injury 32. Nimbus 33. Seven days 34. Pack to capacity 35. Polynesian rain dance 36. Catch sight of 37. Operated 40. Gardening tool 41. Constrictor 43. Used in varnishes and sealing wax 44. Detail 45. Beer 46. Triton 49. Very fast tempo 50. Astound 51. Freshwater fish 52. Danger 53. Ameliorate 54. Orderly 55. Tatter 56. Belonging to us 57. Examination by word of mouth 59. Betting ratio 61. Circle of light around the sun or moon 63. Was ahead of the others 65. Small cask or barrel J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 8 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 247 - MEDIUM PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 343 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 116 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 246- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �RESOURCES No. 348 | J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 557-2873 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 Salvation Army 762-5660 131 E. 12th Street 45202 1125 Bank Street 45214 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelter: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Shelterhouse 721-0643 2121 Vine Street 45202 411 Gest St. 45203 Prospect House 921-1613 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Starting Over 961-2256 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Parkway Center 661-4620 First Step Home 961-4663 Shelter: Youth 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Interfaith Hospitality Network 15 Northern Kentucky 241-2965 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Food/Clothing Hamilton/Middletown Joseph House (Veterans) 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Housing: Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both 471-1100 Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY 859-491-8303 ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary 859-491-3335 859-572-6202 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 Health Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 961-0600 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 352-6364 You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513-421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio $100 for 26 issues $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 J a n 2 7 - F e b 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 8 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 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 27-February 9, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Our Daily Reopens Pg 3: A Tale of Two Protests Pg 4: Community Leaders Call of Sen. Portman to Protect the Affordable Care Act Reflections on the Inauguration Pg 5: Residents Continued to Oppose Pipeline Pg 6: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 7: One Woman’s View from the Women’s March on Washington Pg 8: Civil Disobedience Pg 9: Vandalism and Racist Symbols at Withrow University High School Why We Should Support Public Education Pg 10: Call Me Weird If You Want Pg 11: Dr. Mark Mussman Continued Justin Jeffre Continued Kate Gallion Continued Pg 12: The Road to redemption Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 27-February 9, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Key Beck Bill Woods Michael Earl Patton C.J. Peirce Kate Gallion Dr. Mark Mussman Jorge Garay Jason Haap Bobby Morris Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Our Daily Bread David Little Chas Wiederhold Michelle Dillingham Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Affordable Car Act Bill Woods Bobby Morris C.J. Peirce Chas Wiederhold city council civil rights David Little Dr. Mark Mussman education Inauguration Jason Haap Jorge Garay Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Kate Gallion Key Beck Kim Green Michael Earl Patton Michelle Dillingham Our Daily Bread Pipeline Protests Racism Voting Washington Willa Denise Jones Withrow University Womens Rights https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/0c26ef02a38962d0946f5679d36c9471.pdf b0953594a6f4ee585808133958f0609f PDF Text Text February 10th - February 23rd 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 30 (No. 349) advocating justice | Building community Art Exhibit Inspired by the #BlackLivesMatter Movement | 8 This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter INSIDE THIS ISSUE Making Sense of Our Two Selves | 5 Who we are, what we do |2 Duke Defends Pipeline | 3 Language Matters: Talk Like An Advocate | 5 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 ! streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: We Need an Affordable Housing Trust Fund JOSH SPRING Executive Director O n February 3, the city’s Planning Commission voted to recommend that the city sell significant portions of two public alleys in Overthe-Rhine to the private company Source 3 for a project that has been repeatedly opposed by neighborhood groups, most notably the Community Council. In fact, after the Planning Commission recently voted to approve the construction of the exclusive wealthy housing and commercial development in spite of months and months of community push-back, the Community Council legally appealed the decision. So in short, the Overthe-Rhine Community Council along with other neighborhood groups has opposed this proposed development at hearing after hear, went as far as to appeal the Planning Commission’s decision and while in appeal, the Planning Commission still voted to recommend the sale of the public right-of-way to a private, exclusive developer. This proposed development at the corner of Liberty and Elm streets would include more than 100 units of class-exclusive, wealthy housing. The developer has refused to include any homes affordable to people with low-incomes or even to partner with another developer to do so. Plan Cincinnati, the city’s relatively recently approved comprehensive plan calls for inclusive neighborhoods and the development of low-income affordable housing. The comprehensive plan for Overthe-Rhine also calls for inclusive development and certain percentages of low-income affordable housing. Further, a recent study of housing in the neighborhood completed by Xavier’s Community Building Institute shows that in the last decade or so Over-the-Rhine has lost approximately 2,300 units of housing affordable to people at thirty percent or below the area median income. In addition to all of this, every adult or family shelter in Cincinnati is full or over capacity and the numbers of people outside are higher. There is Who We Are, What We Do JUSTIN JEFFRE Staff Writer F irst of all, I'd like to thank you for reading and supporting Streetvibes. Streetvibes is an important part of how the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition spreads the word about issues related to social justice, our hard working member agencies, what's happening in our community, why it matters and what you can do to help bring more justice about in our community. Most importantly, we try to let you know how you can help us meet our ultimate mission, the eradication of homelessness. For those of you that don’t know, the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a unified social action agency, fully committed to its ultimate goal: the eradication of homelessness with respect for the dignity and diversity of its membership, the homeless and the community. The Coalition works towards this goal by coordinating services, educating the public, and engaging in grassroots organizing and advocacy. The Homeless Coalition does a lot of great work with a very small staff and small budget. One of the things I've learned after being a part of this organization for nearly five years, is that we don't do a great job of talking about all of our work, our victories, our failures and our ongoing struggles. So I'm going to tell you about some of the many things we've been working on, why they matter and what you can do to help. F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 9 such a deficit in affordable housing availability that the family shelter system must turn families with children away every day. So despite the fact that the city’s own plan, and in fact, the Planning Commission’s own plan calls for low-income affordable housing development and inclusivity, studies show the housing is needed and daily life experience for many show the housing is needed, the Planning Commission sees it fit to err on the side of the developer and wealthy people who already have adequate (likely more than adequate) housing. This is not surprising, but it remains infuriating. People on this Commission say they support affordable housing, but that it is not their jurisdiction. If it is not their jurisdiction, why did their staff write and they approve a city comprehensive plan that calls for it? The fact is, it is their jurisdiction. That said, if we are really serious about developing low-income affordable housing in this city and if we are really serious about ending homelessness, we must generate local revenue to do so. We need to develop a local affordable housing trust fund that is funded through compulsory means and enforced by the city. Developers in this city will not decide to build affordable housing on their own. We coordinate services by holding regular meetings with our member organizations (65 member organizations total) to make sure we are all aware of what each other is doing and so we can support each other’s work. Our Director of Education works with high schools, colleges and other organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area and beyond to educate the public about the causes of poverty and homelessness and the (Continued on page 11) Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Justin Jeffre, Michael Earl Patton, Key Beck, Dr. Mark Mussman, Steve Sunderland, Gretchen Marie Semancik, Bobby Morris, Lee McCoy, Kim Green, Bill Woods, Willa Denise Jones Photography/Artwork: Daulton King, Duke Energy, Michael Earl Patton, Wikipedia, YouTube, Gretchen Marie Semancik, Bill Woods, Mark Mussman Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Mail Room at the Homeless Coaliton Credit: Daulton King THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �3 LOCAL Duke Defends Pipeline No. 349 | F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 MICHAEL EARL PATTON Contributing Writer I ! n my last article I wrote about the January public meeting by N.O.P.E., Neighbors Opposed to Pipeline Extension. On January 26 I went to the informational meeting by Duke Energy at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blue Ash explaining the need for the pipeline. The meeting was indeed informative, although it was clear that C314, which comes in from the north, will feed into the proposed Central Corridor Project pipeline. Pipeline C314 has a maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) of 720 pounds per square inch (psi). The proposed pipeline will have a MAOP of 500 psi, so the pressure will be less. It will be tested to 1.5 times the MAOP, or 750 psi. This San Bruno, California in 2010. Mr. Hebbeler acknowledged that it is not impossible for there to be an explosion – one cannot exclude every possibility of this happening -- but it would be extremely unlikely. The pipe is very robust, will be inspected on a regular basis (more about this later), and for there to be an explosion the concentration of natural gas has to be between 5 and 15%. If it is too little (below the lower explosive limit) or too much (above the upper explosive limit), it is impossible for the gas to explode just based on the chemistry. If the gas leaked to the atmosphere, it would dissipate. It would have to collect in some kind of enclosed space and the concentration be in the proper range before it could explode. Otherwise, if ignited, it would just burn. Going back to the San Bruno pipeline, Mr. Hebbeler emphasized that the wrong kind of pipe had been used, one that had long axial welds, and had not even been pressure tested. If it had been properly tested, it would have failed before it had been placed in service. As for periodic testing, Duke Energy will do a leak survey using detection equipment over the entire length of pipe annually. Representatives will walk the length of the pipe four times a year making certain that the pipe has not been disturbed. “Third party” damage, such as someone using a backhoe without regard to the presence of pipelines, is the leading cause of damage. If this kind of work has to be done in the area, Duke Energy will come out and mark the pipeline route on the ground and even send someone to observe the digging, if necessary. Because the route will have to be walked, property owners will have to have gates in any fencing that would otherwise prevent access. Further, every few years the pipeline will be inspected from the inside using automatic devices called “pigs” to check for corrosion. Altogether these inspections go beyond what is required by regulations. To some in the audience this exposes a weakness since there is no legally binding guarantee that the robust inspections would continue for all the decades that the pipeline might be in use. Nearly 65% of the preferred route is on industrial or commercial property, or in a public right-of-way. Less than 4% of the pipeline would be on residential land. There was a lot of skepticism in the audience that the two routes identified were really the best overall from the point of view of safety or economics. Indeed, two people pointed out to me that the latest revision goes around Kenwood Country Club, which they attributed to the power of influence. One person pointed out at the meeting that to minimize the number of homes close to the pipeline the pipeline should go through Indian Hills instead of Blue Ash. I thought that Mr. Hebbeler Duke Energy Route Map Credit: Duke Energy the opponents of the pipeline remain very much concerned. Duke Energy provided a booklet for attendees, Your Questions Answered, that actually answered many questions. There were also two presentations by Gary Hebbeler, the Duke Energy Vice-President for operations. At the second presentation he took multiple questions from the audience and even stayed afterwards. I give below many of the main points made by Mr. Hebbeler and also the main concerns by the opponents. The first natural gas piped to Cincinnati came from West Virginia. What this meant was that the existing gas network was built over the decades from the south to the north. Even today 55% of the system is fed from the south. The existing pipeline means that the pipeline could not be pressurized to more than 500 psi once in operation because that would mean that the pipeline would have be shut down and first tested to 1.5 times that higher pressure. Although technically possible, Mr. Hebbeler said that this would mean so much additional work, and public notification as is being done now besides, that increasing the pressure is not realistic. Because this pipeline will be classified as a distribution line, the actual strength of the pipe will be designed to be at least 5 times the MAOP in order to provide a sizeable margin of safety. If the pipeline were to develop a problem, this would almost certainly be in the form of a leak, not an explosion like the one in Pipeline Marker Credit: Michael Earl Patton THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED (Continued on page 7) �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 9 �5 LOCAL Making Sense of Our Two Selves No. 349 | F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 KEY BECK Contributing Writer "I t is a peculiar sensation, this doubleconsciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness, —an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.” These are the words of W.E.B. Du Bois from his book, The Souls of Black Folk. It talks about the concept of “double-consciousness.” For those who may not know, when originally written it referred to early AfricanAmericans trying to reconcile their identity as black Americans (citizens of their country) versus their identity as an “African” American (people on borrowed land waiting to go back home). It was a concept to illustrate the confusion many black people at the time felt calling America home. They didn’t feel like citizens of America nor Africa, so an internal identity struggle began to brew. Du Bois’ words eloquently describe the psycho-social struggle of feeling both free and oppressed in a country that uses systematic violence and oppression to enforce its rules. African-Americans, really all marginalized identities, continually struggle to feel like true Americans in this unjust society. The current flurry of Executive Orders further illustrates this point. How can we feel like citizens when our identities are under attack? Women, immigrants, and queer people are being targeted by laws, restrictions, and bans. My W. E. B. Du Bois Credit: Wikipedia hair is very long and my complexion allows me to be confused for different ethnicities. If I am targeted because I look “suspicious” in the airport, how can I believe that civil and human liberties actually exist for me? I have been mistaken for a wanted criminal multiple times due to us both being black. Is that the common experience for white citizens? The concept of doubleconsciousness isn’t just about race. It can be applied to many marginalized identities. I often write about the issues faced by queer POC, especially trans* and non-binary folx. Due to those groups being the most marginalized they are often plagued with a nagging double-consciousness. Will they be considering authentic? Will their decisions be medicalized? Will people be open-minded enough to accept them how they present? As marginalized people, we must criticize our bodies and mindsets to ensure we fit what is acceptable. The alternative can mean social and economic discomfort, or even worse violence or death. Due to double consciousness, some non-binary and trans people can spend hours in front of the mirror figuring out the best way to present to the world. This routine may seem frivolous to some, but this could mean getting home safely or not. This could mean getting that job to pay rent or not. This could mean getting placed in a shelter or not. Marginalized people must second guess how they present to the world for fear that their identity will be misunderstood. This means that black men for example will go to great lengths to prove they are not the “angry, black man” or “one of those terrorist guys.” The process of double-consciousness could lead to internal oppression and selfhate. We shouldn’t want to change things about ourselves in order to be deemed less offensive. It is a tedious process full of stress and anxiety. Double-consciousness shouldn’t be viewed as the sole issue here. The bigger issue is the fact that we uphold racist and supremacist regimes who support systematic oppression. They present fallacies through the rhetoric and the media in such vast quantities that people begin to accept them as facts. We need to quit applying stereotypes on people and cultures that we don’t understand. We need to open our minds and use empathy rather than hate. Sadly, due to systematic racism, people of color will continue to be demonized through news reports, film, music, and other forms of media. But we should agree to quit supporting those outlets. WE need to talk with our money and our mouths. We should never stop when we learn of a barrier, but instead work to break it down. Language Matters: Talk Like an Advocate DR. MARK MUSSMAN “W Staff Writer hat you say about somebody else – anybody else – reveals you. What I think of you is being dictated by my own necessity, my own psychology, my own fears and desires. I am not going to describe to you when I talk about you, I’m describing me.” James Baldwin, 1963 When I was in college, I had a classmate that we called “Crazy” Katie. Looking back at it now, I see how clueless we were, and still are, about understanding how bullying and name-calling can have a chilling effect on our community. Now, I cringe whenever I hear someone describe something as “crazy,” thinking not only of the impact it has on those who may be quietly suffering from mental illness, but also for the individual who using such an heavy word in such a flippant way. Language matters. We are constantly barraged by words that are patently offensive on TV and on the streets. I’m not talking about the obviously pejorative words, but words that seeped into our collective vernacular that we don’t even think are offensive: lame, crazy, and even little. Each word may seem harmless, but in sum they have the ability to maim and diminish someone’s ego – and you may be doing it James Baldwin Credit: YouTube unconsciously. I used to try to hold my friends to higher standards. When I hear someone use these words, I tried to gently push them towards using THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED more clearly defined and appropriate words. A statement that I would make looks something like this: (Continued on page 11) �6 LOCAL F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 9 (Continued on page 12) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �LOCAL CANCER NAVIGATION AT STAGE 4 7 No. 349 | F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 STEVE SUNDERLAND 1. Introduction: For the past two years I have been working with a team of volunteers to close a gap in cancer care. The gap exists for patients that feel uneducated about the meaning of cancer, how cancer can grow without any known reason, how cancer can go from stage one, small and just beginning, to stage 4, the highest and most dangerous evolution of cells, how to get advice about taking steps to be examined and treated, how to face the reality of cancer with an ally that will help with obstacles, be they financial, be they medical confusion, and be they figuring out the insurance maze, and, especially having some confidence in the logistics of getting to and from cancer exams and cancer treatments. This gap is large and made even bigger by the general absence of medical direction for patients as to the right path. There is no clear road map for patients to either become educated about cancer or to find a doctor or to find an easy way to be transported to and from treatments. Trying to fill this gap has been the pioneering work of Harold Freeman, MD, former president of the American Cancer Society and a surgeon. Freeman reviewed the death rates of his patients and realized that too many came too late to be treated; their cancer had progressed to stage 4 and his skills were not able to be used to stop the uncontrolled growth of the cancer. He refused to accept this reality. His approach was to identify community workers who could visit in the community and convince people to come early in their potential development of cancer. Over five years, with his team of people he called, "patient navigators," he was able to reverse the death rate from 70% dying to 70% living. Early exams for cancer led to catching the cancer in time for treatment. Freeman's program gained national recognition and is now a part of the accreditation of every cancer hospital. Freeman's research and publication of his achievement, now over 30 years, is still seeking compliance. Sadly, "(m) ore than a quarter of Americans and Europeans who die before the age of seventy-five would not have died if they'd received appropriate medical MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 3) answered the questions honestly and was speaking sincerely when he said that the pipeline was safe, but it was apparent that the audience remained highly skeptical. There are probably several reasons for this which I will touch on only briefly. One I had mentioned above, which is the suspicion that the preferred route was chosen in large part due to the relative lack of political influence Contributing Writer care for their conditions, most of which were chronic." (A. Gawande (1/23/17). "Tell me where it hurts?" The New Yorker.) I started my program when two members of my family contracted cancer. During the search for treatment, I came across the work of Freeman and wondered why no physician or hospital had connected us to a navigator. I checked with the leaders of cancer programs and heard that, while they had heard of navigation, their hospital did not offer it...yet. I also wondered about the confusing choices we had in my family and I inquired about the decisions that are facing newcomers to health care insurance who probably didn't know the realities of cancer. Again, I learned that that no programs existed with the hospitals to educate the general population, or the low income population in specific, about the importance of early screening. I called Dr. Freeman and invited him to Cincinnati to meet with hospital staffs and discuss his method of reducing cancer death. Dr. Freeman came and delivered a powerful talk about the success of his program. Accompanying him was a researcher from Ohio State University's James Cancer Hospital, Electra Paskett, PhD, that affirmed Dr. Freeman's research with a review of navigation programs from around the nation. Navigation worked, navigation was a requirement for accreditation of cancer programs, but navigation was nowhere to be found in Cincinnati. A group of Cincinnati citizens sought to change this situation. 2. Cincinnati's pioneering navigation program: Today, there are 50 navigators as part of an organization called, The Cancer Justice Network. These navigators have been through a training program that followed many of the ideas developed by Dr. Freeman. We have volunteers from the students of the UC medical school, faculty and students from the UC school of social work, UC's health communication department' students, Xavier's students in the school of nursing, and a group of community organizers. Also volunteering is our medical director, Nemat Moussavian, MD, five physicians as primary care providers, and partnerships for screening with Crossroad Health Center, the Cincinnati Health Department's health centers, Cris Collinsworth ProScan, Jewish Hospital's Woman's Center, and 20 human service agencies, including the FreeStore Food Bank, Christ Church Cathedral, Madisonville Education and Assistance Center, Churches Active in Northside, St. Vincent de Paul, Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities, and others. There is a board of directors headed by Robert Harris, DD, and a website: cancerjusticenetwork.org/ We visit these churches and human service organizations and introduce cancer education and the need for early screening. Over 600 people have been involved in our programs since October, 2016. 3. What does a navigator do with the patient? The navigator, a free volunteer, helps the patient with their mobility to early screening and timely treatments. Figuring out how to get to and from screenings and treatments has been a major obstacle for Cincinnatians and now there will be assistance in transportation. Equally important, is the gaining of some critical education about cancer and the way cancer can grow and, in some cases, kill people. Navigators have information from the American Cancer Society as well as access to our medical director. At meetings, in churches and human service agencies, questions can be asked about family history, or any topic that relates to the health of the patient. The navigator will connect the patient to physicians at the health centers for more in depth discussions. The navigator will accompany the patient, if wanted, through each step of the educational and treatment process. In sum, the navigator is the patient's ally as they navigate what is too often a confusing and fearful process. In this way, following Freeman's approach, we hope to change the death rate in Cincinnati and spread the word that cancer, caught early, may be a curable disease. 4. The pain of Stage 4: My brother's colon cancer has existed during the same time as the development of the Cancer Justice Network. He is a powerful teacher of the by the residents who would live near that route. Bolstering this suspicion are the checks being mailed on the Williams vs. Duke Energy court settlement, allegedly because Duke had given preferential rates to its large customers so they would not contest a rate increase. And the refunds were much later than expected. Another is the mistake that Duke made at the first presentation when they refused to answer questions from the audience – a mistake for which Mr. Hebbeler apologized at the second session. Based on my own experiences, poor customer service may be another factor. Finally, Duke Energy is not local in the way that the old Cincinnati Gas & Electric was. Remember the Christmas train display downtown? Before C.G. & E. was bought by Duke the display (and cookies) were free. People stood in line to see it, and I did, too. Now one has to pay admission to the Museum Center in order to see it, and it wasn’t even shown this year because of renovations to the museum. Good- THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED realities of facing cancer, logistically, financially, and psychologically. He is a convincing advocate for navigation even though no hospital he works with has a navigator program. Thankfully, he had sufficient funds to hire an independent physician to review all of his records and the suggestions for treatment. He has been Stage 4 for the past two years and has learned that he is his best "navigator." He has taught me that the patient's full participation in their own treatment, review of records, consultation with resources, and friendship are critical factors in surviving this difficult stage. His physicians have missed too many elements in his case to give him the feeling that they truly understand his condition. Or, that they are convinced about what are his next steps. Facing the unknown about his disease and treatment, he has demonstrated a good sense of humor, a healthy dose of skepticism, and a dogged review of research. These are key factors in his survival. Yet, the unknown can also deliver a terrible punch to the emotions as numbers indicating the spread or cancer continue to rise and confusion exists about appropriate steps. In our daily conversations about next steps, we are reminded that navigating can be an emotional roller-coaster. We are never prepared for the next twist or turn, whether good or bad. But, and this is the key, partnership between us reduces fears, builds courage, lightens the load of depression, and reminds us that our love cannot be broken by the disease. Being a navigator means venturing out into the unknown and without the certainty of a happy ending or even the reduction of pain. Facing, together, many of these horrors, makes my emotions a bit stronger and, I know, strengthens him as the road continues without a road map. Navigation is critical for the survival of people's emotions and the logistics of managing a very difficult disease. The lessons from my personal experience mirror the realities of Cincinnati. The gap of isolation, confusion, false suggestions, and medical avoidance must be changed and filled out in a different way by navigators. We continue down this path, helped by many friends, and agencies, and toward the development of a realistic expectation for all cancer patients: you will have a friend, an ally, a comanager, and a critical person we call a "navigator." ------------------------ will gestures are important in building a trusting relationship. Then there is still the question of eminent domain to seize the right-ofway for the pipeline. Compensation does not mitigate the fact that the right-of-way would restrict the use of your land. The effect is worse if you have a relatively small lot. This may mean that you will not be able to build the addition to your house or the garage that you want. (Continued on page 10) �e 8 NATIONAL Art Exhibit Inspired by the #BlackLivesMatter Movement F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 9 GRETCHEN MARIE SEMANCIK O n February 3, an exhibit at the Carnegie Center for Art and History, New Albany, IN, opened called “#BlackArtMatters”. The exhibit was born out of the Black Lives Matter movement, and features the talents and values of local and national African American artists. The curator of the center and organizer of the exhibit is Daniel Pfalzgraf. Pfalzgraf became the curator of the Carnegie Center for Art and History two years ago, and this is the first exhibit he has put together there. Contributing Writer Pfalzgraf says he was inspired to put an exhibit like the “#BlackArtMatters” exhibit together because, from previous work he has done as a curator, he noticed there was an underrepresentation of African American artists in the area. The artists featured are Ray Dalton, Stephen Flemister, Robyn Gibson, Natasha Giles, Christina Long, Fahamu Pecou, LaNia Roberts, Dread Scott, Scheherazade Tillet, and Shawn Michael Warren. Pfalzgraf says he “feels more inspired by connecting with the artists through working with them on the exhibit” about sharing their lives, stories, and values. Many of the artists are nationally known and come from all around the country. Artist Dread Scott, who works in ranges of media like performance, photography, installation, screenprinting and video, who is known for his 1989 installation called “What is the Proper Way to Display a U.S. Flag?” Pfalzgraf, also, wished to include regional artists Robyn Gibson, Natasha Giles, and LaNia Roberts. Gibson, a 2014 graduate from the University of Louisville, was one of the first artists asked to be a part of the exhibit. For fear of the exhibit being looked at as an exhibit specifically for Black History Month, Pfalzgraf says he didn’t want to open the show in February, but due to the availability of the space in the Carnegie, it was Images from the #BlackArtMatters Exhibit Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED the earliest he could open the show or else he would have had to wait until December. Since the exhibits opening on Friday night, February 3, Pfalzgraf says the show has received an “overwhelmingly positive reaction”. Sculptor Ed Hamilton, residing in Louisville, KY, and most famous for “The Spirit of Freedom” memorial in Washington D.C., and Nicole Yates, president of the New Albany branch of the NAACP, checked out the exhibit. The permanent exhibits that are at the Carnegie are the “George W. Morrison Gallery”, “Remembered: The Life of Lucy Higgs Nichols”, and “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage: Men and Women of the Underground Railroad”. The “#BlackArtMatters” exhibit is open until April 8, 2017. �WORLD Europe of the future: the people behind Germany’s experimental village 9 No. 349 | F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 BENJAMIN LAUFER T he plot for a new Europe is just 100km from Hamburg. You can get there by train from the city in less than two hours. On arrival, you only have to walk a short distance from Hitzacker Station to reach the large meadow where the 21st century experimental plot is located. “Europe will be as attractive as we make it,” says Sonja Deuter as we walk around the 55,000m2 plot. Her co-operative has purchased the land on which to an entire village and vision of a new Europe will be built on. Planned is housing for refugees, families and the elderly who will live together and have equal rights. “There won’t be any fences,” adds Sonja enthusiastically. “The main principle is community.” A community already exists, even before the first sod has been cut. Twelve of its members are sitting in the evening sun in front of the train station. The Construction Team discusses the prototype for the residential buildings planned to be built on the green meadow. Which type of windows will be used? Can the apartments on the first floor be obstacle free… and affordable? Courtesy of Hinz&Kunzt / INSP.ngo further 100 have expressed interest. Democratically, every member can have a say on the creation of the village. Decisions are first taken Clay builder Stefan Neumann demonstrates what the experimental village will look like. Credit: Lena Maja Wˆhler in a working party, and then in the larger plenary. It’s a real challenge says Frank. “This planning is more time-consuming than it is for a block Mara and Sabrina don't have much money, but can still afford to move into the village. Credit: Lena Maja Wˆhler “It’s a matter of trying to calculate every clip, nail and gutter with this house,” explains Hamburg architect Frank Gutzeit to the group. It’s an important process as all the houses will be built using this model. A total of 100 housing units are planned for 300 people. There are currently 80 members in the co-operative and a cost should be 4.90 euro per square metre (service charges not included e.g. heating and hot water). Government offices will cover the new village in Hitzacker must contribute 13,500 euros. Land, electricity cables, roads – it all costs money. “I can’t afford to join the project without support,” says 34-year old Maria Stöckemann. Since successfully completing cancer treatment, this single mother has been living on unemployment benefits and desperately wants to move from her anonymous block of flats. “There are a lot of people here of rented apartments,” he says. “But it’s worth the effort. We discover new construction methods and the users are more involved.” The main challenge is the fact many of intended villagers have very little money. Yet no one has stated that an apartment will be unaffordable. The maximum rental the costs for asylum seekers and unemployed members. An essential element is that construction materials must to be sustainable and sourced who want to make that possible for us,” she says. “They are incredibly strong.” Enough money has been contributed into a solidarity fund to Omid Kuhestani had to leave Afghanistan when the Taliban threatened his family. He's building himself a new home in Hitzacker. Credit: Lena Maja Wˆhler from the local region. Sonja says, “We have to make a significant contribution ourselves to make it possible for others to live here. There is another financial hurdle in addition to the construction costs; everyone who wants to move into THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED make it possible for people like Maria to live here. Around 88,000 euros has been collected in total. Omid Kuhestani will also benefit from the fund. The 23-yearold Afghan arrived in nearby (Continued on page 11) �10 Lots of Protests These Days T WORLD F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 9 JUSTIN JEFFRE Staff Writer here have been a lot of protests nationally, around the world and locally ever since President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. On January 21, there was the Women’s March on Washington – and across the nation. Police estimated at least 10,000 marched here in Cincinnati. On January 30, hundreds gathered to protest President Trump’s Muslim ban and support City Hall’s call to make MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 7) Businesses may not be able to expand as planned. A close-up of the route shows that the pipeline would take dozens of unexpected twists and Citizens gather to protest President Trump's Muslim ban and to support City Hall's call to make Cincinnati a Sanctuary City. Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Signs at Washington Park Cincinnati a Sanctuary City. President Trump is now saying there maybe consequences for that decision. He’s threatening to pull federal funding. On February 3, there was a protest at City Hall over the nomination of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. On Wednesday February 8, there was a protest at Fountain Square because the Army Corp of Engineers has granted the easement to begin drilling in North Dakota on Treaty land. Following the rally there was a march to the Federal Building where the Army Corp of Engineers has an office. turns in a way that is perhaps best described as “gnarly.” It is certainly not even close to a straight route. Again, why? Were there engineering factors involved or was this again the result of influence? There is no way to tell from the material that Duke provided. I do want to discuss the situation of overall natural gas supplies, but that will be in another article. For now, here are the main websites for both sides on the pipeline: Duke Energy’s website on the pipeline is: https://www.duke-energy.com/ home/natural-gas/central-corridorpipeline-ext The website for the main opposition group is: www.NOPEcincy.org Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 349 | F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 BENJAMIN LAUFER 11 LOCAL (Continued from page 9) Dannenberg in 2010 after fleeing from the Taliban. He has since trained as a bricklayer in Hamburg and can’t wait to get to work in Hitzacker. “You can just get involved and make your own suggestions,” he says. Omid admits he’d like to live in the village with his parents and siblings one day. “We’re going to build the village and I’ll get my high-school diploma and go to university,” he says confidently. He’d like to become an architect, like his father, and has already completed an internship with Frank Gutzeit. Later, Omid sits in the large plenary session with Sonja, Frank, Maria and 30 other members of the cooperative. This group has already hatched a lot of very impressive plans since the idea of a multicultural, intergenerational village emerged last year. The timeline is ambitious: DR. MARK MUSSMAN (Continued from page 5) Friend: “We couldn’t even get in to the club tonight – the bouncer was being so lame!” Me: “Wow, that’s no good – but that’s not the word I would use to describe the bouncer.” Friend: “What do you mean?” Me: “Ok, let me explain. You used the word ‘lame’ but you probably mean something like ‘strict’ or ‘selective’ or even ‘difficult”, but using ‘lame’ can be seen as an insult to someone with disabilities.” Friend (feeling offended): “Well, I didn’t mean it that way!” In an attempt to save face, the friend looks up “lame” in the dictionary and tries to make some statement about how there is one definition that doesn’t have to do with disabilities. After awhile, it became obvious that policing people’s language isn’t going to be productive, mainly because of mass media’s effect on us. If you turn on almost any TV show, you will hear, crazy, insane, lame, etc. JUSTIN JEFFRE (Continued from page 2) solutions to eradicating them. (Please contact Dr. Mark Mussman at 513421-7803 x 14 or markmussman@ cincihomeless.org if you know of any schools or organizations that might be interested in our programs.) The Homeless Coalition does grassroots community organizing. To give you a few examples in recent years, we helped organize many protests against Western & Southern when they were trying to push the Anna Louise Inn out of the downtown business district. While W&S prevailed, we believed the added pressure from the public forced them to give Cincinnati Union Bethel a better deal for the construction of a The construction team discusses how to keep costs down on the sustainable plans for the village. Credit: Lena Maja Wˆhler construction started at the end of 2016, with the first house due to be ready to live in by July 2017. The rest should be completed by the end of 2018. Is there any doubt that this vision of Europe will really come to fruition in Hitzacker? “None whatsoever,” says Sonja. Translated from German to English by Johanna McCalmont / Translators Without Borders over and over. You can’t even watch the news without hearing these words used to describe inane and mundane things. This isn’t to say that we should abandon our language conventions altogether, but it offers us an opportunity to be more clear in our language. One of my co-workers has one of the most impressive vocabularies – in that they are able to list off synonyms of any word you throw at them. By pointing out the misuse of the term of “insane” this coworker was able to rattle off about 10 synonyms in about 20 seconds: “incomprehensible” “astounding” “unbelievable” “loose” “inconceivable” etc. So, it’s clear that we have the vocabulary, so why do we still use these offensive words? We are tremendously lazy when it comes to our language use. Most Americans use less that 300 distinct words in their vocabularies. This limits us and ultimately, limits our future generations. If we can not model for them proper and ambitious language usage, our collective vocabulary will diminish. But more importantly, if we are unable to detangle these words from our accepted linguist repertoire, we lead them in a direction that alienates and inadvertently hurts people. I have no idea what Katie is doing these days. We lost contact after graduation, but I can guarantee that she was well aware of the language we used in describing her. Whether this had an impact on her, I may never know, but I know that when I turn on the TV or hear people using these words, it has a huge impact on me. I try to be forgiving, but it says more about the individual using the word than the person/thing/event to which it refers. Our community in college purportedly was close-knit, but how close were we when we participated in such egregious behavior? Today, schools participate in NoName-Calling Week and other events to point out how damaging this form of bullying can be to the school’s fabric. When I hear name-calling I think about James Baldwin’s quote and what does it say about someone who uses “crazy” or “insane” or even “lame,” etc. incessantly. What does it say about a society that not only allows these words to float around the ether, but also rewards people for using them? Just one last note about the word “little” which is used to devalue the importance of certain things and events. On February 1st, the Republican President took a few moments to say something about Black History Month. The content of the speech is offensive and degrading on so many levels, but the first thing that hit me the most when I read the speech, was how the word “little” was used to describe the Black History Month breakfast ceremony. Whether intentional or not, the word “little” clearly defined the value of Black History to the current administration. “Well, this is Black History Month, so this is our little breakfast, our little get-together.” One word can reveal all. James Baldwin (1963) concluded: “The only way to get through life is to know the worst things about it. I know that a person is worth more than anything else – anything else. I’ve learned this because I had to learn it. But you still think, I gather, that the “negro” is necessary – well it is unnecessary to me, so it must be necessary to you. I give you your problem back.” new Anna Louise Inn building. More recently we helped organize tenants that are dealing with an out of town slum lord. With the assistance of Legal Aid and the City of Cincinnati the buildings have now been put into receivership and an independent management company is working to address many of the problems. There’s still much work to do in that area. Due to our advocacy work we’ve been able to get increases to the health and human services budget which helps provide much needed funding for our many membership organizations that do direct services. This is after many years of cuts to those services We worked with city council to add people experiencing homelessness to our city’s hate crimes legislation in order to create stiffer penalties for people who attack those they perceive as being homeless because and vulnerable. That made Cincinnati the third city in the nation to have this type of legislation. One thing most people probably don’t know about us is that we are essentially a small post office. Thousands of people that don’t have an address in our area use our address and get their mail here. We also let people use our phone to make calls. For many trying to get a job, find housing, or some other type of service, this is very important. Recently we’ve worked with the city to create an employment pipeline for those experiencing homelessness and seeking employment. Of course there’s also our Streetvibes program where our distributors buy this paper for 75 cents and sell it for a $2 donation, empowering them to earn much needed income. These are just some of the things that we do. On page 4 you can read about some of the other things we’ve been up to recently. The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition doesn’t take any government funding. We rely upon the generosity of private donors like you. If you would like to help us with our mission to eradicate homelessness, please consider making a donation at cincihomeless. org or sending a check to the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition at 117 E. 12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Thank you for your support! THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED ------------------------ �12 Happiness BOBBY MORRIS I Contributing Writer was once asked what makes me Happy? I gave the appropriate answers, Family, a good job, and my health. At the time, I would have said that was an honest answer, but it wasn’t. Happiness to me has been an illusion. I thought being with a certain person made me happy, working with close friends made me happy, STREET VOICE having money in my pocket made me happy. NO!! I haven’t been truly happy in years. I don’t know what makes me happy. I know what doesn’t, and that is something I work very hard on every day to stay away from. I have been looking at my past for those truly happy occasions. The one that sticks out the most. Is being their when my twin nieces were born. I became an uncle that day and 2 months later I was off to serve my country. I was the first in my family to see those two girls and I could have F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 9 cried, (I didn’t, MEN DON’ T CRY). Today those girls are raising their own families and I am proud of them. Talked to a friend today about happiness, he told me where he gets his happiness. It’s within his heart. His Faith brings him happiness and that is all that matters. I have searched my own heart for that happiness and it’s their I know it. I believe over time I will be able to feel it more prominently as I grow in my Faith. Speaking of Faith. I always had some sort of Faith but I never actually relied on it like I do now. I have Faith that my life will get better, I have Faith that no matter what I will always get my needs met. I have Faith that I was put here on this earth for a Purpose. What that Purpose is I am waiting for that to be revealed to me. It may have already been revealed, but I am not ready to see or understand it. You see by that, I HAVE FAITH! So back to the “What makes me Happy Question”? Today it’s knowing that I don’t have to walk this earth alone or for that matter ever feel lonely. I am Happy knowing that. And that my friends, “IS FAITH”!! Here’s to 2016 LEE MCCOY W Contributing Writer ow, 2016. What a year you had been and I’m glad you’re now history. Some of our greatest artists have been laid to rest. Thank God their songs and accomplishments will live on forever. Here’s a list of the best of my ability and if I omitted anyone (I’m sure I will) please forgive me. You ever hear a song and it just stays in your head? Or you sing it all day. Or maybe you were with somebody and every time you hear that song memories are just embedded in your head and heart. Thank God the music lives on forever. In 2016 we saw police kill so many people all over this nation. It was caught on camera and yet no police officers have been convicted of these crimes even when a jury can watch it happen. Real talk now people, even Stevie Wonder can see they are guilty, yet they walk. The home team really took it on the chin. The Reds came in last place, but they got rid of their better players. I guess they got what they wanted, your money, huh. The Bengals really disappointed us in so many games they had a chance to win, but they found a way to lose. But if you are like me, you will still say ‘Who Dey’. We will see what 2017 brings. “Breakdown Stereotypes” “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �13 STREET VOICE No. 349 | F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 ON ALTERNATIVE FACTS Orange Barrels Orange Barrels, Orange Barrels They’re everywhere Kellyanne Conway got caught in a lie, But Trump's advisor slyly made this reply. Each day the construction workers are there She said the press should show more tact, Putting up the construction signs By calling her falsehood an alternative fact. Placing Orange Barrels all around BILL WOODS Contributing Writer From block to block, from street to street HOME ALONE I feel so blessed that being homeless for me has ceased Construction work is on the streets Ceased meaning yesterday looking at today, I still pray for peace So just sit down and take a seat I just knew being home alone, finally after living on the street with a slide Orange Barrels are what you’re gonna see KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer That I could finally rest with my memories and let my spirit glide I've learned that being home alone doesn't always make one happy Especially, to wake up to the reality that the world you live in actually is crappy I hear a security guard involved in the death of a young man I hear for double murder you get twenty-five years in this land! I find myself after all is said and done, I'm lonely, bored, behind the times or missing people I need to be able to talk, enjoy, laugh, respecting history with loud chimes on the steeples I've learned in order to a make a change it takes some serious work and a lot of effort for me I've learned that I cannot change people, I must take the challenge to change myself you see I 've learned to keep my spirit clean for only God knows the truth there is NO DOUBT I'm learning to be honest with myself and living my life is what it's all about For everyone needs to be aware, rather it be now or later that the CONSCIENCE KILLS Whether you be good or bad to live in denial just listen your conscience will get you… YOU JUST BE STILL! WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 118 Across 1. Acute 6. Remain 10. Fake 14. Quibble 15. Undulation 16. Counterbalance used to obtain net weight 17. Olfactory sensation 18. Being 20. Novel 21. Roman god of love 23. Correct 24. Throw forcefully 25. Male offspring 26. Misprints 29. Singing voice 31. Beer 34. Rodent 35. Weirdo 36. Hawaiian garland 37. Look with amorous intentions 38. Slumber 39. Preside over 40. Golf accessory 41. Walk stealthily 42. Hew 43. Make a mistake 44. Insect between larva and adult 45. Rag 46. For each 47. Open river valley 48. Jewelled headdress 51. Fervid 53. Joke 56. Musical instrument 58. Danger 60. Maize 61. Not in favor of 62. Transparency mounted in a frame 63. Leg joint 64. Ray 65. Frequently Down 1. Make a wide, sweeping search of 2. Leporid mammal 3. Affirm solemnly 4. Flange 5. Appease 6. Cleared with a brush 7. Cab 8. Esurient 9. Affirmative 10. Beer mug 11. Suspend 12. Curved masonry construction 13. Encounter 19. Cavalry unit 22. Country, initially 24. Portable container 25. Pace 26. Represent 27. Pirate flag, Jolly ___ 28. Measuring stick 29. Sports venue 30. Edible plant, related to the onion 31. Warning 32. Depart 33. Kind of duck 35. Small metal fastener 38. Disparaging remark 39. Tardy 41. Lance 42. Sea nymph (Mythology) 45. Bitumen 46. Having a tendency 47. Coarse durable cotton fabric 48. Stable gear 49. Graphic symbol 50. Land measure 51. Amercement 52. 9th letter of the Greek alphabet 53. Fortitude and determination 54. Auxiliary 55. Narrow secluded valley 57. Light touch or stroke 59. Fairy F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 34 9 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 248 - MEDIUM PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 343 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 117 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 247- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �RESOURCES No. 349 | F e b 10 - F e b 2 3, 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 557-2873 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 Salvation Army 762-5660 131 E. 12th Street 45202 1125 Bank Street 45214 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelter: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Shelterhouse 721-0643 2121 Vine Street 45202 411 Gest St. 45203 Prospect House 921-1613 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Starting Over 961-2256 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Parkway Center 661-4620 First Step Home 961-4663 Shelter: Youth 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Interfaith Hospitality Network 15 Northern Kentucky 241-2965 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Food/Clothing Hamilton/Middletown Joseph House (Veterans) 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Housing: Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both 471-1100 Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY 859-491-8303 ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary 859-491-3335 859-572-6202 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 Health Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 961-0600 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 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 10-February 23, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Who We Are, What We DO Pg 3: Duke Defends Pipeline Pg 4: GCHC Pg 5: Making Sense of Our Two Selves Language Matters Pg 6: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 7: Cancer Navigation at Stage 4 Pg 8: Art Exhibit Inspired by the #BlackLivesMatter Movement Pg 9: Europe of the Future Pg 10: Lots of Protests These Days Pg 11: Benjamin Laufer Continued Pg 12: Here’s to 2016 Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 10-February 23, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Michael Earl Patton Key Beck Dr. Mark Mussman Steve Sunderland Gretchen Marie Semancik Bobby Morris Lee McCoy Kim Green Bill Woods Willa Denise Jones Daulton King Duke Energy Wikipedia YouTube Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Bill Woods Black Lives Matter Bobby Morris Daulton King Dr. Mark Mussman Duke Energy Germany Gretchen Marie Semancik Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Key Beck Kim Green Lee McCoy Michael Earl Patton Protests Steve Sunderland Wikipedia Willa Denise Jones YouTube https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/9f284bcd26c1f8f2229dc407d0726714.pdf b62363123c703e7cf67a98ba0f796ef8 PDF Text Text February 24th - March 9th 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 31 (No. 350) advocating justice | Building community Shame in the City: Have We Confused Progress with status Quo?| 3 This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter INSIDE THIS ISSUE Forum Focused on Local Responses To What's Going On in Washington, D.C. | 2 Not Just My History, Our History| 5 Children's Kindness March| 8 Border Stories | 5 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: Only Vote for Candidates Who Will Fight for the End of Homelessness in Cincinnati JOSH SPRING H Executive Director omelessness is growing in Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Our Member Organizations are seeing growing numbers of single men and women as well as families with children. The need is so high among families with children that at least seventy percent of families seeking shelter assistance, receive no assistance. The Shelterhouse, between the women, men and winter shelter have been seeing over 400 people on recent nights. Families with children have come to the winter shelter with nowhere else to go. Last year the number of people who died because of homelessness was at an all-time high. All of this should be extremely alarming. But more than alarming, all of this must lead to action. As we enter election season in Cincinnati, both for city council and for the mayor, we must make homelessness and affordable housing key issues. Any candidate that does not eagerly show plans for fighting homelessness through housing is not worth considering. Any candidate who can know that single adult shelters are over capacity, youth shelter does not have enough room and that at most only thirty percent of families with children without a home receive assistance - and not address homelessness and housing as a major issue and crisis is not worthy of support. If a candidate says they plan to fight poverty but does not commit to fighting for affordable housing, they are either lying or don’t consider people without homeless human enough to be worth fighting alongside. If a candidate says they plan to lessen child poverty but does not commit to a strategic plan to build affordable housing, it is simply a publicity stunt. If a candidate says they plan to improve the city’s economy, but don’t commit to fighting for an end to homelessness, then they don’t believe people without homes are a part of the city’s economy. Please go to forums, write letters to the editor, speak at City Hall and ask candidates what they plan to do F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 0 to work for an end to homelessness in Cincinnati. Attend, participate, plan and organize rallies, demonstrations, protests demanding that this city fights to end homelessness. Talk with your friend, neighbors, family, co-workers and tell them to do the same. In short, don’t vote for or support any candidate that does not, through action and commitment show that they believe no girl, man, boy, woman or any other way a person may identify themselves should ever have to be without something as simple as a home. Don’t vote for anyone who does not show through action and commitment that they will work to end the days of children sleeping in shelters, cars, outside or on stranger’s couches. Don’t vote for anyone that tells you fixing problems like homelessness is about changing the attitudes, perspectives, commitment or choices of people experiencing homelessness. Don’t vote for anyone that acts out a belief that progress can include the displacement of people from their homes. Please, only support and vote for candidates whom you can honestly say believe homelessness is a systematic problem, with the systematic solution of affordable housing and that they are willing to fight for the end of homelessness no matter who stops liking, financing or supporting them because the lives of people demand such a fight and more. FORUM FOCUSED ON LOCAL RESPONSES TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN WASHINGTON, D.C. W hat are the local responses to Executive Orders and policy shifts now taking place in Washington, D.C.? At the February 16th Forum at Christ Church Cathedral, a panel described some of these local activities and events. Ismaeel Chartier, Imam of the Clifton Mosque, Brennan Grayson, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center, and Michelle Dillingham, Executive Director of Community Shares, comprised the panel. Imam Chartier led off the discussion with a personal message about how Trump's Executive Order and his other positions about Muslims and immigrants have impacted his life and the Muslim community in Cincinnati. He confided that his diverse Muslim community currently lives in fear, and that he has received seventy-five death threats since he publicly announced that the Clifton Mosque would serve as a sanctuary for people fearing deportation. He noted that his seven-year-old son has asked him questions like: "Why does BILL WOODS Contributing Writer the President hate me." The local response of Chartier and the Muslim community is to reach out to as many allies as possible. He pointed to the press conference at the Clifton Mosque where an interfaith group of congregations, including Christ Church Cathedral, announced their solidarity as "sanctuary spaces." In this time of fear and tension, the (Continued on page 11) Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Dr. Mark Mussman, Key Beck, Mark P. Painter, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Gretchen Marie Semancik, Robert Park, Ricardo Taylor, Bobby Morris, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones Photography/Artwork: Alice Schneider, Dr. Mark Mussman, Biography.com, Gretchen Marie Semancik, Bill Woods Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Imam Chartier leads discussion on Executive Orders and bans. Credit: Alice Schneider THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �LOCAL Shame in the City: Have we confused progress with status quo? 3 No. 350 | F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 DR. MARK MUSSMAN Between the years of 1934 and 1962, the United States federal government (FHA) issued more than 120 billion dollars in home ownership loans. These loans went to build the suburbs that we have today, and created much of the wealth that Americans enjoy today. If you grew up in a house, you most likely have these loans to thank for that. The loans enabled Americans to build wealth generationally and exponentially. People of color, regardless of economic status, were denied participation in the program through "redlining", which ultimately created a very uneven playing field. In redlining, lines were drawn (on maps) around nonwhite communities and federal Staff Writer poverty, we must also focus on concentrated wealth. The wealthy suburbs were created with restrictive covenants (forbidding the sale of property to non-whites), redlining, and de facto segregation. And none of this ended in the 1960’s – it continues today with banks that partcipate in discriminatory and illegal activity. It also continues in other places like the courthouse, retail outlets, credit cards, mortgages, health care, student loans, environmental racism (DAPL). Today, our federal expenditures are more directed to the support the housing secure, not the housing insecure. When Cincinnati's West End (Kenyon-Barr) neighborhood was When Cincinnati decided that we wanted a way to get to the new shiny (read white) suburbs more quickly so we decided to build a highway through the West End. Not the federal government, but us. We decided to tear down a whole neighborhood, almost exclusively African-American, without a real plan to deal with the displacement. Many were displaced to Avondale and other neighborhoods - most certainly to Over-the-Rhine. Recently, I hear people arguing that the gentrification taking place in Over-the-Rhine right now is just “progress.” It’s clear to me that they are confusing “progress” with “status quo.” Is it progress when powerful people throw people of color (and businesses are closed and storefronts are left vacant for years? Or is this just another way that power shows itself? As Over-the-Rhine shifts further into a bar and parking garage neighborhood, we must ask ourselves if the progress we are seeing is beneficial for our entire community, or is it just beneficial for someone else? As my neighbor put it yesterday – “Every time they build a parking lot, all it says is that we don’t care about the quality of life, about the health, about the environment, in our community.” She showed me how white flight hurts us all, and it seems to me, that sprawl is probably the biggest cumulative environmental catastrophe of the 20th Century. Since density is the future of city life, progress may be in the process of removing our grocery store from the neighborhood. This is where I get my cereal, milk, bread, produce, and snacks. This is where families in the neighborhood shop – mainly because the next closest grocery store is miles away, in Kentucky, and only Rear View of Incoming Condos on Vine with Kroger in background Construction Site on Vine and 15th across from Kroger Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman loans did not penetrate into those communities. Even as I write this, it seems like it was unintentional that people of color were left out of the loans, but redlining should be seen as completely intentional, because it was – less than 2% of the homeownership loans were given to people of color. When we talk about concentrated razed to the ground in the late 1950’s, residents were told to leave their homes. Here was a whole neighborhood, built from the ground up, by African-Americans – many of them had bought themselves and their families out of slavery – full of life, wealth - a truly mixed-use and mixed-income neighborhood. people in poverty) out into the street – or is this just the status quo? Is it progress when public goods (such as sidewalks, streets, parks, alleys, buildings, etc.) become privatized, or do we have enough of a grasp on neoliberalism to know that it is just the status quo of the late 20th Century? Is it progress when small accessible by highway. The demographics in Over-theRhine are changing dramatically, with new housing coming in for wealthy residents coupled with the wide-scale loss of low-income housing. The new residents, with (Continued on page 5) Side View of Incoming Condos on Vine with Kroger in background Sandwiched between two vacant buildings, the activity in front of Kroger Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 0 �5 LOCAL Not Just My History, Our History No. 350 | F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 KEY BECK Contributing Writer It pains me to think that we have let another year go by without truly acknowledging the significance of Black History. Although every February is designated Black History Month, I personally feel we move further away from recognizing its purpose. If you didn’t know, this month was created to highlight the impact the black Diaspora had on the world from inventions to cultural events. Black History Month started out as “Negro History Week,” and it was imagined by Carter G. Woodson and other African-Americans, such as minister Jesse E. Moorland. It wasn’t fully realized until 1976, when February was officially designated as Black History Month. When first introduced in 1976 by Carter G. Woodson and a number of prominent African Americans, the celebration was known as “Negro History Week.” This was a concerted effort of many to share the historical, social and cultural contributions of the marginalized Black Diaspora. It is important to note that since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. It is important to realize that just like many, if not all, of us get to benefit from the many contributions, we should all celebrate these efforts as well. Often, non-people of color feel this is a “black holiday,” but this is not the case. We cannot afford to ignore the efforts of the marginalized. We should value their findings, support their goals, and share with others what we learn. That means making sure your children understand about black history (the good and bad), sharing accurate information with DR. MARK MUSSMAN (Continued from page 3) their cars and parking garages, jump on the highway, cross the river, and shop at the Newport Kroger. This isn’t an option for many of us - nor should it be seen as a desirable one. Across Vine Street from our grocery store, Kroger, is where Smitty’s Men’s Fashions was before the fire. Now, there are a few buildings vacant and a few lots empty. Currently, there’s a fence around the sidewalk as another project gears up to fill the void with condos, shops, etc. Rumors started circulating late last year, after a Neighborhood Safety Meeting, where it is rumored to have been suggested by someone invested in the new development, that closing Kroger will deter undesirable street activity, such as drug dealing. To even suggest closing Kroger, our only grocery story, only to change what some people who don't live here (yet) will "see out their windows" when they move in, is a sobering example of the gentrification of Over-theRhine. That this would be seen as a others, and holding our officials responsible for continuing to highlight the lives of black people. In essence, I am saying there is not one way to celebrate Black History Month. There are many ways to show Black Lives Matter and provide recognition of one’s history and struggle is one of them. You could visit a local cultural museum, create an African-American Inventors collage or even read poetry from the Harlem Renaissance. Many schools and organizations plan programming and activities to celebrate the black history and the contributions made by black people. This celebration isn’t just a US thang either. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history. In fact, the United Kingdom first celebrated Black History Month 1987 thanks to the organized leadership of Ghanaian analyst Akyaaba Addai-Sebo. In Canada, Black History Month was officially recognized in December of 1995, following a motion introduced by the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament, the viable option for someone shows the disconnect between developers and community members. Displacement doesn’t require emotional labor. Displacement doesn’t require solutions. Displacement doesn’t require building bridges. Displacement is the status quo – it is not progress. So, before someone states that they are glad for the progress in Over-theRhine, remind them that progress is on the backs of more than 2300 low-income families who have been displaced out of the neighborhood in the last 15 years. This is on the backs of small business owners and nonprofits that have been pushed out. This is at the expense of the schools who lose money on new development tax abatements. That it is with the loss of public spaces. This progress may just be the powerful wringing what they can out of the powerless until they have had their fill. This is not progress in the true sense, but simply a continuance of the status quo – sustaining white supremacy. Honourable [sic] Jean Augustine, MP of Etobicoke-Lakeshore. In closing, there are many reasons why Black History Month should be important to all of us. Regardless of the fact that we wouldn’t have traffic lights (Garrett Morgan), modern elevators (Alexander Miles), ironing boards (Sarah Boothe), light bulb filament (Lewis Latimer), or many other inventions. It is important to show the role that black people have played to ensure this country is prosperous. We need to use this time to uplift the forgotten (or ignored) histories of people who help build this country. We need to highlight their role in shaping this democratic nation. With no James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin, Malcolm X or Martin Luther King would we even have this current United States of America? Probably, but I am sure it would be a lot less hospitable for many people of color. This is the opportunity to engage the community in the history of the people. As I stated earlier, many inventions today are directly influenced by the black inventors of the past (Eli Whitney – Cotton Gin, Sarah Goode – Folding Cabinet Bed, Granville T. Woods – Multiplex Telegraph and Charles Richard Drew – Blood Cells Separation). These are just a few of the contributions by African-Americans, so it pays to recognize the past to move forward. Carter G. Woodson Credit: Biography.com Want to see what's happening for yourself? Book a Social Justice Walking Tour with the Homeless Coalition - cincihomeless.org [Editor’s Note: On February 15, 2017, a member of the Kroger Media Relations/Corporate Communications Office confirmed that Kroger has no plans to close the store at this time. Over-theRhine Safety Sector meeting notes or minutes are not currently available.] ------------------------ View of Construction Site on Vine and 15th at former Smitty's Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �6 LOCAL F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 0 (Continued on page 12) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �OPINION Former Judge Painter: It’s Time to impeach Trump No. 350 | F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 [This editorial first appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer on February 14. Former Judge Mark P. Painter is a lifelong Cincinnatian. He served as a judge for 30 years.] A s Charles P. Pierce said in Esquire last week, “I swear, it's like we elected the Clampetts, if the Clampetts were grifters.” A president of the United States, on the official POTUS Twitter feed, assails a department store for dropping his daughter’s merchandise. On the same day, the Pentagon is looking to rent space in the Trump Tower. Trump’s son travels to Uganda to make a Trump business deal. And, of course, foreign diplomats will stay at the Trump Hotel. The cash comes marching in. The phony legalisms Trump has said he used to “separate” himself from his businesses – though he still owns them and his sons are running them – will be cited to make this all acceptable. Horsefeathers. No ethical expert could say with a straight face that this is not a classic conflict of interest. Take the news with you. MARK P. PAINTER Contributing Writer Download the Cincinnati.com app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. In any time except our postfactual era, no office holder, much less the president, could get away with any one of the dozens of dazzlingly illegal things Trump has already done. They would forfeit office immediately. The leader of the band of Mad Hatters occupying the White House has already insulted allied world leaders, issued illegal and badly written orders, impugned a “so-called” judge appointed by his own party, and appointed the least-qualified cabinet ever. The first secretary of state was Thomas Jefferson. Trump appointed a big-oil executive with close ties to Russia. The first treasury secretary was Alexander Hamilton. Trump appointed a former Goldman Sachs exec who got rich foreclosing on homeowners. The national security advisor lasted 24 days. And all that’s just at the time I write this. Who knows what happens next. Each new day is a new nightmare. We are still trying to digest one breathtaking assault on America when another is signed, issued, or Tweeted. All this amid constant lies. Constant. Lies. I am a lifelong Republican. I voted for every Republican presidential candidate from 1968 to 2004. But I have watched what once was a sane, center-right party go off the rails, first to the extreme right, then to wherever Trump is, which is in another universe. It’s tough, but we must end this dangerous presidency. Trump must be impeached and removed with all haste. But only Congress can initiate the process. Our congressman, Steve Chabot, has been busy defending Trump from the media, which is simply reporting Trump’s machinations. It’s time for him to man-up and start drafting the articles of impeachment. As I remember, he did it for Clinton for far less than Trump has already done. After the election, many hoped that Trump would “grow up” into the job – that he couldn’t possibly be as bad as some thought. Well, it’s gone the other way. The bully has become a more entitled bully. Anyone disagreeing is attacked. Policy is announced in illiterate tweets. 7 Basic American values – free speech, the rule of law, separation of powers, even common decency – are unknown in this White House. We now have a president who has no concept of separation of powers, or why we have three branches of government. If he knew anything about the Constitution, he would know the framers envisioned just the situation we have now – a would-be dictator. They provided checks and balances – such as an independent judiciary to protect us from presidential tyranny. Enabling a bully is always a mistake. As soon as the Tweet on Nordstrom’s came out, I said that the Republicans would defend the indefensible, and their talking point would be “a father supporting his daughter.” It wasn’t an hour later that Rep Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, told CNN it “didn’t bother him.” But even Chaffetz had to choke when Kellyanne Conway urged people to buy Ivanka Trump’s shoes. All the above bothers me and should appall all Americans. We must admit we have elected a president who has immediately proved himself to be a grifter, a pathological liar, a mean-spirited bully and dangerous to American values. This not-ready-forprime-time show is too dangerous to continue. America is at stake. If you need help drafting those articles of impeachment, Steve, I am available. Border Stories SR. NICOLE VARNERIN H Contributing Writer ello, my name is Sr. Nicole Varnerin and I am a Sister of Notre Dame in Covington, KY. I’m still in training, so that means I get to have some pretty neat experiences. This past year I spent every Thursday afternoon at the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition. I did whatever needed to be done, and made some friends along the way. But now it is time for my next experience. I feel called to be among and with people on the margins, which is why I volunteered with the Coalition this year. But in today’s world and today’s political climate, I feel like the physical border of our country is one of the biggest margins. So for the next 3 months, I will be living on the border, learning Spanish, and ministering with immigrants. Stay tuned for each new issue of Streetvibes where I will share my stories, lessons, and reflections with you. I’m sure I will learn a lot in the next 3 months, and I hope you will too! ------------------------ Coping with Stress In the Trump Era H ow do we cope with the stress caused by the actions and rhetoric of Donald Trump and his Administration? As many of you can attest, this is not a hypothetical question. Every day I seem to meet another person who is feeling stressed about what is happening in Washington, D.C.. They point to periods of stress during waking hours, and to difficulties sleeping at night. Now I must confess from the start that I don't possess any medical or other professional credentials to BILL WOODS Contributing Writer support the following suggestions, but they are based on personal experience or tips from friends and colleagues in the trenches. One suggestion that hasn't worked for me is to avoid all news, social media and personal conversations that deal with the world of Trump. For one thing, such avoidance is nearly impossible because of the current saturation of The Donald's brand. Every newspaper you pick up has at least one front page story with either a headline with the word Trump or a picture of him. Television is even worse! Secondly, for those of us involved with issues that are or will be effected by the actions of the Trump Administration or Congress, we simply must stay informed. The best we can do is not to overdose on the news. Too much time spent hearing everything there is to know about the Muslim travel ban or the plan to deregulate Wall Street will probably be bad for our health. People do need a few ways to totally escape from what's happening in D.C. on a daily basis. Scheduling THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED regular times for exercise can be very helpful. Whether it takes the form of jogging, long walks, or workouts in the gym, this activity can be good for the soul as well as the body. Others report that yoga and meditation can work wonders. Having a method of clearing the mind of everything including everything related to Trump can be cleansing for the spirit. For those of us who can't always get away from the happenings of the Trump era, humor is a necessity. Being able to laugh at the ranting and raving, the Tweets, and other outrageous behavior provides us with a healthy outlet for anger and (Continued on page 12) �8 LOCAL Children’s Kindness March P F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 0 GRETCHEN MARIE SEMANCIK Contributing Writer arents, children, and supporters gathered downtown on Fountain Square on Saturday, February 18, for the Children’s Kindness March. The demonstration began at 9 A.M. Organizers Sally Tookman O’Callaghan and Bill Hammons set up tables and brought supplies for any parents and children to make posters before that march began. The Play Library, an organization that acts as a “library” for loaning people of all ages toys and games, provided giant Jenga sets, hula hoops, free cookies, and other activities for children to partake in before the march began. Co-organizer Sally Tookman O’Callaghan said Hammons had reached out to her with this “idea of bringing people together in support of kindness”. “I have seen a lot of bullying and negativity happening recently. We felt like we needed to counteract that with something that was showing people that we could still be kind and nice to each other. We had the idea of bringing people together in a show of kindness. We used Mr. Rogers as an inspiration because I can’t think of anyone who is a better luminary for kindness than Mr. Rogers”, she said. A lot of people came and quickly crowded the corner of Vine Street and E. 5th St. of Fountain Square where the organizers were set up. Mayor John Cranley made an appearance with his family and gave a few words of his support for the spread of kindness. Miss Joanie brought her guitar and led group singing with the songs “This Land is Your Land”, “This Little Light of Mine”, “Three Little Birds” by Bod Marley, and “If I Had a Hammer” by Peter, Paul and Mary. The march fell in conjunction with National Random Acts of Kindness Week. National Acts of Kindness Week, in the United States is from February 12 – 18, it’s a week that was inspired by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is an internationally recognized, New Zealand based non-profit organization founded on the beliefs and goals of spreading acts of kindness within schools and throughout communities. By 10 A.M., supporters began their march, starting at Fountain Square and making their way to Smale Park. On the banks, supporters gathered around the “Sing the Queen City” sign and held up their posters for a final declaration of kindness. The march had no political objective, but rather just aimed to be a day of spreading kindness, compassion, and love. ------------------------ Organizers Sally Tookman O’Callaghan and Bill Hammons with Mayor John Cranley. Children's Kindness March sign with Mr. Rogers. Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Children's Kindness March participants on Fountain Square. Children's Kindness March participants walk through downtown. Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik “Breakdown Stereotypes” “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �WORLD Four famines mean 20 million may starve in the next six months 9 No. 350 | F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 TOM MILES M ore than 20 million people – greater than the population of Romania or Florida – risk dying from starvation within six months in four separate famines, U.N. World Food Programme chief economist Arif Husain says. Wars in Yemen, northeastern Nigeria and South Sudan have devastated households and driven up prices, while a drought in east Africa has ruined the agricultural economy. “In my not quite 15 years with the World Food Programme, this is the first time that we are literally talking about famine in four different parts of the world at the same time,” he told Reuters in an interview. “It’s almost overwhelming to comprehend that in the 21st century people are still experiencing famines of such magnitude. We’re talking about 20 million people, and all this within the next six months, or now. Yemen is now, Nigeria is now, South Sudan is now,” he said. “Somalia, when I look at the indicators in terms of extremely high food prices, falling livestock prices and agricultural wages, it’s going to come pretty fast.” The global humanitarian system is already struggling with a historic surge in migration, huge operations in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, and serious situations in Ukraine, Burundi, Libya and Zimbabwe. “Then you have places like DRC Courtesy of Reuters / INSP.ngo Saida Ahmad Baghili, 18, sits next to her relative at the al-Thawra hospital where she receives treatment for severe acute malnutrition in the Red Sea port city of Houdieda, Yemen October 25, 2016. Credit: REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad northeast Nigeria we’re feeding more than 1 million people and just a few months ago we didn’t even have an office there,” Husain said. There is a glimmer of hope that Somalia’s drought will not be as severe as feared, but in the capital Mogadishu food prices have already risen by a quarter since January and forecasts for the rainy season from March to May are not optimistic. Saida Ahmad Baghili, 18, who is affected by severe acute malnutrition, sits on a bed at the al-Thawra hospital in the Red Sea port city of Houdieda, Yemen October 24, 2016. Credit: REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad (Democratic Republic of Congo), CAR (Central African Republic), Burundi, Mali, Niger, where people are chronically food insecure but ... there’s just not enough resources to go around.” Humanitarian aid is at record high levels but demand is growing even faster, creating a huge gap. “In markets. But people have not been paid, especially the urban population, which is about a third of the total population,” Husain said. “Once they’ve lost their economic assets, it’s almost impossible for them to recover, and that just perpetuates long-term poverty.” Yemen is officially still classed as TOO LATE In 2011, Somalia suffered a famine that killed 260,000 people. The famine was declared in July, but most people had already died by May. “When we declare famine, it means many lives have already been lost,” Husain said. “If we wait to find that out for sure, people are already dead.” Moreover, the 2011 famine followed a good agricultural season. This year’s drought follows two bad seasons that have already sapped people’s resources. In Yemen and South Sudan, economic collapse means people simply cannot afford the food that is available. Prices in South Sudan have risen two to four times in a year, an “emergency”, but famine could be declared within about three months, Husain said. In Nigeria’s Borno state, where millions of people have fled Boko Haram militants, there is simply no commerce, no markets and no movement, leaving people dependent on emergency aid. “They survive outside in camps, Saida Ahmad Baghili, 18, is carried by her cousin at the al-Thawra hospital where she receives treatment for severe acute malnutrition in the Red Sea port city of Houdieda, Yemen October 25, 2016. Credit:REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad and traders from Uganda and Kenya consider the local currency valueless. Yemenis, whose family wealth may be stored in gold or silver or weapons, are being forced to sell off those assets. “I was in Yemen just a couple of weeks ago. There is food in the THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 50 degree Centigrade temperatures, living in huts with metal sheets on top, with one water point, with communal kitchens, with one meal per day,” Husain said. “And there’s no end in sight.” (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Tom Heneghan) �10 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 0 �OPINION The Great Disruption No. 350 | F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 N banks take a hit on their share of a devaluing house? Obama made war on terror permanent instead of asking why are terrorists out to get us. But there was an upside to this: people figured out that the system is rigged (actually years ago… and many stopped voting) but this time they finally did something about it: some of them voted and threw the bums out! Unfortunately, they got it wrong; without the collective wisdom of a party that they owned, that was involved in their daily lives, that spoke for them, to them, and from them, a lot of people made a really bad choice. Making matters worse, the Democratic Party made sure they didn’t have a good alternative choice (that would be Bernie, of course, who was speaking directly to the concerns of Trump voters). If the Democratic Party hadn’t sabotaged Bernie Sanders’ campaign, we’d have a different President and we’d be fighting different battles right now, the right battles: climate change, universal healthcare, student debt, infrastructure/not war. In 1980 there were 18.9 million manufacturing jobs; now there are 12.2 million. In 1980 it took 25 jobs to generate $1 million in manufacturing output; today it takes 5 jobs, and U.S. manufacturing output has increased (see Bernie’s book). Productivity has increased enormously thanks to automation and the profit-driven innovation in information technology (IT). What about trade and immigration? After NAFTA 100,000s of Mexicans lost their farms; they couldn’t compete with subsidized environmentally unsustainable U.S. corporate corn production. When pork imports into Mexico increased 5-fold, 120,000 Mexican lost their jobs. This is a pattern, not an accident: global Capital (World Bank, International Monetary Fund, private banks) likes to force peasants off the land into low wage urban jobs or cheap farm labor in “advanced” economies. After NAFTA and the China trade deal, millions of manufacturing jobs evaporated from America (that was the whole idea). What fair global trade would do (not Trump’s “fair trade”) is improve the situation for workers in both the advanced and developing economies, enforcing strong labor standards defending workers’ rights and tough environmental regulations. How could that work? Well, right now the World Trade Organization, created by and for Capital, gets rid of national regulations that impede profits (that create “unfair” disadvantages). They (the global enforcers) vigorously enforce intellectual property rights of global corporations (software, patents, telecom, music, movies). Assessing worker’s rights in other countries through trade agreements would not be a huge challenge except for the problem that many of these rights are absent for U.S. workers (e.g., organizing unions without employer repression, guaranteeing democratic procedures in unions). They could enlist community and labor organizations around the world to report on bad conditions. They could put the CIA on labor violations instead of targeting Hellfire missiles on pathetic misguided troublemakers. This would greatly reduce the incentives for corporations to export jobs. Some companies are already bringing jobs back because foreign labor isn’t so cheap any more. So there are two major forces driving modern Capital: 1) efficiencies from automation and IT (disruptions), and 2) weak regulation in the global market for cheap labor and environmental destruction. But there’s another problem: we’re spending money on the wrong things. $600 billion a year goes to defense to clean up after decades of wrong foreign policies. Trump wants to spend more. They want to spend one trillion dollars (that’s a million millions) over 10 yr to upgrade our nuclear weapons! How sick is that? it’s like the run-up to WW I when competing elites fought over issues that had no relevance to working peoples, with catastrophic and predicted consequences… including WW II. We’re spending billions on IT gadgetry (cellphone apps to turn on our oven, start our car, drive our car, scan our neighborhood, stream our entertainment, stream our life), on drones (a whole new front for wacked-out terrorists - if FedEx can deliver a package, then, they can too), on massively wasteful private medical insurance, on colonizing the moon, on sending billionaire tourists to Mars. We should be spending money on our urban environments, growing good food locally, energy efficiency. This means changing the price structure: huge taxes on things we don’t need and huge subsidies for GETTING TO the things we do need. Taking our future out of the hands of the IT dot.coms, big ag, big pharma and the hedge funds. Big money. This is a huge challenge for the environmental movement which must address the fundamental needs and interests of the working class, otherwise, it’s all over. We can forget the environment. (Here’s another great book: This Changes Everything, Naomi Klein, 2015.) Environmentalists have to become the conservation contingent in a larger Movement. Example: after Trump revived the XL and DAPL pipelines, there were environmentalists in the media giving reasons why there shouldn’t be jobs for pipelines instead of reasons why there should be jobs for lots of other things (mass transit, storm water management, schools, sustainable energy, etc.). For example, in Cincinnati, the Metropolitan Sewer District project to get sewage out of our public places, including basements, needs to be part of a larger vision for the immigrant workers that his organization serves also feel under attack. However, they are bolstered by and appreciate the support of the rallies and demonstrations that have already taken place in front of City Hall and in Washington Park. So many people coming together, he said, surely had an impact on the Mayor and Council declaring Cincinnati a "sanctuary city." Imagine, he speculated, if everyone had remained quiet and passive after announcements such as Trump's Executive Order banning Muslims from seven countries. In this often confusing, disturbing and unpredictable time in our public life, he concluded, it is important that citizens are willing to come together and speak out for the public values and ideals that have protected this country and made it a beacon of hope. Panelist Michelle Dillingham celebrated the fact that 10,000 people had gathered in Washington Park as part of the national women's marches taking place in Washington, D.C. and in cities across the country on January 21st. Coming as it did a day after Trump's Inauguration, it showed the huge opposition organized to protect the rights of women and every other group and progressive policy that seemed to be endangered by the incoming Administration. Dillingham noted that she saw many of her friends and colleagues who were part of the large crowd gathered in Over-the-Rhine. Dillingham, who directs a coalition of diverse non-profit organizations, said that in recent years personnel of human service agencies were trained to be nonpolitical and to focus on delivering their expertise. Before the growth of the hundreds of social services that now exist and are often financed by federal, state, and local dollars, social workers were in the political trenches fighting for the protection of children and health care for the poor. What now is going on in Washington, D.C., suggested Dillingham, requires social workers to return to their early roots. Dillingham is working to make Community Shares, because of its membership of diverse social services, a coalition that will help effectively organize the demonstrations and other public activities necessary to protect "the safety net" and people's rights in general. So much is going on locally, she advocated that Community Shares and other groups create calendars' of events on their web-sites to let activists plan ahead. She concluded by citing an article in The Nation that advised that the local and state levels are now the best places to organize against the reactionary policies that are being concocted in the nation's capital. ROBERT PARK Contributing Writer ot very many years after the Great Recession came the Great Disruption – the election of Donald Trump – with the potential to wreak dramatic, unpredictable changes in America. Most of the titans of the digital universe, the guys that pride themselves on disruption, ha, ha, didn’t see it coming (they were rooting and booting for Hillary). These are the guys that love to destroy jobs (automation), traditions (local retail stores) and lives. But why did Trump win? Was it because of Russian meddling? No. Because the FBI screw-up? No. Was it the result of the Electoral College running interference? No. All these happened but no, he won because the Democratic Party long ago abandoned any pretence of fighting for the Working Class against Capital. A recent amazing book entitled Capital in the Twenty-first Century (by the French economist Thomas Piketty, 2014) laid out the progression of policies and practices on the part of private wealth and their public servants that resulted in the massive and growing concentration of wealth among the global billionaire class. Hillary Clinton and Clinton Inc. were leading the charge for modern Capital in America, but the people saw through it and it failed. It didn’t help that Obama gave the banks a pass after enormous losses to homeowners, small businesses, and pensions (he said “We’re not gonna look back, we’re going to get the system working again”). According to Bernie Sanders (in his book, Our Revolution, 2016): after the meltdown there were 15 million foreclosures and 4.3 million homeowners are still underwater, a huge wrenching assault on the American people. Why don’t the BILL WOODS (Continued from page 2) Imam also depicted the coming together of Muslims and Jews. He has established a strong bond with Hebrew Union College, an institution that also experienced an example of the newly unleashed prejudice when a swastika was drawn on one of its buildings shortly after the November election. These coalitions of churches, synagogues, mosques and other progressive groups offer hope that people of good will will stand up to and eventually prevail over the prejudicial and fear producing policies and actions coming from the current Administration. We must foster the public response, emphasized the Imam, that if you are under attack then I am under attack. Brennan Grayson of CIWI applauded the words of Imam Chartier. He declared that the 11 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED (Continued on page 12) �12 T STREET VOICE Living like you get down: You’ve heard it! Um; as well as I! he solutions and, or, the remedy for all of our discomforts, or, ills if you will! Yet from a sense of reality, we don’t all have the same issues. However, and I am sure of this! My issues are as confronting, confounding, and pressing as yours! The solutions/remedies for some relief or, alleviation from such are within! Now, if you have a sense of confusion about what I’ve said, then read on. You can then contemplate all your complaints. I have learned and realized, as much as most that many of my life’s discomforts are from myself! It’s like the old misnomer; “you hurt my feelings.” Well, the truth, be as it is, no one, nor any instance can hurt I Am Enough BOBBY MORRIS Contributing Writer I saw these words on a computer screen and it got me to thinking. Am I Enough? This statement was made based upon having feelings of being unworthy, shameful, and fearful. I live with these feelings daily. I’m not saying I am unique in having these feelings but for me being in Recovery, these feelings at sometimes are debilitating. They put me in a tailspin that I find very hard to pull myself out of. Not feeling that “I AM ENOUGH”, ROBERT PARK (Continued from page 11) future (parks, green spaces, public recreation, public connectivity) built with training programs for local residents leading to living wages and union labor. We have to create that vision; public officials aren’t going to do it for us. Building the Movement that we need means supporting the $15 minimum wage for all employment public and private, promoting local organic farming (attracting people back to the land with modern, relevant technology and innovation) and building the things we need. It means creating funding pathways that claw back obscene wealth using BILL WOODS (Continued from page 8) frustration, and it also levels the playing field and makes Trump and his colleagues beatable. Luckily, we have a lot of humorists out there who are dedicating themselves to making a laughing stock of The Donald and his Administration. Check out Alec Baldwin's impersonation of Trump on Saturday Night Live. Stephen Colbert regularly F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 0 we the people who live the life of the street are burdened with the ideas and beliefs of others to the degree that we subject ourselves to those ideas and beliefs, as if, this is my plight! That written in stone fallacy that this is how it is and I must accept it as such! Indeed, so preposterous, to accept some of the ills of life without question or reserve of the possibility of change! For many of the street people this seems to be the crux of their existence. Not striving for change or relief in their lives, but, being complacent with the way things are, because, this is how things are!? The argument is; do I have to accept that reality, or can I make a change? An individual has to take charge of their circumstance, seeking those relief points, rather they be in self attitude, or involvement with organizations/programs which offer solutions for those ills and discomforts. Now, I understand and believe that what I have suggested is simple, perhaps for some and difficult or impossible for others, however, I honestly believe that if any of us who suffer from such, want and need relief from our pains have too start with self. Facing and confronting those issues which bring us so much disconnection in our lives begins with self and a look at how we perceive the relationship between self and our worlds. Of course I don’t claim to have all the answers for the misery of some, nor for that matter a remedy for some of my own, yet, I am convinced that to get down as you live one must learn to live as they get down! makes for many bad decisions in my life. I am speaking past and present. I suffer from low-self-esteem most days and it’s only thru my writings that I find self-worth. I must write daily to keep myself focused on who I am and what I choose to accomplish each day. Today for example, a simple “speak up brah” caused me to become fearful. I was afraid I had hurt someone’s feelings because of my rude comment. It wasn’t meant to be harmful, but in that moment in time it was taken that way. For an hour, I trembled inside wondering how can I fix this. My fear in this incident was that I lost a potential friend. I may have ruined the opportunity to build a friendship. Being who I am, friendships are hard to make. You see due to my past, some people already have preconceived thoughts about me, and my mind tells me that by looking at me they know how I was. Being judged and being judgmental causes me to allow my thoughts to go to the most negative part of my mind. The place where all the “Boogey Men” live. I was no saint, oh so many years ago, but my past doesn’t define who I am today. My mind has these thoughts and I tend to believe what my mind tells me. I know these are thoughts and they are not always based in fact but I sometimes hold on to them until it becomes too heavy a load to carry. Focusing on my good attributes has brought me here, right now in a place of serenity. When I ask myself “AM I ENOUGH?” I can look in the mirror or into your eyes and with a sense of Pride and Accomplishment say: YES, I AM ENOUGH!!! What a powerful and warming statement. It allows me to rejoice in the fact that being enough is a positive affirmation that I can continue to use as I go thru my day. Continuing to speak of myself in such a positive way gives me pride and respect for myself that for years I looked in others to give me. People; and their opinions of me do not define me today. Only I can define who I am and how I can be a better person. “I AM ENOUGH!! tools like progressive local income taxes and financial transaction taxes. We need a movement to take back our wealth. There are going to be huge problems with climate change and denial: we will need the right responses, fast. There will be bigger floods, worse droughts, and regional fires (remember that fire last year in Canada near the tar sands area? Climate change and dead trees will create huge risks. There are going to be economic upsets and disasters (really big disruptions). We’ll need demands that help the victims and target the corporate actors. Sarcasm and ridicule of Trump might be entertaining (and therapeutic) for some of us but it just helps Him; we’ve already lost the battle of words. The Republican Party with its distracting wedge issues (abortion, gay marriage) has poisoned the well of intellectual discourse. Public argument is over in part because the Democratic Party never rose to the challenge. We’ve always had fake news from the media, usually more subtle than the bold lies that have become acceptable in Trumpland and on “social” media. How come the Democratic Party never fielded a candidate who wasn’t afraid to make bold outlandish claims (that happened to be true)? We had to wait for Donald Trump for proof of concept? And now some of the organizing against Trump in the streets is being lead by Democratic Party flunkies who still don’t get it, the same ones who delivered America to Trump. The Movement must be clear on this history, candidates and party officials have to be held accountable on it. When things go badly for people in power they divide, conquer and victimize. We have to be ready for race war: when things don’t go His way, He’ll start dividing and conquering with more than just contemptible words. We’ll need immediate acts of solidarity – rapid response SWAT teams for justice. Today we face huge threats but also a great opportunity to wrest a rigged system away from the kleptocapitalists. When we start to do this many pro-Trump supporters will join us. lampoons Trump and his policies for late night viewers, and Gail Collins' New York Times columns are gems at dissecting the absurd machinations taking place in the nation's capital. One of my current favorites is "The Borowitz Report," a fake on-line press release written by Andy Borowitz for The New Yorker Magazine. His headlines are usually laugh-out-loud funny. A recent one read: "World Leaders Receive Crank Calls From Someone Claiming To Be President Of The United States." Even more effective than humor as an antidote to stress is involvement in a citizen initiative focused on opposing some of the scary policies now being launched by this Administration and Congress. Women led the way with the huge marches that took place in Washington and cities across the country. Demonstrations opposing the Muslim travel ban have been the next big events. Citizen efforts are forming around a host of issues such as saving the environment and campaign reform. As single individuals, we can do very little, but together with others we can overcome our fear and stress and make a difference. Such participation shows us we are not alone, and it will show Trump and his team that they cannot run roughshod over so many organized citizens. RICARDO TAYLOR Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer your feelings. Your feelings are yours alone; harvested and controlled by you alone. Too often, at least in my opinion, THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED ------------------------ �13 STREET VOICE No. 350 | F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL NON-PROTECTION AGENCY Son Son talk to me The United States Senate just blew it Mommy needs to know By confirming EPA Chief Scott Pruitt. What you feel And what you see Son talk to me Preserving clean air's not his cause, And Scott's opposed most EPA laws. Mommy loves you So I don't mean to sound like a scold, With all her heart Seems like we have been drifting apart It’s a feeling, I feel in my heart But curbing climate change is on hold. BILL WOODS Contributing Writer I will never let anything keep us apart In the heart is where we need to start Like the good old days When learning and hoping were part of our start BETTER Better, is everyday above ground Better, is appreciation from everywhere all around... And we would talk Let’s start over son Because you are my heart KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer Better, is to upgrade things that are out dated Better, is acknowledging the changes with the recognition that the cost may be out rated Better, is to make downscaled areas be upscaled and look good Better, is to not to neglect the people, RICH or POOR! I thought this you understood... Better, is being able to enjoy life in the park, the library, church or just on the square Better, is when I can enjoy upscaled living in this life without my pockets going bare... Better, is to be able to enjoy and have peace of mind no matter what I hear or what the sound Better, is growing from homelessness into housing and gaining respect from all around.... Better, is for me today even though I have to pay taxes for things I may never understand Better, is knowing God is watching us all good and bad all over this land.... WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 0 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 119 Across 1. Theme 6. A small drink 9. Financial obligation 13. Worship 14. Playing card 15. Jockey 16. Tooth 17. Pasture 18. Bird of prey 19. Defend 21. Full 23. Organ of hearing 24. Parasitic insect 25. Vehicle 28. Child's plastic construction set 30. Mollusk with a conical shell 35. Highly excited 37. Swill 39. Established line of travel 40. Fabric interwoven with threads of metal 41. Vegetarian food 43. Rotated 44. A choice or delicious dish 46. Prima donna 47. Team 48. Make attractive or lovable 50. Transmitted 52. Allowed 53. Near 55. Taxi 57. Eight-sided polygon 61. Produced from nonmetallic minerals and fired at high temperatures 65. Inexperienced 66. Fuss 68. Garbage 69. Below 70. Distilled from fermented molasses 71. Spry 72. Oracle 73. Tennis stroke 74. Regenerate Down 1. Pack together 2. Aroma 3. Field sport 4. Very Angry 5. Breakfast food 6. Sodium chloride 7. Frozen water 8. Jewel 9. Clock face 10. A slight competitive advantage 11. Accessory 12. Large woody plant 15. Mend 20. Cruciferous plant 22. Fish 24. Anserine 25. Part of a brass wind instrument 26. Once more 27. Wanderer 29. Happy 31. Nonvascular plant 32. Student 33. Musical composition 34. Religious doctrine 36. DNA segment 38. Cover with stone or concrete 42. Terpsichore 45. Peril 49. South American city, in short 51. Salt used in baking powder 54. Twist into a state of deformity 56. Flatbottom boat 57. Burden 58. Walking stick 59. Periodic rise and fall of sea level 60. Avow 61. Crest 62. Briny 63. Small island 64. Masticate 67. Singing pair SODOKU PUZZLE NO 249 - MEDIUM PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 349 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 118 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 248- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �RESOURCES No. 350 | F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 Central Access Point 15 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 1730 Race Street 45202 Bethany House 557-2873 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 352-6364 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 131 E. 12th Street 45202 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 Salvation Army 762-5660 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 Shelter: Men Shelterhouse 721-0643 1125 Bank Street 45214 411 Gest St. 45203 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 1437 Walnut Street 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 2121 Vine Street 45202 Prospect House 921-1613 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Parkway Center 661-4620 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Starting Over 961-2256 1528 Race St. 45202 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Shelter: Youth Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Interfaith Hospitality Network First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 Northern Kentucky 241-2965 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Food/Clothing Health 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 961-0600 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 $100 Hamilton/Middletown Joseph House (Veterans) 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Housing: Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both 471-1100 Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 for 26 issues Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org $150 859-491-8303 for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 F e b 2 4 - M a r 9, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 0 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. ALMA SIMS SINCE 5/2014 ALFRED WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012 BELINDA CHERRY SINCE 8/2015 BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997 BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DEBORAH POINDEXTER SINCE 9/2012 DONALD YOUNG ELMORE MORRIS SINCE 5/2014 GINA MARTIN GRADY COOK SINCE 1997 GREGORY RAY SINCE 4/2015 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2000 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2003 JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001 JONATHAN SLATER SINCE 5/2014 JOHN GAINES SINCE 12/2009 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRAIG SMITH SINCE 5/2014 GLENDA CANTRELL GREGORY WILSON SINCE 1/2012 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOHNNY KERNS SINCE 9/2012 JOHN HORN JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 J’TORI TYMAN SINCE 5/2014 W. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 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 Newspapers 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 24-March 9, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Forum Focused on Local Responses to What’s Going on in Washington D.C. Pg 3: Shame in the City Pg 4: GCHC Pg 5: Not Just My History, Our History Pg 6: How to respond to Panhandling Pg 7: Former Judge Painter Border Stories Coping with Stress in the Trump Era Pg 8: Children’s Kindness March Pg 9: Four Famines Mean 20 Million May Starve in the Next Six Months Pg 10: GCHC Pg 11: The Great Disruption Pg 12: Living Like You Get Down Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 24-March 9, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Dr. Mark Mussman Key Beck Mark P. Painter Sr. Nicole Varnerin Gretchen Marie Semancik Robert Park Ricardo Taylor Bobby Morris Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Alice Schneider Biography.com Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alice Schneider Bill Woods Biography.com Bobby Morris Children’s Kindness March D.C. Donald Trump Dr. Mark Mussman Famines Gretchen Marie Semancik Josh Spring Key Beck Kim Green Mark P. Painter mental illness Ricardo Taylor Robert Park Sr. Nicole Varnerin Washington Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/99cda505e0bb847ccc3f534ae070d458.pdf 62f36a4360b77120d4aef1dcd497b3d1 PDF Text Text March 10th - March 23rd 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 32 (No. 351) advocating justice | Building community Transgender Rally At City Hall| 5 This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter INSIDE THIS ISSUE An Update on the Child Poverty Initiative| 2 Border Stories: A Divided Community| 3 Brazil's Race To Save Drought-Hit City| 8 Our friend Larry Files passed away | 12 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: Join Us: April 1st, National Day of Action for Housing, In Front of City Hall JOSH SPRING Executive Director Homelessness is increasing in Cincinnati. The way to end homelessness is by creating more affordable housing. We will be joining the National Coalition and more than 100 other groups across the country for the National Day of Action for Housing on Saturday, April 1st. At noon we will gather in front of City Hall as we not only continue to notify every one of the increasing hardships of homelessness, but to demand that City Council and the administration begin to prioritize the funding of new affordable housing. As people gather on the National Mall in D.C. and in numerous city and town centers across the country we will all bring the same three calls to action: 1. Preserve funding and create further local, state and national Housing Trust Funds that fund housing solely for extremely low to moderate income households. 2. Stop ordinances, policies and practices that 1) criminalize and harass people who are unhoused, 2) promote racial discrimination, or 3) prevent equal treatment of immigrants and those who identify as LGBTQ, especially in access to housing, employment and healthcare. 3. Ensure that safety net programs like food assistance, health care and emergency housing are available to any people in need of support. Locally we are surveying hundreds of people without homes about their experiences with law enforcement and other public services as we work for a Homeless Bill of Rights meant to end the criminalization of people AN UPDATE ON THE CHILD POVERTY INITIATIVE BILL WOODS W Contributing Writer hat is the status of "The Child Poverty Initiative" that was launched last year? At the Community Issues Forum at Christ Church Cathedral on March 2nd, Ross Meyer, Vice President of Community Impact for the United Way, provided an update on where things stand concerning this major effort to reduce the high poverty rate of children in Greater Cincinnati. Meyer reviewed what has happened in recent months including the areas chosen for current and future emphasis by the Child Poverty Collaborative. Sparked initially by the Urban League report, "The State of Black Cincinnati 2015," and 2012 Census data that showed Cincinnati to have the second highest municipal child poverty rate in the nation (53 percent), the formation of the Collaborative was supported by a number of local leaders. It began with the lofty goal of reducing the child poverty rate by 22-percent by 2020. The first step was establishing a Collaborative Task Force housed at the United Way and charged with planning how to achieve this goal. "We don't have it figured out yet!" These were the opening words M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 1 experiencing homelessness. Criminalization which further marginalizes people, creates barriers to housing and upholds the stereotype that people who are housed should be afraid of people who are not housed. Further we are joined with the Affordable Housing Advocates in our big goal for 2017, the passage of a funded Local Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Such a fund could generate millions of dollars annually to build, renovate and operate new affordable housing. Only through generating obligated local funds will we begin to turn the tide on homelessness in Cincinnati. This work takes many people. This year, in a relatively mild winter, the Winter Shelter saw record numbers. The single adult men’s shelter has regularly been at record numbers. The women’s shelter is practically always at capacity and having to turn women away. The family shelters are full, having to turn away most of the families with children who call for shelter. There is such a grand lack of affordable housing that the safety net of shelter simply cannot take everyone. The number of people outside, including families with children is increasing. All of this and the strong potential of federal cuts to housing. Please join us in our mission and in our action on the National Day of Action for Housing at City Hall on Saturday, April 1st. Bring everyone you know who believes housing is a human necessity and right.” ------------------------ of Ross Meyer at the Forum. This declaration captures the realization by Collaborative leaders that child poverty is a complex issue that defies simple solutions. "There is no silver bullet," emphasized Meyer. Almost from the start, he noted, we realized that children aren't by themselves, and we needed to grapple with all the factors causing families to experience poverty. The year-long learning process embarked on by the Child Poverty Collaborative Task Force included eighty community conversations with diverse neighborhood and civic representatives and two summits that attracted more than seven hundred participants. Out of these meetings and the already available data on poverty in Cincinnati emerged some key findings or what Meyer described as insights. A key finding, according to (Continued on page 4) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Dr. Mark Mussman, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Gretchen Marie Semcik, Key Beck, Johnathan Diskin, James C. Fraser, Thomas A. Dutton, Mark P. Painter, Steve Sunderland, Sharon Doering, Justin Jeffre, Bobby Morris, Willa Denise Jones Photography/Artwork: Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Dr. Mark Mussman, Gretchen Marie Semancik, Alice Schneider Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �3 LOCAL Funding Our Future: Affordable Housing Trust Fund No. 351 | M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 DR. MARK MUSSMAN A Staff Writer t every speaking engagement we do at the Homeless Coalition, we offer solutions to ending homelessness. Solutions vary, but are attainable and realistic. Often students want to know what they can do today, but the reality is that solutions may be long-term in nature, and will require us to surpass many roadblocks along the way. The biggest roadblock is the political will of the people – to act not out of guilt or shame – but to act authentically in connection with our community. This year, the Affordable Housing Advocates (AHA is an organization of dedicated people and organizations who are working to preserve and advocate for affordable housing in our region) has taken on a monumental task of pushing forward an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. This came out of a planning meeting, led by the new President, Patricia Garry, who has a strong expertise in community development. AHA’s members participate in monthly meetings which offer insight into the changing landscape of affordable housing. From my involvement in AHA, I have learned a vast array of information regarding housing, public, private, CMHA, tax credits, etc., but the most exciting thing right now is the creation of a local Housing Trust Fund. Ohio has an affordable housing trust fund which, according to the Ohio Development website (https://development.ohio. gov/) “supports a wide range of housing activities including housing development, emergency home repair, handicapped accessibility modifications, and services related to housing and homelessness. In addition, Ohio Housing Trust Fund dollars may be used for predevelopment costs, rental assistance, housing counseling, rehabilitation, and new construction.” While some of the Ohio Trust Fund came to Cincinnati, last year most of the funds went to rural counties. Much of the affordable housing that is being built today is for seniors and veterans – not much is going towards family dwellings. This is inconsistent with the growing need for housing among women with children. As this gap grows, more and more families show up at our shelters and most (nearly 90% locally) are currently being turned away without help. The shelter system is inadequate and does not solve homelessness. This is why affordable housing is so Border Stories: A Divided Community I important. We can’t just assume that the shelters will take care of people, when we only have about 800 shelter beds in our region, and we estimate 25,000 people in Hamilton County will experience homelessness this year. Why a local fund? While there is opportunity for locals to get into some of the Ohio Housing Trust Fund, it is important for us to have control over the scope and precision of the fund. Currently, there is an issue in Ohio where money is funneled out of the cities to support the suburbs and rural areas that don’t generate income like the cities do. The Ohio fund follows this model and shortchanges the cities. We need to be able to enjoy the fruits of our hard work. So, how would a local housing trust fund be funded? This is where we need both creative minds and community conviction. There are different ways that the fund can be saleable – through inclusionary zoning, taxes, entertainment fees, donations, or other ways. Each way has its limits and benefits. Inclusionary zoning is when developers are given incentives to participate in creating and sustaining affordable housing. The city may grant higher density, additional land, Most people who live here have been here for years. They move freely across the border regularly for work, shopping, entertainment, or permits with the agreement that the developer would put money into the trust fund, or create affordable housing in their new development. This is something that the City of Cincinnati should be seeking out now in Over-the-Rhine and other “hot” neighborhoods. Some housing trust funds are funded through taxes to hotels and entertainment items – such as movie tickets or sports games. A fraction of a penny is added to every ticket which goes into a trust fund. This is not unlike the “sin taxes” of the 80’s and 90’s that focused on taxing things that are not essential for survival. This could be a very positive, and not very noticeable, way to fund our local trust fund without creating a uniform sales tax (which hurts people in poverty the most) or a payroll tax, which can be a difficult thing to get the blessing of the Cincinnati Business Community. Another way to help ensure a local trust fund is viable could be through donations and grants, similar to how a non-profit might run. This model would prove difficult to raise the amount needed to have a robust and effective trust fund, but it could be the beginning of something bigger. This is where the need for community involvement comes in – how would you like to see us show our dedication to affordable housing in Cincinnati? To learn more about affordable housing, please visit ahacincy.org and become a member of AHA today. Please attend our monthly meetings to keep on top of the rapid changes in the housing landscape. dentistry. But now, people are very nervous. If a wall is built, it will be (Continued on page 7) SR. NICOLE VARNERIN Contributing Writer was bubbling with anticipation when we pulled up at the Humanitarian Respite Center. I had heard so much about it and was waiting to experience their ministry to immigrants just released from the detention center. I expected to see a bustling place, filled with life and love. But as we walked up to the door, the tents outside were empty and once inside, only a handful of volunteers populated the place. I was puzzled. What happened to the hundreds of immigrants I saw in pictures and videos of the Humanitarian Respite Center? They were gone. Life here in “the valley” has truly been affected by the various executive orders signed by our president in the past month. What was once hundreds of immigrants being released from detention each day, is now only between 5 and 10 each day. Now, volunteers who used to escort families through the respite center spend their time sorting clothes, cleaning, and organizing. For the past three years that the center has been operational, volunteers hardly had time to go through donations, and now we are cleaning areas that have never seen the light of day. While the work is sometimes tedious, it is nice to know that we are making things clean for the few that do come through. The valley is truly bilingual. The culture that has been created, TexMex, is a unique blending of US and Mexican customs and language. “Breakdown Stereotypes” Tents Outside Humanitarian Respite Center Credit: Sr. Nicole Varnerin “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 BILL WOODS (Continued from page 2) Meyer, is how pervasive poverty is in this region. Using more up to date numbers to define families in poverty, the Collaborative found that one/ third of the families in the Tri-State Area are not self-sufficient. The percentages jump to 70-percent for Cincinnati and 50-percent for Hamilton County. LOCAL Another finding is the fact that a majority of people who are in poverty are working. In Cincinnati, 50-percent of the families in poverty have a parent who has a job. This stark finding reveals the growing income inequality that now exists here and in the country as a whole. As "The State of Black Cincinnati" so graphically shows, racial inequality is another major cause of poverty in the Queen City. That M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 1 report found the median income for white families was $57,481, while it was $24,272 for African-American families. Furthermore, 76-percent of the 14,000 families in poverty are African-American. Poverty's impact on children is devastating. Meyer cited studies that show the trauma that children suffer when living in the unstable conditions caused by poverty. Such trauma makes it difficult for young THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED students to learn in school and experience normal development. Meyer went on to depict the long and short term initiatives that the Child Poverty Collaborative's Task Force is currently undertaking. One step is to convene all the human service agencies in the region in order to collectively forge family centered approaches for their work. This (Continued on page 12) �5 LOCAL Transgender Rally at City Hall No. 351 | M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 Gretchen Marie Semancik A Contributing Writer week after the Trump Administration revoked the guidance set in place last year by the Obama administration, hundreds of allies rallied at City Hall to show support for transgender youths. Co-organizer and first to speak at the rally was City Council Member Chris Seelbach The Obama-era’s implemented guidelines for Title IX were issued last May and ensured that transgender students have access to the restrooms and locker rooms that corresponded with their gender identity. The Trump Administration’s actions do not undo the protection given under Title IX, but leaves the policies to be decided on the state-level. “The decision that the Trump Administration has made me scared and devastated” said Lisa Phair, mother and speaker at Thursday’s rally. “Since our administration has Supporters gather in front of City Hall for Rally Citizens Holding Signs of Support for transgender youth Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Gretchen-Marie Semancik When Lip Service Is Not Enough T chosen to take a stance, then I have to take a stance”, Phair says referring to decisions made by the Trump Administration last week. People at the rally made signs, many of which were expressing the same sentiments that transgender rights are a human rights issue. Dr. Lee Ann Conrad, specialist at the Transgender Clinic at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, said at the rally that transgender youths should be “accepted and affirmed, not stigmatized. The Transgender Clinic is for patients between 5-24 years old who are questioning their gender or are experiencing gender dysmorphia, experiencing a different gender than their biological sex. At the end of the rally hundreds of supporters chanted “stand with trans” in front of City Hall to show their support for the transgender community. Later this month, the Supreme Court will hear Gavin Grimm’s case, a 17-year-old transgender student from Virginia who is fighting with his school over the right to use the bathroom that corresponds with his gender identity. The Supreme Court says it will decide on an interpretation of Title IX without the consideration of the administrations previous guidance. KEY BECK Contributing Writer hursday, February 23 hundreds of people gathered outside of City Hall on a chilly afternoon. There were parents, teachers, children, allies and even politicians there to show love and support for our youth. We had several reasons for showing up and showing out, but we only had one intention. We wanted to show our support for young people who identify as transgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary. This Rally in Support of Transgender Young People was influenced by legislation being passed against the LBGT community. Many of them specifically focus on taking rights away from trans people. The current administration’s lack of support for LGBT, especially the T, rights has influenced many rallies centering on the most marginalized of populations, trans women of color (if you didn’t know.) While most of the discourse was on bathroom issues (i.e.: safety in bathrooms, differential treatment, isolation, etc.), many of the issues shared had much to do with quality of life. Everyone has to pee. When you can’t use a bathroom for fear of your safety, you have many developmental barriers keeping you from being a student. Jonah Yokoyama, Executive Director at Heartland Trans Wellness, passionately stated, “Trans children are the ones being assaulted in bathrooms. 12% of transgender youth are sexual assaulted in school.” No matter how you look at it, that is too high of a number. “This is not a state’s rights issue; this is a human rights issue.” And he is right. We all have basic human rights. We should honor those rights regardless of situations. Whether you are a person experiencing homelessness or a transgender woman, you deserve to use a bathroom. You deserve to walk down the street without being harassed or assaulted. You are allowed to exist and identify as female one day and male the next. I understand the knee-jerk reaction of people who have no connection or experience with people who identify as trans. Kids are very aware of gender. Whether they conform to your views, or their own, they know what feels right and what doesn’t. If your five-year-old child says they don’t feel like a boy, but they do feel like a girl you should, and need, to acknowledge they shared that with you. I am not saying you have to psychoanalyze the situation, just say “Thank you for sharing that with me. I think it is awesome you made that decision. I am always here when you want to share things about yourself. If I ever mess up, just let me know, because I want to support you the best I can.” Bam! You don’t have to say whether you agree or not. You don’t have inflict your appreciation or disapproval. You just need to support them. You need to let them know that you care. Just knowing you have family support, regardless of their view of LGBT issues, leads to more stable childhoods. We know, for example, that higher rates of family rejection leads to poorer health outcomes of LGBT people. The Family Acceptance Project found that LGBT young adults who had high levels of family rejection were six times more likely to report high levels of depression, three times more likely to use illegal drugs and three times more likely to engage in unprotected sex. So yes, this is a bathroom issue, but it is also a mental health issue. Each of us needs to take some responsibility to lead with love and empathy. If you are a student, support your fellow LGBT students. Create a bathroom buddy system. Go out and meet transgender people. Volunteer at the many different organizations. If you want to make sure your organization supports transgender people, consider contacting Safe and Supported for a competency training. We all need to do our best to make sure the next generation has a bright future. To be honest, we need to make sure we even have a next generation. So support your transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary children with more than just lip service. Rally in Support of Transgender Young People THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman �6 LOCAL M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 1 (Continued on page 12) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �7 LOCAL Tax those who’ve gained from public investment in OTR No. 351 | M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 U rban neighborhoods across the country are being remade through the “root shock” of gentrification, a process full of tensions that creates opportunity for some and dislocation for others. In Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, a historical reversal is unfolding as the putative goal of fostering a more diverse community has given way to massive low-income housing loss, removal of services and shelters for the poor coupled with skyrocketing property values and rents. And far from being the result of “the free market,” the massive property wealth that has been created is the intended result of public policy and public investments that include direct, substantial subsidies for construction of market-rate units and major investments in public amenities such as parks and streetcars. In short, the public has underwritten massive private gains in the name of urban redevelopment while resources and housing for the poor who used to call such neighborhoods home have been dispersed and reduced. SR. NICOLE VARNERIN (Continued from page 3) harder for companies who employ people on both sides of the border to do business. There will be fewer jobs and legal immigrants will not be able to see family as often. Those who do not have documentation are very worried that they will one day be torn from their children, legal US citizens born here in the US. One woman was just deported a few weeks before her daughter, a US citizen, was to get married. Now she is stranded in a Even dedicated boosters of such redevelopment, such as Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, call for reinvestment in low-income housing to avoid losing the possibility of “a real city” where people of diverse backgrounds share the streets and make the scene together. Ironically, the very success of OTR redevelopment has now created the urgent need for dedicated funding for inclusive low-income housing. Fortunately, there is a just and practical way to insure that the widely shared goal of a diverse, mixed-income urban neighborhood is supported: recapturing some of the private gains that public investments have fostered in order to underwrite serious efforts of inclusion. Value recapture, as it is known in the urban development literature, is a fair and direct way to insure that some of the new wealth that results from public policy and investments serves broader public purposes. This gain is not “earned income” in the accounting sense; it is a capital gain due to having property in the right location. Recapturing such “gift value” is normal policy in other settings. When a freeway off-ramp is built, for example, it is not unusual to levy a fee or tax to reclaim some of the increased property and rental value of nearby land that follows. The typical means of recapturing some of the value that has been gifted to private property owners is through a “betterment” fee or tax on the incremental gain due to public improvements. Such a tax could either be paid over time – usually annually – as an assessment fee or as a one-time payment of a portion of the location specific capital gain at the time of sale. This incremental value could be estimated as the gain in property value in OTR compared to a broader measure of property value changes in the region, such as citywide or countywide. A complementary policy is to ask new developments to contribute some of their property, and therefore their prospective gift, in the form of land or units set aside at affordable rents through inclusionary zoning. While this is not the place for a detailed policy proposal, City Council and the mayor could easily find models of how such betterment fees and taxes and inclusionary zoning have been successfully structured elsewhere. Such a policy ties private gains to public ends by insisting that those who have been given a gift by the public, including the very taxpayers who are increasingly displaced, share their gain in ways that serve the public good of a mixed-income community. Time is short as development pressures sweep away the longtime residents of Over-the-Rhine. Reclaiming some of the private property wealth to fund lowincome housing preservation and development is a tool whose time has come. It is urgently needed if we are to marshal the resources to make good on the oft-stated value of mixedincome neighborhoods. Jonathan Diskin is an economics professor at Earlham College, James C. Fraser is an associate professor of human and organizational development at Vanderbilt University, and Thomas A. Dutton is director of Miami University’s Center for Community Engagement in Overthe-Rhine. Mexican city she does not know, and a country she has not lived in for at least three decades. And, she will not be able to witness the marriage of her daughter. Due to these worries and uncertainties, flexibility is a rule of life. Very little is certain here, except that your plans will certainly be interrupted and changed. Because the valley is by nature bilingual, there is a patience among the people. No one rushes me when I struggle to communicate or find the right word to use. No one brushes me off as being incompetent because I do not know Spanish well. And everyone has welcomed me with open arms. I have quickly realized, that because of this bilingual reality, communication is a community event. Everyone makes sure everyone else understands. And because things are translated multiple times, it almost seems as if the community itself is communicating, rather than individuals. Community is very important. As two lonely immigrants, a father and daughter, entered the Respite Center, the handful of volunteers clapped and warmly welcomed the duo to the US. The girl was very quiet and did not smile. I could not imagine what she went through to get here and what she had seen on the way. After talking with them I learned that the girl is actually a citizen and her father was bringing her to her mother. The family was separated, and now they will be whole. In a culture that values community, it is devastating that families are being pulled apart. JONATHAN DISKIN JAMES C. FRASER THOMAS A. DUTTON Contributing Writers Sr. Nicole Varnerin cleans Humanitarian Respite Center Collected Donations Credit: Sr. Nicole Varnerin Credit: Sr. Nicole Varnerin THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �8 WORLD Brazil’s race to save drought-hit city M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 1 ANTHONY BOADLE T Courtesy of Reuters / INSP.ngo he shrunken carcasses of cows lie in scorched fields outside the city of Campina Grande in northeast Brazil, and hungry goats search for food on the cracked-earth floor of the Boqueirao reservoir that serves the desperate town. After five years of drought, farmer Edivaldo Brito says he cannot remember when the Boqueirao reservoir was last full. But he has never seen it this empty. “We’ve lost everything: bananas, beans, potatoes,” Brito said. “We have to walk 3 kilometres just to wash clothes.” Brazil’s arid northeast is weathering its worst drought on record and Campina Grande, which has 400,000 residents that depend on the reservoir, is running out of water. After two years of rationing, residents complain that water from the reservoir is dirty, smelly and undrinkable. Those who can afford to do so buy bottled water to cook, wash their teeth with, and even to give their pets. The reservoir is down to 4 percent of capacity and rainfall is expected to be sparse this year. “If it does not fill up, the city’s water system will collapse by midyear,” says Janiro Costa Rego, an expert on water resources and hydraulics professor at Campina Grande’s federal university. “It would be a holocaust. You would have to evacuate the city.” Brazil’s government says help is on the way. After decades of promises and years of delays, the government says the rerouting of Brazil’s longest river, the Sao Francisco, will soon relieve Campina Grande and desperate farmers in four parched northeastern states. Water will be pumped over hills and through 400 kilometres of canals into dry river basins in Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, and Paraiba, the small state of which Campina Grande is the secondbiggest city. Begun in 2005 by leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the project has been delayed by political squabbles, corruption and cost-overruns of billions of dollars. Brazil’s ongoing recession, which economists calculate has shrunk the economy of the impoverished northeast by over four percent during each of the past two years, made things even worse. Now, President Michel Temer is speeding up completion of the project, perhaps his best opportunity to boost support for his unpopular government in a region longdominated by native-son Lula and his leftist Workers Party. In early March, Temer plans to open a canal that will feed Campina Grande’s reservoir at the town of A cat is seen inside the house of Francisco Barbosa Cruz (not pictured) in Pombal, Paraiba state, Brazil. Credit: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino Carcasses of cows lie along a road in Pianco, Paraiba state, Brazil. Credit: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Monteiro. The water will still take weeks to flow down the dry bed of the Paraiba river to Boqueirao. With the quality of water in Campina Grande dropping by the day, it is a race against time. Professor Costa Rego says the reservoir water will become untreatable by March and could harm residents who cannot afford bottled water. Helder Barbalho, Temer’s minister in charge of the project, says the government is confident the water will arrive on schedule. “We have to deliver the water by April at all costs,” he said. Climate change has worsened the droughts in Brazil’s northeast over the last 30 years, according to Eduardo Martins, head of Funceme, Ceara state’s meteorological agency. Rainfall has decreased and temperatures have risen, increasing demand for agricultural irrigation just as water supplies fell and evaporation accelerated. Costa Rego blames lack of planning by Brazil’s governments for persistent and repeated water crises, (Continued on page 9) �No. 351 | M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 9 WORLD Cattle drink water from Pocoes reservoir in Pocoes municipality in Monteiro, Paraiba state, Brazil. Credit: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino Skulls of cattle are seen in Coremas, Paraiba state, Brazil. Credit: REUTERS / Ueslei Marcelino Natan Cabral, 5, stands on the cracked ground of the Boqueirao reservoir in the Metropolitan Region of Campina Grande, Paraiba state, Brazil. Credit: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED shocking for a country that boasts the biggest fresh water reserves on the planet. The reservoir supplying São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city and a metropolitan region of 20 million people, nearly dried up in 2015. The capital, Brasilia, resorted to rationing this year. In Fortaleza, capital of Ceara and the northeast’s second largest city, the vital Castanhao reservoir is down to 5 percent of its capacity. While that city will also get water from the São Francisco project, it will not arrive until at least yearend because contractor Mendes Junior abandoned work after being implicated in a major corruption scandal. “Water from the São Francisco river is vital,” Ceara Governor Camilo Santana told Reuters. He said the reservoir can supply Ceara only until August. After that, the state must use emergency wells and a mandatory 20 percent reduction in consumption to keep Fortaleza taps running until water arrives. Ceara has had to cut back on irrigation, hurting flower and melon exporters, cattle ranchers and dairy farmers. They stand to flourish when the transfer comes through, but quenching the thirst of the cities will take priority. In Campina Grande, a textile center, companies including industry leaders Coteminas and Alpargatas have curtailed expansion plans and drastically cut back consumption by recycling the water they use. There, too, new water will first go towards solving the crisis in Campina Grande and surrounding towns. Only then will officials think about agriculture. “First we have to satisfy the thirst of urban consumers. Only then can we think of producing wealth,” said Joao Fernandes da Silva, the top water management official in Paraiba. Rationing has particularly hurt poorer urban families. Many have no running water or water tanks and instead store water in plastic bottles. For those who have waited decades for the São Francisco transfer, they will believe it only when they see the water flow. Brito said he and his neighbours survive on the social programs that were the hallmark of Lula and his Workers Party administration. Though tainted by corruption allegations, Lula remains Brazil’s most popular politician ahead of presidential elections next year. “Without the Bolsa Familia program, we would be dying of hunger,” said Brito, who believes shortages could persist even after the river transfer. “It’s political season again, so they promise us water, just for our votes.” ------------------------ �10 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 1 �OPINION Let’s Wish Deters Well — It’s Our Only Choice No. 351 | M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 T his year, our Court of Appeals will have four new judges out of six. That’s a major shakeup, brought about by a confluence of circumstances — one judge lost reelection, one maxed out on age, two were elected to the Ohio Supreme Court. The court reviews decisions of all courts in the district. (Our 1st District is Hamilton County, one of three Ohio counties large enough to have its own. The others are multi-county districts.) Gov. John Kasich appointed Dennis Deters to one vacancy. Deters, younger brother of prosecutor Joe Deters, previously served as a Colerain Township trustee, was appointed last year to the county commission, but lost re-election to Democrat Denise Driehaus. We all know that the appointment was political — a Deters replaces a DeWine. It’s sad that the courts are used thusly. It has always been this way in Hamilton County — judgeships are a political “reward.” The courts should be the last place where politics is paramount. But we are stuck with the system we have. All judges in Ohio are elected. Vacancies are filled by the governor, almost always at the behest of the local party chair. So the process cannot help but be political. Sometimes the system, despite itself, works — we have had some outstanding judges. Often though, the political system being applied to the court system turned out as expected. Badly. MARK P. PAINTER Contributing Writer Conflict? The first objection I’ve heard to Deters’s appointment is the “conflict of interest” issue. Joe Deters is the county prosecutor, responsible for most criminal, and many civil, cases before the court. There is no automatic problem with a judge being the brother of the prosecutor. The general rule, under the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct, is that a judge is disqualified from a case if “the judge's spouse or domestic partner, or a person within the third degree of relationship to either of them, or the spouse or domestic partner of such a person” is a lawyer in the case. Obviously, a brother is a close relation. But the rule generally prohibits just the brother (or sister) from personally appearing before the judge. A member of a law firm where the sibling practices is not precluded. For instance, Joe Deters could not personally appear and try a case before a relative, but members of his “firm,” the prosecutor’s office, might. We have had the situation before. Judge Sylvia Hendon was a trial and then appellate judge. She was then Joe Deters’ mother-in-law. Joe himself did not appear in cases before her, but members of the prosecutor’s office did. The rule states: “The fact that a lawyer in a proceeding is affiliated with a law firm with which a relative FRIENDSHIP AND CANCER T STEVE SUNDERLAND SHARON DOERING Contributing Writers he work of the Cancer Justice Network is based on a friendship within a battle. Fighting cancer, especially among people who have been kept ignorant of the signs of cancer and deprived of the resources to fight cancer, means staring in the faces of people that are hurting and courageous. The fight to stop cancer requires both education and action within a caring culture. We have created a "navigator" ally, a person trained to change the obstacles to fighting cancer and to simultaneously promote the necessary steps for stopping the spread of cancer. The Cancer Justice Network's navigator triggers emotions of caring that can overcome a hostile culture of abandonment. A social contract has been broken and for a long time. The belief that every person needing cancer care will find willing and competent medical help is a falsehood for minorities, the aged, and handicapped. Large pockets of people, trapped in neighborhoods with unfriendly hospitals, suffer a dramatic loss in life expectancy, some deaths are the result of the healthcare profession turning its backs on those in greatest need. Some people, facing cancer death in their families, would rather avoid doctors and hospitals that act unfriendly. For the past year, the Cancer Justice Network has been replacing the gap in compassion with the experience of friendly relationships. We emphasize face to face discussions with people who are sometimes angry that family members were unable to get cancer care soon enough to get surgery or other forms of treatment. Hearing the stories of partial commitment by health professionals is both saddening and angry making. "Why should I go for an exam," an adult in her 50's asks, "when I was so humiliated when I brought my mother for care?" "I'm not going to be told I should have been here sooner," a young man says, "when I know I have been turned of the judge is affiliated does not itself disqualify the judge.” But there could be other circumstances, such as if the lawyers in a small firm had a huge pecuniary interest in a case, that would require disqualification. A rule of reason applies — if we banned the prosecutor’s office from cases where a relative of the prosecutor were a judge, it would disqualify the judge from hearing half the cases. In a small county, there would be real difficulty. Competence. When nepotism is suspected, the first thing that comes to mind is a relative who can’t get a job any other way. That’s not the case here. Dennis Deters is not unemployed. He has a law degree and has practiced for 16 years. The real issue is whether he is the best for this job. I do not personally know this Deters, so I cannot comment on his personality, or give first-hand illustrations of his intellect. On paper, he has no obvious qualifications for the second-highest judicial office in Ohio. He has not been a judge. He has not taught law, or written any publications that I know about. He has never written a judicial decision, or even decided a case. Now he will be reviewing the decisions of other judges. Traditionally, judges served in a lower court first (I served 13 years on Municipal Court). I would have found it difficult to start at the appellate level, without the experience of seeing how the law works out in the away so often. I'd rather die than be rejected again." Story after story is heard by navigators as they sit with a person over dinner or at a community meeting. We listen, shake our heads, and try and establish the fibers of a new kind of relationship. We say: "I hear you. You have been left out, ignored by doctors and hospitals, and left to face your fears alone. This kind of relationship stops with us. We will go with you to your exam, sit with you as the doctor explains what is found, and, if you would like, go with you to any and all treatments. We are your support, your ally, your partner in facing and overcoming cancer." Sometimes we see relief on the faces of people, a sigh escapes them as they think about whether to believe what they are hearing. We expand our discussion by talking about the pioneering work of a black surgeon and former president of the American Cancer Society, Harold Freeman, MD. People's eyes often light up when they can see themselves in his story of creating navigators and bringing people, poor people, minorities, to early cancer exams and treatments. They seem to say: "Can such a program really exist? Can I get into such a program and find a friend to take me on the journey, through THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 11 “trenches.” In Ohio, the only technical qualification is that judges must be lawyers for six years before being any type of judge. Deters has been practicing 16, which should give him sufficient experience, though it is much less than normal for the appellate court. I don’t think every appellate judge should be from the same career path. Diversity is good. But too many inexperienced judges at one time may be a problem. Judge Deters will be one of six judges on the court. Four will be new. That’s difficult. I can’t remember a time when more than two were new, and most years either one or no new judges ascended. There will necessarily be some on-the-job training. Deters does have some credentials. In his early days, he worked in the court system as a law clerk. He has practiced 16 years, he has served in public office, he is highly rated by his peers and he seems to have no apparent flaws or weirdness. If Deters is just doing this for a year or two and then will run for something else, that would be a shame. But if he is committed to being a judge, there is no reason he cannot be a good one. Study and hard work can overcome a lack of experience. It doesn’t take genius — it takes common sense, fairness and willingness to learn and apply the law. And maybe the political system will work. He could be a great judge. In any event, he will be a judge, so we must wish him well. [This editorial first appeared in CityBeat. Former Judge Mark P. Painter is a lifelong Cincinnatian. He served as a judge for 30 years.] the maze, and over the hostility of the medical profession?" We emphasize that our work follows Dr. Freeman's guidelines: we want cancer justice to be both a theory of friendship and a real relationship. For many people, it does not take a long time for them to decide that our program is worth a try. Usually, a navigator will take them to an able staff member of a health center, make an appointment for an exam, and then discuss the transportation realities. Too often, people want to go to a doctor or hospital but they are baffled by the transportation obstacles that confront their making their appointments on time. Sometimes, it is the fear of the costs of the transportation that deter people. Or, most sadly, some transportation is just as rejecting as some health professionals. The navigator will not put up with any rejection, slight, or purposeful confusion on the part of anyone standing in the way of a timely exam. The navigator, a new friend, may be with the person, standing with the person, and, if necessary, standing up for the person, either on the way or at the health center. People are coming to believe in their navigators. There is a (Continued on page 12) �12 STREET VOICE Our friend Larry Files passed away M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 1 JUSTIN JEFFRE Staff Writer I t is with a heavy heart that I share that recently we here at the Coalition lost a member of our Streetvibes family. Our condolences go out to Larry Files’ family and friends. On a Friday afternoon Larry collapsed near Findlay Market in Over-the-Rhine. He was revived by first responders and taken to Christ Hospital. He passed away several days later. We contacted Larry’s sister Sharon who told us Larry was a loving father, a great brother and a good son to his mother Mary. He was originally from Alabama and began selling Streetvibes in 2012. Some say he had been a bit of a lady’s man when he was younger and in recent years Larry had reunited with his children. We knew him as a boisterous personality at our distributor meetings and in our lobby. He will be missed. Thanks to those of you who bought papers from Larry and support Streetvibes. N my fear of the “unknown”. Having things in my life go so well and not really knowing how to handle them is scary. Things in my life have never gone well over an extended period of time due mostly to my interference in the process. I think I know what’s best for me and I, and I alone am the only one who can fix it. That’s a Lie! When I try to fix things in my life I tend to mess them up. So the answer or the choice I must make is to ask for help. Funny, I write that. Recently it was brought up in discussion that asking for help is a way of being vulnerable. Vulnerability is a scary thing to practice when it comes to Who is in the best position to help me? Do you see now how confusing my thoughts are? It’s a whirlwind of misguided and unexplained mumble jumble coursing through my brain. Confused? YES!! But not to the extent that I believe my world is going to end, it’s just at a standstill and that fork in the road is not going anywhere. Not today, not tomorrow, not anytime soon until I take that first step. So to conclude, confused is not a state of mind that I am the only one to experience, I believe all humans at some time and point in their lives are confused. It’s how one deals with the confusion that separates the men from the “men-child”. Confused? Yeah and it’s a good sign for my life today. No rash decisions for me.” being a friend means joining hands with your new friend and helping them get through obstacles. Our navigators are medical and nursing students that want a career that is defined by justice for every patient or client. They have placed navigation, an intense relationship, into an already overheated schedule. Our navigators are social work students, community health students, and even some faculty. Slowly, a community of "friends" is being formed, a group committed to navigating people to the services, to the lives, they deserve. Friendship across religions and cultures is being forged as navigators meet and accompany people. Barriers in communication are being established in ways that permit people to hear the pain and caring that are a part of friendship. For more information about the Cancer Justice Network, please go to our website: cancerjusticenetwork.org” BOBBY MORRIS Contributing Writer STEVE SUNDERLAND SHARON DOERING (Continued from page 11) new and vital hope arising because there are new and vital relationships being created and sustained. Our navigators are community organizers that understand that sometimes BILL WOODS (Continued from page 4) approach will be targeted initially to 5,000 families. The Task Force also realizes it must be involved in advocating for more effective public policies at the state and local level. Meyer listed as priorities promoting more affordable housing and developing a public transportation system that effectively connects people from neighborhoods to jobs. Making child care available to poor families is another priority, and the Collaborative is currently working with the Kasich Administration on a child care subsidy policy. Meyer admitted that all the talk about tax credits will not help families in poverty unless these credits are actually paid out in cash. Another public policy on the Credit: Homeless Coalition asking for help. As a man or as a “man-child” asking for help is the ultimate in vulnerability. It’s a sign of weakness some would say, but others would argue that it’s a sign of strength and growth in a person. Can you imagine going through life without the advice and help from others? I’ve tried that as mentioned earlier. So it’s time to swallow my pride and ask for help. Now that I’ve come to that conclusion. The question now is who? The who is kind of difficult because with the who comes the question of trust. Whom do I trust to be completely vulnerable with? My family? My “friends”? My sober network? God? Who? Feeling that at this moment my life is in the balance I have to make a decision. In this decision making my first act is to Pray and seek “HIS” guidance. After that it’s more of a leap of Faith. Confused ot really knowing what I’m confused about is a hell of a way to start. I’m thinking the confusion is based in wondering what’s next? I’ve been in the process of changing my life toward the better and I want to say that I’m at the proverbial fork in the road. Do I go North? or do I go South? North in this scenario is forward, South would be backwards or at the very least sideways. I got things in my life moving forward but today and for the past 2 weeks they have become stagnant. I have a goal in my horizon and trudging up this hill has become rocky. The cause of the rockiness is Larry Files Task Force's agenda is reducing mass incarceration. This trend has had a devastating impact on poor Black families, and Meyer noted that the Governor and many members of the Legislature are beginning to realize both its high costs and its negative social and economic impacts. Finally, Meyer emphasized that the United Way itself is transforming its goals and allocation guidelines. With the goal of reducing family and child poverty, it will promote and fund human service delivery that focuses directly on these families. Meyer concluded by saying that he and other members of the Task Force plan to conduct an open process that invites the participation of concerned citizens such as the attendees at the Forum. ------------------------ ------------------------ Ross Meyer speaking at Community Issues Forum Credit: Alice Schneider THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �13 STREET VOICE No. 351 | M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 I LIVE FOR YOU SWEDEN GETS A DOSE OF TRUMP-FACTS I live for you! The Swedes just couldn't believe their eyes. I think for you! Headlines caused them shock and surprise. I love you! Trump said they underwent a terrorist attack. I hope for you! I will die for you! He made Sweden sound like a Nordic Iraq. I cry for you! Swedes aren't used to Trump's fake news, I worry for you! When he creates the facts to fit his views. I sacrifice for you! BILL WOODS Contributing Writer I pray for you! I write this for you! There’s no me without you! I love you! KIM GREEN LOVED ONE GONE There is time for everything including a time to say hello and a time for saying goodbye My only begotten son There is a place for everything Rico, stay true! including a place to laugh, Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer to cry and ask for reasons why To live each day surrounded by the people we love, never forgetting God is a blessing Is to know that having a mind to remember precious moments will always be a lesson We as people tend to hurt when things don’t go our way or grieve for things that are lost We as people must keep in mind there is never nothing lost as long as God is the boss We must teach our children that as long as we remember nothing ever really goes away Teach them the truth about life and death and remember our experiences everyday Just remember that the good times always out weight the bad times And remember even though people aren’t with us they’re in God’s House and that’s fine! WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 120 Across 1. Aromatic substance 6. By way of 9. Stream 13. Behemoth 14. The whole number or amount 15. Supporting structure 16. Warning signal 17. Snow runner 18. Tier 19. Compunction 21. Conspicuous 23. On the sheltered side 24. Stead 25. Old salt 28. Advance slowly 30. Financial gain 35. Musical composition 37. Waterless 39. Chiefly nocturnal ungulate 40. Part of the neck 41. Relating to the nose 43. Bill of fare 44. Avarice 46. Silent 47. Support 48. Two channel sound system 50. Intense anger 52. Creative activity 53. Coop 55. Egyptian cobra 57. Mythological firebreathing she-monster 61. Intoxicant 65. Radioactive gaseous element 66. Mediterranian fruit tree 68. Small ovoid fruit 69. Choose by a vote 70. Enemy 71. Corvus Corax 72. Frail 73. Oddment 74. Vogue Down 1. Principal actor 2. Heap 3. Detail 4. Religious song 5. Main course 6. Ornamental jar 7. Kind 8. Exculpation 9. Worry excessively 10. Molten volcanic rock 11. Presage 12. A raised mark on the skin 15. Display proudly 20. Closed litter for one passenger 22. Hawaiian garland 24. Time off 25. Gripping device 26. Separated 27. Currency of India 29. Metric unit of weight 31. Bivouac 32. Drama set to music 33. Limited in size or scope 34. Start abruptly 36. Oracle 38. Information 42. Licit 45. Polite or respectable 49. Paddle 51. Accompany 54. Faux pas 56. Diametric 57. Ship's company 58. In vigorous good health 59. Notion 60. Treat with contempt 61. Matured 62. Habitat for bees 63. Kitchen appliance 64. Give temporarily 67. Electrically charged particle PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 350 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 119 M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 1 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 250 - MEDIUM SODOKU PUZZLE NO 249- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �RESOURCES No. 351 | M a r 10 - M a r 2 3, 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 Salvation Army 762-5660 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 131 E. 12th Street 45202 Shelter: Men Shelterhouse 411 Gest St. 45203 621-6364 1730 Race Street 45202 241-1064 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 1125 Bank Street 45214 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 2121 Vine Street 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Prospect House 921-1613 Parkway Center 661-4620 Starting Over 961-2256 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Shelter: Youth Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Interfaith Hospitality Network Housing: First Step Home 761-1480 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 Talbert House Tender Mercies 221-HELP 721-8666 Tom Geiger House Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn 961-4555 381-1954 421-5211 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 27 W. 12th Street 45202 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 VA VA Homeless Food/Clothing First Lutheran Church 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 721-4700 421-7803 Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center UpSpring 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 621-1868 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 Health Resource Center 357-4602 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 for 26 issues Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 981-4200 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? Center for Respite Care 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 $100 Hamilton/Middletown Northern Kentucky 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 621-5300 961-1983 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 241-2965 Health 421-0065 381-0111 771-4800 579-8547 721-4811 Joseph House (Veterans) 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 977-6800 859-572-6226 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart Goodwill Industries Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Mary Magdalen House 351-0422 381-6672 1522 Republic Street 45202 558-8888 351-3500 977-4489 241-2600 621-5514 AA Hotline CCAT 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 352-6363 Center Independent Living Options Peaslee Neighborhood Center St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both Caracole (HIV/AIDS) CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 114 W. 14th Street 45202 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 471-1100 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio FreeStore/FoodBank 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 721-0643 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Our Daily Bread St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 557-2873 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 15 $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 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 March 10-March 23, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director An Update on the Child Poverty Initiative Pg 3: Funding Our Future Border Stories Pg 4: National Day of Action for Housing Pg 5: Transgender Rally at City Hall When Lip Service is Not Enough Pg 6: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 7: Tax Those Who’ve Gained from Public Investment in OTR Pg 8: Brazil’s Race to Save Drought-Hit City Pg 9: Brazil’s Race to Save Drought-Hit City Continued Pg 10: Know Your City Pg 11: Let’s Wish Deters Well Friendship and Cancer Pg 12: Confused Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 March 10-March 23, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Dr. Mark Mussman Sr. Nicole Varnerin Gretchen Marie Semcik Key Beck Johnathan Diskin James C. Fraser Thomas A. Dutton Mark P. Painter Steve Sunderland Sharon Doering Justin Jeffre Bobby Morris Willa Denise Jones Alice Schneider Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alice Schneider Bill Woods Bobby Morris Brazil Child Poverty City Hall Dr. Mark Mussman Drought Gretchen Marie Semcik James C. Fraser Johnathan Diskin Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Key Beck Larry Files Mark P. Painter National Day of Action Over-the-Rhine protest Rally Sharon Doering Sr. Nicole Varnerin Steve Sunderland Thomas A. Dutton Transgender Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/ed09f1f4972efcf305fa1a5f14fafe2f.pdf 0dba93b93cb021174ddc3d9989bb7209 PDF Text Text March 24th - April 6th 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 33 (No. 352) advocating justice | Building community How unaccompanied youth become exploited workers in the US| 8 This issue is sponsored in honor of Martha Stephens INSIDE THIS ISSUE Forum Focuses on Issues Candidates Need to Address| 3 Let My People Live| 5 Natural Gas Shortage Coming| 2 International Women’s Day: A Day Without Women | 11 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: One Earth Opportunity JOSH SPRING T Executive Director he Spring Season is here again, or at least we are told and can somewhat see and/ or feel that it is. The past few years it has at times been difficult to determine the season beyond the generally accepted calendar. When simply walking from one place to another more and more often I am struck by the wonder of how anyone could believe that the earth and atmosphere are not warming. The heads of companies and politicians that claim global warming is a hoax, I am confident in most cases, know the earth is warmer, but simply speak lies, because it supports their desire to continue making huge profits off the destruction of the planet. Of course, there are folks in the general public that believe global warming isn’t real, but I hope the number of people realizing politicians and companies duped them is growing. People are more likely to believe in the existence of something they have experienced. I know just within my lifetime I can certainly remember the seasons being more distinct and consistent. Even looking at the past ten years, I can easily realize significant changes in the seasons. I believe that many other people must be considering the truths that they constantly experience around themselves. Natural Gas Shortage Coming MICHAEL EARL PATTON I Contributing Writer know I am almost alone in this prediction, but that doesn’t really matter except it makes the task harder of persuading others of the coming problem. On the other hand, if the problem were widely reported I wouldn’t be writing this article because I write mostly about things that deserve more attention. That normally means more work for me because I have to do my own research, but that is also part of the attraction. In this specific case, I predict that it is very probable there will be a severe shortage of natural gas in the next few years. I have been looking at the data concerning natural gas supplies for several years. I look at the production and consumption data for the United States, along with how much is in storage, the number of rigs drilling for natural gas, and the winter severity, which is the peak time for natural gas usage. I see that more electricity is now generated by burning natural gas than coal, which wasn’t the case just a few years ago. I don’t like the trends. Decreasing production, little new drilling, more usage, and supplies at just an average level after three warm winters in a row are not good signs. In the best case a severe supply squeeze is in the offing, while the worst case is an economic train wreck. The critical period for natural gas usage is normally winter. Colder winters mean we burn more natural gas to stay warm, either in our natural gas furnaces or lately in electrical generation stations to produce M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 2 As groupings of humans we do often bring destruction to something that was good. The earth has clearly not been spared. We also tend to focus far too much on the here and now at the ignorance of the future, especially the far away future. We say we need the dinosaur bones to fuel our modern lives, which has been regularly debated. What cannot be debated is the fact that we need this earth. We can find other methods and in fact have found other methods of fueling transportation, electricity, etc., but it’s probably very safe to assume that we are not going to find another planet to live on. Certainly, a part of our morality must be judged by how we steward this one earth opportunity available to us. Decisions we make about how we steward this home affects the people around us, affects people on the other side of the globe and affects future generations from now to the end. Talk about important… These data are from NOAA – the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (www.noaa.gov) – in their “Climate at a Glance” section. The temperature differences for the so-called meteorological winter are used, which is the 3-month period from December through February. Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE electricity to run heat pumps. Since what follows depends so much on how cold coming winters will be, let’s look at how much the average winter temps have deviated from normal for the past several winters. Five of the past 6 winters have been significantly warmer than normal; this last winter was one of the warmest on record while the winter (Continued on page 7) Writers: Josh Spring, Michael Earl Patton, Bill Woods, Dr. Mark Mussman, Key Beck, Jim Luken, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Robert Park, Michelle Dillingham, Kate Gallion, Lee McCoy, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones Photography/ Artwork: Alice Schneider, ThinkProgress, Jim Luken, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Michael Earl Patton, Tonya Cook, Aimee Willhoite, Bill Woods Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �LOCAL FORUM FOCUSES ON ISSUES COUNCIL AND MAYORAL CANDIDATES NEED TO ADDRESS No. 352 | M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6 , 2 0 17 W 3 BILL WOODS hat are the issues that City Council and Mayoral candidates should be talking about in this year's campaign? A panel at the March 16th Community Issues Forum focused on this question. The clear theme that emerged from the three presentations is that Cincinnati's elected representatives must pay a lot more attention to the needs of the city 's low-income residents and their neighborhoods. Josh Spring, Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, led off the panel with a factual and troubling description of the City's homeless population and the lack of affordable housing for thousands of residents. He cited that the four local family shelters were only able to take in approximately eleven percent of the families seeking shelter in the last year. Usually these shelters have less applicants during the warmer months, but this trend did not occur in 2016. Meanwhile, the shelters for single adults remained at full capacity during this time frame, and they were forced to turn men and women away. More people have also been counted trying to eke out an existence outside, and the "cold shelter" took in more than four-hundred of them during the extreme winter weather. The shelters are doing their best to accommodate this increase in homelessness, noted Spring, but it all boils down to a lack of affordable housing in Cincinnati. This local affordable housing shortage, declared Spring, can be summed up with two numbers. Fourteen thousand families that qualify for housing assistance are not receiving it, and a 40,000 affordable housing unit gap currently exists in the Queen City. Spring pointed to cuts in federal housing programs over the years, gentrification, and the neglect of older units by absentee landlords as reasons for this growing gap. Furthermore, the current federal budget plan submitted to Congress by the Trump Administration calls for a further cut in housing programs of seven billion dollars. What is needed locally, according to Spring, is a housing trust fund. It could be established by the City or regionally, and it could have multiple sources of funding. Currently, the Homeless Coalition is working with Contributing Writer Affordable Housing Advocates to draft plans for such a trust while building community support to take the proposal to City Hall and other public entities. Spring concluded his remarks with these words: "It all comes down to housing!" "This is a society that is not very good at solving problems." Prince Brown, Professor Emeritus of Sociology and African American Studies at Northern Kentucky University, opened his remarks with this observation. Government exists with sufficient money to provide affordable housing units fits this alternative model, and that it should be launched. He concluded that similar local initiatives are needed for major needs such as public transportation and health care. Jennifer Summers, Executive Director of the Peaslee Neighborhood Center, then depicted how community organizing in lowincome neighborhoods, can often turn things around. Her Center alone is an example of how residents in What needs to happen, says Summers, is a community organizing effort that moves from stopping things such as the Rothenberg project to supporting polices such as "inclusionary zoning," a process that insures the inclusion of affordable housing units in any major new housing project. We need to effectively advocate at City Hall for private/public partnerships that insure that neighborhood residents reap some benefits from any City supported private development. Certainly, she added, a coalition of Josh Spring speaking at Community Issues Forum about the growing housing crisis Credit: Alice Schneider to serve the people, he said, but too often it is focused on helping those with money make more money. He deplored the large donations of big donors to political campaigns, and he suggested that such donations should go to hire workers as community organizers to register people to vote. "So what can we do?" asked Prince. "We have to think big!" He suggested a new social service model that emphasizes prevention rather than partial relief for huge problems. He agreed with Josh Spring that a local housing trust fund “Breakdown Stereotypes” Over-the-Rhine battled against huge odds to transform a closed Public School into a thriving neighborhood resource. She pointed to the Center's recent effort to assist mothers and children in their fight to save public land across the street from Rothenberg School that houses a basketball court and a community garden. At the moment, they have successfully stopped a project to build expensive condominiums supported by the City's Development Department which was proceeding with no neighborhood input. citizens should be able to persuade City Council to establish a housing trust fund. The trick, she concluded, "is getting civically involved wherever you are!" The March 30 forum features Pat Garry, Chair of Affordable Housing Advocates, Mike Maloney, Convener of the Urban Appalachian Community Coalition, and Pastor Ennis Tait, President of the Faith Community Alliance of Greater Cincinnati. “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 LOCAL Powerful Words in Action DR. MARK MUSSMAN A Staff Writer n avid reader of Streetvibes may remember the article I wrote a couple of months ago about using language that shows that you are an advocate. Although I didn’t write specifically about “person-first” language, I hope that the article helped people understand the power of their words. Person first language is something that advocates use to show that they are sensitive to the needs and conditions of individuals for whom they are advocating. At speaking engagements, we encourage people to become advocates by ceasing to use “homeless people” or “homeless person” because it not only minimizes the complex identity of individuals, but it also denies that homelessness is a temporary circumstance that someone is going through at the time. No one works hard to become a “homeless person,” so try using “people experiencing homelessness” or “persons homeless” to show you M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 2 are an advocate. That’s simple enough, and I know you might struggle using this new language, but once you do, it’ll become second nature to you. In addition to this language change, we also want to be careful to not co-opt the language of others – especially traditionally marginalized groups. I have seen this happen within the social justice movement. There are times when co-opting sayings or slogans is acceptable, so don’t think I am painting everything with the same brush – but we need to ask ourselves are we taking power from those who are virtually powerless? I am going to take a moment to “call out” some instances when this has happened recently. First and foremost, when we go out into THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED the streets in a march, and we are trying to bring dignity to those who have been killed by the police, we use #SayHerName it is to explicitly represent African American women, both cis and trans, who have been brutalized and killed by the police. When we co-opt the term to #SayHisName we are removing the intent behind the original saying while, at the same time, erasing the very real brutality that occurs against women of color who are brutalized by the police and the (in)justice system. We must be mindful of this. I won’t go into a polemic about how obviously racist #AllLivesMatter is – hopefully you have an understanding of that – but I do (Continued on page 5) �LOCAL No. 352 | M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6 , 2 0 17 Let My People Live KEY BECK W Contributing Writer e have an epidemic on our hands. It shouldn't be surprising to hear that many of the most marginalized groups (trans women of color, queer people and undocumented citizens) are unwitting victims of these prejudiced travel bans, de-funded social services, lack of protection and systematic segregation and oppression. "Basic rights” that were promised to all people living in the United States have been systematically disappearing for these marginalized individuals. Indigenous people, who have been honored and given land by the government, are fighting a system determined to usurp their sacred land. Middle Eastern students and teachers who were allowed to travel home freely to see friends and family on breaks must now ask themselves if it is worth leaving the U.S. Kids, who at one point could use any bathroom they chose, are now forced to decide whether they should risk their safety to pee or hold it all day. These are just a few of syptoms of the epidemic plaguing gender, sexual, racial and ethnic minorities. There have been seven reported murders of trans women of color in the US this year, and we are only in March (last year, there were five by this time and 27 total in 2016). Add that trauma to the facts that transgender people are (1) four times more likely to live in poverty, (2) two times more likely to experience unemployment than the general population, (3) have a 41% of attempting suicide and (4) a 22% chance of encountering police harassment. This data, from ”Injustice at Every Turn” a report by the National Center for Transgender Equality and The Gay and Lesbian Task Force, confirms what I stated DR. MARK MUSSMAN (Continued from page 4) want to write about a recent bill in the Kentucky legislature. The “Blue Lives Matter” bill creates hate-crime penalties against people who harm first responders. Typically, hatecrime legislation is used to protect the most vulnerable, but here this is not the case. Essentially, the bill will give police officers the ability to provoke citizens who are already forced to succumb to their wishes and ensure higher penalties against them. People already face trumped up charges such as “resisting arrest” or “failure to comply” when they are detained (or not) by the police. Because people who are living in poverty (much of Kentucky) already are adversely and disproportionally affected by aggressive policing policies, and we know that the police have already been able to force many people away from their families and livelihoods 5 at the beginning on this article. We have an epidemic on our hands. Trans women account for over 70% of all anti-LGBT discrimination and violence. We must not accept these numbers, and we must start to realize that trans women issues are or sexual orientation into these conversations. Trans women of color are routinely unemployed, denied healthcare, misgendered in the penal system and generally mistreated. They aren't cat-called on the street, they are jumped. We “attempt,” (my use of quotes here should be seen as parody) to bring reality to the lives of trans people through film and new media, but they usually focus on objectification and exoticism of the body. How many storylines can we endure where trans people are in anything about it? We need to learn to support our communities. Everyone deserves basic human rights. Everyone deserves a place to eat, a place to live, a place to feel safe and a place for healthcare. These are basic rights and everyone deserves to have them. We may have an epidemic on our hands, but no one says we have to remain apathetic about the situation. We need to do more to protect our trans sisters. Be a bathroom buddy. Talk to your employer about inclusive hiring practices. Demand that your Seven trans women of color who were murdered in 2017 Credit: ThinkProgress women’s issues. If we are going to have a national movement to protect women, then I’m urging advocates to support all women. White feminism has been under a microscope lately. Not because so many marginalized people hate white women, but due to its nature of erasure and gender exclusion. When we think of women’s rights, we think of things like equal pay for (cis) women, Roe v. Wade/women’s reproductive rights, male perpatrators and pay for maternity leave. Rarely, does one insert gender prison, attempting to trick a straight guy, switching genders based on a gag, or even worse a trans narrative starring by a straight actor. It is not surprising to know that marginalized groups are the biggest victims in this current political climate. We have seen bans specifically targeting transgender/ gender non-conforming people such as bathroom bills. We read about murders of trans women on news sites, Facebook and newspapers. If we see all these horrible things happening, why aren’t we doing medical professional support trans women’s health. These are some of the small things one can do to help, but I trust that you can do more if you take this call to action seriously. Transgender Women of Color Killed in 2017 (as of March 25) - Say Their Names: Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow, Mesha Caldwell, Jojo Striker, Jaquarrius Holland, Tiara Lashaytheboss Richmond, Chyna Doll Dupree, Ciara McElveen. Cover photo credit: Black Trans Liberation Flag designed by Raquel Willis, @RaquelWillis. just because they are having a bad day, we should oppose this type of legislation. The reason this is such an egregious co-option of #BlackLivesMatter is because it is both dialectically opposed to the origins of the term and it is absolutely lazy. White people have been taking the culture, language, and labor of people of color in this country since the beginning. We have done very little to reverse this course, and when #BlackLivesMatter rose out of the injustices perpetuated against people of color by the police it was met with such backlash and hatred that is proved its point almost immediately. We have a system that is rigged against people of color, to the point that, police can injure or kill people of color without impunity. Over 1500 American citizens are killed by the police each year and very few are convicted of manslaughter or murder. Recent statistics from Bowling Green State University show that only 13 officers have been convicted since 2005. We need to be mindful of the ways in which we allow people of color to do the labor – especially when they are expressing their outrage against an unjust system – and then reap the benefits. When we just tweak a slogan to fit our advocacy work, we are allowing someone else to do the work and not giving them credit for it. There are times when this may be acceptable; however, I caution us to do the work to express our own voice. When #NativeLivesMatter co-opted the hashtag at Standing Rock, one could argue that not only do Native communities face disproportional violence from police forces (all over the country) but they would also be included in the #BlackLivesMatter umbrella. This may be seen as a “just” co-opting of the work, but this is clearly up for debate. So as we get ready to make our signs for the next march or rally – perhaps the April 1st National Day of Action for Housing – we should be aware of our words, our own words, and how they represent us both as individuals and communities. Let’s do the work and not cash in on the work of others because it is easy or because it fits our goals. No matter who you are, it is perfectly acceptable to put #BlackLivesMatter on your sign, or your car, or your t-shirt. When you show that you are advocate with your words, it means that you are supporting something bigger than yourself – you are supporting the creativity, the pain, the passion, the livelihood, the labor of people of color in our community. Co-opting the work of others just shows how incredibly lazy and disrespectful we are, and does not represent the work of a true advocate. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �6 LOCAL M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 2 (Continued on page 12) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �LOCAL International Women’s Day: an old man's perspective No. 352 | M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6 , 2 0 17 7 (Continued on page 12 Jim Luken Contributing Writers I was privileged to attend the Women's March on Washington, one week after the inauguration of the reality TV star and narcissist as President of these United States. I had been to many dozens of demonstrations over the years. This one was the biggest and the best. Most of us stood so far away from the speakers' stand and podium that the jumbo-tron video of the event looked to be the size of a postage stamp in the distance. It didn't matter. What mattered were the number of people, the peaceful yet focused energy, and the fact that this MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 2) before that was the warmest. To have enough gas on hand for winter, companies inject gas in storage caverns during the nonwinter months. The next chart shows the recent amounts of natural gas in storage and compares it to the 5-year average and the maximumminimum range. As the chart shows, this winter is close to an average one in this regard. Note that the amount of gas in storage goes up from about March through October event had been called for by women, who had produced and coordinated it. If men had done it, the numbers and the energy would have had much less impact. On a smaller scale, history repeated itself at Piatt (Garfield) Park near the library in the early evening of March 8. This had been the site of nightly “Occupy Cincinnati” meetings in the fall of 2011. I had been proudly present for most of those “general assemblies.” The lawyers who represented us “occupy-ers” had succeeded in forcing the city to declare the area around Garfield's statue as a kind Ann Verdin's sign offers a positive solution at her first pro-women's demonstration Credit: Jim Luken and undergoes a steep decline from December through February. My concern is that although the winter was much warmer than normal, and one of the warmest on record, you couldn’t tell that from the natural gas storage amounts. It looks like an average winter. What would happen if we had a winter that was colder than normal? We only have to go back to the winter of 2013/14 to see. That winter was just a little colder than the long-term average and natural gas supplies plummeted. A few more weeks of cold and there would not have been enough natural gas to fully supply everyone. One might conclude since we got through that one okay there shouldn’t be a problem unless we had another winter like the really cold ones of the late 1970’s. But it’s worse than that. For one thing, today most electricity is now generated using natural gas, while back then most was generated by burning coal. Natural gas production, itself, had been growing until about a year ago but now is falling. Compare this to the number of rigs in operation drilling for natural gas. These are rigs drilling predominately for natural gas. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Wells that are drilled for oil may also produce natural gas but are not included. Even if an oil well can also produce natural gas, it has to be connected to a natural gas pipeline for the gas to be any use. Otherwise the gas is re-injected into the well or, in some cases, flared (burned). For years there were about 400 rigs drilling for natural gas in operation. Then, during the shale boom, the number greatly increased for about 12 years. There was a lag, however, between the high number of drilling rigs and an increase in (Continued on page 12) �8 NATIONAL How unaccompanied youth become exploited workers in the US M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 2 STEPHANIE L. CANIZALES T he Trump administration has released a series of executive orders targeting immigration at the U.S. southern border. Central American families and children traveling alone represent nearly half of all unauthorized migrants apprehended by Customs and Border Protection. The criminalization of immigrants at the U.S. southern border disproportionately affects Central American children and youth. Nearly 153,000 unaccompanied Mexican and Central American  children  have been apprehended at the U.S. southern border since 2014. Of those detained by Customs and Border Protection and processed by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, 60 percent have been reunited with a sponsor, typically a parent. The other 40 percent are placed with a nonparent sponsor. With the guidance of a parent or guardian, these youths might obtain financial, legal, health and social support. Others who enter without detection and remain unaccompanied when they arrive in the U.S. are financially independent and may never gain access to formal resettlement services. Recent  orders  by the Trump administration that prioritize unaccompanied child migrants for deportation heighten the vulnerability of immigrant children in the U.S. Since 2012, I have conducted indepth observations and interviews with undocumented immigrant youth who arrived in Los Angeles, California as unaccompanied minors and have remained without a parent throughout their settlement in the U.S. I use pseudonyms for confidentiality as research participants are migrant youth living and working in the U.S. without authorization. Pundits and scholars tend to frame immigrant youth as students and adult migrants as workers. However, being unaccompanied at settlement requires youth to become financially independent and take up low-wage occupations to make ends meet. My ongoing research shows that unaccompanied migrant youth face labor exploitation and suggests that Trump’s orders exacerbate the precarious work conditions of unaccompanied immigrant youth workers in the U.S. Workplace violence Undocumented working youth migrate to Los Angeles in hopes of working to support their families who remain in their home countries. They come to the U.S. with low levels of education and English language Courtesy of The Conversation / INSP.ngo fluency. Romero arrived in Los Angeles from Guatemala at the age of 15 and immediately began looking for work in downtown LA garment factories. In an interview, he recalled: “The bosses would tell me, ‘do you have experience?’ I would say yes. And they would say, ‘you are a child still. Go to Salvadoran woman who was pushed to the shop floor by the factory manager for incorrectly sewing the seams on a batch of dresses. They sorrowfully recalled their inability to help her out of fear of losing their jobs. In early February 2017, the  Department of Homeland In fact, many see their tenacity in enduring workplace violence as a marker of their commitment to their families and communities. “I didn’t come here with a bad intention. I didn’t come here to be a burden,” says 22-year-old Berenice who arrived from El Salvador at the age of 17. A 19-year-old Salvadoran man explained, “People say Central Americans are gang bangers but we all come here with a dream. We want to help our families. There aren’t jobs over there and we come here to work. We are not selfish. We want to help.” These young people participate in various community organizations Immigrants who have been caught crossing the border illegally are housed inside the McAllen Border Patrol Station in McAllen, Texas July 15, 2014, where they are processed. More than 57,000 unaccompanied children have been apprehended at the southwestern border since October, more than twice the total this time last year. Credit: REUTERS/ Rick Loomis/Pool school.’ But I thought, ‘yes I would like to go to school but no one is going to [financially] support me. Just me. Who else? It’s me by myself.’” Unaccompanied minors like him enter industries such as garment production, service, construction and domestic work. Youth working in the garment industry often make a median of US$350 in wages per week for more than 60 hours of work. Undocumented youth garment workers spend hours in dimly lit factories where shop owners often leave doors and windows locked throughout the work day to remain discreet and avoid workplace inspection. The  lack of ventilation, heat and loud noises from factory machines, and strenuous work schedules physically and mentally exhaust youth who are then unable to attend school due to headaches, eye tension and back pain. Much like with their  adult coworkers, economic necessity and fear of removal from the workplace and the country keep undocumented migrant youth workers quiet in cases of exploitation, and docile and efficient on the job. For example, three young workers at the same factory told me the story of a young Security  conducted “a series of targeted enforcement operations” in workplaces and neighborhoods across 12 states that led to the arrest of 680 immigrants. Raids in today’s immigrant destinations, including Los Angeles, increase the hostility that workers must navigate in already precarious occupations. Research shows that deportation can have  detrimental mental health effects  on children and lead to financial hardship among families. In 2008, the largest workplace immigration raid  in U.S. history impacted hundreds of Central American workers, including minors. These actions can further mental health and financial instability in the lives of child migrants. Overcoming and giving back In the last four years, I have encountered youth who have been entangled with drug and alcohol addictions, experienced bouts of homelessness or toiled in depression and anxiety as they searched for ways to cope. Far from being the “bad hombres” Trump describes, youths’ desires to overcome these circumstances permeated our conversations and organized their daily lives. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED such as churches, book clubs, support groups and recreational sports teams. A 25-year-old Guatemalan man who has lived in the U.S. for nine years said: “What is important here is that we stay united and we support each other. We all want to be helped and to also help. Like in my case, the way someone lent me a hand, I want to lend it to others. That’s how I overcame [my trauma].” Young people construct moral identities based on work, participating in the local economy, giving back to their local community via organizational involvement and community service. They also demonstrate a commitment to their transnational community. A 24-yearold man who arrived in Los Angeles at age 16 gave up attending English classes at an adult language school to remit a few extra dollars to his family abroad after his youngest brother expressed a desire to migrate to the U.S. to attend school. “No quiero que venga a sufrir aca,” he said, “I do not want him to come here to suffer.” Stephanie L. Canizales is a Ph.D. Candidate, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Science. �9 WORLD No. 352 | M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6 , 2 0 17 Border Stories: A Divided Community I SR. NICOLE VARNERIN Contributing Writer looked out of the car windows in amazement at the large number of people and vendors on the side of the road. Men with flags tried to direct our car into parking spots and others wanted to dust our windows. Noise and movement came from all sides as we made our way down the International Street in Progresso, Mexico. Signs on buildings boasted cheap dentistry, pharmaceuticals, and authentic Mexican fare. But, we were not staying in the city like most Americans who cross into Mexico. Our destination was a little more remote and much more in need. We were on our way to teach English to some children in a one-room schoolhouse. Once out of the city center, buildings and colorful signs gave way to farmland and tractors. Just before the train tracks, we turned onto the dirt road that services the Colonia the schoolhouse is a part of. A colonia, a Spanish word meaning neighborhood, is established on land outside of the boundaries of the city and may or may not have water or sewage, since the city is not required to provide them. The owners of this land sell small plots to families who then build whatever they can afford. Sometimes, it is a proper house, others it is a trailer, and other times the dwelling is only a shack. As we made our way to the bright blue schoolhouse, the grandparents of most of the children greeted us. They had big smiles on their faces and were visibly grateful for our presence there. Our first two students ran up to meet us and told us their names. We began teaching, and soon the small room was full of children. We teach children from age three to age eight, but no matter what age, they are all eager to learn. One boy was so excited that he shouted all the answers out first. His big grin swallowed his face from ear to ear. I can’t get their faces out of my mind. The children we teach in Mexico are so happy, so joyful, so eager. I see their happy, smiling faces in spite of all they lack and I wonder, how? I grew up in a warm home with plenty of toys at my disposal. I never wanted for food or wondered where my next meal would come from. I had easy access to clean water for drinking and bathing and I always had new clothes. I had the opportunity for a top notch education, which satiated my eagerness to learn. I had parents who encouraged me and always wanted the best for me. And I knew I was loved. I had a happy childhood. Because my childhood included both love and material wealth, I have a hard time separating my happiness as a child from either of these things. That is a part of my privilege. The children I teach live in oneroom cinderblock dwellings with tin roofs. They run around in the dirt road and play with their grandparents’ chickens. Their parents have to buy 5 gallon jugs of water because the water at the colonia is not safe to drink. And, the children know they are loved. Their parents sacrifice for them, even taking time out of their day to teach them so they do not have to go so far to the government school. These children have a happy childhood. Somehow I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that these children lack so much that I had, some that I even deem as essentials, and yet, they are still so happy. “They don’t know Cheerful sky-blue one-room schoolhouse Credit: Sr. Nicole Varnerin any better.” is a phrase I often hear and say about children like this. But after seeing their joy I think, do they even need to know better? Actually, is all that I had as a child better than what these children have? My initial reaction was one that you may have had after reading about the lives of these children, pity. I wanted to fix everything. I thought they should have everything I did, toys, candy, cookies, formal education, new clothes, running water, houses with doors and air conditioning, in order to be happy. If I had these things and was happy, then they must be necessary, right? After my initial reaction, I took the time to really observe the children and their families. They are … happy. Despite all their poverty, despite the challenges, they are happy. So, there has to be something wrong with my preconception of a happy childhood. They know better than I do what they need. I NEED to listen to them. What really stands out to me is, these children are loved. And they know it! Their parents want the best for them, which is why we were asked to teach English. Confronting poverty headon in Texas and Mexico has had an unintended consequence of confronting my privilege. I have the privilege of being born a US Citizen. I have the privilege of a good education. I have the privilege of being born into an upper-middle class family who loves me and cares for me. My idea of a good childhood looks very different than the reality of the majority of childhoods in the world. My preconception of poverty is that it is bad. While it is important to make sure all people have what they need to live, maybe there is some wisdom in poverty. A wisdom of simplicity, a wisdom of love. And we, as people privileged to walk alongside the poor, need to listen to this wisdom. ------------------------ Sr. Maxine and Andrea set up the classroom so we can teach two different sets of children Credit: Sr. Nicole Varnerin THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �10 OPINION Opioids are the opiate of the masses K ROBERT PARK Contributing Writer arl (Marx) once said something like, “religion is the opiate of the masses.” Well a lot of the working class, particularly the despondent youth, have ditched religion and opted for the real thing. It has become a public health emergency that our elected officials are now engaged in the nuts and bolts of responding to. Unfortunately, it seems like almost no officials – local, regional or national – are addressing (or admitting) the cause of this crisis. They are focused on what public health people call “secondary prevention” – minimizing the costs and picking up the pieces after bad things happen. With the disruptors daily coming up with new gimmicks to cheat people out of monotonous jobs that make a living – like driving a truck, feeding a machine or selling something – where’s the hope for this generation? Farms have been turned into chemical wastelands with giant machines crawling along to grow the raw materials of diabetes and heart disease, lymphomas and breast cancer. Warehouses are becoming digital fulfillment centers run by robots instructing robots. Infrastructure is decomposing. But first, let’s follow the money. Drug wars have always been instruments of corrupt politics M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 2 whether keeping black people down or middle class kids distracted, or funding wars. But consider the economics of opioids. In a recent court case brought by McDowell County in the State of West Virginia, some appalling numbers have surfaced. Between 2007 and 2012, three drug companies shipped 423 million doses of opioids to West Virginia – which has a population of about 1.8 million people. The pay-off from this death trade in West Virginia was $17 billion dollars, that’s more than $1,500 per WV resident per year that the three drug companies skimmed off the top of the state, sort of like chemical mountain top removal. Probably more cash than most West Virginians paid per person in taxes. McDowell County had a drug overdose death rate of 97.3 per 100,000 residents in 2008 compared to the U.S. rate of 13.2 per 100,000 in 2011. WV’s death rate by drug overdose rose to 36.2 per 100,000 residents in 2011 up from Parents should be concerned about SCOTUS nominee Gorsuch MICHELLE DILLINGHAM I t can be hard to keep track of all the changes in Washington lately. This week alone the newly proposed federal budget contains major shifts in how our tax dollars will be spent. While annual budgets come and go, some decisions of the new leadership will have implications for years to come. One of them is who will be chosen as the next Supreme Court Justice? In January President Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to the US Supreme Contributing Writer Court, and confirmation hearings for his appointment begin March 20th by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Neil Gorsuch has been serving on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2006, and many are taking note of his rulings related to his decisions on labor, business, and gun rights. What concerns me however, is his record on disability rights for children. Our son Michael has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, so policy on disability rights really hit home for our family. A quick search about Judge Gorsuch shows that he has consistently ruled against students with disabilities who have sought educational services to which they were entitled under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In the case Thompson R2-J School District v. Luke P., Gorsuch’s ruling denied Luke, a young autistic boy, placement in a residential school program, an accommodation THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 5.1 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2001. So perhaps we should call this “secondary causation,” since the underlying cause is personal desperation and hopelessness. What are we to do? Maybe a good start would be to have honest discussions in schools about kids’ prospects for the future and what has gone wrong. Maybe parents should be involved – they’ve already been on the receiving end of this nightmare. They should talk about what political movements could make things better (or worse). This discussion would not produce agreement – things have gone way too far down the road of disrespect, alternate facts and conflicting resentments. But one thing that people in groups could do is to imagine what is going to happen on our current path, throwing up different scenarios, writing them down, and then seeing what predictions are working and why. Luke’s family and teachers agreed he needed to fully apply the skills he learned in school. In Muskrat v Deer Creek Public Schools, Judge Gorsuch ruled against a boy with mental and physical disabilities whose parents sued after he was physically abused, and repeatedly subjected to confinement in a small room at the school. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures that all children with physical and mental disabilities be provided with a free, appropriate public education aged 3 to 21 years old. According to the National Center for Education roughly 13% of all children, or 6.6 million students enrolled in our nation’s public schools have a (Continued on page 12) �LOCAL International Women’s Day: A Day Without Women No. 352 | M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6 , 2 0 17 11 KATE GALLION O n March 8 around 400 people turned for an International Women’s Day rally at Piatt Park. First we marched, then we huddled, now we STRIKE. We wore red in solidarity with the American woman’s struggle for Equal Rights. We wore black for the women of the world enduring second-class citizenship. We strike to demand equal pay for equal work and a living wage; We call for reproductive health-care and the autonomous control our bodies; affordable child care, affordable housing, and paid parental leave. We strike for equal educational and employment opportunity. We fight against systemic violence and the rape culture that permeates our society. MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 7) natural gas production. Looking at the two charts I would say that the lag was about 4 years. Conversely, even though the number of drilling rigs crashed below 400 in about 2013, gas production continued to go up for a couple more years. This is not surprising when you consider that there is a lot more work that has to be done after the hole is drilled before the well starts to produce natural gas. This includes casing, cementing, and hydraulic fracturing the well. Currently the EIA estimates that there are close to 5,500 gas wells that have been drilled but not completed. While this sounds like a lot, and is sometimes brought forth as evidence that there is plenty of production capacity about ready to begin, it is only about 1% of the number of gas wells that are currently producing. So even if all these wells were to start production tomorrow, the effect would be relatively small. Today the number of rigs drilling for natural gas is less than half of 400, although it is going up. Using history as a guide, it looks like it would take at least a few years before natural gas production would increase beyond its 2016 level, and the increase would only happen if there were a strong increase in the number of drilling rigs as there was in the early 2000’s. You may hear that drilling is much more efficient now, but it is unlikely you will hear just how much more efficient. I do not know, and I put such claims down as mostly hype meant to boost the stock price. Offsetting any efficiency increase is the fact that most of the best areas for drilling gas have already been drilled. I have read that companies plan to concentrate on the “sweet” spots this time around so production will be more efficient, but seriously, you mean that they didn’t think of this the first time around? In the absence Contributing Writer We are 51% of the entire population yet our rights always come last. Last place is no place for women. A woman’s place is in the home and work force, the state house, Congress and Senate of the United States, and in the White House—where the first woman to win the popular vote was denied her rightful position. We are powerful, compassionate, and purpose led. United We Stand. Cincinnati, an official sister march of The National Women’s March on Washington, was proud to host this 2017 celebration of solidarity with women around the world. *The national coordinating committee for the IWD sends the following statement: “March 8 is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political of better data, I suspect that the two trends – better efficiency and fewer “sweet” spots that are left – offset each other. So I’m sticking with my prediction that it will take a few years before natural gas production reaches any new highs. Maybe I should have said “any new highs, if ever.” There is only so much natural gas in the ground and sooner or later a decline in production must set in. I freely admit that I am virtually the only one has written about a problem here. Far more common are platitudes about how the huge amounts of shale gas that can be tapped – enough to supply the United States for the next hundred years. I don’t believe it, and I think I have presented sufficient evidence to show that I may be right. Shale gas is sometimes called “tight” gas because it resides in small pores in shale rock that must be fractured in order to release it. This is much more expensive to do than for conventional gas, where this extra step is not needed. Further, there is much less gas available from each shale gas well, which means that many more wells have to be drilled to get the same amount of gas. And shale gas wells deplete faster than conventional wells. Depletion means that the gas from which the well draws is reduced; eventually it reduces down to where it is no longer economical to operate the well. One of the things left unsaid is that it costs much more to produce natural gas that is trapped in shale rock than from conventional formations. How much more is a closely guarded industry secret, but we know that it has to be a lot due to the well-publicized problems of shale gas drillers such as Chesapeake. In the past couple years, over a hundred shale gas and shale oil producers have declared bankruptcy. The relatively cheap prices for oil and gas are due more to something like fire sales as companies try to raise cash, than they are due to the actual costs (Continued on page 12) A Day Without Women Celebration in Piatt Park Credit: Tonya Cook Natural gas usage on stove Credit: Michael Earl Patton of production. I have not forgotten about Duke’s proposed gas pipeline through Blue Ash, which is supposed to rebalance their distribution system and enable the closing of the propane peaking plants. I think a far better response would be to pursue vigorous efficiency improvements. Otherwise, when the squeeze or crunch comes, the natural gas prices will steeply escalate. The trigger will probably be a winter that is much colder than normal, though it could also be much hotter summers since so much electricity for air conditioning is not generated by burning natural gas. Or a combination of the two – a very hot summer followed by a very cold winter. Just natural variations make it almost inevitable that something like this will happen. Those who can afford it will stay warm while the rest run the risk of having their gas cut-off for non-payment. Everyone who THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED can, should do what they can to improve efficiencies. As examples of improvements, over the years I have replaced my gas furnace with a high-efficiency model, insulated the ductwork in the basement, caulked the outside, put in a programmable thermostat, lowered the indoor heating temperature (I dress warmly but am still comfortable), wrapped the water heater, and insulated the hot water pipes where these are accessible. The attic and walls already had insulation, and although it won’t be easy, I aim to add more (the problem is mainly one of accessibility and building forms to hold the additional insulation). I wish the building codes were strengthened in this regard for new construction, but there is little hope of that right now since the problem does not have a high level of awareness. Still, regardless of what others do or not do, I intend to do what I can. I urge you to do the same. �12 STREET VOICE M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 2 King Heron LEE MCCOY B Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer ack in my day this was a true saying, cause you would bow down all day. I’m not trying to glorify this drug. But I have to say this King Heron (heroin) today is not the King Heron that I escaped from. Let me once again let you in on a part of my life, the life of me, Lee McCoy. I remember the first time I ever tasted your sting of death. It took me a few years to realize that was all you were, yet those years you had me fooled. I thought you were beautiful and a way to get away from the reality of life. And for almost five years you had me nodding at your feet, or up at dawn trying to get that monkey off my back. You were so powerful and yet so beautiful and ugly. It took the life of my friend and a stay in the county jail to escape your kingdom. But let me tell you about my friend. He was no different than you, or me, or any other friend, but he was my friend. And my friend had a gorilla on his back. (And when I talk about this gorilla on his back, I’m talking about an animal that you never want to have in your life.) I want you to understand these expressions of “gorilla” and KATE GALLION (Continued from page 11) achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.” [And the legal inclusion of our LGBTQ community.] “International Women's Day (IWD) has been observed since in MICHELLE DILLINGHAM (Continued from page 10) disability. This includes children with autism, hearing impairments, learning disabilities, orthopedic impairments, and intellectual disabilities. Our city’s school district, Cincinnati Public Schools, close to 20% of the 34,000 children enrolled have an identified disability. Put JIM LUKEN (Continued from page 7) of “free-speech zone” for citizens to gather and demonstrate our rights at any hour of the day or night. It remains the only such rallying place in the city. Other than for a few small gatherings, this was my first time back to Piatt Park for a major event. It felt so-o-o good! Creative signs. Pussy hats. Cars honking as they passed by on Vine Street. The people back in the streets. 400 people had come out, most of them women. And, just like that day in Washington a month earlier, the energy was all feminine. I could feel it from the moment I walked “monkey”. You see a monkey will just drive you up a wall until you get your next fix. A gorilla will have you bust the walls down to get your fix, rob your mama, your daddy and anybody that you love. Well one day I was going over to my friend’s place and when I knocked on his door to get his attention all I got was silence. I knew the door was unlocked so I opened the door. My friend was sitting in a chair unresponsive to my voice and touch. I did everything I could to bring him back. But it was beyond my power to bring him back. With his last breath laying in my arms it was too late for 911 to bring him back. A week later in the county jail, laying in my own vomit and shit, I got this monkey off my back. And thank God I have never bowed down to King Heron again. I’m telling you this story to let you in on a few things. First of all, if you have a person, a loved one that is going through this, don’t hate the person, hate the disease. And hate the shit their putting in the heron which is a bigger killer than this heron. Yet I have to say, it is still the monkey that makes you come back. You can’t quit cause Mom or Dad Distrubutor and Contributing Writer Credit: Aimee Willhoite or some loved one wants you too. It has to be you. Any other reason and you are just lying to yourself. And I’m saying this from having lived this type of life. Here I have to admit, when I first started writing this article I thought it was going to be about the heron epidemic, but things don’t always work out the way you want them to. I pray this is a message to those that are suffering from King Heron, that there is hope, but only if you want it. That’s the only way you’ll get that monkey off your back. Just food for thought, wish you well and there is a way, but you have to take the first step and after that it’s all about one step at a time. That’s all you have. That’s all your gonna get. The rest is up to you. Wish you well and there is way. It works if you work at it. the early 1900's - a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth. So IWD is a collective day of global celebration. No one government, NGO, charity, corporation, academic institution, women's network or media hub is solely responsible for it. “According to world-renowned feminist, journalist and political activist Gloria Steinem, 'The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights. Thus International Women's Day is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy and action. It continues to grow from strength to strength.'” In Cincinnati, as elsewhere, we women can proudly claim “We are building this.” And—as the old song goes—we shall not be moved. another way, almost 7,000 children have disabilities in our city’s public schools. Cincinnati families need to know that a Judge who has consistently ruled against rights and protections for students with disabilities may be appointed to the Supreme Court, where final judgement in all cases involving laws of Congress, like the IDEA Act, are decided. Our son was considered “multiple handicapped” while enrolled in Cincinnati Public Schools, and he benefited from the protections the IDEA Act. He was able to access extended learning programming during the summer where he was introduced to acrylic painting. Today as an adult, because of those supports, he now earns an income as a full-time artist. We cannot imagine what Michael’s life would be like if he had been denied these educational supports made possible by the IDEA Act. Cincinnati families deserve a Supreme Court Justice who will uphold the civil rights of children with disabilities, not rule against them. (Michelle Dillingham is a resident of Kennedy Heights, and a candidate for Cincinnati City Council. The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition does not endorse political candidates.) among the crowd. The event had been organized by a new coalition of women activists, who had named their organization: United We Stand. Somewhat by accident, I was accompanied by a new friend, a woman my age who had never attended a lefty political rally in her life. She quickly found herself caught up in the exhilaration, chanting and singing along with the enthusiastic crowd. I handed her the sign I had made for the trip to DC. I took her picture holding it. She texted the photo to a friend. I felt a special kind of pride, bringing a newcomer into “the movement.” So happy that she had felt a part of things. After a terrific drumming “set” by three women drummers, various speakers (almost all women) took the bullhorn and spoke to the attentive crowd. Again and again, they addressed those issues so important to them. Several of them expressed their incredulity about the fact that—more than forty years after Roe vs. Wade—they were still facing the same barriers to equality and to controlling their own destinies, their own choices, their own bodies. The organizers concluded by inviting anyone from the crowd to come forward with a brief statement. At least three of those who spoke were girls, teenage or younger. One seven-year-old brought our attention to the statue of President Garfield that loomed behind those on the speakers' platform. “Did you notice,” she asked, “that the man has his back to us?” This child had captured the spirit of the moment. These women, young, middle-aged, and old, are on a mission to wake up “The Man.”come forward with a brief statement. At least three of those who spoke were girls, teenage or younger. One sevenyear-old brought our attention to the statue of President Garfield that loomed behind those on the speakers' platform. “Did you notice,” she asked, “that the man has his back to us?” This child had captured the spirit of the moment. These women, young, middle-aged, and old, are on a mission to wake up “The Man.” THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED ------------------------ ------------------------ �13 STREET VOICE No. 352 | M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6 , 2 0 17 NO ONE ASKED No one asked. How are you today? No one asked, Because no one cared FUN FOR PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE Top journalists should have a lot of fun Now they are "public enemy number one." They won't fear being labelled "spurious" Maybe because everyone is too busy Someone went home today For telling truths that make Trump furious. Feeling, sad and empty No one asked, BILL WOODS Contributing Writer No one cared YESTERDAY Sometimes no one should have to ask. When was the last time you asked someone Yesterday is long gone and so very far behind could you help them? Yesterday is something It’s so sad when no one cares enough to ask! only in our minds does it shine Yesterday is when the elders KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer had troubles far away Yesterday I except is the past so I live only for today Someone said tomorrow is not promised and yesterday has past Someone said right now is what’s going on so tell me how long can it last I believe that a mixture of the past and the present in the world of today Is all we need to endure for the future belongs to only God I say So why not live one day at a time and each moment experience the treasure I believe our lives would be much easier, happier and full of God’s love and pleasure! WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 121 Across 1. Two items of the same kind 6. An argument in favor 9. Military installation 13. Characteristic of country life 14. Belonging to us 15. Spotted horse or pony 16. Legal excuse 17. Pasture 18. Happen again 19. Checkup 21. A spear with three prongs 23. Pinch 24. Appear 25. Saloon 28. Journey 30. Slander 35. Security interest 37. Using speech rather than writing 39. Competitor 40. Small island 41. Canonical hours 43. District 44. Punctuation mark 46. Square root of eighty-one 47. Dynamism 48. Group of six musicians 50. Redact 52. Twenty-four hours 53. Fossil fuel 55. Sign of assent 57. Breathing device 61. Bane 65. Jury 66. Be obliged to pay 68. Dwell 69. Entertain 70. Gardening tool 71. Fine net used for veils, tutus and gowns 72. Trial 73. Conjunction 74. Freshwater carnivorous mammal Down 1. ___ Stoker, author of Dracula 2. Govern 3. Desiccated 4. Small room on a ship or boat 5. Derive a reason 6. The counting of votes 7. Regret 8. Talk pompously 9. Having sections or patches colored differently 10. One time only 11. Stupefy 12. Civil wrong 15. Preliminary coat of paint 20. Protective garment 22. The ___ Sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal 24. Breed of gun dog 25. Extreme happiness 26. Part of a church 27. Unwind 29. Golf club 31. Form bubbles 32. Obviate 33. A windfall 34. Lament 36. Bird shelter 38. Give temporarily 42. Flows through Paris 45. Disrupt 49. Digit 51. Love apple 54. Hawaiian greeting 56. First public appearance 57. Petty quarrel 58. A person's reputation 59. Burden 60. Remainder 61. Necessitate 62. River deposit of mud or clay 63. Not in use 64. Prophet 67. Was victorious PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 350 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 120 M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 2 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 251 - MEDIUM SODOKU PUZZLE NO 250- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �RESOURCES No. 352 | M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6 , 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 557-2873 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 241-1064 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 St. Vincent de Paul 721-0643 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelterhouse 411 Gest St. 45203 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 1125 Bank Street 45214 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 1437 Walnut Street 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Parkway Center 661-4620 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Interfaith Hospitality Network Housing: 471-1100 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 621-5300 961-1983 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 351-0422 381-6672 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 721-4700 421-7803 Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center UpSpring 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 977-6800 859-572-6226 First Lutheran Church 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry AA Hotline CCAT 1522 Republic Street 45202 961-4555 381-1954 421-5211 Food/Clothing 961-4663 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Tom Geiger House Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn VA VA Homeless 961-2256 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both 221-HELP 721-8666 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 Starting Over 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Talbert House Tender Mercies 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 921-1613 First Step Home 761-1480 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Prospect House Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Caracole (HIV/AIDS) CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 114 W. 14th Street 45202 784-1853 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Charlie’s 3/4 House 2121 Vine Street 45202 Shelter: Youth Health Center for Respite Care 421-0065 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile $100 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio FreeStore/FoodBank 762-5660 Shelter: Men Medical Van 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 Salvation Army 131 E. 12th Street 45202 15 for 26 issues $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Center Independent Living Options Peaslee Neighborhood Center 241-2600 621-5514 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart Goodwill Industries Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Mary Magdalen House 381-0111 771-4800 579-8547 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 981-4200 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 M a r 2 4 - A p r i l 6, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 2 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 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 March 24-April 6, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Natural Gas Shortage Coming Pg 3: Forum Focuses on Issues Council and Mayoral Candidates Need to Address Pg 4: Powerful Words in Action Pg 5: Let My People Live Pg 6: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 7: International Women’s Day Pg 8: How Unaccompanied Youth Become Exploited Workers in the US Pg 9: Border Stories Pg 10: Opioids are the Opiate of the Masses Parents Should Be Concerned About Scotus Nominee Gorsuch Pg 11: International Women’s Day Pg 12: King Heron Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 March 24-April 6, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Michael Earl Patton Bill Woods Dr. Mark Mussman Key Beck Jim Luken Sr. Nicole Varnerin Robert Park Michelle Dillingham Kate Gallion Lee McCoy Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Alice Schneider ThinkProgress Tonya Cook Aimee Willhoite Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aimee Willhoite Alice Schneider Bill Woods Border Stories city council Dr. Mark Mussman International Women’s Day Jim Luken Josh Spring Kate Gallion Key Beck Kim Green Lee McCoy Michael Earl Patton Michelle Dillingham Natural Gas Opioids Robert Park Sr. Nicole Varnerin ThinkProgress Tonya Cook Voting Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/2ee06804be9492b3114a4b5a92535a11.pdf 8444b1f848a62888898ba71963a19396 PDF Text Text April 7th - April 20th 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 34 (No. 353) advocating justice | Building community National Day of Action to End The Housing Crisis| 7 This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter INSIDE THIS ISSUE Issues Council and Mayoral Interconnectedness| 3 Candidates Need to Address - Part II | 2 Weather Trends|5 Border Stories: Courageous Women | 10 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: It’s Not Complicated JOSH SPRING H Executive Director ave you ever known somebody who makes a task more complicated than it needs to be or has a solution to a problem available, but does not implement it? Of course, you have, we all have. This could be caused by stubbornness, addiction, misappropriation of priorities, etc. The person in this situation is to their problem what our society and government are to the problem of systemic homelessness. Homelessness is a solvable problem. Enough affordable housing can be constructed. Employers can pay living wages. Healthcare can be accessible. But instead of doing what is necessary to meet these needs, we spend time blaming individuals experiencing the problem, we limit funding to housing and healthcare or cut it. We don’t force companies to pay living wages. We spend private and public dollars on upscale development at the expense of affordable housing. We displace people. We cut taxes for wealthy people. We then have to create criteria to decide who is the “most deserving” to receive what little assistance there is. Then we study it all to see if we are stretching the dollars as far as possible. Then we say it’s complicated problem and we are not sure what the solution is. We have taken something that is simple and made it complicated. Why? This country is addicted to wealth and the idea of wealth. We are addicted to fancy buildings and slick stores. We are addicted to puff stories and façade improvements. We are addicted to greed and we enable A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 it. We are also stubborn about not changing systems that are inherently classist and racist. We push rugged individualism and point to the rich people who “came from nothing” and made it with the “American Dream” (a.k.a. the American Myth which is just a lie) as a means of showing how “rugged individualism” works. The part of the story that is left out is the fact that none of those folks are “rugged individuals” because they are only wealthy because they take resources from other people. Other people suffer so they can be wealthy. So, next time you hear someone say solving homelessness is complicated, please realize that what is complicated is organizing people to create enough pressure to change legislation or create legislation and change societal perspective on the issue. It is complicated because we have a foundational problem of greed. The problem itself is not complicated and is very solvable. Creating more affordable housing and raising the minimum wage are major solutions that can be implemented if we have the political will end homelessness. ISSUES COUNCIL AND MAYORAL CANDIDATES NEED TO ADDRESS - PART II P art II of "the issues City Council and Mayoral candidates need to address" took place on March 30th. Once again, a panel of community leaders focused on often overlooked problems that deeply divide the haves and have-nots of this area. Panelists included Patricia Garry, Chair of Affordable Housing Advocates, Pastor Ennis Tait, President of the Faith Community Alliance, Mike Maloney, Convener of the Urban Appalachian Community Alliance of Cincinnati, Justin Jeffre, Editor of Streetvibes, and Mark Samaan, Chair of the Better Bus Coalition. A long time neighborhood leader and the past Director of the CDC Association of Cincinnati, Patricia Garry emphasized the lack of affordable housing in the City and County. Citing a new LISC-study that reveals a current need for 40,000 units of affordable housing units in Hamilton County, Garry noted that only 20-percent of residents qualifying for housing assistance will receive it. These statistics, she concluded, are major reasons for poverty and homelessness, and local government leaders and the powers that be need to recognize this reality. Initially, the Child Poverty Collaborative did not talk about the housing need in its report on addressing the causes of why BILL WOODS Contributing Writer so many families with children find themselves in poverty. Garry declared that leaders of Affordable Housing Advocates then convinced the Collaborative that housing must be included if it was really serious about reducing family poverty. Garry advocated that Cincinnati put in place tools such as a housing trust fund and requirements that a percentage of affordable housing units be included in any proposed major housing projects. Pastor Ennis Tait stressed three local issues that he believes require major attention. Reducing child poverty, developing preschool educational opportunities, and reducing gun violence top his list. For these reasons, he is involved in "Preschool Promise, " the initiative (Continued on page 10) Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Dr. Mark Mussman, Michael Earl Patton, Gretchen Marie Semancik, Justin Jeffre, Bonnie Neumeier, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones Photography/ Artwork: Alice Schneider, Dr. Mark Mussman, Gaelyn Sullivan, Gretchen Marie Semancik, ARISE, Michael Earl Patton, Bill Woods Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Pastor Ennis Tait, Patricia Garry, Mike Maloney Credit: Alice Schneider THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �No. 35 3 3 LOCAL | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 Interconnectedness T DR. MARK MUSSMAN Staff Writer he state of Ohio offers very few protections to tenants. Far too often we hear stories of people who are being pushed out of their homes and businesses on the whim of the property owner. Other states protect residents from unjust evictions and rent increases, but Ohio always sides with the landlord. We do this both in the courts and through their extension – law enforcement. One tenant organizing. On a recent Alternative Break with the University of Vermont, students arrived with the passion to learn about gentrification – what does the term mean? What does gentrification look like? Am I at risk of being gentrified out of my community? They also wanted to learn more about the history of Cincinnati and how we help people who are experiencing homelessness. Gaelyn and Samantha participate in the Streetvibes Shadow Activity. Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Mt. Auburn, Avondale, Oakley, and Northside). Throughout the week we met with experts, including those at the IJPC (Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center) to learn about how the justice system fails to meet the needs of our entire community. Through their Virtual Reality solitary confinement simulation, we experienced first hand (even for just a few minutes) the psychological effects of isolation, both short term and long term. The experience made We also met with the Interfaith Workers Center where we learned about Wage Theft and the impact it has on communities. We saw how local employers convinced their workers to pay back their overtime and we saw the video of them caught on tape doing this illegal, yet all-toocommon event. Since we know that a lack of livable wages contributes to homelessness, it wasn’t difficult to see the connection here with gentrification and the ability for someone to work hard, yet still not Community leader Brian Garry shares his passions with the group Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman way to help fight injustice in housing is through resident organizations who create a unified voice to counter the script of the landlord. The Homeless Coalition has a strong history in Each of these aspirations are connected and visible in our neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine, but extend to every neighborhood in Cincinnati (most visibly in Corryville, Solitary Confinement Virtual Reality at IJPC Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Community member Jae Washington shared her perspective on gentrification and community life. Credit: Gaelyn Sullivan “Breakdown Stereotypes” me feel a sense of loss of time and of my self. They showed us European models of prisons that actually focus on rehabilitation and reintegration into community. It made clear how our prison system is based upon torture and withdraw, rather than compassion and inclusion. This connects to our housing policies which allow landlords to bar people with criminal histories from housing. receive their fair share. It is also shocking to know that Ohio has over 800 laws prohibiting people with felonies work options. Throughout the week we learned about affordable housing – the real solution to the housing and homelessness crisis we are facing. During the People’s Movement Social Justice Walking Tour, we saw the (Continued on page 5) “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 �No. 35 3 5 LOCAL | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 Weather Trends MICHAEL EARL PATTON I Contributing Writer n my last article, “Natural Gas Shortage Coming,” I pointed out that the production of natural gas in the United States has been adequate to meet our immediate need, but also that the past three winters have been much warmer than normal. Production of natural gas is trending down, the number of rigs drilling for natural gas is way down, and it has been replacing coal for the generation of electricity. A couple hot summers and a very cold winter would crimp supplies and cause prices to rise sharply – to the point where some or many could not afford to properly heat their homes. I showed a bar chart of the recent winters, which I am also including in this article, giving the change from the 20th century average winter temperature. Data are from the DR. MARK MUSSMAN (Continued from page 3) wheels of gentrification turning throughout the neighborhood. From the privatization of the parks and the gated off alleys, to the building portfolios being turned over to large developers who are getting ready to mass evict. They learned about the housing statistics in the neighborhood, and the true meaning of affordable housing. They heard from people who have experienced homelessness, and some from people who are currently living on the streets. This was likely their most memorable experience – meeting people in our community who have something valuable to share, even though they have been cast out by society. Sometimes, I find it difficult to get students to “care” about what they are learning about. But the groups from Vermont always seem to have a very strong knowledge and breath of compassion when they arrive. Throughout the week they encouraged each other and myself. They helped pack lunches, serve meals, and coordinate the Know National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (www.noaa.gov) and were obtained from their “Climate at a Glance” section. Actually, data going back to the 1970’s. I still hear stories from those who experienced that winter – it was truly one for the record books. Also, it seems that there is a trend with the winters getting warmer, starting about 1960. Although that is the trend, it is impossible to say in advance from looking at the graph whether the next winter will be warmer or colder than average. An obvious question is whether these same trends are evident in the data for the meteorological summer, the months from June through August. From the graph, the same sort of erratic pattern as with the winter data is evident. Note the high average temperatures of the 1930’s, the era of the infamous “Dust Bowl.” The temperatures shown in the graph are averaged over the “Lower 48,” or contiguous states so one cannot say from this just how much out “GOOD WHITE PEOPLE - short film” on YouTube to see how just one building being cleared out for out-oftowners to use for short term visits has impacted one man, his business, and our community. And as always, you can always schedule a tour with the Homeless Coalition through our website to learn more. (Continued on page 11) late 19th century are available at the same site. In the last article I was focusing mostly on recent trends so I did not show the full range. But this is interesting in its own right, so I am giving it now. The first thing that struck me was how much the average winter temperature can change from year to year. The range is from about 27 degrees to 36 degrees Fahrenheit. A couple more trends are evident with a little examination. The first half of the twentieth century had more winters that were much colder than normal than the second half, but the coldest winter was in the late Your City (formerly the Standdown) event at Christ Church Cathedral. Throughout the week, they worked with children and young adults in the neighborhood, heard from various community leaders, experienced culturally relevant art exhibits and even sat in a very contentious City Council Meeting. Each step of the way, the Vermont students were there to support each other and they were actively supporting us in any way they could. This is what our Cincinnati Urban Experience is all about – interconnectedness. Ohio tenant’s protections are a disgrace to the goals of our community. How can we expect to have a strong and vibrant community when so many are at risk of displacement? During the Council meeting, I noticed the beautiful stained glass windows above Council Chambers. Emblazoned on one of the windows is the City’s motto Juncta Juvant, which in Latin means “Strength in Unity.” Gentrification is the exact opposite of unity and strength, it’s chaos and suppression at it’s very base. Consider checking CUE Participants with Jen and Bonnie at Peaslee after learning more about the history of neighborhood. Credit: Gaelyn Sullivan THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �6 LOCAL A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 (Continued on page 12) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 35 3 LOCAL | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 The Play Library Gretchen Marie Semancik Contributing Writers I magine a job that encourages imagination and playing all day long. Offering over 1000 games and toys, The Play Library gives families the opportunity to check-out and return toys instead of buying them. The mastermind behind The Play Library is Julia Fischer. Fischer says her inspiration behind a business based around “play” is that her greatest memories are of playing board games with her parents. “I just want parents to remember it’s the quality of time, not the quantity” spent together, she says. A graduate in visual communications from Washington University, in St Louis, Fischer began working at large toy companies as a designer. She realized that many companies were building toys out with inexpensive materials to reduce the cost of their products. Fischer felt toys are built with planned obsolescence, and thought she that was contributing to a “colorful landfill”. On March 15, The Play Library opened its own doors for the first time on Elm Street, in Over-the-Rhine. Fisher says she chose to open her store in OTR because of the diversity among the community. She says she “loves the fact that different people from different backgrounds come in here” and hopes that The Play Library will be able to make an impact on everyone in the community. The Play Library functions like a traditional library of borrowing and returning, but instead of books, the library lends toys. This gives families access to toys they may not be able to afford, or gives parents the chance to “test drive” toys before committing to buying them. The library offers a variety of items, like game night games, gamery games, art supplies, all kinds of toys for all ages, and seasonal outdoor equipment. According to Fischer, 90% of the games were donated from people all around Cincinnati, and from some from the big toy companies from which she had been a designer. Fischer bought toys and games, as well, so the library keeps up-to-date in the newest items available. During business hours, all the toys in the library are free to access. If parents wish to take toys home, they can rent them out for a fee. For special events, The Play Library will rent out special items like Big Jenga. In the past, Fischer and her Play Library have been part of events like the Kindness March that occurred downtown, on February 28, and is often found hosting events in Washington Park. On April 20, The Play Library in offering a “Beer and Board Game” National Day of Action to End the Housing Crisis Justin Jeffre O n a cold April 1st around 200 people assembled in front of City Hall for the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition’s rally to create an affordable housing trust fund to address our growing housing crisis. The rally was part of a national day of action where more than 100 other communities across the country, including in Washington D.C. on the national mall were also having demonstrations. Mary Burke Rivers from Overthe-Rhine Community Housing spoke about the growing need for affordable housing. A recent housing study shows that we have a shortage of at least 40,000 affordable housing units. In short, 55,600 households at zero to thirty percent of the area median income are trying to fit into 15,581 homes affordable to them. As a result, homelessness is on the rise. A lack of affordable housing and jobs that pay a living wage are the primary causes of homelessness. Ashlee Williams spoke about her personal experience dealing with the need for affordable housing. She described how dehumanizing not having housing can be, that everybody is a human being and should be treated as such. She said if it weren’t for OTRCH she didn’t know what she would’ve done in order to be housed. Despite the fact that shelters never close and never stop working, they are bursting at the seams. Family shelters are forced to turn away about 75% of families with children seeking shelter. The women’s shelter is almost Editor & Staff Writer always full and having to turn people away. The young adult shelter is almost always full and having to turn people away. The men’s shelters are seeing record numbers. In spite of all of this, the numbers of people forced to live outside, including families with children are also increasing. According to the Homeless Coalition’s Executive Director, Josh Spring, “The only answer to this tragic, systematic problem is the construction and renovation of new affordable housing. There is no other way.” He continued, “Federal funds to do this work have already been cut and are currently on the chopping block. We must create a Local Affordable Housing Trust Fund or funds, administered by the Affordable Housing Rally Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 7 night for patrons 21 and up, and, on May 4, a “Star Wars” themed day for children and adults. Fischer hopes to host weekly events for toy lovers of all ages. To keep the play library free and accessible to everyone, Fischer registered as a nonprofit to receive grant funding and donations. In 2015, Fischer applied and received a Globe Grant from People’s Liberty, and was allotted space for 2 months in 2016 to first open her library in People’s Liberty’s store front. Fischer is actively recruiting volunteers to help run her Play Library. So far, she has trained 5 people, but could use many more eager hands to help. There are toy libraries all over the country supported under the USA Toy Library Association, but The Play Library is the first toy library of its kind in Cincinnati. Toy libraries are an example of a sharing economy and have a variety of benefits for children and their parents. These include: financial benefits, environmental benefits, social benefits and educational benefits. City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Such a fund would generate local revenue for the construction and operation of desperately needed affordable housing.” Adding, “If we do not do this, the situation will only become more desperate for many families and the city and county as a whole.” Longtime Streetvibes distributor, Lee McCoy, spoke about his personal experience with how City Hall and police criminalize poverty and people experiencing homelessness. Lee has been arrested while exercising his 1st amendment right to sell his (Continued on page 8) �8 LOCAL Photo Gallery: National Day of Action for Housing April 1, 2017 | Cincinnati, Ohio A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 Executive Director Josh Spring kicks off the rally The rally is calling for a permanent Affordable Housing Trust Fund Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Bonita Campbell informs the crowd about youth homelessness Lee McCoy shares his experiences with police and homelessness Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Bonnie Neumeier gives historical perspective of affordable housing crisis MUSE Singers support the crowd through song Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik JUSTIN JEFFRE (Continued from page 7) newspapers. He also spoke about how he made a mistake 30 years ago that has prevented him from gaining employment and housing because of a felony for selling drugs in his distant past. Brian Taylor from Black Lives Matter: Cincinnati spoke about how the US has the money to pay for enough affordable housing, but chooses not to. He described how race and class play a factor in the lack of will to properly address this systemic problem. Leslie Moorhead, from the Cincinnati Health Network (and former director of development for the Homeless Coalition) spoke about how people experiencing Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik homelessness are more likely to have negative health outcomes. In 2015 the Homeless Coalition counted 58 people locally that had passed away as they experienced homelessness that we know of (the actual number is probably larger) - and in 2016 that number grew to 72. The number has been growing every year in the 6 years I’ve attended the Homeless Memorial held in Washington Park THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED every December. Other speakers included Sherri Allen from Interfaith Hospitality Network, Bonita Campbell from Lighthouse Youth Services, Allen Dicken from AMOS, Cleve Williams from Interfaith Workers Center, Chris Williams from Shelterhouse, and Phil Schneider from Volunteers of America. �WORLD Britain’s dark history of criminalising homeless people in public spaces No. 35 3 | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 9 BY VICTORIA COOPER AND DANIEL MCCULLOCH, THE OPEN UNIVERSITY S ince the onset of austerity in 2010, the estimated number of people sleeping rough in England has more than doubled, from 1,768 in 2010, to 4,134 in 2016. As the number of homeless people increases, while support services and hostels are diminishing, rough sleepers are becoming ever more visible in British cities. But rather than finding ways to accommodate the homeless, the UK government has sought to criminalise them. From archaic vagrancy laws, to the more recent Public Spaces Protection Orders Courtesy of The Conversation / INSP.ngo During this time, land privatisation was being rolled out on a mass scale, and hundreds of thousands of people who lacked the means to purchase property were displaced from their homes and prohibited from accessing the land they once lived on. Vagrancy laws criminalised access to land in cases where there was no contractual relationship, which gave police the power to arrest people who were not legally bound to property or land. These individuals were characterised as “incorrigible rogues” and “mobile anomalies” by the law, and punished on begging, which sanctioned homeless communities en masse. When the coalition government came to power in 2010, these civil orders were amended to give local authorities even greater powers over what people do in public spaces. In particular, Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), brought in under the 2014 Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, allowed local authorities to enforce on-the-spot fines for certain activities. Predictably, local authorities are applying these new powers to target homeless people by sanctioning of resistance against these antihomeless measures. Both campaigns by organisations such as Liberty, and individuals like the family who placed cushions over anti-homeless spikes in Manchester, are challenging the punitive measures adopted by local authorities. In some areas this has led to the successful withdrawal of PSPO proposals. In austerity Britain, these movements are gathering momentum and stirring up indignation about the uneven distribution of wealth, property and land. Some resistance movements are even occupying Homelessness crimimalised by Britain Credit: özge çağla aktaş/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND (PSPOs), governments have been passing new laws and reviving old ones which result in the punishment of people with no fixed abode. People without access to land or property are denied the freedom to roam, sit, eat, wash or sleep in public spaces. Or, where local authorities do lawfully permit street homeless people to access and use public spaces (for homeless camps, homeless shelters or day centres), these sites are routinely monitored by criminal justice agencies, bringing the homeless under direct surveillance and control. Modern day vagrants The criminalisation of the homeless can be traced back to 1824 and beyond, when vagrancy laws were implemented to control the spread of “urban poverty” at the height of the industrial revolution. with flogging, incarceration and even transportation to penal colonies such as Australia. Fast forward almost two centuries, and these antiquated laws – and imperious attitudes – are still very much with us. In the period from 2006 to 2014, the number of court cases for “vagrancy-related offences” in England increased by 70% – from 1,510 prosecutions to 2,365. The most noteworthy cases involved three men who were very nearly prosecuted for taking food waste from a supermarket refuse bin, and an operation in Sussex involving undercover police, which led to the arrest of 60 rough sleepers for accepting money from the public. Hostile streets This is the work of successive governments. Civil orders introduced under Tony Blair to target “streetcrime” effectively led to a clampdown what they do in public spaces: street drinking, begging, camping in parks, defecating and urinating and in some cases even sleeping. Not only do PSPOs criminalise the homeless, they also make these tactics appear as a local response to a perceived problem and avoids the exposure and opposition which national measures usually invoke. Yet PSPOs are not a local response: their use is widespread across England, and it’s increasing, with one in 10 local authorities now using PSPOs to criminalise homeless people. To make matters worse, private owners of commercial land are boarding-up shop doorways, erecting spikes and using possession laws to forcibly remove the homeless from commercial spaces. The fight for the right to exist Yet there have been moments THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED empty properties to make space for homeless people and homeless communities themselves are documenting their own daily struggle as they fight for the right to exist in public spaces. Homelessness itself is not yet a crime, but anti-homeless laws and strategies are restricting homeless people’s freedom, and turning everyday activities into punishable offences. Yet survival defines the daily lives of homeless people, and in the face of oppression they will find new ways to expose the violence and prejudice they encounter in the every day. Victoria Cooper, Lecturer in Social Policy and Criminology, The Open University and Daniel McCulloch, Lecturer in Criminology and Social Policy, The Open University �10 NATIONAL Border Stories: Courageous Women I SR. NICOLE VARNERIN Contributing Writer ’ve noticed something a little different about the culture here in the Rio Grande Valley. I see a lot of women. Women are teaching, women are learning, women are immigrating, women are advocating, and women are making change. Most of the people at mass and working with the church are women. Women get things done in the valley. But then I ask, where are the men? The machismo culture present in the Rio Grande Valley accounts for the absence of men. Men and women are very much separate in the machismo culture, except of course when the man is satisfying his sexual desires. In the machismo culture, men have the right to satisfy their sexual desires in any way they choose and women are viewed only as objects to be controlled (1). To satisfy these desires and display their conquests to other machismos, men frequent bars and brothels with the mutual understanding that they will cover for each other. The job of the wife is to raise the children, keep the house, and provide moral respectability (2). But the job of the “outside wife” is to provide pleasure, excitement, and companionship (2). As a result, the men are rarely at home outside of work, but rather are out socializing at bars. While machismo does not describe all men in the valley, the culture is widespread enough that it is a part of life. Because women are left alone so often, they are expected to take care of everything. Women cook and clean, women work, women help their children with homework. To be a woman in machismo culture, you have to be strong and courageous. Oppression has not crushed women, oppression has made them subtly stronger so they can help create stronger future generations of women. Being left on their own creates an independence in the women of the valley. And it is a force to be reckoned with! These women have plenty to fear: abusive husbands, deportation, and border patrol. But these women have the courage to stand up to their husbands BILL WOODS (Continued from page 2) approved by voters last November, the Child Poverty Collaborative, and Cease Fire, a program that works with shooting victims. City Hall, according to Tait, needs to get more involved in these three initiatives and to provide additional financial support. Finally, he averred that Council and Mayoral candidates must recognize the role that racism plays in Cincinnati. In order for effective initiatives to occur, who just arrived home from the bar and protect their children. Women have the courage to face our racist government and demand change. Women have the courage to do what has never been done before. They may put their own lives on the line, but it is worth helping others and creating a more just world. I want to introduce you to three of these inspiring women. All names have been changed for privacy. Maria: Maria is a woman in her midthirties. She is your average woman and often pulls back her dark curls into a pony tail. Maria has seven children, ranging in age from 1 year to about 14. Maria’s husband is verbally abusive and spends most of the day with other men who have drug and gang affiliations. Maria spends the day in a tiny pop-up trailer cooking, cleaning, and finding work where she can. She lives for her children and will do anything to protect them. She brings them all to mass on Sunday, without their father. She recently expressed her fear of her husband and what he might do to her and her children. When we brought her some information on domestic violence abuse she bravely stated, if it gets any worse I am telling my husband that I will leave him and I will call this number. I can’t imagine what strength it will take for her to leave and start new, but her children are too precious. Ramona: Ramona is a community leader. Her goal is to empower other women to make change. She lives by the motto, “We do not do for the people what the people can do for themselves.” The organization Ramona works for, ARISE, is led by all women. She believes that if we invest in women, teach them to read and speak English, use herbal medicines and other valuable information, then we will create a chain reaction. The women will teach their children what they have learned, and the community becomes a better place. Ramona is making these courageous women into leaders. But she is not doing it alone, what wisdom! he concluded, "the big elephant in the room (racism) must be dealt with." "The Appalachian community is still here!" These were the opening words of Mike Maloney, the first Executive Director of the Urban Appalachian Council. "Few people want to recognize us," he emphasized, but the failure to recognize urban Appalachians creates unnecessary divisions and resentments in our City. He cited the Child Poverty Collaborative as an initiative that initially ignored the existence of Cincinnati's Appalachians, a situation A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 Lisa and Carmen: Lisa and Carmen are 18 and 16 years old respectively. They work with Ramona at ARISE. They are a part of the organization’s youth advocacy program. These women, immigrants who live in a poor colonia, are lobbying the government for change to the environmental racism they are experiencing. The water treatment plant for a city north of their community has been filling their streets with a foul sewage smell for over 50 years. The smell can create health problems and often gives headaches to the residents living and doing what is in their heart. Their lives may be full of fear. They may fear their husband. They may fear leaving the house because of the increased presence of border patrol. They may fear being deported and separated from their family and lifeline. They may fear the conditions in which they are forced to live. But they continue to live. What other choice do they have? We, as citizens of the interior of our country, and as humans, may fear “the other”. But we need to continue to live. We need to not let our fear control us. We need to be courageous Sr. Nicole with Ramona from ARISE after participating in their border witness Credit: ARISE because of its strength. It is only in the past two years that anyone has been able to make a difference. This effort is entirely led by the youth and they have succeeded in the city promising to build an up-to-date water treatment plant which will solve the smell. Lisa and Carmen speak eloquently and passionately about the issue saying that they learned the invaluable skill of leadership through their involvement. To read more about their effort you can check out #southtowerpower and #stopthesmell on social media or read this article: https://texashousers. net/tag/south-tower-power/ Each of these courageous women inspire me. They make me want to be courageous too. But the most inspiring part? They don’t realize they are being brave. They just keep like Maria, Rosa, Lisa, and Carmen. What other choice do we have? Being constantly fearful is no way to live. Causing constant fear is no way to live. Sources: 1. Parker, Richard. “Behavior of Latin American Men: implications for HIV/AIDS interventions” International Journal of STD & AIDS. (1996); 7 (Suppl.2): 62-65. 2. Hirsch, Jennifer; Meneses, Sergio; Thompson, Brenda; Negroni, Mirka; Pelcastre, Blanca; Rio, Carlos.  “The Inevitability of Infidelity: Sexual Reputation, Social Geographies, and Marital HIV Risk in Rural Mexico.”  Framing Health Matters. American Journal of Public Health. (2007). Vol 97 (6). 986-996. that has now been rectified. Maloney questioned the usual establishment approach of creating "big solutions" to community problems. These huge initiatives, he said, usually fail to get to the neighborhood level. Consequently, neighborhoods such as English Woods and Lower Price Hill are ignored, and the people on the street fail to get assistance. Besides, Appalachians, Maloney stressed that Cincinnati's leadership is tending to ignore our new immigrants. Hispanics could be called our new Appalachians, and their diverse problems as newcomers must be taken seriously. Justin Jeffre and Mark Samaan concluded the panel presentations with a call to revive the area's declining public transit system. The SORTA-managed system, Jeffre noted, is basically a city bus system. For this reason, it does not have the capacity to transport people to jobs located in the suburbs. Thus, many under employed or unemployed THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED (Continued on page 12) �No. 35 3 11 LOCAL SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 those homeless today. SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT Bonnie Neumeier I have a grave concern about how housing development is done in our City. Without policies that are both equitable and ethical, without concrete plans and incentives for racially and economically diverse and inclusive neighborhoods, we in essence are creating a concentration of the privileged and displacing persons with low incomes from our MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 7) hotter the western states were, but it is interesting that this is clearly an anomalous period. There were 11 years in a row with above average temperatures. Also, just like with the winter temperatures, there is a warming trend evident over the past few decades. The increased use of air conditioners over this period is partly due to their becoming less expensive, but it may also have something to do with the increase in summer temperatures. Of course I also looked at the annual average temperatures over this period, which is also shown. Again, the average temperature Contributing Writers urban core neighborhoods. SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT I have witnessed the decline of affordable housing both in the central business district and Over-the-Rhine and the West End and many other neighborhoods in this city. All of us benefit if we live in neighborhoods that value the strengths and assets that our people possess, even if we have only pennies in our pockets. In 1973 we opened a storefront on Vine Street to house persons experiencing homelessness, 25 – 30 mats for men. That number has grown huge over these 44 years, families with children are the face of I’ve seen the loss of single room occupancy units of housing disappear (the Milner, the Metropole, the Dennison). Gone. People can’t rent by the week in this city, that option no longer exists. When working day labor jobs or low wage jobs sometimes a worker can only afford a week’s rent. We also now have landlords opting out of subsidy when they catch the gentrification fever. (Continued on page 12) square miles, is going to break off in the next few months or year. Already there is a crack in it that is about 80 miles long. The chart showing the global data is in line with expectations from the previous data. There is indeed a warming trend evident, especially over the past few decades. The amount of warming is less than what we saw just for the contiguous United States, but that was for an area that is mostly land, while the global chart gives the average for both land and water. As one would expect, the vast amount of ocean has moderated the increase. The NOAA “Climate at a Glance” section allows one to select among Thermometer Credit: Michael Earl Patton varies from year to year, but now there is a strong trend towards warming, starting about 1970. The effect of the two very cold winters in the late 1970’s is still seen, but this time they do not dominate the chart. The “Dust Bowl” era is barely noticeable. This is not surprising as seasonal anomalies are now being averaged in with overall trends. The data show that there is a warming trend over the contiguous United States, but what about the planet as a whole? Before I show the data from NOAA, I want to point out that the first tourist cruise ship went through the Northwest Passage last year – a cruise ship(!), not an icebreaker. In the Antarctic, the Larsen A ice shelf broke up in 1995. It had formed about 4,000 years ago. From 1998 to 2002 most of the bigger Larsen B ice shelf disintegrated. It was at least 10,000 years old. Now, in 2017, it looks like about a tenth of Larsen C, meaning about 1,900 global temperatures for land, water, or both. I am including only the one for both since that is the one that is most truly global. The one just for land shows a larger increase; the one just for water, a smaller increase. Note also that the overall trend towards warming is not as jagged as the graph for the contiguous United States. And this was my first purpose in presenting these data. While there is a strong trend towards warming, when one looks at just one area of the planet there can be large variations from season to season and from year to year. So again, just because recent winters have been relatively warm (and gas supplies adequate), that is no guarantee for the future. In addition, hotter summers and the change from burning coal to burning gas for electrical generation will ensure even more usage during the summer, possibly crimping supplies for that winter. It would almost be irresponsible for me not to mention that the claim “global warming is a hoax” is not credible. There are too much data which are consistent with our own experiences and with events such as the break-up of Antarctic ice shelves THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED that had been thousands of years old, for such a claim to be taken seriously. For such a claim to be taken seriously, it needs to be presented with at least as much data as has been presented here. Instead, such claims are generally followed by some news item that it was abnormally cold or snowed in some part of the world on such a date or even a whole season. But anomalies are to be expected in localized places and restricted times. That is what the data show. That was what I started out to show. Some advice to skeptics: all that I have shown here was the existence of global warming, especially over the past few decades. I have not said anything about the cause. I have not shown that the cause is exclusively man-made, or even predominately man-made (although I do think that is the most likely explanation). Manmade causes are generally thought to be emissions of carbon dioxide and methane. Two of the possible natural causes are solar variations in the sun’s output and perturbations in the Earth’s orbit. Perhaps I will cover these some other time. In the meantime, my advice to skeptics is to not doubt the fact of global warming. There may be some room for debate as to the cause(s), especially how much contribution the different factors make. And there is more room for debate as to what our response should be. But there is no reason to doubt global warming itself. �12 LOCAL A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation BILL WOODS (Continued from page 10) Cincinnati residents have no way to connect with available factory jobs. Besides the affordable housing crisis, this gap in the public transit system ranks as a factor that keeps people in poverty. BONNIE NEUMEIER (Continued from page 11) SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT Our Public Servants sitting in the seats of power need to legislate our protection. As renters we are vulnerable to market forces. We need to require developers to do a percentage of affordable housing. This issue of affordable housing has been studied enough. We’ve got the data. We’ve had the data. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS DWINDLING. We need action. SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT Our City needs to support equitable development, development without displacement. According to Samaan, "Our bus system does a poor job of connecting people to jobs and fails to efficiently move people to where they need to go. It is only convenient for those who have no other option, and because of that fewer and fewer people are using metro for travel and it connects to fewer places. Service cuts have made much of the region inaccessible without a 3 to 4-hour bus commute." Although a truly regional public transit system should be created, Jeffre declared that at the very least a levy is needed to attend to years of neglect. Citizens must convince City candidates that good public transit is essential, and that the great need of many people for effective transit should not be confused with the luxury of the streetcar. The Community Forum on April 13th features the Cincinnati Mayoral candidates. There are tools and resources that can help make things right. We need to push and support a Local Housing Trust Fund, create inclusionary zoning, and have an effective antidisplacement ordinance. Developers must be willing to enter in to Community Benefit Agreements. We have to get much more creative and use alternative models like Community Land Trusts. When plans are made in our communities without the peoples input and voice in decision making…. our needs and wants get overlooked. As renters, we call our neighborhoods our home. It’s not fair, it’s not just, that when the waves of gentrification overpower our neighborhoods, it’s the poor, the working poor whose lives get yanked around like their checker pieces. I long to see the day when I get a colorful postcard in my mail box that announces there are affordable housing units a plenty in our neighborhoods. they have lived simple lives on simple budgets. Down to earth, ordinary, common. Her giddy laugh lifted my spirits that morning. We need to do more for the commoners. Our people get that feeling they are not wanted when we see development that does not consider our needs and wants and prices us out of our neighborhoods we call HOME. SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT When I got this card in the mail from Coldwell Banker announcing a unit on Vine Street for $349,900 I remembered my neighbor, Gertrude. She lived at this address above what used to be Al Rohs Hardware store. Gertrude was 93 years old. One day she grabbed my hand while crossing Vine Street on her way to catch the bus. She says: Bonnie, I don’t think these new people want to live around us. They have good apartments, they look nice. But I don’t think they want to live around me. I’m thinking in my heart: Who wouldn’t want to live around Gertrude? It’s folks like her I want to live around. She’s open and honest. The stories people carry in their bones; THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT GET UP GET DOWN THERE’S A HOUSING CRISIS IN OUR TOWN (Bonnie Neumeier is a longtime community activist in Over-the-Rhine. This is a transcript of her speech at the April 1st rally for an affordable housing trust fund.) �No. 35 3 | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 13 STREET VOICE A DIVERSIONARY TWEET CAN YOU Looking to create some diversionary drama, Can You shut ‘em down? Does the world believe Trump Tweeted he was bugged by Obama. that this is the world’s solution? His accusation received a big media splash, Can you shut ‘em down? But then the F.B.I Chief declared it was trash. Now the real question is as sure as shootin', What are the ties between Trump and Putin? Contributing Writer Can you shut ‘em down? The free clinics, people homeless, Can you shut ‘em down? Crying Rain Looking out the window The rain is falling hard, and fast There are intervals of thunder Slashing ever so often And then it suddenly stops Until the next thunder slash appears It lets you know that God is, near So take heed Listen to his might Because thunder and rain, Will, be coming Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer now that’s pollution no more Drop Inn Center BILL WOODS KIM GREEN Keeping factory’s open with no work, Washington Park, the sanitation workers, I can’t help but litter Can you shut ‘em down? Over-the-Rhine was white, then it was black, I thought we were all together Can you shut ‘em down? I’m confused so tell Congress I really thought they knew better Can you believe in your heart that the decisions of our country are either Republican or Democratic? Can you believe that out of all the people in the world two simple parties be worthy of so much static? Can you close your eyes to the reality of the fear that has such a tight grip on our nation today? Can you keep living shut down and shut up? I’m baffled but not a loss for words I can honestly say For me, learning to live without doubt or fear in my life and keeping God so close to my heart I have no doubt that without God’s blessings this world is doomed to fall completely apart With much faith and without any regard for the Republicans or Democrats controlling my being Without any doubt what so ever today I know that almighty God is the only real thing So can you shut ‘em down? Now slow down and take the time to think, what do you really understand? You need to come back into the days of Adam and Eve and remember when only God ruled the land! WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 122 Across 1. A collection of facts 5. Long narrative poem 9. Celestial body 13. Graphic symbol 14. Medium of communication 16. Currency of France 17. Mixture of smoke and fog 18. Particular environment or walk of life 19. Adjoin 20. Serf 22. Sail a zigzag course 23. Renown 24. Sanguine 26. Polynesian dance 28. Cuban dance 33. Relating to principles of right or wrong 36. Veneration 37. Uniform projections on a gear 39. Frozen 41. Cultivate by growing 43. Solid chemical element 45. Frost 46. Giant 48. Ashen 50. Container 51. Hurled 53. Rapidity 55. At the peak 57. Golf peg 58. Thin strip of wood or metal 61. Small stream 64. Cattle farm 68. Apiece 69. A news story reported first 71. Unaccompanied 72. Reverberation 73. Body 74. Ellipse 75. Intense or sharp 76. Trial 77. Part of the neck food Down 1. Particular item of prepared 67. One playing period in golf 2. The highest point of something 3. Implement 4. Domestic breed of goat 5. Epoch 6. Component 7. Notion 8. Something that is easy to do 9. Mariner 10. Brass instrument 11. Starch resembling sago 12. Memorization by repetition 15. Loose fiber obtained from unravelling old ropes 21. Portable shelter 25. Consider 27. Captain's journal 28. Handle of a tool or weapon 29. Look forward to 30. Mooring 31. Bobbin SODOKU PUZZLE NO 252 - MEDIUM 32. Garret 34. Legal excuse 35. Boundary 38. Possess 40. Abnegate 42. Long distance race 44. Rhythmicity 47. Mesh 49. Cervid 52. Least favorable outcome 54. Rationality 56. Looped edging 58. Look for 59. Decorative woven fabric 60. Dull pain 62. Traditional knowledge 63. Result of expenditure in excess of income 65. Type of star 66. Applaud 70. Cooking vessel PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 350 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 121 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 251- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 35 3 RESOURCES | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 557-2873 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 Medical Van 352-6364 352-6363 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 McMicken Dental Clinic 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 Salvation Army 762-5660 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 131 E. 12th Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 1125 Bank Street 45214 Shelter: Men Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelterhouse 721-0643 Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 411 Gest St. 45203 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 2121 Vine Street 45202 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Prospect House 921-1613 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Starting Over 961-2256 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Parkway Center 661-4620 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Shelter: Youth Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Interfaith Hospitality Network 15 First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 471-1100 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) Housing: 241-2965 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Food/Clothing Health 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 961-0600 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Our Daily Bread 621-6364 $100 for 26 issues $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 558-8888 351-3500 977-4489 Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 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 April 7-April 20, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Issues Council and Mayoral Candidates Need to Address Pg 3: Interconnectedness Pg 4: GCHC Pg 5: Weather Trends Pg 6: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 7: The Play Library National Day of Action to End the Housing Crisis Pg 8: Photo Gallery Pg 9: Britain’s Dark History of Criminalizing homeless People in Public Spaces Pg 10: Border Stories Pg 11: Something’s Wrong Here, We Need to Right It Pg 12: Bill Woods Continued Bonnie Neumeier Continued Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 April 7-April 20, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Dr. Mark Mussman Michael Earl Patton Gretchen Marie Semancik Justin Jeffre Bonnie Neumeier Sr. Nicole Varnerin Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Alice Schneider Gaelyn Sullivan ARISE Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alice Schneider ARISE Bill Woods Bonnie Neumeier Border Stories Britain city council Dr. Mark Mussman Gaelyn Sullivan GCHC Gretchen Marie Semancik Housing Crisis Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Kim Green Mayoral Michael Earl Patton Photography Sr. Nicole Varnerin Voting Weather Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/c2f905086777c5856032837832852040.pdf d1dbec4d4c3e4e182140175691278f43 PDF Text Text April 21st - M ay 4th 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 35 (No. 354) advocating justice | Building community Art Saves Lives| 3 This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter INSIDE THIS ISSUE Community Issues Forum Features Two Mayoral Candidates | 2 Bankrupting the Enemy: The U.S. Financial Siege of Japan | 8 The Archdiocese ’s Controversial Contract | 5 Tax Rally for Economic Justice | 9 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: Good Doesn’t Balance Bad JOSH SPRING D Executive Director oes doing good acts make it okay for you to do bad acts? Of course not. But regularly people and organizations turn the other way when so called “good” companies do bad things. We hear, “yeah, they are doing that, but look at all the good they have done.” Does doing good buy you something? Aren’t we supposed to do good because it is good, not because other people will notice, and certainly not to try to get a pass on doing bad things? I am thinking of companies that both build affordable housing and also displace other people from affordable housing; companies that donate funds to non-profits, but also don’t pay their employees a living wage; politicians who listen and speak, but don’t act positively for systematic change. Why do people go out of their way to thank for profit companies when they do in a given situation what is minimally right. A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 4 Are we really thanking them for not choosing to do what was wrong? It seems that some people feel obligated to be sort of submissively thankful, and quiet, or we feel like if we call them out on the bad they do, that maybe they will stop doing the good and just do more bad. Or maybe we just like to act naively or accept too little. Whatever the causes are, we must stop this trend. We need to hold even so called “good” companies accountable. We must stop submitting for the very minimum of right actions as icing on top of bad. Either we are lying when we do this or we are choosing ignorance. When it comes to poverty and housing, ignorance is certainly not bliss for us. COMMUNITY ISSUES FORUM FEATURES TWO MAYORAL CANDIDATES BILL WOODS T he Community Issues Forum on April 13th provided a venue for the candidates running for Mayor of Cincinnati. The two nonincumbent candidates, Yvette Simpson and Rob Richardson, came and presented their views, while Mayor John Cranley did not attend. The mayoral primary takes place on May 2nd. Both Richardson and Simpson utilized the informal, non-debate format to discuss their backgrounds, approaches, and agendas for the City. Rob Richardson, the current Chairman of the University of Cincinnati's Board of Trustees, led off by emphasizing his systemic approach to addressing major issues such as the city's high poverty rate. Noting that the City is "at a turning point," he outlined several steps that he would take to change "the trajectory of poverty." More creative educational programs for teens are needed such as the U.C. Scholarship Program that he helped establish for this age group during the summer months. As Mayor, Richardson said he would make it a priority to ensure that the Internet was available to young people in every neighborhood. Two other priorities stressed by Richardson are improving public transit and establishing a City policy of inclusionary zoning. He chided that Cincinnati's bus system was stuck in the 1950s and was completely inadequate for connecting people to jobs located throughout the region. He believes that the Metro Moves Plan that was rejected by the voters more than a decade ago should be reintroduced. Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com Contributing Writer EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org With the right leadership, he thinks the public would support a regional transit system. Not only does Cincinnati need more affordable housing, noted Richardson, but it needs a policy to prevent the kind of income segregation that characterizes current neighborhood developments. Inclusionary zoning, a policy that has worked well in places like Montgomery County, Maryland, would require every housing development project to include a percentage of affordable housing units. Councilmember Yvette Simpson also emphasized addressing poverty. Starting with the words "Cincinnati needs a visionary leader," she described how her difficult childhood causes her to identify with all the children currently living in poverty. Without a mentor who helped her at a strategic point in her development, she said that she could have ended up as another "statistic" without hope. We must create "villages" full of mentors for these children. Specifically, Simpson stressed improving conditions in struggling neighborhoods. Investment in neighborhood development partnerships is critical; especially local "home grown" businesses that will hire neighborhood residents and care about preserving the character of these areas. Her vision for affordable (Continued on page 12) Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Jim Luken, Dr. Mark Mussman, Robert Park, Karen Elliot, Michael Earl Patton, Former Judge Mark Painter, Steve Sunderland, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones Photography/ Artwork: Alice Schneider, Saad Goshn, Dylan Speeg, Twiiter, Michael Earl Patton, Michael Stucker, Karen Elliot Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Mayoral candidates Yvette Simpson and Rob Richardson address the audience. Credit: Alice Schneider THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �No. 35 4 LOCAL | A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 Art Saves Lives JIM LUKEN “T Contributing Writer he supreme art of war is to subdue the world without fighting.” from The Art of War, written 5 centuries BC by military strategist Tsung Tzu. This book is still used in the curricula of some of our “war colleges.” A question follows: If not by fighting, how do we subdue the world? Were you to ask retired Lebanese physician Saad Ghosn, he would enemies. Or at least it can help us to encounter them ...name them...and demystify them...through art. Traditionally art, especially political art, has always functioned as a kind of soothing corrective, a way of understanding the world, and hopefully bettering it, of helping us see that we are not alone. From prehistory, we have the famous cave paintings at Lascaux, where primitive artists encountered their fears, and huge black and white canvas depicts a complex, chilling image of the horrors of war. It seems beyond ironic that this masterpiece underwent a bazaar desecration at the United Nations in 2003. At the entrance to the Security Council, a full sized reproduction was shrouded by a huge blue veil. Why? Because it may have embarrassed Secretary of State Colin Powell as he pleaded for member states to condone the blasphemy that would soon become the 2nd Iraq War. In the aftermath of September 11th (2001), Saad Ghosn—an artist himself—decided to initiate a major exhibition (SOS Art), so that local artists could express their SOS Art Show at the Art Academy Credit: Saad Goshn almost certainly respond: “With art.” Although a full time pathologist until a few years ago, Saad has devoted much of his life to art. And not to just any art, but art that saves lives. Or souls. Or are they the same? This article in Streetvibes bravely depicted them. In the Lysistrata, an ancient Greek play by Aristophanes (411 BC), the main character tries to convince Greek women to refuse to give themselves to their husbands sexually until the men agree to end feelings about that war. He knew the frustration of many of his local artist friends. “We felt, as artists, very isolated,” he says. “You couldn't show your work. So I thought, let's break this isolation. Why don't we create a venue to connect us and to create a The 2016 SOS Art Show Credit: Saad Goshn celebrates the 15th anniversary of the “SOS Art Show,” which Ghosn founded and still coordinates. For him, “SOS” means “Save Our Souls.” Ghosn believes that art, and the liberation that creating and experiencing art brings, can save us from both internal and external the Peloponnesian war. We know that Shakespeare understood the power of art, when he has Hamlet say, “The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King.” No doubt, the world's most famous antiwar painting is Guernica, Picasso’s 12' X 25' (1937) oil. This dialogue between us?'” The first SOS exhibition (summer of 2003) was shown at the Mockbee warehouse on Central Parkway. Its emphasis was on the war in Iraq. But in 2004, Ghosn decided the event should have a larger focus. He encouraged local artists to submit works dealing with a whole range THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 3 of issues related to peace, justice and human dignity. “It became very global, any aspect that the artist wanted to express. Over the years, the exhibition grew. After four years, it moved to Art Academy on Jackson Street. There was no “jury” to select the artists who were to be included. No entry fee. Basically, if you submitted an application, your work would be shown. Some years ago, Ghosn began calling on teachers in high schools and elementary schools to encourage their students to submit. Saad Chosen explains: “Lately I'm pushing a program here and in Lebanon (his native country) to introduce peace and justice and art to the young. We acquire our values by the age of ten. After that we are set. So art will be linked to the creation of values, like honesty and compassion. Once you acquire your values they stay with you for the rest of your life.” The SOS ART show occupies two entire floors of the Art Academy. This year, it will be open for ten days and evenings, June 2-11, and free to the public as always. Saad Ghosn believes art should be more accessible. “Money doesn't need to change hands for everything.” he says. Ghosn encourages Streetvibes readers to submit a project. Interested? Go to soscincinnati.wordpress.com, then click on the green link: SOS ART 2017 APPLICATION FORM. Who is Saad Ghosn As someone who has known him for years, I still find myself blown away by Saad's level of commitment to this fifteen-year-old passion [SOS] and to the other projects that have grown out of it. He is quite humble about all it, requesting that this article be all about the art show and not about him, a request somewhat impossible to grant. Ghosn conceived that first SOS exhibition, then brought it together. Now, with the help of a few friends, he continues to do the 100 or so installations every year. He takes it down himself, always giving his own time and resources. In addition, each year he produces an 8 ½” X 11” full color “yearbook,” with photos from each exhibit and a short text describing the exhibit. All 100 artists receive a free copy. [I prize my own copy, displaying a record of the installation I did about the theft of the Anna Louise Inn in 2014.] Dr. Ghosn is 66 years old. His name, he says with a smile, can be translated as “Happy Branch.” He went to medical school in his native Lebanon, then lived in Paris for two years before immigrating to Boston, where he lived for ten years before making Cincinnati his permanent home in 1985. He has a master’s degree in public health. For many years he was head of the Pathology Department for the Veteran's Administration hospital. Ghosn says that he did not develop an interest in art when he was young. After he left Lebanon, he began doing (Continued on page 10) �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 4 �No. 35 4 OPINION The Worst Is Yet To Come | A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 W alking around Overthe-Rhine this week, I felt as though we, as a country, are such hypocrites, liars, and crooks. On Vine Street, people casually streaming out of the donut and ice cream shops, celebrating spring break. People from the suburbs sauntering down the street with bags of donuts and ice cream cones in hands, trying to lick them before they melt, or at least save the donuts until they get home. Meanwhile, we dropped a historically large bomb on Afghanistan. We launched dozens of missiles into Syria, and continued dropping bombs across the globe. I know there is mass suffering here at home – people being displaced from their long-time homes so that developers can move the rich, or even their families, into the neighborhood. Instead of starting with the 500 abandoned buildings in Over-the-Rhine, they set their sights on the easily flippable DR. MARK MUSSMAN Staff Writer buildings and pushed everyone out of the neighborhood. Coupled with the direct gentrification, we are seeing mass indirect gentrification – with the schools, the laundromats, the post office, the hardware store, friends, and family all pushed out of the neighborhood… all of this contributes to homelessness. And so does war. We are sitting back in our easy chairs having debates of whether we should take asylum-seekers and refugees because they may be dangerous – when we are the largest producers of war in the world. We produce the most ammunitions, machines or war, the ships, and of course, the missiles. We’ll sell to both sides of a conflict. Our wealth in this country is so connected with war that we put the majority of our budgets into war – including locally. We spend more on the police than anything else – yet homicides increase and the streets remain dangerous. Why is this? Are we in complete denial? Possibly. We need to start changing our perspective and learn how to stand behind our stated values – freedom, happiness, prosperity. Currently, we are quick to blame victims of the system and act like they have some change. When I hear talk about homelessness (which is necessary), I see how off-base people tend to be regarding solutions. When students decide that a barrier to being housed is transportation, because you know, “they can’t get to their job” it makes me realize that there is a serious barrier to understanding systematic causes and the symptoms of homelessness. We don’t have a livable wage, so you can work day and night and still not be able to afford a two-bedroom apartment. You can save up all your money, and still not be able to pay your bills and feed your family. Yet, we’ll be quick to villianize someone who uses alcohol to numb their pain, yet think it’s totally ok for someone to go home after work and crack The science marchers are coming ROBERT PARK Contributing Writer T he science people are marching. The Trump people are frowning and ridiculing. The Trump person will be tweeting encouragement, making use of lots of good material, especially the white lab coats. Science is about evidence, critical observation and interpretation. It is a discipline that all cultures have developed in the course of studying the seasons (stars), training animals, growing crops, using fire, making things. Over centuries and millennia, this was the basis for the knowledge that today underpins all technology, agriculture and modern health. Science has always been political. It is promoted and defined by someone’s goals, interests, vision and agenda. It can be used for bad purposes. War has been a strong engine for scientific discovery. Private profit not always in the public interest has been another. False theories were invented to justify racism and even slavery, the subjugation of other tribes, of women, and the destruction of the natural world. In setting public policy in modern societies, conflicting views on scientific evidence are often expressed; they may be honest differences but they can’t all be right. We have civilized ways for accommodating disagreements on science but it’s important to understand the political agendas often behind these disagreements. In America today many citizens perceive that science hasn’t been working for them. There is considerable truth to this. Expensive, highly profitable drugs for treatment of disease receive most research funds, instead of research for prevention. Food technology produces everincreasing mountains of junk food in plastic, fueling epidemics of diabetes and cancer. Innovation, technology “start-ups” and automation with high-tech sensors and algorithms are deployed to reduce costs, i.e., eliminate jobs. The era of continuous war is now highly technologydependent, all the products of basic science, absorbing huge quantities of our national wealth while our basic infrastructure crumbles. Probably most important, theories on climate change are seen by many of our citizens as promising to destroy jobs and livelihoods, without creating a national program to replace them (energy conservation, sustainable agriculture, water management, etc.). It’s a bonanza for corrupt politicians: blame “fake” science rather than going after the fossil fuel industry or fixing expensive looming problems. For many citizens, blaming science makes more sense in the fog of public media than the complex politics behind corporate economics. Public health is a vital requirement for any society. It takes many forms of government activity. In Erlanger KY recently, a food processing factory was shut down by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after an outbreak of E. coli disease from its product produced 24 (known) potentially fatal cases around the The Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Controversial Contract KAREN ELLIOT I 5 n 2013, Mike Moroski was let go from his administrative position at Purcell Marian High School because he published a personal blog post supporting gay Contributing Writer marriage. In that January 27th blog post (which is still online, though the website MikeMoroski.com has now been formatted for his Cincinnati School Board campaign), Moroski wrote the following: I unabashedly believe that gay people SHOULD be allowed to marry. Ethically, morally and legally I believe this. I spend a lot of my life trying to THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED open a beer every night – in fact you are rewarded when you go to Happy Hours and other work-related activities. It’s a double standard. Without a conscious, we drop bombs on brown and black communities across the globe. Afghanistan is still one of the most impoverished countries in the world. The bombs we drop are probably valued more than the entire country’s GNP. I don’t know the numbers (and many aren’t recorded because of the drug trade), but I can almost guarantee it. What do you think is the connection between the poppy fields in Afghanistan and the heroin crisis? How do those drugs get here? I didn’t think it would be right to let this time of war go by without writing something about it. I can’t speak for everyone, but I hope that we know that with every bomb we drop, we create more enemies. One day, perhaps in the near future, we will be asked to be responsible for what we’ve done. Until then, we’ll exploit war for ratings. When we believe more is better, rather than fair is better, we enforce racist power structures, and give them value. We much change our entire perspective to bring about peace. country. At one point the owners of this plant denied FDA inspectors entry, a dramatic example of bad attitude toward science. The work place is another arena for public health. Past science figured out how bad asbestos was and how to get rid of it. Last year rules to protect workers from silica dust were finally updated by the government agency OSHA based on extensive scientific investigations. Many construction workers are exposed to silica when cutting stone, mineral-containing materials or pavement, threatening their future health and in some cases their lives. Now the federal government is trying to reverse these rules claiming “bad” science and “over-regulation.” Many severe challenges are coming, not just flooding or desertification or the collapse of agriculture. We need to figure out what’s up, who shares our core interests (almost everyone) and talk to them. We must make sure science is used in the public interest to deal with our future. The science marchers need to tell the truth about science, not just show-off their wares, their smarts and their toys. ------------------------ live as a Christian example of love for others, and my formation at Catholic grade school, high school, 3 Catholic Universities and employment at 2 Catholic high schools has informed my conscience to believe that gay marriage is NOT something of which to be afraid. According to a Fox19 story at the time, "the Archdiocese of Cincinnati gave him an ultimatum - resign, or keep his job at Purcell Marian (Continued on page 11) �6 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 4 �LOCAL What's really going on in Syria? No. 35 4 7 | A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 JIM LUKEN "O nce you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." --Sherlock Holmes Until very recently, I have been a regular “contributing” writer of articles for this amazing little paper. I wrote pieces on all manner of events and topics. I wrote most of my articles knowing that—although this was a street newspaper—my audience consisted primarily of middle class, even rich, suburbanites, who cared about the downtown poor. I tried to write in a semi-sophisticated style that would appeal to that readership This time, I am going to attempt the opposite. My goal is to simplify my writing style so that a sixth grader could understand it. In a sense, I will condescend to you wonderful suburbanites who buy Streetvibes from our wonderful distributors. Why? Because the topic is both critical, and very complicated. My article will deal with what could be a considered a kind of CONSPIRACY THEORY. Years ago, I wrote a series of articles (6) about a variety of topics, each one involving a conspiracy: an alternative reality to the one we are force fed by the politicians and the corporate media. I wrote about the JFK (and the MLK) assassination. I wrote about our water being arbitrarily contaminated with fluoride. In the final installments, I argued that what happened on 9/11/2001 had been an “inside job,” perpetrated by our own government in order make “We The People” support an unending series of wars in the Middle East and beyond. The events of 9/11 have led directly to the Afghan war, the Iraq war, the Libyan war, and now to the to the hellish mess that is happening in Syria, including our latest (illegal) missile attacks on that country. My belief is that behind these recent event lies a conspiracy, maybe several of them. I understand that my attempt to simplify the war in Syria will do the situation something of an injustice, but—hopefully—it will give the reader a different framework as he or she watches the situation in Syria continue to unfold. Background In the effort to keep it simple, let’s do this with bullet points: • After 9/11, the Bush administration came up with what has been named “The Bush Doctrine” of foreign policy. This “doctrine” stated that the US now claimed the right to intervene in any situation, anywhere, when we perceived that our national interests were at stake. • So... we invaded Afghanistan, then Iraq (although almost all of Contributing Writers hijackers came from Saudi Arabia and Egypt). • The illegal Iraq war, still going on, laid waste to a country that had been the most socially progressive (and middle class) of all Mid East countries, a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. • We also bombed Libya into chaos. We continue to bomb here, there and everywhere (using drones). Now we have bombed Syria with 59 missiles (each costing us $1.4 million). • Our foreign policy has often centered around character assassination: The Ayatollah (Iran), Gaddafi (Libya), Hussein (Iraq), and now Assad in Syria. Bad dudes all, but the US has a long, disgusting history of supporting many other really bad dudes. • The “blowback” from these (illegal under US law) wars of aggression spawned Al Queda in Iraq, and dozens (hundreds) of Madrasas (schools) where angry young Muslims were trained as terrorists, “hating us death in 2000. The Assad’s and many followers practice Alawi, a moderate form of Shia Islam. Most Syrians are Sunni Muslims. In 2010, youthful civil unrest erupted following the “Arab Springs” in Egypt and Tunisia. This had to do with discontent over Bashar's failure to deliver on promised reforms. It was not religiously inspired. • In mid-2011, government forces apparently fired on some of these protesters. The anti-Assad movement grew. A makeshift opposition army (the FSA) came together, loosely joined by local armed militias hoping to overthrow the Assad regime. At this point, religion still did not play a major role in the dispute. But he US and other internationals were quick to demand regime change. We wanted Assad out, mostly because of his ties to Russia and Iran. These ties still bind. • As time passed, the secular opposition groups were joined by many outside groups (mostly Iraqi and mostly Islamists) many of them what's unlikely can quickly become probable. Bottom line: no one in the new administration has any idea how to resolve this horrible mess. • Background: Russia has been a close ally of Syria for many years. In 2013 (as now), Assad was accused of using chemical weapons in a suburb of the capitol, Damascus. Obama considered responding with a military strike. Trump (a friend of Putin?) warned him repeatedly (using Tweets) against such an intervention. • Indeed, Obama decided not to act. Republicans went batsh*t crazy. By now we know with some certainty that those chemicals had not been deployed by Assad. So Obama, and Trump, were right. • As late as March 30 of this year, Trump and his surrogates made it clear that we’re no longer committed to getting rid of Assad (regime change), instead they felt we should focus on fighting and killing off ISIS. • Syrian opposition figures vehemently decried the Trump administration's change of position regarding regime change. • Then: Lightning strikes again. Just four days later, on April 4, images come out of Syria indicating that chemicals had once again been released, this time in the town of Khan President Donald Trump's tweet before he was POTUS Credit: Twitter for our freedoms,” according to “W” Bush. These chickens, sometimes wearing suicide vests, continue to come home to roost. • 17 years later, we have ISIS and Isil and too many Muslim enemies to count. The number is growing. • Hundreds of these groups and organizations are fighting against, or with, the Assad regime in Syria. The War in Syria Once again, let's use bullet points to emphasize the main aspects of a very complicated political, cultural, and religious situation. • Syria is about the size of Washington state with 22 million people, minus the estimated ¼ of a million dead, minus the three million refugees abroad, and including the 6 million civilians displaced (internally) by this the deadliest war of the new century. • The Assad family has been in power since 1970, with Bashar, the son, taking over after his father's intent on turning Syria into a caliphate [a unified, fundamentalist Islamic State.] Several of these are very well known: Isil or ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) and the Al Nusra Front (an Al Qaeda sect). • By now there are dozens of mostly religious factions, and subgroups fighting against the Assad government. But they are also fighting viciously among themselves. In its hopes of getting rid of Assad, The US has foolishly supplied weapons to ISIS and other “enemy” groups of terrorists in Syria. • Perhaps the most pertinent reality is that there are no good guys. Or, those who had been good guys are compromised to the point where even some US conservatives believe that it would be better for Assad to remain in charge. WWTD (What Would Trump Do)? Now the game gets (more) interesting...because it involves US. This recent intervention could lead to a war with Trump's favorite country: Russia. Unlikely, but with Trump, THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Sheikoun, an Al Queda stronghold. • Trump, watching television, sees images of gassed children and his heart (so he tells us) bleeds for them. He immediately accuses the Assad government of “having crossed a red line.” • Without waiting for his national security team to investigate the legitimacy of the claims (coming from Al Qaeda affiliates), Trump impetuously orders the strike. • But not before he lets his pals in Russia know that he is going to shoot missiles at one of Syria's military airfields where the Russians have a bunch of fighter jets and personnel. By warning them, is he colluding with the enemy? Really! You can't make this stuff up. • By the time the 59 missiles rain down, most Syrian planes and personnel have been cleared out, along with the Russians, of course. Aerial photographs show the runways are fully intact. Syria is (Continued on page 12) �8 T LOCAL Bankrupting the Enemy: The U.S. Financial Siege of Japan before Pearl Harbor he official story of the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941 against our fleet at Pearl Harbor is clear. The United States was a neutral power and was staying out of the conflicts in Europe and Asia. We had no reason to suspect that we would be attacked, which was a complete surprise because the Japanese fleet had approached Hawaii while under complete radio silence. The United States had refused to sell Japan scrap metal and aviation gasoline, but those were materials used primarily for their war machine which was invading China. Japan had struck the first blow without any provocation by the United States. That is what I was taught. Only recently did I find out that the background was not that one-sided. Japan did strike the first military blow, but the United States was waging a full scale economic war against Japan in the months before Pearl Harbor. I recently read the book Bankrupting the Enemy: The U.S. Financial Siege of Japan before Pearl Harbor by Edward S. Miller. It describes how the Roosevelt administration was applying economic pressure – first mild, and then increasingly tightened -- on Japan in reaction to its invasion of China in the 1930’s. Finally, on Friday, 25 July 1941, Roosevelt announced that he was freezing all Japanese assets in the United States and regulating all trade between the United States and Japan to prevent harm to our national interests. In effect, this virtually halted all trade with Japan. The example of oil is illustrative. Oil shipments to Japan were halted on the rationale that the oil was needed in the United States. But it wasn’t. Oil shipped to Japan came from California, which had a surplus. One may have wanted to ship it to the East Coast or overseas to Britain, but there weren’t enough tankers to do so. No pipeline went more than 70 miles from the Pacific coast and there were not enough railroad tank cars, which would have been hugely expensive in any event. But there was no shortage on the East Coast so there was no need to divert the oil that had been exported to Japan. Shortages did develop in northern California because the tankers used to haul the oil there were requisitioned to haul oil for Britain and the Soviet Union. Japan had enough tankers, but was not allowed to fill them with American oil. As a consequence, California oil producers had to reduce production because they had no place to put it. Everything was embargoed, both going to and coming from Japan. The United States refused to buy silk from Japan, which was their major cash-earning export. (Before nylon, which was just coming into its own A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 4 MICHAEL EARL PATTON Contributing Writer Book Credit: Michael Earl Patton in 1941, fashion-conscious women wore silk stockings.) The export of fertilizers was stopped with the express objective of reducing the amount of food available to feed the Japanese population. The theory was that a hungry population would force the military-dominated government South America was, at the time, not strong enough economically to make up for the United States. The choice then was either to retreat or to advance and expand, seizing areas that could supply the materials they wanted. After making several requests to loosen the embargo and Anti-Yen symbol Credit: Michael Earl Patton to stop its invasion of China and withdraw its troops. It didn’t work. In fact, freezing the accounts and blocking exports and imports seems to have strengthened the position of the Japanese military who wanted to pursue a more aggressive stance. There were no other trading partners who could fill the role that the United States had. Europe, including Russia, was engaged in World War II and had no goods that could be spared. even proposing to use barter instead of financial transactions, but being refused or put off, Japan chose to attack. Roosevelt’s authority to seize Japanese funds and embargo goods came from the Trading with the Enemy Act, passed in 1917 during World War I. It gave the president broad powers to regulate trade and financial transactions during a declared war. When Roosevelt THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED came to office in 1933 in the middle of the Great Depression, he asked Congress to amend the Act so that he would have the authority to also regulate financial transactions during a national emergency. The intent was to bring order to the economic chaos, including regulating banks and banning the private ownership of gold. Roosevelt declared a national emergency and began using his new powers. To use this power against Japan, Roosevelt declared an unlimited national emergency, which he described to the public in one of his “fireside chats” on May 27, 1941. To me it is amazing that the president had so much power that he, on his own, could cripple the economy of a nation without any input from Congress and with whom we were not at war. In a note the author explains that this portion of the Trading with the Enemy Act, which allowed the president to impose economic sanctions without approval from Congress, was finally changed in 1976 following the Watergate scandal. The note explains further that much of that power lives on in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), passed in 1977. President Carter had pleaded for its survival so that the president could act quickly and sweepingly in case of an emergency. These powers under the IEEPA had been used over 50 times through 2005. The book was copyrighted in 2007 – the current total is doubtlessly more. Although not part of the book, this finally explained to me why the news always report economic sanctions (for example, against Iran) can be imposed or lifted by the president. The book Bankrupting the Enemy does not consider the question of whether President Roosevelt knew or intended to provoke the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. I think there is strong evidence that way, but that is not the point of this book or of my article. I think it does, however, prompt the question as to why, once total economic war had been started against Japan, that we were not better prepared militarily. Couldn’t anyone see the possibility that economic conflict, including the freezing of virtually all financial assets, might led to a military conflict? Congress has given the president extremely strong powers to hurt other countries economically, power that was reduced only somewhat in the 1970’s. I do not think this is wise. One person with such power can create chaos far easier than it can be undone. And no, this comment was not aimed at any one person in particular. Just consider those who have been president over the past 40 years and ask yourself if you agree that every one of them should have or (Continued on page 10) �NATIONAL Last Week this Week No. 35 4 | A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 MARK PAINTER “T Contributing Writer here's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.” -Will Rogers Life in the Small City Last month, I spent a week in Marietta, Ohio, a charming small city 200 miles upriver. It’s the home of Marietta College and has a historic downtown. The trip was not for pleasure, as I was the arbitrator on a case there. At breakfast one morning, I perused the local paper. You sure can’t get away with anything in a small town. All the police reports are printed in the paper. Just a few samples. Cool heads prevail in Coolville Zachary K. Gerken, of Coolville, reported March 31 a theft from Franklin Fire, 158 Warner St. He said he had left a transmission on the ground by a scrap barrel. A regular customer stopped by and picked the scrap metal up and also picked up his transmission. The customer then took the transmission to the scrap yard. The complainant called the customer who then checked with the scrap yard but the transmission had already been disposed of. An officer contacted the customer and both parties agreed to work it out between themselves. Paging Inspector Javert Jenny L. Robinson, of 836 Fourth St., Marietta, reported a burglary April 4. Upon arrival an officer found that the door was kicked in and a loaf of bread was missing. This case is still under investigation. Wearing the hat backwards should be a crime An officer was dispatched April 5 to the area in front of the armory for a report of a white male with a ball cap on backwards asking people if they wanted to buy a watch. It was also reported that he had luggage sitting on the park bench. Upon arrival, no one was around. Officers searched the area and were unable to locate anyone matching that description. The luggage was taken. A warrant for what? As an officer was on patrol Sunday on Marion Street approaching Third Street two people were witnessed walking by the Morgan Chiropractic building. The male subject was identified as Dakota Hines and as he was walking away he dropped a billy club on the ground. Hines was ordered to stop and leave the weapon on the ground. He immediately picked up the weapon and fled on foot. A warrant has been requested. Was it even hers? Misty D. Griffin, of 308 Harmar St., reported Sunday that sometime overnight an unknown suspect threw Tax Rally for Economic Justice O JUSTIN JEFFRE Editor & Staff Writer n a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon on April 15th hundreds of Cincinnatians gathered on Fountain Square in solidarity with about 120 other rallies across the country to - among other things - call for President Donald Trump to release his tax records and for economic justice. The lively crowd was filled with signs and enthusiastic people. The enthusiasm was so strong that the rally actually began before it was scheduled to. There was a long list of passionate speakers talking about a wide range of topics. One thing they all shared was a relation to the causes of economic injustice. Josh Spring, the Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition spoke about the housing crisis. According to a recent housing study Hamilton County is short about 40,000 units of affordable housing. He talked about how the city alone had invested about a billion dollars in market rate housing which has displaced people and caused homelessness to grow. He called for a housing trust fund and new public polices at the city and county level to address the growing need for affordable housing. Michelle Dillingham, the CEO of Community Shares, spoke about how we have increasingly been seeing an increase in women and children in poverty. She said that our community has enough resources to address these issues, but we need the political will at City Hall and the County level. Dillingham is a council candidate. (The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition does not endorse political candidates.) There was a surprise speaker as well. The Donald himself, actually it was longtime Streetvibes contributor Jim Luken, donning a suit and a Donald Trump mask. This incredible Trump impersonator told the crowd what a bunch of losers they were, how small and pathetic their little rally was, and how they shouldn’t resist his administration and the Republican party’s agenda. Following Trump’s performance came Rob Linneman, a civil rights attorney, as well as Judge Fanon Rucker. They both discussed the 9 eggs at an SUV there. No one noticed before? On Wednesday, a motorist alerted the sheriff’s office to a home at 1220 McGrath Road, Macksburg, that had burned to the ground within the past day. This case remains under investigation. Another fire Deputies along with the Little Hocking Volunteer Fire Department responded to 6000-B State Route 555 on Monday to a fire in a yard. This fire was detected upon a homeowner returning home. It appears this may have been caused by someone throwing out a cigarette. This case remains under investigation. Epidemic of fires On Thursday, a deputy along with the Fearing Volunteer Fire Department responded to 290 Hartline Road, Marietta, in reference to Leander Farnsworth, of 12834 State Route 339, Vincent, having a vehicle at that location on fire. The fire was quickly extinguished with the vehicle passenger compartment being a total loss. Please don’t argue over the remote, because you’ll spill the beer On Saturday, deputies were dispatched to 12170 State Route, Lowell, in reference to a domestic violence incident. Sylvia J. Severt, 40, said she and her husband Shane were intoxicated and got into an argument. Shane said during the argument his wife attempted to take the remote control from Shane at which time she knocked the beer from his hand. Sylvia Severt was placed under arrest for domestic violence and transported to the Washington County Jail. At the jail, Sylvia tested .256 percent BAC on the portable breathalyzer test. A three-course meal stolen On 1 Apr 17 Sgt. Mankins met with Felicia Dawn Wallace at the Washington County Jail. The Lowell Duke and Duchess Shop, Lowell, reported a theft from the business in which Deputies along with the Lowell Police Department were able to identify the individual in the video as Felicia Wallace. Wallace admitted to stealing 3 Hostess Danish cakes. It was further determined that Wallace had also stolen a bottle of Mountain Dew, a bottle of Dr. Pepper and a candy bar, as well as a pair of shoes from the Lowell Dollar General. Charges of theft were filed on Wallace, age 26, 100 Water Street, Lowell, through Marietta Municipal Court. Possibly disorderly? Tune in next week A deputy responded to Newport Township on Wednesday in reference to subjects conducting themselves possibly in a disorderly fashion. This case remains under investigation. That, friends, is life in the small city. I’m sure we have the same, it’s just not published daily. Cincinnati native Mark Painter served as a judge for 30 years (Municipal Court 1982–1995, Court of Appeals 1995–2009, United Nations Appellate Tribunal 2009–2012), and as an adjunct law professor at UC for 20 years. He is the author of six books. injustices in our criminal justice system from mass incarceration, private prisons, unfair sentencing and enforcement, and the impact it has had on the poor, particularly the black community. They talked about how these policies drain massive amounts of our community and nation’s resources and perpetuate poverty and inequality. Rucker reminded the crowd with a chant throughout his speech that ‘We the People’ have the power to change these things and that’s the way it has always been. Alonzo Leggett and Diedrich Jones from the Cliftones performed several songs with a guest drummer. Native American activist Jeri Neri then took to the stage and spoke about environmental justice. Neri is a water protector. He spoke about the No Dapl stand against the Dakota Access Pipeline and ongoing efforts to stop our water ways from being polluted as well as the need to respect native American treaties and rights. Brain Garry, a city council candidate and activist, spoke about how all the different issues were intertwined and urged the crowd to renew their commitment to fight for justice. Garry’s speech was interrupted by loud commercials from 3CDC’s jumbo-tron, an unfriendly reminder of the corporate control of Fountain Square as well as other public spaces and resources increasingly. Garry carried on despite the rude and unnecessary interruption. Attendees seem to be energized by the rally. The event was organized by Billie Mays, Kate Gallion and others with the United We Stand movement. To find out more go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ unitedwestandcincy/ [Editor’s note: The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition does not endorse political candidates.] THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �10 LOCAL has heard and backed off a sad and destructive bill to replace the Affordable Care Act. But Trump is not finished: choking the ACA to death can happen through arbitrary and undiscussed rule changes. Simultaneous with the attack on the poor, are efforts to widen access to healthcare for everyone. Physician groups, Hospital Groups, and Citizen Groups are joining together to both resist major changes and to rethink just how the healthcare system can be improved for those at highest risk. It is hoped that this effort will continue despite the new rules and the old attitude that healthcare cannot be a right for everyone. In Cincinnati, the Cancer Justice Network, an organization of 25 agencies that serve the poor in the city and Hamilton County, have come together to step up the healthcare services to the poor. Using a new health role, "navigators," the Cancer Justice Network is going to churches, community centers, and schools where poor people and their families attend. Our goal is singular: we want everyone who is concerned that they may have cancer to get a screening and a timely treatment. Thanks to far-looking grants from Easter Seals and the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center, Molina Insurance, Christ Church Cathedral, Congregation of St. Joseph, Academy of Medicine, and the Woodward Trust, we are creating a transportation process that "navigates" any low income citizen, aged person, or person with disabilities, to and from cancer prevention healthcare. Normally, the high risk population we are working with has too many transportation obstacles to get to either a screening and or regular treatments. Not being knowledgeable about insurance provisions for transportation or Medicaid stipulations, the person with cancer may give up and choose to use their limited funds for housing, or food, or some recreation for their children. Removing transportation hurdles, accompanying the person to and from their health provider, starts a process that could lead to overcoming cancer in our community. The process can break down at any time if there is an emergency in the person's life or if they are unsure what to do when they have an urgent medical need. Often people do not have a doctor, do not know how to access the Emergency Room, and sadly have had experiences of being humiliated by healthcare professionals. Our navigators are offering a different kind of relationship: we will go with the person and make sure that the healthcare is outstanding and we will help people negotiate the maze of cancer care and of the local transportation systems. When we have shared this opportunity with people at church meetings or in community centers, we are often met with disbelief: "Why would you do this for me? What do you get out of helping me?" Suspicions connected to prior experiences tend to dominate even when we have face to face meetings with kind and down to earth physicians. Yet, every time we find courageous people who are willing to risk a first step with our navigators, although many people have a change of mind. The power of the anti-poor culture can win out and persuade people that what we are sharing may be a scam. "Who helps the poor?," they seem to say with their behavior of missing appointments. We know that our process of helping will be a slow one but we are basing our work on the pioneering efforts of Harold Freeman, MD. Freeman, facing high death rates from his patients who came too late for treatment, created a program of community navigators that could bring people to him much sooner in their cancer. In five years, Freeman's program reversed the death statistics: most people survived their cancer. We are following this program in Cincinnati because minorities have the highest death rate from cancer in Ohio. The Cancer Justice Network is the only program that navigates high risk populations to and from healthcare while empowering people to take more control over their healthcare. Largely made up of volunteers, we attend church dinners, meetings at community centers, and programs where the poor come for help. Our navigators are saying that there are more choices for life than death if we seize the chance to get an exam and treatment. We know we have a difficult job to convince people who have been excluded from healthcare, stigmatized by the media, and now facing certain cuts in their essential healthcare. We are determined to make progress by taking time with people, listening to their fears, and, with navigators, going the extra mile to compassionate healthcare. This is what we mean by justice for everyone. Please go to our website for more information: cancerjusticenetwork.org “We cannot judge people,” he says, “because we do not know what bed a person grew up in. The values George Bush got were different from the values I got.” Other Projects According to Ghosn, more than 1500 individuals (or collaboratives) have exhibited at the SOS Show. In addition, 500-600 local poets have participated in another of his undertakings. This would be a yearly book of social justice oriented poems, entitled For a Better World. Poets submit their work, and Ghosn engages local artists to create black and white illustrations for some of them. Expected this December is yet another collection of writing and drawings, these by death row inmates from around the country (there are some 4,000 of them). Ghosn plans on exhibiting this work and taking it on a tour of states (like Ohio) where executions still occur. Engaging young people remains primary for Saad Ghosn. He is working to introduce his “values” oriented art project in elementary schools throughout the city (and in Lebanon). The art teacher would name a particular value, like compassion, and the children would be encouraged to find and create different depictions of that value. Ghosn helped produce an SOS exhibition in Lebanon in 2016, which was very positively received. There will be a second one in 2018. Most recently, SOS Art has become something of a different animal. Ghosn has taken the project through the painstaking process (5013C) involved in making it a legal non-profit entity. This new designation requires a board of directors and a significant amount of outside funding. Ghosn wants to make sure that there will be an SOS presence when he can no longer spearhead it. He regrets that he has so little skill in raising money or writing grants. He is looking for help. Another of Saad Ghosn's woodcuts is called “The Fate of the Meek.” It depicts a dense flock of sheep faces surrounded by spear points. In a way, this is where we find ourselves as social justice artists and advocates. “So you don't succeed the way society wants,” he reflects. “At least you didn't become a wolf.” “I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything,” he concludes. “You create art for yourself, but when it goes out it affects others.” than 1% are of that opinion. I do blame the mainstream media for not doing any real reporting about this power or how it came about. This book first came out about 10 years ago. It is published by the Naval Institute Press in Annapolis, Maryland; not self-published by some vanity press. The book is well-researched and written. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the history of the run-up to World War II. personal blog." Moroski refused, and lost his job. Flash-forward to the next school year, and the Archdiocese made national news again with its new and controversial contract. According to a May 10, 2014 item in the New York Times: Teachers in Catholic schools have long been forced to accept a vague morals clause telling them that they shouldn’t contradict Catholic doctrine. But teachers in Catholic JUSTICE DENIED, SOCIETY THREATENED "W STEVE SUNDERLAND Contributing Writer here justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob, and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe."--Frederick Douglass The attack on the poor's healthcare continues with new cuts in Medicaid insurance ordered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Poor people, just now awakening to the realization that healthcare can improve their lives and the lives of their families, will be deterred from getting critical insurance. Bombing healthcare provisions has the same effect as bombing people and buildings: people will unnecessarily die, suffer, and be frightened about their future. Citizens at many town hall meetings, largely middle class people, are outraged at their Congressional representative's attempt to explain why less benefits, fewer choices of physicians and hospitals, and the abolition of prevention results in "better care." The American poor are being joined by the American Middle Class in protesting changes in healthcare that are ridiculous for any person who wants to feel secure about their health. Protests have been the order of the day, whether at local, state or national rallies. The Congress JIM LUKEN (Continued from page 3) simple drawings. By now he is an accomplished (although untrained) artist, something of a “primitivist.” He is always among those who display their work at the SOS exhibition. His three dimensional “constructions” often evince the kind of complexity and patience that make one want to view them from all angles. Asked to describe himself in a few words, he responded, “I don't play games. I suppose I could say that I am authentic, simple, compassionate. The most important thing for me is to be in touch with myself.” Saad Ghosn illustrates another aspect of his personality by showing me one of his woodcut prints entitled, “Bed of Comfort/Bed of Nails.” It depicts those two beds, side by side. MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 8) have had that power. I doubt if more KAREN ELLIOT (Continued from page 5) until June by signing a document recanting statements made on his A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 4 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED (Continued on page 10) �No. 35 4 WORLD | A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 Border Stories: Thread of Hope “W SR. NICOLE VARNERIN Contributing Writer e are seeing people work together in ways they never have before.” The sentence rang out through the auditorium and hope got caught in my throat. After a month and a half of living on the border I have been confronted with the tangible fear of deportation and stories of separated families. It is easy to blame it all on our new administration since my arrival in Texas roughly coincided with the inauguration. But this man, a community organizer around immigrant rights, voiced his hope toward the end of a two-day Human Trafficking Conference where we heard account after account of violence, injustice, and humanitarian crisis. He cited case after case of new initiatives, communities working together to protect others, and people empowered to stand up for their rights. As I thought back over the conference, I saw those stories too. Did we hear about the US’s terrible involvement in the Salvadoran and Guatemalan wars and governmental injustices? Yes. Did we hear about human rights infractions of these people who flee the situation the US created? Yes. Did we hear about the terrible conditions of farmworkers? KAREN ELLIOT (Continued from page 10) schools in the Cincinnati archdiocese are being given a longer, more explicit litany of words and deeds that could get them fired. The new contract expressly forbids a “homosexual lifestyle” and any “public support” of one. But it says nothing about public support of the death penalty, something else that the church opposes. Though many teachers refused to sign this contract, one local teacher - again from Purcell Marian High School - made news when he was fired for refusing to sign, after a stunning 45 years at the school. Also from the New York Times: The new contract is six pages and offends him in its suggestion that he must, for example, not express support for gay people in his life. Before it was distributed, [Richard] Hague, 66, planned to teach for another five years. Now he doesn’t, and explained in a letter to the archdiocese: “I simply cannot believe that Jesus would require me to condemn my friends.” Against this backdrop, it would seem rather clear that employees of Purcell Marian High School (and any Archdiocesan school) cannot express "public support" of a "homosexual lifestyle." But that's just what Purcell 11 Certainly. But in each talk was a thread of hope. The two stories that stuck with me most were told by Jennifer Harbury and Lucas Benitez. Jennifer Harbury is a middle aged widow who works tirelessly as an immigration and human rights lawyer. Her husband was tortured and killed by the Guatemalan Government. He was a rebel against militaristic government the US helped put in power after a democratically elected leader was overthrown in a coup. This corrupt Guatemalan government was financially and politically backed by the US. Their “death squads” who reigned with terror across the country were trained at “The School of the Americas” by US soldiers. Suddenly, Jennifer’s husband disappeared. She was told he died, but could not be sure. In reality he was being tortured by the Guatemalan Government at the orders of the FBI. Eventually he was killed, dismembered, and his remains scattered so Jennifer could not have a proper burial for him. For many years, Jennifer fought in court to have the files pertaining to her husband’s case declassified. She succeeded and the FBI was implicated in the involvement of her husband’s death. She still fights though. She fights for the rights of asylees from Guatemala. She fights for all files to Marian did in a recent newsletter sent to alumni. In the picture accompanying this article, you can see an excerpt from their recent newsletter - with names and faces redacted for privacy. Two women, one of whom graduated from the school, got married, and the newsletter's author congratulated them. That sounds like "public support" of a "homosexual lifestyle." Here's how Dan Andriacco, Communications Director for the Archdiocese, responded when this was brought to his attention: Thanks for calling this to our attention. The provisions of the teacher-minister contract and the principal-minister contract that you refer to are still in place. With regard to the newsletter article you cite, Purcell-Marian [sic] officials have acknowledged that they made an oversight in the rush to meet a publication deadline. They support the moral teachings of the Catholic Church. It's one thing to claim that Purcell Marian officials "support the moral teachings of the Catholic Church," but what about making public acknowledgements of the mistake just like the Archdiocese asked Mike Moroski to do after his support of gay marriage? "I don’t think anything along those lines has been decided," be declassified so the FBI and the US can climb out of the shadows pertaining to their involvement in the humanitarian disasters of Central America. Strength seeps from her pores and passion for truth and justice is tangible. Lucas Benitez works on tomato responsibility.” The fair food program uses a set of rules written by the workers themselves and compels the growers to abide by them by getting large companies to only buy from participating growers. Companies who abide by the program also agree to pay one cent more per pound farms in Florida and is the co-founder of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Their fair food program works to fight for workers’ rights comprehensively. He was tired of big companies putting off talking to the Coalition about social responsibility. They would say “we already have a social responsibility clause. We don’t need to change anything.” But he was still seeing women being sexually assaulted in the fields, workers being held against their will, and unsafe working conditions without water breaks. The companies were trying to tell the workers what they needed, but Lucas says, “social responsibility without the farmworker is not social of tomatoes which goes directly to the farm workers as a bonus. The program only works if the companies buy in and over a dozen of the largest tomato buyers signed the agreement. Lucas had passion and truly believed that real power comes from the bottom up. Lucas and Jennifer, plus the many others I have met fighting for justice here on the border ignite a fire in me to fight alongside them. I think back to those fighting for justice in Cincinnati and know that it is just as important. Keep up the good fight. Stay strong, remember the stories of success, but stay in touch with the hurt. Wedding Announcement Credit: Karen Elliot explained Andriacco. "The principal is out of the country right now." So, will the school be required to print a correction and/or a retraction? THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED "That’s not been decided and there’s no deadline for doing so," concluded Andriacco. "I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful..." �12 LOCAL A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 4 For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation JIM LUKEN (Continued from page 7) flying bombers from those runways in less than a day. • Conservative (and most liberal) media hail the new President's decisive action. He has shown spine! Assad is once again vilified as the obvious perpetrator. • Even in the liberal media, few dare to suggest that factions of the opposition could very well be responsible for those chemicals. • Trumps political PACs immediately begin fundraising, using the death of children as theircalling card. Disgusting? You be the judge. • Trump continues to disallow Syrian children from coming to the US as refugees. How to Read the Tea Leaves. Let's switch to numbers. And, let's get back to issues of conspiracy. We “conspiracy theorists” often refer to the notion of “false flags,” an old maritime tradition. You fly the enemy's flag (on your ship) and then commit heinous acts. The enemy gets blamed. Nazis falsely blamed the fire in the Reichstag (1933) BILL WOODS (Continued from page 2) housing also centers on providing on the communists (giving Hitler a green light in his push toward WWII). In 1964, the US blamed North Vietnamese warships for a confrontation in the Gulf of Tonkin (pushing us headlong into the Vietnam War). History has proven there were no enemy ships. Were the chemicals at Kahn Sheikoun a false flag? With this question in mind, here are some of what Donald Rumsfeld famously called the “known knowns” 1. By the time of the missile attacks, Trumps poll numbers had reached abysmal lows. 2. The push to examine his ties with Russia and the manipulation of the 2016 election were gaining more headlines. In spite of his efforts, Obamacare remained the law of the land. His presidency was in shambles. Worst of all, the Donald was being laughed at. 3. On the morning of April 4, an Assad warplane apparently bombed a building in the town of Khan Sheikoun. 4. Opposition voices claimed the bomb contained sarin gas. 5. But, various factions in the ISIS/Al Quaeda opposition are known to have been creating (and employing) crude chemical weapons, Chlorine and others) for years in Syria. 6. Images of the victims indicate that the gas was in fact chlorine phosphorous and not the more deadly sarin. Obvious questions Here is your chance to judge an issue of geo—political intrigue. You be the judge. Follow the money. Who really benefits? 1. Days after the Trump State Department had declared that he could remain in power, why would Assad do something so stupid as attacking civilians with gas? 2. Why did our President choose to shoot first, before investigating the validity of Al Qaeda claims? 3. If Assad did it, why did he do it? 4. If Al Qaeda created a false flag, why did they do it? 5. Who had more to gain? To lose? 6. Why would Trump seemingly go against the Russians in Syria? Or did he? Why did he warn them? 7. Finally, who are always big winners in wars? I'll answer this one: the banks which fund both sides, and the weapons manufacturers, which supply both sides. And what country do most of the banks and the weapons makers hail from? You definitely know the answer to that one. Acknowledgement: Although I did not footnote the facts in this article, much of the material related to the chemicals and missile attack were gleaned from a long article by Scott Ritter. He's the former Iraq weapons inspector who gained fame by insisting, over and over, that Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction. I encourage readers to check out Ritter's long essay. Google: “Scott Ritter Wag the Dog”. Disclaimer: As a freelance journalist for the worldwide Franciscans I found myself in hot war zones on three continents. Thus, I hate war more than anything. I'm sure that hatred colored what I put in this article. more funding and support for neighborhood housing development corporations. Simpson also noted that the City must provide basic services more efficiently in order to deal with its perennial budget issues. As someone who has lived in both cities, the Cincinnati in poverty and the more affluent Cincinnati, she feels uniquely poised to lead us in the direction of creating one, unified City. By implementing "the power of we," she concluded, we can bring this City together. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 35 4 13 STREET VOICE | A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 OBSESSED WITH BEING FIRST HOME AT LAST Trump has just got to be first, THOSE ARE WORDS USED BY SO MANY Even when these rankings AT THE END OF A DAY Make The Donald the worst. THOSE ARE GOOD WORDS UNTIL YOU FIND THAT IN It should come as no surprise, That he may be the President Who tells the most lies. YOUR HOME YOU CAN'T STAY AFTER BEING HOMELESS FOR FIVE YEARS AND FIGHTING FOR THE ANNA LOUIS INN FINDING AN APARTMENT STARTING MY LIFE OVER I THOUGHT MY FIGHT WAS OVER THEN BILL WOODS I BEGAN TO SEE OLD BULDINGS BEING Contributing Writer RECONSTRUCTED GRANTING JOBS FOR SO MANY LIVING BY GOODNESS Each day God gives us life How merciful our creator He gives us a wonderful start To live life with breath In our lungs and a beating heart Living by goodness and by grace Thank you God for another day Living by goodness makes one feel good And thankful for Gods good grace TO SEE NEW RESTURANTS ALL OVER TOWN I FIGURED IT WAS A GOOD THING TO EAT PLENTY I BEGAN TO SEE PEOPLE BEING MOVED OUT OF THEIR HOMES WHERE THEY'D LIVED FOR YEARS DOESN'T MATER WHETHER YOU BLIND, CRIPPLED OR CRAZY YOU HAVE NO SAY SO MY DEAR THEN I SAW HOW EXSPENSIVE RESTURANTS WERE, I WENT TO WENDYS AND THEY WERE GONE I SAW BEER BREWIES ON EVERY CORNER, PARKING LOTS FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS I GOT SCARED THEN THEY DEMOLISHION OF THE STORE NEXT KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer DOOR TO ME GAVE ME THE SENSE TO GET PREPARED AFTER STANDING UP FOR THE RIGHTS OF SO MANY I'M READY TO STAND UP FOR MY RIGHTS I JUST FOUND OUT THAT MY HOME HAD BEEN SOLD YEARS AGO NOW I AM READY TO FIGHT STILL NOT UNDERSTANDING THE POLITICS, CITY OR GOVERNMENT POLICYS AND RULES I JUST SEE THE POOR BEING MOVED OUT OF THE RICHES WAY AND I FEEL IT'S CRUEL THE POINT IS NOT THAT THE BUYERS OF YOUR HOME IS PAYING FOR YOUR MOVE AN PACKING THAT WAS EASY BUT WONDER WHEN THEY'LL BE BACK TO MOVE YOU AGAIN PACKING SO I’M TRYING TO FIND A HOME WHERE I WILL BE SAFE WITH NO FEARS OF A CHANGING WORLD WITH NO CONTROL OVER THESE CHANGES OTHER THAN TO PROTEST AND SHOUT OUT LOUD I PUT IT ALL IN THE HANDS OF GOD AND KNOW AND BELEIVE HE HAS A PLAN FOR THIS CLOUD NOW I CAN'T BELEIVE HOME AT LAST FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG MY HOME WILL BE MINE TO BE HOME ALONE WE ALL NEED TO PUT ALL FAITH AN TRUST IN GOD LET HIM READ BETWEEN THE LINES WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 4 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 123 Across 3. Very angry 1. Den 4. Entourage 5. A strong line 5. Regress 9. Established line of travel 6. Be indebted to 14. Fiend 7. Look searchingly 15. Pitcher 8. Mistake 16. Tripod 9. Withdraw 17. Dried vegetable matter used as fuel 18. Swerve 19. A squeaking sound 20. Lure 22. Wander 24. Incumbency 26. Beam 31. Far beyond the norm 33. A small sphere 34. Extraterrestrial object 37. Singing voice 39. Stead 40. Primate 41. On the move 42. Conclusion 43. Annoy 45. Approach 46. Wash lightly without soap 48. Parka 50. Repeat broadcast 52. Well-founded 54. Ran very quickly 57. Faction 59. Swiss house 61. Take in water 65. Facial expression 67. Morsel 68. Large body of water 69. Chills and fever 70. Notion 71. Animal 10. Paddle 11. Employ 12. Beverage 13. Moose 21. Interest followed with exaggerated zeal 23. Cloudy diffused matter, suspended in the air 25. Wipe out 27. lnauspicious 28. Foreigner 29. 13 to 19 year olds 30. Musical composition 32. Part of a church 34. Unit of weight for SODOKU PUZZLE NO 252 - MEDIUM precious stones 35. Speak up 36. Fruit of the gourd family 38. Fatigued 41. Leg bone 44. Epoch 46. Hurry 47. Live in 49. Not present 51. Fraudulent scheme 53. Acclaim 55. Leave or strike out 56. Dissuade 58. Garment worn in ancient Rome 60. Squad 72. Small open pie 61. Small float made of 73. Limited period of time cork 62. Frozen water Down 63. Pasture 1. A slow pace of running 64. Fuel 2. Broker 66. Belonging to us PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 350 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 122 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 252- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 35 4 RESOURCES | A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 557-2873 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 131 E. 12th Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 1125 Bank Street 45214 Shelter: Men Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelterhouse 721-0643 Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 411 Gest St. 45203 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 2121 Vine Street 45202 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Prospect House 921-1613 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Starting Over 961-2256 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Parkway Center 661-4620 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Shelter: Youth Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Interfaith Hospitality Network First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 471-1100 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) Housing: 241-2965 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Food/Clothing Health 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 961-0600 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Our Daily Bread 621-6364 $100 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 Salvation Army 762-5660 Medical Van 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 Shelter: Family 15 for 26 issues $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 A p r i l 2 1 - M a y 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 4 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 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 April 21-May 4, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Community Issues Forum Features Two Mayoral Candidates Pg 3: Art Saves Lives Pg 4: GCHC Pg 5: The Worst is Yet to Come The Science Marchers are Coming Pg 6: GCHC Pg 7: What’s Really Going on in Syria? Pg 8: Bankrupting the Enemy Pg 9: Last Week This week Pg 10: Justice Denied, Society Threatened Pg 11: Border Stories Pg 12: GCHC Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 April 21-May 4, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Jim Luken Dr. Mark Mussman Robert Park Karen Elliot Michael Earl Patton Former Judge Mark Painter Steve Sunderland Sr. Nicole Varnerin Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Alice Schneider Saad Goshn Dylan Speeg Twiiter Michael Stucker Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alice Schneider Art Bill Woods Border Stories Cincinnati Dr. Mark Mussman Dylan Speeg Former Judge Mark Painter Japan Jim Luken Josh Spring Karen Elliot Kim Green Mayoral Candidates Michael Earl Patton Michael Stucker Pearl Harbor Robert Park Saad Goshn Sr. Nicole Varnerin Steve Sunderland Syria Taxes Twiiter Voting Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/3e02878c1c95c0be2b45d89d04e2e678.pdf 6e6f1a5bdd1a69afd57e35fb8e8d15e1 PDF Text Text M ay 5th - M ay 18th 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 36 (No. 355) advocating justice | Building community Rapidly in, rapidly out: the struggle to keep up with Rapid Rehousing rent payments| 3 This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter INSIDE THIS ISSUE Border Stories: The Meaning of Ritual | 8 Enviormental protection in Jeopardy| 3 Not Country for All| 5 The Art of Healing | 9 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: Moving Forward JOSH SPRING A Executive Director home is considered affordable when the rent or mortgage plus the monthly cost of utilities are no greater than thirty percent of the household’s monthly income. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has stated that in our region the fair market rent for a twobedroom apartment is $806 a month. The minimum wage in Ohio is $8.15 an hour. $806 a month or $9,672 annually is thirty percent of $32,240 annually. Without considering taxes and utility cost, at minimum wage a person would have to work 76 hours every week of the year to afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent on minimum wage. The report, “Housing Affordability in Hamilton County” recently released by the Community Building Institute (CBI) and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) shows that we have a shortage of 40,019 homes affordable to households at zero to thirty percent of the area median income. Another way of looking at this is to say that 55,600 households at zero to thirty percent of the area median income are trying to fit into 15,581 homes affordable to them. This is an alarming number, but it is not surprising to us or our directservice member organizations. The lack of affordable housing and the housing instability of so many leads to our shelters for families and children having to turn away at least 70% of the families who seek shelter. This of course does not consider the families who do not call because they know the shelters are regularly full. Our community’s shelter for people aged 18 through 24 reports that they have been full since they opened, they are regularly having to turn people away. Our local shelter for women operates over-capacity almost continuously. Our men’s shelter is seeing recordbraking numbers of people. During winter months, our lowest barrier single adult shelter saw over 400 people on a variety of nights; this is the highest number ever recorded in our city’s history in this one shelter. M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 5 In addition to all of this, street outreach workers report increasing numbers of single adults, youth, and families with children living outside. It is abundantly clear that the need is great and increasing. Probably 20% of our children in Cincinnati Public Schools will experience homelessness this school year. Whereas the primary and foundational solution is to preserve and build affordable housing, the opposite has been happening to a greater extent. The number of affordable homes has decreased in our community because of displacement, gentrification, ignored maintenance, and funding cuts. Even though “Plan Cincinnati” calls for inclusionary zoning and an increase in affordable housing development, there is not local legislation or governmental process to make this happen. Nearly all public funds for affordable housing come from the federal or state governments and those funds have been cut repeatedly. In many cases these only fund small percentages of what is actually needed. From the public and city staff, we have heard it said that they must wait to legislatively act for the creation of affordable housing until (Continued on page 3) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN JEOPARDY - WHAT CAN CITIZEN'S DO? BILL WOODS Contributing Writer I n a second Forum focused on local responses to what is going on in Washington, D.C., attention turned to the environment and the Trump Administration's negative policy toward environmental protection. D. David Altman, an attorney with expertise and years of experience in taking on major polluters on behalf of average citizens, gave his analysis of the current situation. Noting that the fight to protect the environment was with a Republican Administration and Congress, he said that it should not be a Democratic or Republican issue. Reflecting that he had taken the cases of Republican clients over the years, he remarked that if your well water is poisoned by pollutants, you don't tend to think in terms of your political persuasion. If we care about our children or grandchildren, he said, protecting the environment should unite us all. Altman emphasized the importance of the Environmental Protection Agency. The mantra from this Administration, he noted, is to get rid of bureaucratic regulations, and (Continued on page 3) Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Key Beck, Dr. Mark Mussman, Michael Earl Patton, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Steve Sunderland, Ricardo Taylor, Cleo Wombles, Stacey Hollander, Bobby Morris, Willa Denise Jones Photography/ Artwork: Alice Schnieder, Key Beck, Dr. Mark Mussman, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Aimee Willhoite Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. David Altman speaking at the Community Issues Forum Credit: Alice Schneider THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �LOCAL We Don’t Need a Hero, We Need Equity and Cooperation No. 35 5 3 | M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 KEY BECK Contributing Writer I t is May, and we are in the full swing of the mayoral and city council election season. It is apparent by the many, glossy paper fliers filling my mailbox and the intrusive commercials interrupting my web series. There are three candidates running for the local mayoral office and it is pretty obvious that one candidate has more funds for campaigning than the others. It is also obvious that the candidates agree on some issues, but disagree on many more. Normally, conversations and debates would be centered on budgets, voting records, and platforms, but this year the focus is on the city manager position, the streetcar, and supporting of lowincome neighborhoods. While the streetcar debate is a red herring issue (at least from my perspective), I tend to focus on the discussions of the city manager and supporting under-resourced and marginalized neighborhoods. The discussion of a new city manager is important because the position is responsible for helping the city grow and become more vibrant. They are the administrative leader of the city, in general terms. In our current Council-Manager system, the city manager is hired by the council and mayor to implement municipal policies, supervise day-to-day operations of city departments and staff, help support effective economic development policies and practices, and supervise budgetary and JOSH SPRING (Continued from page 2) the market is ready. The problem is the market won’t be ready. Affordable housing does not generate significant profits and BILL WOODS (Continued from page 2) this message sounds good to many people. Who doesn't want to be free of needless regulations that clutter up our lives? The problem, he explained, is that E.P.A-regulations comprise the foundation for protecting the environment in this country. If current regulations are eliminated or not enforced, he warned, "the environmental protection structure collapses like a house of cards." These regulations provide the Key Beck, writerkeybeck@gmail.com Photo: Key Beck Evanston, Lower Price Hill, and other historically black neighborhoods. I am an Over-the-Rhine resident, and I appreciate some of the “care” given to the area, but I also know there are other neighborhoods who could use actual care. Care in the form of community pools and basketball courts, fully funded healthcare centers, fully funded daycare and summer programs, and affordable (dense) housing to name a few. While the debates are focused on such important issues, we as voters must be ready to do our research when we go to the polls. We must know the role of the city manager and how their decisions affect our city. We have to acknowledge that parts of our city are being ignored, and that doesn’t make us an equitable and inclusive place. And, if we are willing to do our homework, we must demand that our potential mayor does their homework also. We must challenge each candidate to explain their plan for supporting affordable housing and the future city manager. Finally, we can’t accept candidates saying they want to “unite, improve, revitalize, create” a (insert buzzword) city. We have 52 neighborhoods, each with its own history and culture. We need to support them without changing these facts. We need to respect them, and give them the tools necessary to grow for the inside out. So don’t trust any candidate wanting to save us, only trust the ones who want to work with us. financial management policies and practices. Of course this description is simplified, but these are overarching roles of the position. So the discussion of a new city manager is interesting, and especially pertinent, knowing that many people are critical of our current City Manager’s priorities. The policies and efforts that the City Manager has a direct effect on the type of well-being that our residents experience. The subject of gentrification has been current for a while now. The reinvestment into neighborhoods is great, but not if it comes at the expense of displacing people that live in them. A commonly forgotten result of a city investing solely into one singular area (developer deals, $1 building giveaways, incentive grants, etc.), is your focus becomes too myopic and the peripheral areas suffer. You focus funding and attention into an economically viable place and you forget the other neighborhoods with the same potential. We have invested so much in Over-the-Rhine that we have neglected to invest in the other areas, businesses do not choose to take on ventures that don’t generate profit. Instead they often directly or indirectly pursue ventures that generate profit at the expense of affordable housing, be it through displacement or funding allocation and because the city wants to see investment in the city, they tend to ignore direct or indirect displacement and the lack of investment in affordable housing. For us to turn the tide on homelessness the local government must legislate new ways to generate revenue for affordable housing, must legislate inclusion, prevent displacement and stand by basic human rights. rules that businesses, the public sector, and citizen must follow in order to prevent the further pollution of their surroundings, and this structure of prevention is critical to the present and future of our environment. These regs, he added, also provide the tools of enforcement that EPA officials and lawyers like himself use to take on polluters that violate the law. This is why the current effort to dismiss and to whittle away at these regulations is so potentially damaging. Altman stressed the importance of national laws with an effective EPA, because air and water pollution know no boundaries. Further, he said that the Ohio EPA is quite ineffective, and that is why he has relied on Region V of the national EPA for assistance in his environmental cases in this state. He warned of a current proposal to eliminate Region V, a step that citizens need to oppose if they want effective protection in Ohio. Once again, he alluded to his "house of cards" analogy. What can citizens do? Altman emphasized the need for community organizing, and he noted that people become engaged if they feel the issue immediately impacts their lives. Therefore, it's probably more important to approach neighbors about a local pollution threat rather than raising the issue of global warming or climate change. If we want to be successful in our efforts, concluded Altman, we must include the middle-class in our organizing. Otherwise, we are not going to have a big enough constituency to win the day. “Breakdown Stereotypes” [Editor’s note: The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition does not endorse political candidates, but we encourage our readers to pay attention to the issues and vote.] ------------------------ ------------------------ “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 5 �No. 35 5 5 LOCAL No Country For All | M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 DR. MARK MUSSMAN Y Staff Writer esterday, as I walked up Race Street, between 12th and13th, I saw the most odd and disturbing thing. Generally, things are pretty peaceful there but there was a squirrel and a bird engaged in a violent fight. The bird swooped down from the treetop and swiped the side of the squirrel as it ran down the trunk. The squirrel was thrown off the tree and landed on the concrete. Brushing itself off, it headed back up the tree as the bird violently swooped at it again. Why were these animals acting like this? I could only guess they were both vying for the same space. benches was apparent to many. Were they asking the mostly black bench-sitters to find a new place to gather – already regulated to the outside perimeter of the park? This is just one tree and several benches that were removed – think about the burden that housing displacement places on individuals, families, and communities. Displacement might as well be our country’s battle cry. Starting with the Native Americans, we have been displacing whole groups of people for generations – but this certainly does not make it right. Manifest Destiny is what it was called – white people who Tree Where Bird and Squirrel Fought Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman It was clear that this was a turf battle to me, but I wasn’t sure why, until I casually glanced over to Washington Park and saw another large, 100+ year-old, tree was cut into pieces on the ground. Either the squirrel or the bird was displaced from this tree, and it was causing chaos in the animal world. 3CDC, which has a lease on the park, has cut down several of the trees in Washington Park in the past year. They cite “disease” as the reason to cut them down, but I am seeing something more sinister with this last believed that they were given this land by their god (whether Christianity or Capitalism) which emboldened them to burn the forests and clear the land of people who lived here for at least 14,000 years. We had three major native-constructed earthen mounds here in downtown Cincinnati (including one on Fountain Square, now a privatized 3CDC space, not a public square) which were raised to remove the existence and record of the indigenous people. We white Americans saw no need to learn from, or even respect, the cultures of Whether they clocked out as a janitor, a server, a bartender, or even as a white collar worker, there was a place for them to stay downtown. When the Metropole was closed by 3CDC to eventually create the 21C Museum and Hotel, residents were given just mere hours to vacate the premises. Once all of them were forcibly removed from the property, downtown lost its nationally recognized designation as a diverse community – resulting in a lawsuit which brought a small settlement, but the damage had already been done, residents were removed from their homes and their neighborhood. They just gave them the boot. As they did the corner stores and the other businesses that residents relied on for their livelihood. Whether it be the elementary school, the Laundromat, or the Drop Inn Center, 3CDC’s reign of displacement is on a grand scale, and is hardly something that should be touted as a positive change in the neighborhood. Today, we are seeing massive displacement in the northern part of Over-the-Rhine. The so-called Brewery District folks are explicitly using NEP to push families out of the neighborhood by making “anonymous” complaints about minor aesthetic issues to the city. Model Group has bought dozens of properties around Findlay Market and is using different tactics to push people out, including refusing to turn the heat on during the winter in one 3CDC Displaced First Residents in Over-the-Rhine Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Displacement is occurring at a rapid pace in Over-the-Rhine, fueled by the work of 3CDC, which is deemed the city’s “preferred developer.” When they entered the neighborhood about 10 years ago, they took over the building and telling other buildings that they are at risk of being closed by the federal government. When 80+ year old women are being forced out of their homes so that developers can make money, it becomes everyone’s Tree Removed at Washington Park The Dennison Hotel is Demolished to Protect the Value of the Surface Parking Lots Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman tree that was killed. Underneath this now-gone tree, was a sanctuary of sorts for neighborhood residents and their friends to sit and enjoy the day. The benches under the tree have been removed (perhaps replaced soon?) but the effect of removing these the Native Americans. Fast forward ahead to the displacement of the people who lived in the Milner Hotel, the Dennison, the Metropole. Each of these SRO’s (single room occupancies) provided low cost housing for many of downtowns service workers. entire block on Race, between 14th and 15th. They forcibly removed the residents and claimed that displacing them was the best solution to the substandard housing they were living in. No one from 3CDC asked the residents what they wanted repaired or updated in their homes. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED issue. This is why we need everyone to join the Homeless Coalition as we assist residents who are at risk of losing their homes. If you want to know why the homicide rate is so high right now in (Continued on page 11) �6 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 5 �7 NATIONAL Rapidly in, rapidly out: the struggle to keep up with Rapid Rehousing rent payments No. 35 5 | M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 I f you saw Lisa Sawyer walking down the street in Pioneer Square or in her neighborhood of Greenwood, you would be forgiven for doing a double-take, for feeling a flash of recognition. Sawyer’s face enjoys a prominent spot on the website for All Home King County, the organization that implements homeless and housing policy for King County. She won Real Change Vendor of the Year in 2015, and she advocates for policies impacting homeless and low-income people. Despite her work selling the paper and pounding pavement to improve her lot and that of others, Sawyer and her boyfriend, Steven James Drogosz, have struggled to get into housing. She spent five years without a roof of her own, alternately sleeping outdoors and paying for expensive hotel stays for a respite from the cold and damp. In November 2016, all that changed. Sawyer and Drogosz received help through a rapid rehousing program they accessed through DESC, a large shelter provider in Seattle, a program meant to help people with their rent for a few months. After a year of looking, they found an apartment in Greenwood for $1,350 a month. Despite the price, they jumped on it. “If you’ve been outside so long, you want to get inside right away,” Sawyer said. Now it looks like her new home may be slipping away. Sawyer signed a lease for 10 months. The building she’s in expects to undergo refurbishment toward the end of 2017 and cannot have residents ASHLEY ARCHIBALD Courtesy of Real Change / INSP.ngo at that time. DESC paid her first and last months’ rent and move-in costs, but didn’t subsidize future months’ rental payments, leaving Sawyer and Drogosz paying the market rate. Five months into the program, it’s getting increasingly difficult for Sawyer and Drogosz, a veteran with health problems, to make ends meet. She’s already been late on rent twice. The rapid rehousing program is a short-term housing program. It comprises of housing searches, case management and financial assistance, typically lasting between three and nine months, and helps with the costs of housing. This support gives new tenants a chance to get on their feet and into selfsufficiency. The program is the darling of housing policymakers and is enshrined in Seattle’s plan to combat homelessness, Pathways Home. It has also been promoted by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as being an efficient way to get people into housing that costs less per head than transitional housing, which is a more intensive program. Ideally, rapid rehousing programs in King County follow standards laid down in the past few months by All Home. These standards include who can get into the program and how much help clients receive. Programs funded through any of the major funders — HUD, the city of Seattle, King County or United Way — have to adhere to these standards, said Felicia Salcedo, a spokesperson for All Home. To qualify, a person or family has to be “literally homeless,” meaning they’ve been sleeping on the street, in shelters or have fled domestic violence. Once they’re in housing, the program covers the first month’s rent and move-in costs. It then tapers over the course of the next two months, first asking clients to pay 30 percent of their income toward rent in the second month and then 60 percent of their income toward rent in the third. It stays at that standard until financial assistance through the program ends. Households are reassessed every three months. The 60 percent standard is quite high — HUD considers a person or family “rent-burdened” if they pay more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. Critics of rapid rehousing tend not to be against the program, just the way that governments have begun to lean on it to solve homelessness. Although rapid rehousing works for some who have fallen on hard times and need a hand, it doesn’t necessarily work for people with longterm needs that have prevented them from getting into housing. It also relies on the private housing market, which means that landlords have to be willing to accept someone who might have a less-than-perfect rental or credit history, while also knowing that the amount of time that tenants will receive a government subsidy is limited. Compare that to a Section 8 voucher, which also leverages the private housing market, but requires that tenants pay only 30 percent of their income. Sawyer entered the rapid Dissing Cincinnati in 1828 T here is a dearth of good material about daily life in Cincinnati when it was a very young, growing city. The first settlement in the area was in 1788 and it wasn’t until General Wayne’s victory over the Indians at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794 that its success was assured. The best account I have seen is Frances Trollope’s Domestic Manners of the Americans, published in England in 1832 and based on over three years in the young United States, two of them in Cincinnati. Frances Trollope came to the United States from England with three of her children in 1828 in an attempt to improve her family’s financial situation (her husband and another son came later). She had heard that Cincinnati was a bustling and dynamic small city that would offer opportunity to an upper-class English family living on borrowed MICHAEL EARL PATTON Contributing Writer money. It didn’t work, at least as planned, nor did she enjoy her stay. But in a way it did work, because her book on her experiences became a best-seller – at least in England. This first book also showed her to be an excellent writer. By more writing she restored her family’s finances. Her book gives every appearance of being a fair and accurate criticism of Cincinnati and the United States, if from an English upper-class viewpoint. That is not to say it was well-received here; indeed just the opposite. She was excoriated and has been mostly ignored. That is unfortunate because there is a wealth of information in her book, and it is an enjoyable read. If Cincinnati remembers Mrs. Trollope at all, it is for her descriptions of the abundance of pigs in the streets and an ill-conceived bazaar to sell fancy goods. That is all I plan to say about the bazaar, but she was right to criticize us for all the pigs. At first the Trollopes stayed at a hotel, but were dismayed to find out they would have to eat with the 60 or 70 men in the dining room or the half dozen ladies in the bar-room (at that time hotels and lodging houses generally served a common meal to their guests). They rented a house of their own and discovered an apparent omission, as she relates: “We were soon settled in our new dwelling, which looked neat and comfortable enough, but we speedily found that it was devoid of nearly all the accommodation that Europeans conceive necessary to decency and comfort. No pump, no cistern, no drain of any kind, no dustman’s cart, or any other visible means of getting rid of the rubbish, which vanishes with such celerity THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED rehousing program before these standards were published. Although DESC would not speak about Sawyer’s case specifically due to privacy concerns, it’s unclear why a person in her circumstances wouldn’t get a subsidy, said Greg Jensen, a spokesperson for DESC. “The situation you’re referring to is not the norm,” Jensen explained, “We wouldn’t typically set someone up in a situation they couldn’t either sustain or transition to a situation that they could get the kind of assistance they would need to be successful.” About half of the 1,612 households that exited the program in 2016 left for housing while they were still active participants, and 61 percent were permanently housed when they finished the program. All Home calculated the average monthly income of people exiting the program once every quarter during 2016. The amounts ranged from $1,173 to $1,374 per month. That means the average household could neither afford the average monthly rent in Seattle — more than $1,800 a month — nor Sawyer’s $1,350-permonth rent. For her part, Sawyer is hanging on. DESC helped furnish her place, and she now has a kitchen and a microwave. It sounds small, but it’s the first time in a long time she’s been able to cook for herself, or have the cost-saving luxury of leftovers. Being inside, having her own place, was “totally life-changing,” she confirmed. Sawyer just hopes it doesn’t get taken away: “I feel like I don’t have any safety net at all.” ------------------------ in London, that one has no time to think of its existence, but which accumulated so rapidly in Cincinnati, that I sent for my landlord to know in what manner refuse of all kinds was to be disposed of. “’Your help will just have to fix them all into the middle of the street, but you must mind, old woman, that it is the middle. I expect you don’t know as we have got a law what forbids throwing such things at the sides of the streets; they must just all be cast right into the middle, and the pigs soon takes them off.’ “In truth the pigs are constantly seen doing Herculean service in this way through every quarter of the city; and though it is not very agreeable to live surrounded by herds of these unsavory animals, it is well they are so numerous, and so active in their capacity of scavengers, for without them the streets would soon be choked up with all sorts of substances in every stage of decomposition.” The pigs were so numerous that she said her odds of walking up Main (Continued on page 11) �8 NATIONAL Border Stories: The Meaning of Ritual SR. NICOLE VARNERIN Contributing Writer B eing a religious sister, ritual is very important in my life. And, I would suspect, that ritual is important in many lives. I don’t only mean religious ritual, but also the ritual of what I do each day, the self-care rituals I engage in, and the social rituals that keep me grounded. I have learned that having certain rituals enhance my experience of life and keep me sane. This year, Holy Week and Easter were full of new (and old) experiences of ritual. I have always enjoyed learning about and experiencing other cultures. My parents raised me on tum yum goon, Indian curry, and tabbouleh – none of which are a part of my heritage. They enjoy trying new things and teaching my sisters and me to do the same. Of course we love our Italian comfort food too, but the value of respectfully learning from other cultures was instilled in me from a young age. My father taught me how to observe before participating and my mother taught me how to throw my whole self into the experience. So you can imagine how thrilled I am to be immersed in the sub-culture of the Rio Grande Valley. The highlight for me was Santa Viernes, Good Friday. I have always loved the somber atmosphere of Good Friday which gives me a chance to reflect on God’s love for me. This year, a new ritual allowed me to walk with Jesus in a whole new way. At 2pm, a small crowd gathered at a park near the church. Leading the pack was a wooden cross carried by a teenage boy dressed as Jesus. A girl dressed as Veronica, complete with a veil bearing the face of Jesus, walked beside him. We processed through the streets, singing and praying el viacrucis, the Way of the Cross. I felt like the women of Jerusalem, following Jesus in the streets as he showed us how much he would suffer in the name of the justice he stood for. As we arrived at the church we prayed the last station and entered the church in silence. The culture here is an expressive culture, and I appreciated the ability to express my sorrow for the suffering of the world and to physically see God’s love for us in his actions. Later that day, after the passion play put on by the children of the parish, I participated in yet another new-to-me ritual. We gave our condolences to Mary. The idea is to give condolences to Mary on the occasion of her son’s death, just as you would with a friend. We said a special rosary that led us to meditate on times Mary had to let go of her son and watch him do God’s work. It was touching to watch mothers, who have to let go of their own children, meditate on what it must have been like for Mary to do the same. Feet in Water Credit: Credit: Sr. Nicole Varnerin The carrying of the cross during Easter procession Credit: Credit: Sr. Nicole Varnerin M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 5 About a week after Easter, I had the opportunity to participate in a Mayan cleansing ritual called a temazcal. Unlike the other rituals, this one did not have a familiar basis for me. I had no idea what to expect and I was not given much description ahead of time. The ritual cleanses body and spirit, inside and out. One participant described it as going into the womb of the earth. The whole ritual reverences nature and thanks the elements and mother earth for the gifts of healing. Before the ritual, a small hut with a tiny door flap is built and a fire is lit to heat the stones at the bottom of the wood. I loved the reverent preparation. Each person was blessed with a type of incense before entering and I was asked to pray “for my relationships” with my forehead to the earth at the entrance of the temazcal. Once all were inside, “hombre fuego” dug some rocks out of the fire and delivered them to a hole in the ground at the center of the hut. We welcomed each rock with “Bienvenido abuelita!” (welcome grandma in English). Once the door was closed, water with different herbs were poured on the rocks to create steam and an incredibly hot room. The door was opened four times and each time, more rocks were added and a different herb was infused in the water. The first two doors felt like being enveloped by a car on a hot day. The heat was comforting and cleansing. The third door was so hot that I had to lay down. I left with the fourth door because I had reached my limit. After the ritual I was doused by cold hose water to close my pores and shock me back to normal. After the ritual I felt energized and at peace. Inside I was disoriented, but once I emerged and was doused with water, I was somehow more present. Even though I hardly knew the names of most of the 19 people participating in the temazcal, I somehow felt bonded to them after our mutual experience. There is wisdom to rituals, no matter what tradition they come from. And opening myself to these new experiences has been invaluable. The final ritual I engaged in this Easter is one I am quite familiar with. I have a ritual of taking a quiet day once a week if possible. This time I spent the day at a local retreat center near the Gulf of Mexico. A blanket of quiet covered the place as I encountered wildlife and the tangible presence of peace. At the end of the day I drove the five miles out to the retreat center’s private beach on the gulf. How exhilarating it was to be consumed by water! No matter what ritual it was, each one helped me to live in the present moment and get a taste of this newto-me culture. What a blessing to be able to learn from others! ------------------------ Easter procession Credit: Credit: Sr. Nicole Varnerin THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �NATIONAL The art of healing: facing bipolar using abstract art photography No. 35 5 9 | M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 RANYA FORGOTSON Courtesy of The Curbside Chronicle / INSP.ngo H ow did you get into photography? I went through a period where I couldn’t leave the house, I was so depressed. I went to counseling and the guy said, “You need to find something you can do, walk out your front door and just go do.” And so, I started taking pictures. It was just such a release to do that. Dealing with bipolar, the worst part is when you have anxiety and you can’t get out of your anxiety – it just won’t go away. Then having something to do, it just helps. It helped me get to the point where I could get out of the house. It was like a therapy for myself to get out and do it. All photos by Chazzi Davis All photos by Chazzi Davis How long have you been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder? Well, I didn’t know I had it at first. I used to work and have a house, and a nice car and a nice truck, and a wife and a dog and kids. Over a six-month period, something hit me, and I just couldn’t function. I could not get up and go. And I couldn’t see what was happening to me. And it ended up where I lost everything. How long ago was this? Twenty years. It happened in 1999. But the loss was so traumatic that I haven’t ever really recovered. It’s just like, I go up and down and up and down. But I have realized: you become self-aware after so long. And I think what hurt me was, the people who loved me could not understand what was happening to me. Here’s this successful guy that goes “plop.” And they had no clue. It took me five years to accept being bipolar. It was like, “I wanna be normal, I wanna be normal.” Now, I connect with it. I accept I’m not gonna be normal. What was it like being diagnosed? I can’t explain what it’s like when you lose everything. That feeling of knowing where I used to live, and the smell of a nice car, those feelings of Christmas. All that’s not going At first I said, I don’t want to get on pills like Prozac and antidepressants and stuff. Going back through time, I’d listen now. Without my medicine, my mind goes a thousand miles an hour. I don’t know how to stop myself sometimes. My mom tells me now when I’m needing help. She’s awesome. If it weren’t for her, I’d have probably given up. I came out of the mental hospital homeless. She was like, why don’t we move in together? So now, I live with my mom. You said you started doing photography as way to get out of the house. How long were you cooped up, do you remember? It would be, oh, months and months. And I had my family, my kids crying, “Dad, you gotta get out of this room.” And I would go outside, but I’d go right back in. It was just depression. When your mind’s constantly going, “Your life’s over, man. You ain’t never getting out.” That’s why I love Curbside so much. All photos by Chazzi Davis to be my life anymore. It’s like I’m disjointed from life. Like, I’m over here and they’re over there and I can’t get back. But… when you find yourself in hell, keep on going. That’s all you can do. You don’t know what’s wrong with you. I remember saying to my wife, “I don’t know what’s wrong.” I regret that I put my wife and family through the things I did. I do remember her saying, “Something’s not right with you. You’re extremely stressed out.” I mean, I was in a bad mood all the time. I wish I’d listened. That’s another thing about mental illness, it’s like your ears are plugged up. All photos by Chazzi Davis THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED I can do it on my good days. I usually wait until I have to, but that’s just the procrastinator in me. That’s the motivator: I have to pay this bill. And it’s working out. With my mom, I’ve gone from paying the internet and the auto insurance, now I’m paying the electric bill. It saves our lives. I live in fear of us being on the streets, but Curbside helps with that because it’s something I can handle. I sell on the corner and think about where I used to work. And I feel happier here than I did up there. Because of the stress and all, I just couldn’t handle it. And I tried to fight my way through it, but (Continued on page 11) All photos by Chazzi Davis �10 LOCAL JUSTICE DENIED, SOCIETY THREATENED STEVE SUNDERLAND "W here justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob, and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe."--Frederick Douglass The attack on the poor's healthcare continues with new cuts in Medicaid insurance ordered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Poor people, just now awakening to the realization that healthcare can improve their lives and the lives of their families, will be deterred from getting critical insurance. Bombing healthcare provisions has the same effect as bombing people and buildings: people will unnecessarily die, suffer, and be frightened about their future. Citizens at many town hall meetings, largely middle class people, are outraged at their Congressional representative's attempt to explain why less benefits, fewer choices of physicians and hospitals, and the abolition of prevention results in "better care." Contributing Writer The American poor are being joined by the American Middle Class in protesting changes in healthcare that are ridiculous for any person who wants to feel secure about their health. Protests have been the order of the day, whether at local, state or national rallies. The Congress has heard and backed off a sad and destructive bill to replace the Affordable Care Act. But Trump is not finished: choking the ACA to death can happen through arbitrary and undiscussed rule changes. Simultaneous with the attack on the poor, are efforts to widen access to healthcare for everyone. Physician groups, Hospital Groups, and Citizen Groups are joining together to both resist major changes and to rethink just how the healthcare system can be improved for those at highest risk. It is hoped that this effort will continue despite the new rules and the old attitude that healthcare cannot be a right for everyone. In Cincinnati, the Cancer Justice Network, an organization of 25 agencies that serve the poor in the city and Hamilton County, have come together to step up the healthcare services to the poor. Using a new health role, "navigators," the Cancer Justice Network is going to churches, community centers, and schools where poor people and their families attend. Our goal is singular: we want everyone who is concerned that they may have cancer to get a screening and a timely treatment. Thanks to far-looking grants from Easter Seals and the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center, Molina Insurance, Christ Church Cathedral, Congregation of St. Joseph, Academy of Medicine, and the Woodward Trust, we are creating a transportation process that "navigates" any low income citizen, aged person, or person with disabilities, to and from cancer prevention healthcare. Normally, the high risk population we are working with has too many transportation obstacles to get to either a screening and or regular treatments. Not being knowledgeable about insurance provisions for transportation or Medicaid stipulations, the person with cancer may give up and choose to use their limited funds for housing, or food, or some recreation for their children. Removing transportation hurdles, accompanying the person to and from their health provider, starts a process that could lead For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 5 to overcoming cancer in our community. The process can break down at any time if there is an emergency in the person's life or if they are unsure what to do when they have an urgent medical need. Often people do not have a doctor, do not know how to access the Emergency Room, and sadly have had experiences of being humiliated by healthcare professionals. Our navigators are offering a different kind of relationship: we will go with the person and make sure that the healthcare is outstanding and we will help people negotiate the maze of cancer care and of the local transportation systems. When we have shared this opportunity with people at church meetings or in community centers, we are often met with disbelief: "Why would you do this for me? What do you get out of helping me?" Suspicions connected to prior experiences tend to dominate even when we have face to face meetings with kind and down to earth physicians. Yet, every time we find courageous people who are willing to risk a first step with our navigators, although many people have a change of mind. The power of the anti-poor culture can win out and persuade people that what we are sharing may be a scam. "Who helps the poor?," they seem to say with their behavior of missing appointments. (Continued on page 11) �No. 35 5 | M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 DR. MARK MUSSMAN (Continued from page 5) Cincinnati, (higher than that of Chicago even), perhaps you need to look no further than displacement. When people are displaced from their block, whether their housing or their outdoor marketplace, they are forced MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 7) Street without brushing by a pig snout were 500 to 1. Her walks were often curtailed by immense droves of pigs which were continually arriving from the country along the same road that led to most of her favorite walks. A bigger threat to tranquility came from the construction of a slaughterhouse after she moved to the countryside village of Mohawk about a mile and a half from town (Mohawk has long since been incorporated into Cincinnati). When she asked if this might be considered a nuisance in a residential area, she was told that hogs were profitable and we Americans were too free for laws banning things because of the smell. She thought that Main Street was the only street that was entirely paved and that it was decently surfaced with brick. But Cincinnati at that time had no drains in the streets, which was all the more remarkable because the RANYA FORGOTSON (Continued from page 9) couldn’t. How long have you been taking photos? It’s been two or three years. I really got into it in the last year and a half or so. My uncle moved in with us, and he had to go through cancer. That was horrible. But that was a major motivation. That’s when it really kicked in, when he died. He kept saying, “Do something with your life. It’s not over. Look at me, I’m dying. I want to trade places.” When I go out to take a picture, it comes so easy to me. I feel like I have to struggle at everything else. There’s sort of a psychedelic element to your work. Well, I was raised by hippies. I like to take photography and edit it to make it look different – bring out stuff that’s a little bit abnormal. That ain’t the way it looks normally, but that’s the way it made me feel. I take the photo and then try to make it resemble how I felt when I took the picture. Does experiencing bipolar, play into your photography? I think so. If I’m in a negative place mentally, this is like a relief STEVE SUNDERLAND (Continued from page 10) We know that our process of helping will be a slow one but we are basing our work on the pioneering efforts of Harold Freeman, MD. Freeman, facing high death rates from his patients who came too late for treatment, created a program of community navigators that could NATIONAL 11 to enter into someone else’s turf, and as direct competitors, they shoot it out. People are so callous in this community to cheer when someone dies of a drug overdose, or to point out a shooting victim’s arrest record, but they are silent when it comes to understanding structural racism and the growing violence of displacement. Just as the bird and the squirrel are fighting it out right now, we have lost our collective home in Over-theRhine. We can not simply put the onus of ending the violence on those who are involved in the underground economy – we must dismantle the racist drug war and protect families from displacement. We need stronger tenant protections and an affordable housing trust fund to ensure that future generations have a chance and our family tree isn’t cut down because someone with power deems it “diseased.” heavy showers make them necessary and the slope to the river would make their construction easy. Instead the showers washed the “filth” from the higher streets to the lower, where it was deposited in the first level spot. (Note: Cincinnati has long had sewers, but there are still problems in heavy rains. Mrs. Trollope would probably not be surprised.) She wrote that everyone in Cincinnati pursued money above all and were not distracted by art, science, learning, or pleasure. Indeed, she described Cincinnati as a city that did not make any attempt at beauty in its buildings with the exception of a few churches. There were no public gardens. As for amusements, no city had fewer than Cincinnati. Billiards and cards were forbidden by law. There were no public balls except for a few around Christmas and Washington’s birthday. There were neither concerts nor dinner parties. There was a theater, but few attended it. Although she enjoyed spending time in the forests or rowing on the Ohio, Cincinnatians generally did not. The only time she observed us enjoying the countryside was eating strawberries and cream at a garden about 3 miles from town. She wrote that the strawberries were “tolerable” but the cream was not. She was bothered by that, with the exception of dancing (done only by unmarried men and women), all the enjoyments of men were done in the absence of women – dining, playing cards (although banned in the city itself), having musical meetings, and parties. At the Washington birthday ball, the men dined in a large room of the hotel. The women, on the other hand, sat down on a row of chairs against the wall of the ball room, each one making a table for her plate with her knees. When she asked why, she was told the men like it better that way. She thought that this extreme separation of the sexes contributed to the generally uncouth behaviors of men, especially chewing tobacco and spitting. She wrote that trespassing, robbery, and even murder are often committed without fear of the law. If a criminal found a place getting “too hot to hold him,” he only had to travel a few miles west. Although we did not hold to the English idea of aristocracy, she observed a class distinction between merchants and “mechanics” or skilled workmen, even when they are equally prosperous. She could not understand our non-stop election campaigning. This last comment would still hold true today. She had trouble hiring servants, saying that American girls would rather work in a paper mill than for twice what she would pay them as servants. Eventually she hired a woman from France and an English girl. For a while a slave woman from Kentucky came over once a week to help clean, which I found interesting because Ohio was a free state and there were many free because I can make something happen that’s beautiful. It’s better than negative thoughts. That’s why I try to show positive images, because I’m constantly consumed by negative. Making the beautiful out of the weird. And has the photography helped with the negative thoughts? Oh, yeah. Because instead of being a negative jerk, I’m out there like, “Let me take a picture of this weed that I’ll make beautiful!” So, my mind’s preoccupied. I’m not focused on the negative. What do you use to edit your photos? I use a simple editing website. Some of my better ones, I spend hours on them. And sometimes, I’ll just delete it because I can’t do anything with the damn picture. But most of them, I see what it’s going to be when I take the photo. And the point is to make it look kind of abstract. I want people to ask, “What is it?” Like abstract art. I like taking everyday things and playing with their color and texture. What is your favorite part about photography? The walks. Going for walks. And when people say, “Wow!” When your family says “Wow,” you’re kinda like, “Hmm.” But when somebody who doesn’t know you says, “Wow,” you’re like, “Yeah!” That’s a good feeling, you know? I’ve always been creative, I just couldn’t find the place to do it, a place to let it out. But this just sort of dropped in my hands, and I’m glad it did. How often do you go out and do photography? A couple of times a week. Early mornings are best. What do you want people to get from your images? That everything can be beautiful, even small things that we overlook every day like weeds. You don’t see that perspective very much. I try and bring that out with my photos. I just want to keep creating stuff with it. It’s not always going to be cool, but it’s fun. It’s a way to distract myself. The thing about being bipolar is you dwell. Just little stuff, stupid stuff. And you have to be aware of that. What I’ve noticed about depression and anxiety is that as long as you take baby steps out of it and you’re willing to fight your way out of it, you can get out of it. And photography is part of my escape. How does it feel to have experienced mental illness but to have a better handle on it now? It’s empowering to know that I can get up and work when I’m ready to. To know that Curbside’s there for me. If you go through a period where at night you’re thinking about suicide, but you can wake up in the morning and say I’m still rolling. That was a big problem for me – just keeping going. Each year that goes by, I get stronger and stronger. And hopefully one day, I’ll be able to pass it on. What are some misconceptions about mental health that you wish people knew? Here’s something I want people to know: IQ has nothing to do with mental illness. People think, “You’re smart, you can’t be mentally ill.” But that’s not how it works. I feel like you can be sick and healthy at the same time. You can ride the roller coaster without the world ending. If I could give anything to any other person that’s bipolar, it would be that. Do you think you’ll do photography for a while? I think I’ll do it for the rest of my life. It’s my motivator. bring people to him much sooner in their cancer. In five years, Freeman's program reversed the death statistics: most people survived their cancer. We are following this program in Cincinnati because minorities have the highest death rate from cancer in Ohio. The Cancer Justice Network is the only program that navigates high risk populations to and from healthcare while empowering people to take more control over their healthcare. Largely made up of volunteers, we attend church dinners, meetings at community centers, and programs where the poor come for help. Our navigators are saying that there are more choices for life than death if we seize the chance to get an exam and treatment. We know we have a difficult job to convince people who have been excluded from healthcare, stigmatized by the media, and now facing certain cuts in their essential healthcare. We are determined to make progress by taking time with people, listening to their fears, and, with navigators, going the extra mile to compassionate healthcare. This is what we mean by justice for everyone. Please go to our website for more information: cancerjusticenetwork.org THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED (Continued on page 13) �12 LOCAL Getting down like you live M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 5 RICARDO TAYLOR Contributing Writer & Streetvibes Distributor ‘T he inversion of a statement holds many more jewels then the first perception.’ In the manner of life, we hold, and of course, behold more; many and different concepts/perceptions of our existence! The idea or perhaps best suited for you, the reality of an existence depends on your learning’s and experience. One generally has to start with their sense of value or worthiness as far as the successes they desire in life. One cannot just live like they get down, they have to get down like they live! Accepting whatever I can get! Ah! You invented that in your mind! That’s a refusal, allowing me to earn what I perceive, as if that’s life’s limit! It is so easy to become discouraged by things we sometimes don’t succeed at, and so, we often throw our hands up in surrender. Credit: Aimee Willhoite Accepting life as it is, taking whatever comes. Living like we get down! Our reality is stymied by the moment, and the blindness sets in! We become single focused; tomorrow brings what it will; I’m good for now! Absurd! Once your thinking is marred, it no longer makes a difference! Ah! You start to live like you get down, instead of getting down like you live! Cleo's Corner CLEO WOMBLES L Contributing Writer & Streetvibes Distributor ast summer I started making balloon animals when I sell a paper. I give them to people for free. They’re fun to make and it’s fun to see the expression’s on people’s faces. I do it just to do something different and stand out among people. I’ve been having a lot of fun doing this and seeing people smile and their kids When you just go with the flow nothing changes it’s a life of stagnation, you struggle for change, searching for that idea of what you can do to learn to get down, so that you can change your circumstance. It becomes…oh, what am I to do? I want to get down like I live! So what am I to do? First and foremost, we have to have a plan, or something equivalent to that. Next we have to have the fortitude to execute the drive, towards our wants and needs, and then we begin. Living like you get down, suggest what your needs might be at the present, with no call for later. Hmm; let me see! Living from day to day always brings about different needs and wants, based on necessity of the moment. The need for change or some relief is constant, and therefore it becomes extreme to know which direction to take in order to come to laugh. From 11 am to about 12:50pm at lunch time people begin to know me and even have discussions with me on the corner of 4th Street and Walnut. Really, it’s just being able to engage with people and to draw their attention. I like to do things like this especially on days that are sunny and there’s good weather. Some days seem longer than others, but you do what you can with what you have. By at least 5:30 I always go home. We are people just like you STACEY HOLLANDER F Contributing Writer & Streetvibes Distributor ollow for me a day and put your feet in my shoes and let me show you what you will experience. One particular time I was sitting on the church steps flying my sign and some group of people told me to put the crack pipe Fear BOBBY MORRIS W Contributing Writer & Streetvibes Distributor hat is Fear? For me Fear is (2) things: 1. A crippling emotion that keeps me from growing and facing life’s challenges. 2. It’s a motivator, fear at times motivates me to do things that I ordinarily wouldn’t do. It’s the crippling fear that has in the past and sometimes the present that won’t allow me to move forward. For instance, asking for help when I am stuck in a situation that is new and unknown to me. The most recent event I can share would be living alone in my own place. The fear of supporting myself without the help of my family is crippling. I’ve never been on my own and today I am working toward that goal. It’s scary. What if I find myself unable to make ends meet? What if being alone in my apartment becomes boring and I start thinking that my old life wasn’t bad, let me go back to that. That’s allowing fear to stop me from moving forward. So I have been looking at this fear as a motivator. I’m scared. Yes, but look at the independence I am striving for. As a teenager being independent was a dream. I can’t let this fear stop me from attaining that goal. down and they threw food at me. I also remember people telling me to get a job and they took my sign Fear is a four letter word that has brought many people to their knees in defeat. I won’t let this be my story! I will be one of the champions of fear. Being fearful is not a bad thing it’s just another emotion of many that I struggle with by being human. It’s not a negative emotion, it’s just an emotion. Wouldn’t it be great to only feel joy? And happiness? A wonderful dream. But in the end it’s just that, a dream. I like how writing has become a way for me to face my fears. At night or even throughout the day. I write, and fear motivates this writing. I fear if I don’t write my thoughts and feelings on a daily basis I will be headed for failure. Again there’s that fear. Fear of failure. Failing is and always has been a part of my life and those failures are my motivators, my lessons to be learned. Who knew that taking the fear of failure and turning THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED any sense of success in your efforts. So the question arises, what do I need to do to get down like I want to live? Here is where our inversion of the statement ‘live like you get down, or get down like you live’ comes to the place of pure selection of jewels! That crossroad where we have to decide if we will continue to live like get down or get down like we live? Ah! The reality that there has to be change is more than a mere notion, there is only one direction! Let’s get down like we live! Whatever you may want or need is possible you just have to make it a reality! So it may cost a bit yet, what do you have to lose? When the decision is made to get down like we live we soon start to see changes in our lives. Changes in our thinking, changes in our actions, and of course changes in our lives! Of course there has to be a plan of action and some prospect of realizing fruition of those plans. Fortitude is the essence so that the oftentimes extremes in lifestyle doesn’t frustrate us. Taking from the motto of AA its one step at a time! It is at this junction that we have the magic of inversion… we can learn to ‘Get down like we live instead of Live like we get down. Well, at least I’ve been a lot better than I was. I used to be homeless but by doing things right and I believe by prayer now I’m just taking it one day at a time. I am bipolar and suffer from PSTD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) I have shelter in permanent supportive housing with other people. But at least I can call it home now. For now, this is all I have to say. So God Bless Everybody! and said very hurtful things. I have been around of people experiencing homelessness who got pissed on, spit on or they would beat us up. Just because we are homeless doesn’t mean we are targets. Beat up on someone else. Leave us alone. We are people just like you. We have feeling too!!! it into a positive, would help me to do awesome things I never thought possible? I’m a champion of Fear every day I wake up and do the right thing for the right reasons. I am a champion of Fear when I walk into my job as the new guy and give and honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. This may seem small to some of you, but for a man like me who struggled with doing the right thing for the right reason it’s a miracle, a Blessing from God! Fear no longer has as tight of a grip on me as it used to. Fear is not my enemy; fear is my contender. It’s what I battle each and every day and so far, the war still wages and battles are still yet to be fought. I have my Armor, I have my Shield, I have my Sword. But most importantly, I HAVE MY “GOD”. “Fear! Come get some!!” �No. 35 5 | M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 STREET VOICE TRUMP'S FIRST 100-DAYS So let us start to count the ways To judge Trump's first 100-days. The Donald has a predilection To take us in the wrong direction. He's left his Populism in the ditch By proposing tax cuts for the rich. Tweeting a lot of personal derision, He seems hell bent to create division. He has environmentalists in despair By axing regs that protect the air. Immigrants are his big scapegoat, And he rants they all illegally vote. All this stuff may cause us to curse. The problem is it could get worse. BILL WOODS Contributing Writer 13 MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 11) Blacks in Cincinnati. She wrote that it was “more than petty treason to the republic to call a free citizen a servant.” Perhaps – and this is my own thought -- young women associated servant work with slavery and that made it so difficult for her to find help. Later, after Mrs. Trollope returned to England and began her writing career, she would write an anti-slavery novel that helped inspire Harriet Beecher Stowe to write her own novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Mrs. Trollope was not all about negatives. She was impressed by our practice of moving wooden houses to new locations to make room for an improved one of brick as the city expanded and grew. The largest one she saw moved was two stories of four rooms each, pulled by forty oxen. The beef and poultry bought at the market were excellent (no word about the pork). She noted that there are no butcher shops, nor any shops for food except the bakeries. Everything else must be bought at the market. Eggs, butter, and vegetables were generally good and moderately priced. Fruits were inferior to those in England, which she thought might be due to the climate. All in all, a most worthwhile read. I cannot relate everything that I thought interesting in one article. Nor in two articles, but I need to point out her observations on how we followed the Declaration of Independence where it says “all men are created equal.” I plan for that to be my next article. MISTAKEN CONTROL TO HAVE CONTROL OVER ONESELF AND WELL BEING IS ENOUGH TO HAVE CONTROL OVER OTHERS LIVING HABITS NOW THAT’S JUST TOO MUCH STUFF TO HAVE THE CHOICES AND A CHANCE TO VOTE WHETHER RIGHT OR WRONG TO HAVE THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN THIS FREE LAND WAS NOT THAT A SONG TO HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT I DESIRE TO SWITHCH OFF AND ON TO HAVE THE BELIEF THAT INSPITE OF MY PAST MY LIFE IS NOT ALL GONE TO HAVE TRIED TO LEAVE MY PAST BEHIND WHERE I HAD NO CONTROL TO HAVE FOUND A PLACE TO LIVE, HERE COMES CONGRESS LORD HAVE MERCY ON MY SOUL! TO SEE SO MANY CHANGES NEW APARTMENTS, PARKING LOTS ALL LOOKING REAL GOOD TO BE AROUND TO SEE ALL THE PEOPLE RICH, POOR AND THE HOMELESS STILL BEING MISUNDERSTOOD TO REMEMBER WHEN I WAS HOMELESS HOW I OFTEN PLEADED TO GO TO JAIL TO GET OFF THE STREET TO KNOW THAT JAIL WAS WHERE I COULD GO TO EAT AND SLEEP ALL FOR FREE I COULDN’T BEAT TO TAKE AWAY HOUSING, RAISING RENT, LOWERING FOOD STAMPS I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND TO KNOW FOR SURE, THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD HAVE MISTAKEN CONTROL AND IT’S WIDE SPREAD ALL OVER THE LAND…. WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 5 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 124 Across 1. Smell 6. Discharged a debt 10. Written leave of absence 14. Mature 15. Skin condition 16. Plant with fleshy spiny leaves 17. Spotless 18. Small bunch or bundle 19. Noisy 20. Hair dye 21. Distribute playing cards 23. Country, initially 24. Part of the mouth 27. Trampled 29. Progenitor 34. Also 35. Subject or object, can be common or proper 36. Talon 38. Optical device 42. Civil wrong 43. Custom 45. Unaccompanied 46. Neutral 48. Rend 49. At the summit 50. Wonderment 52. Barren 54. Sobbing 58. Pig pen 59. An evil spell 60. Adhesive 62. A roughly built hut 67. Part of the eye 69. Small island 71. Keepsake or souvenir 72. Storage tower 73. Remain 74. Strike out 75. Acute or sharp 76. Voice quality 77. Regenerate Down 1. Curved shape 2. Irritate 3. Overt 4. Miserly 5. Chronological account of events 6. Animal foot 7. Corrosive material 8. Gusset 9. Leave 10. Buddy 11. Not silently 12. Cook in a marinade 13. A closed litter for one passenger 22. Closed circuit 25. Strong, restless desire 26. Arctic or Antarctic regions 28. Vertical back fin 29. Not in favor of 30. Midday SODOKU PUZZLE NO 254 - MEDIUM 31. Remedy 32. Ensnare 33. Overzealous 37. Married women 39. Scintilla 40. Gambling machine 41. Move around slowly and aimlessly 44. Evaluate 47. Small branch 51. Join the military 53. Marine mollusk 54. Mixer 55. Strange and frightening 56. Expatriate 57. Zest 61. Flair 63. Opening or perforation 64. Similar in quality or character 65. Yield 66. Had experience of 68. Male offspring 70. Center of a storm PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 350 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 123 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 253- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 35 5 RESOURCES | M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 557-2873 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 241-1064 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 St. Vincent de Paul 721-0643 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelterhouse 411 Gest St. 45203 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 1125 Bank Street 45214 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 1437 Walnut Street 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Parkway Center 661-4620 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Interfaith Hospitality Network Housing: 471-1100 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 621-5300 961-1983 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 351-0422 381-6672 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 721-4700 421-7803 Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center UpSpring 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 977-6800 859-572-6226 First Lutheran Church 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry AA Hotline CCAT 1522 Republic Street 45202 961-4555 381-1954 421-5211 Food/Clothing 961-4663 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Tom Geiger House Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn VA VA Homeless 961-2256 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both 221-HELP 721-8666 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 Starting Over 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Talbert House Tender Mercies 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 921-1613 First Step Home 761-1480 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Prospect House Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Caracole (HIV/AIDS) CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 114 W. 14th Street 45202 784-1853 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Charlie’s 3/4 House 2121 Vine Street 45202 Shelter: Youth Health Center for Respite Care 421-0065 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile $100 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio FreeStore/FoodBank 762-5660 Shelter: Men Medical Van 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 Salvation Army 131 E. 12th Street 45202 15 for 26 issues $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Center Independent Living Options Peaslee Neighborhood Center 241-2600 621-5514 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart Goodwill Industries Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Mary Magdalen House 381-0111 771-4800 579-8547 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 981-4200 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 M a y 5 - M a y 18 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 5 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 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 May 5-May 18, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Environmental Protection in Jeopardy Pg 3: We Don’t Need a Hero, We Need Equity and Cooperation Pg 4: GCHC Pg 5: No Country for All Pg 6: GCHC Pg 7: Rapidly In, Rapidly Out Pg 8: Border Stories Pg 9: The Art of Healing Pg 10: Justice Denied, Society Threatened Pg 11: Dr. Mark Mussman Continued Michael Earl Patton Continued Pg 12: Getting Down Like You Live Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 May 5-May 18, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Key Beck Dr. Mark Mussman Michael Earl Patton Sr. Nicole Varnerin Steve Sunderland Ricardo Taylor Cleo Wombles Stacey Hollander Bobby Morris Willa Denise Jones Alice Schnieder Aimee Willhoite Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aimee Willhoite Alice Schnieder Bill Woods Bipolar Bobby Morris Border Stories Cincinnati Cleo Wombles Dr. Mark Mussman Environment Environmental Issues Josh Spring Key Beck mental illness Michael Earl Patton Photography Ricardo Taylor Sr. Nicole Varnerin Stacey Hollander Steve Sunderland Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/335eefde704dbaf3b3be8aa0ff27a0be.pdf 5a66b2dd36da80693b6a59c205f8bdc7 PDF Text Text M ay 19th - June 1st 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 37 (No. 356) advocating justice | Building community It’s impossible to count the number of lives Michael Stoops changed| 8 This issue sponsored by Lachey's INSIDE THIS ISSUE A Real Prospect for Political Reform | 2 Border Stories: Saying Goodbye| 3 Not-So-Fake-News from Early America | 5 Hostile Design | 7 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: Would You Forcefully Displace Your Grandmother From Her Home? W hat would it take for you to decide to displace elderly people from their homes against their will? Perhaps this question makes you squirm (I hope it does). Maybe you are thinking to yourself, “Well I guess if they refused to pay rent, or were violent toward their neighbors or something like that…”. Is there any chance, you are also thinking, “But I would still try to assist them in finding another place to live that works for them.” What if they had significant physical limitations, trouble walking, and perhaps chronic illness? What if the people and services they rely on to live were near their homes and they said they were scared about how they would get by elsewhere? Maybe you are saying to yourself, “Well I guess if the building were in unsafe physical condition, but I would still assist them in finding a place that worked for them.” What if you learned that this M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 6 JOSH SPRING Executive Director story is real and is happing right now in our city? What if you also learned that the two elderly women in this story were the final two people a company is displacing from their building after already displacing their elderly neighbors? What if you know these people did pay their rent and were kind to their neighbors? What if you learned that they really do have trouble moving about, one has a chronic illness and both use walkers? What if you know that they really do have friends nearby that assist them in getting their groceries from nearby? What if you knew that they check in on each other, their neighbors check in on them and they have a strong community? And what if it was confirmed that their homes were in safe condition? What if you met with them in person, looked into their eyes and heard their story and the pain this ordeal is causing, would you displace them? What if one of the two women signed a lease for another building you own, but a couple weeks later you learned she felt scared your company was going to put her on the street and was confused and under significant mental duress and that is why she signed the lease? What if you learned that despite the fact the new building has less stairs, they are wider and have inadequate railing and she has already almost fallen multiple times? What if the other woman recently fell in her apartment because your company did not fix problem tiles? What if you learned that these two women who have trouble walking were trying to pack their life’s belongings up and one of them has been trekking the mile to the new apartment trying to carry boxes on her walker, feeling lost, unsafe, and “like she is losing her mind” the whole time? Would any of these make you choose to not displace them from their homes? Maybe you think to yourself, “But if they are in bad health (Continued on page 11) A REAL PROSPECT FOR POLITICAL REFORM – FORUM REVIEWS A NEW INITIATIVE FOR FAIR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS IN OHIO A n opportunity to achieve significant political reform now exists in Ohio. An initiative was just launched to bring about fair Congressional districts in the state. Encouraged that voters passed an Ohio Constitutional Amendment in 2015 to establish fair state districts, the Fair Elections Coalition in Columbus drafted a proposal to reach the same end when Congressional districts are redrawn after the next U.S. Census. At the May 11th Community Issues Forum at Christ Church Cathedral, Catherine Turcer, Policy Analyst for Common Cause/Ohio, used a power point presentation to depict the present situation in terms of Congressional Districts in the state and to outline the content of the proposed Amendment that would reform the current redistricting process. She was joined at the podium by Elizabeth Brown, Vice President of the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area, who helped lead the discussion of why this reform is so badly needed. Ohio, noted Turcer, provides BILL WOODS Contributing Writer a model for gerrymandered Congressional districts in the U.S. After showing a picture of the results of the original gerrymandering carried out by Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry in 1812, she used several maps of Ohio to portray how this state’s districts were drawn after the last Census. Taking full advantage of their ability to Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Mona Jenkins Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE (Continued on page 3) Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Michael Earl Patton, Dr. Mark Mussman, Steve Sunderland, Bobby Morris, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones Photography/ Artwork: Alice Schneider, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Google images, Dr. Mark Mussman, Bill Woods Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Catherine Turcer from Common Cause Ohio Credit: Alice Schneider THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �LOCAL Border Stories: Saying Goodbye No. 35 6 3 | M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 SR. NICOLE VARNERIN Contributing Writer I have now been in Texas for over two months and will be leaving this adventure for another in the next few weeks. I just felt like I have hit my stride. I am comfortable with where I am and what I do. I’ve figured out my living situation and who my friends are. And now, I have to begin the goodbye process. Leaving is never easy, but after moving around job and living locations a few times, I’ve learned some things that make it easier. Remember Ritual Ritual is a way for me and those I am leaving to get closure to the relationship. Realistically, I am not able to keep in touch with each person I leave. For many, this will be the last time we see or talk to each other. For others, the nature of the relationship will change. I find that without some ritual of goodbye, a card, a dinner, or a personal conversation, feelings can be hurt and people can feel cast aside. The nature of being a sister means I will move around a lot. Moving for me does not mean I am unhappy with where I am, like it does for most people. Moving for me just means going to the next thing. I will always keep those I have met in my heart, and they need to know that. A simple ritual of goodbye can be giving cards or a meaningful trinket. The children I teach in Mexico will each get a handmade friendship bracelet and I will tell them how much they mean to me. I will remember them by a matching bracelet. We will continue to be connected. With my adult students and friends we might go out to dinner to celebrate and exchange phone numbers. Regardless of the specific ritual, the important part is that they will know what impact their life had on mine. Share My Experiences Sharing my experiences not only helps others to learn what I am doing and possibly find a replacement, BILL WOODS (Continued from page 2) control the Congressional district drafting process in 2011, Republicans utilized computer experts to create a district map that assured them of a large majority of Congressional seats. Working in a hotel room near the State House, the GOP technicians crafted districts that assured their Party’s dominance until 2022. In a state that is approximately fifty/fifty Sr. Nicole Varnerin and Teresa Photo: Sr. Nicole Varnerin but also helps me to put words to my experience. Finding words to describe my love of a place and for a people helps me to remember and let go. Part of this letting go happens here in my articles and my ability to share my experiences with you. Other times it is in conversations with family and friends. But sharing my experiences in person with others who might take my place is the most life-giving for me. I love sharing my joy with others. I love introducing others to the people and places who mean so much to me. I love seeing the light in their eyes when they experience something for the first time. I love seeing the wheels turning when something new comes along. This week I have had Sr. Nicole Varnerin and Teresa Photo: Sr. Nicole Varnerin in terms of votes for Republicans and Democrats, Republicans now hold twelve of the sixteen Congressional seats. Both Turcer and Brown took on the question of why having unfairly drawn districts is so unhealthy for the democratic process. Since political parties have indulged in some form of gerrymandering for over twohundred years, why not just accept it? The speakers emphasized that today’s extreme gerrymandering “Breakdown Stereotypes” done with “the power of the computer” makes districts so safe for one party’s candidates that campaigns are superfluous. No real debates or discussions take place that allow citizens to learn and talk about complex and important public issues. Many citizens, they noted, come to realize that their votes are meaningless. They simply see no reason to vote in Congressional elections. Do we really want a system where politicians pick their voters the privilege to share my experiences with a young woman named Teresa. It has been a joy to get to know her and I enjoy hearing her reflections on things that I experienced for the first time only a couple months ago. Sharing my experience with her has been a wonderful way for me to say goodbye to all that I treasure here. Another important outlet for sharing my experiences is in journaling and painting. I keep a journal so I can remember what I experienced. I can go back to it and remember how I felt in this new place and how I felt leaving. My paintings express my feelings in a more visual way and allow me to process my experience beyond words. Planning for the Next I know it can be dangerous to plan ahead before it is time, but I find that planning for the goodbye, psyching myself up for it, makes the goodbye much easier. Instead of just leaving, I think about how I want to leave. So how do I want to leave the Rio Grande Valley? I would love to be able to leave promising a return, but I cannot. So I have to say goodbye like it is the last time. I want to leave the valley with love. I want the people I have met to know that “because I knew you I have been changed for good” as a song from the musical Wicked says. I want to leave blessing the land and promising my prayers. I want to leave with all the lessons I have learned intact and engraved on my heart. And after leaving, there is always a new beginning. So how do I want to begin at my next location? It’s never fun to be one place physically and another place mentally. People don’t want to hear you pining for where you wish you could be, but want to hear your stories. Being mentally absent will only hurt me. I want to be fully present where I am, but still remembering how I have changed through the lessons I have learned in the valley. I want to remember where I was and integrate this experience into who I am, but still enter fully into where I will be. Will this be hard? Yes. But with the help of God and my friends, I hope to make it a reality. rather than “we the people” electing our representative? An active participant in drafting the current reform proposal, Catherine Turcer described how this initiative would prevent this kind of partisan abuse in the future. The Congressional redistricting proposal mirrors the state redistricting Amendment that was approved by the voters in 2015. It specifically (Continued on page 8) “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 6 �LOCAL Not-So-Fake-News from Early America No. 35 6 | M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 MICHAEL EARL PATTON O f course I don’t like news that is an outright fraud, but who makes the call? All the proposals that I have seen would have some group set up by a mainstream media organization determine what is fake and what is not, and either block the fake news outright or at least make it harder to access. The problem is obvious – the implication is that the mainstream media can be trusted, while alternative media cannot. Yet the alternative media exist in the first place because many people don’t trust the established media to provide accurate and complete information. That is not to say that the alternative media always gets it right, but considering their meager resources they often do a valuable job by writing about viewpoints and events that do not get proper coverage elsewhere. As I read Mrs. Frances Trollope’s book Domestic Manners of the Americans, I saw descriptions of at least three aspects of American life that surely galled the American Establishment of the 1830’s by its brutally honest – not fake -- depictions. Her book was vilified here but became a best seller in England. The citizens of the young United States came in for special scrutiny for proclaiming that “all men are created equal.” This, of course, was a central part of the Declaration of Independence and was penned by Thomas Jefferson. Mrs. Trollope thought it was self-evident that not all men were created equal and rightfully blasted us for being such gross hypocrites in not even making an attempt to live up to the matter when it came to blacks, American Indians, and Irish immigrants. Jefferson came in for some special scorn. I will quote much of what she wrote: “Few names are held in higher estimation in America than that of Jefferson; it is the touchstone of the democratic party, and all seem to agree that he was one of the greatest of men; yet I have heard his name coupled with deeds which would make the sons of Europe shudder. The facts I allude to are spoken openly by all, not whispered privately by a few; and in a country where religion is the teatable talk, and its strict observance a fashionable distinction, these facts are recorded and listened to without horror, nay, without emotion. “Mr. Jefferson is said to have been the father of children by almost all his numerous gang of female slaves. These wretched offspring were also the lawful slaves of their father, and worked in his house and plantations as such; in particular, it is recorded that it was his especial pleasure to be waited upon them at table, and the hospitable orgies for which his Monticello was so celebrated, were incomplete, unless the goblet he Contributing Writer quaffed were tendered by trembling hand of his own slavish offspring. “I once heard it stated by a democratic adorer of this great man, that when, as it sometimes happened, his children by his Quadroon slaves were white enough to escape suspicion of their origin, he did not pursue them if they attempted to escape, saying laughingly, “Let the rogues get off, if they can; I will not hinder them.” This was stated in a large party, as a proof of his kind and noble nature, and was received by all with approving smiles.” Now this has all the aura of what the omissions. We now know that much, maybe most or all, of what Mrs. Trollope wrote is true. Thomas Jefferson did have children by his slaves, notably Sally Hemmings, they did work as slaves in his manor and served at his table, and he did let them escape when they became of age. Whether he had children by other slave women is not covered by this book, but such a practice was certainly not uncommon. And orgies? Well, I am not going to entirely discount that word. Jefferson’s slave mistress, Sally Hemmings, was his wife’s half-sister. Declaration of Independance Credit: Google Images we would call today “fake news.” I checked the entry for Jefferson in my 1982 edition of the Encyclopedia Americana and there is no support for any of the above. The nearest it comes is a brief mention of personal attacks on Jefferson which were publicized in 1802 by James Thomson Callender, a “dissolute and unscrupulous journalist,” during Jefferson’s first term as president. The entry does not describe the nature of these attacks on the president except to say that they have rarely, if ever, been matched (this was obviously written before the 2016 campaign). There is nary a mention that Jefferson even owned slaves, let alone that he used them to run his plantation. “Quadroon,” by the way, is an old term that meant that the person had three white grandparents and one black grandparent. That was then. The 2012 book by Henry Wiencek, Master of the Mountain: Thomas Jefferson and His Slaves, does much to correct They had the same (white) father, John Wayles. Sally Hemmings’ mother was at least half-white, since the mother also had a white father but was born of a slave. This meant that Sally Hemmings would have been a “Quadroon,” to use the old term. (This also meant that the children Jefferson had by Hemmings would have had 7 white great-grandparents and 1 black one. Most of them would be “white enough to escape suspicion of their origin.”) But Hemmings was born of a slave, while Jefferson’s wife was born of a free woman. And that was the only difference that mattered. This sort of thing happened back then, a lot. Whether one used the word “orgy” or another word like “rape” may be just due to the writer’s preference given the times in which she wrote. I covered some of this in an earlier article, The Tragedy of Thomas Jefferson. Mrs. Trollope also mentions some of her personal observations on slavery and the attitudes of their THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 5 owners. She mentions an incident in Virginia when an eight-year old slave girl accidentally ate a biscuit that was buttered and sprinkled with arsenic, meant to kill rats. Mrs. Trollope gave the girl an emetic to make her vomit, took her into her lap, and wiped her mouth. This prompted no end of amusement from the slave girl’s white owners for showing such affection for the poor girl. She also noted that the owners would talk about their slaves in their presence as if, as she put it, the slaves were incapable of hearing. A Virginian slave owner told her that ever since he had married, he had a slave girl sleep in the same room as he and his wife. When she asked why, he replied, “Good heaven! If I wanted a glass of water during the night, what would become of me?” Mrs. Trollope rightly blasted the American government for forcing the last of the Indian tribes east of the Mississippi from their homes and making them move west. And this, as she noted, was after we had bound ourselves to protect their rights by “the most solemn treaties.” She visited the bureau in Washington that handled Indian affairs and noted that there, on display, was evidence that the Indians were no longer wandering hunters but were becoming agriculturists and adopting other aspects of European culture. And now Americans were forcing them from their homes, their crops, and the “sacred bones of their fathers” in order to seize their small territories. When I was growing up, I knew nothing of this. It wasn’t until I saw an exhibit at a little museum in Oklahoma when I was about 30 that I learned about the “Trail of Tears.” The curious thing is that I went to high school and college in Indiana, a state that was named after the Indians. Yet they were all forced out long ago. I wondered about this, and I think I even tried to find some more information (this was well before the internet), but found nothing worthwhile. The final topic I want to mention is her description of our treatment of the Irish immigrants. She wrote that we treat slaves better than we treat the Irish. She noted that there were strong feelings against the Irish in every part of the United States, but they work hard and are employed. If they become sick, however, the Irishman is thrown to one side and a new one takes his place. This is different than with a slave, who is treated as a valuable horse is treated. She relates the story of how a farmer told the country family which she was visiting of a dying Irishman who was literally lying at the side of the road unable to speak. They brought him to their house where he died during the night. He had been working at building a canal, had gotten sick, spent his last cent, left the miserable dwelling which was standard for canal workers, and tried to make his way back to Washington when he collapsed. He looked about twenty (Continued on page 11) �6 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 6 �No. 35 6 7 LOCAL | M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 Hostile Design DR. MARK MUSSMAN H Staff Writer ostile Design is a way to keep people from doing normal things that people would do – like sit, or lay down. These design elements are used throughout the urban landscape to exclude people from private and public spaces. Hostile Design does not include private security forces, CCV cameras, or other elements that require human interaction. But the signs that stand in proxy for security forces can be considered hostile design. Walking through Over-theRhine and Downtown Cincinnati, I was able to capture several forms of hostile design. The most common element that I saw prohibits people from laying down. Whether it be a bench with a bar in the middle, as you see in Washington Park, or it be a circular bench set up, seen in a few places downtown, it’s clear that laying down is strictly prohibited. While this may make sense at bus stops, what does it mean when you cannot lay down in a park? Would those people who had a vision for a great city park agree with the mentality to make it as inhospitable as possible? I believe parks were created and designed for a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. Now, instead of placing the bar in the middle of the bench, they make the benches too short to lay on, such as the bus shelters, including Government Square. Another common element stops people from sitting at all. This could be as simple as placing a flower pot on an unused stairway, as seen on Circular Bucket Seats Prevent Laying Down Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Outcroppings Prevent Families and People Using Wheelchairs From Having Easy Access Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Alley Leases Allow For Barriers to Privatize Public Space Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman 14th Street in Over-the-Rhine, or it could be a slight slope on ledges that would typically be used for sitting. The slight slope makes it impossible to lay down, but it also makes your legs fall asleep if you sit on it for any length of time. Spikes and ridges may be the most shocking type of hostile design, but little fences, such as the one around the entire perimeter of Washington Park are just as offensive. The ridges around the federal courthouse prevent people from sitting on their wall. The ridged metal in front of Holtman’s Donuts stops people, who may be waiting on a bus there, from having a comfortable place to sit. The recent removal of many of the bus benches throughout the city highlights the lack of value we put into our public transit system. This is to contrast with the privatization of public spaces, like alleys and sidewalks, in the area. While people on fixed and low incomes are struggling to stand waiting for the bus, a few feet away restaurant outcroppings take up the majority of the sidewalk. People sitting, enjoying their expensive meals can enjoy the sidewalk space, but it is otherwise an offense to sit on the sidewalk. I have seen police officers drive up in their cruisers and tell people they cannot have their legs on the sidewalk, when they were sitting on the church steps. Threats of tickets and even arrest have been made, but restaurants claim several feet of the sidewalk making it very difficult to navigate your way down the street with a family or in a wheelchair, in order to serve alcohol on the sidewalk. These double standards need to stop. I was first made aware of hostile design several years ago when I was in Santa Cruz, California. The University of California at Santa Cruz was designed to prevent students from engaging in political protests and marches. The winding walkways and meeting spaces were specifically (Continued on page 12) Ornate Fence Prevents Sitting Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �8 NATIONAL “It’s impossible to count the number of lives Michael Stoops changed” M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 6 STREET SENSE I t is with great sadness that Street Sense says goodbye to Michael Stoops, who passed away peacefully on the morning of 1 May. Michael directed community organising for the National Coalition for the Homeless, which he helped found in the 80s. No individual has been more committed to or instrumental in empowering people experiencing homelessness. This trait put him on the national stage during the frigid winter of 1986 when Michael slept on the sidewalk grates of Washington with activist Mitch Snyder and others. They successfully urged Congress to pass the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which remains our government’s most significant financial response to homelessness. Food stamps, Section 8 housing, Health Care for the Homeless, community mental health services, education assistance and much more — all McKinney-Vento. But this was only a moment in time. Michael had already been administering shelters and advocating around local issues in Oregon for a decade. He went on to create NCH’s speakers bureau, which trains and pays homeless and formerly homeless people to share their experiences with students, professionals and lawmakers. He instituted National Homeless Persons Memorial Day more than 20 years ago to honor the lives of anyone who dies while homeless. He led an annual effort to track hate crimes against homeless people and tirelessly pushed for homeless bills of rights legislation. He was instrumental in the founding of Street Sense and fostered a network of collaboration among street papers across the country. Michael served on our board for many years. One of our co-founders crashed on Michael’s couch when first BILL WOODS (Continued from page 3) prohibits drawing districts that favor or disfavor a political party. Requiring districts to be geographically compact, it says that splitting counties, cities, and townships must be kept to a minimum. Districts, according to the proposal, must be nearly equal in population, and the overall district map for Ohio must reflect statewide election results over the previous ten years. As approved in 2015, the Ohio Redistricting Commission will include the Governor, the Auditor, the Secretary of State, and appointees by the Speaker of the House, the House Minority Leader, the Ohio Senate President, and the Senate Minority Courtesy of INSP.ngoontributing Writer Michael Stoops at the Homeless Persons' Memorial Day in Washington D.C. December 19, 2015 Credit: Alexandra Pamles moving to the District to work on Street Sense. “The same couch that George Siletti slept on,” Ted Henson confided in a hospital hallway after visiting Michael. Siletti, who also recently passed away, was a dedicated member of the NCH speakers bureau and published poetry in the early editions of Street Sense. Clearly Michael opened his heart and his home to many. Yet he never asked for anything in return, except more work. Even though he was the kind of person with the kind of Rolodex that could get Susan Sarandon on a plane to Washington to demand Congressional action on homelessness. After suffering a major stroke in 2015, Michael continued to consult on NCH efforts. In his wheelchair, he participated in the 2015 and 2016 National Homeless Persons Memorial Day marches and interfaith services here the District, which included accompanying advocates to lobby councilmembers in the Wilson Building. He was greeted with a near- standing ovation when he attended the Street Sense annual celebration last year to see our artists perform. In addition to lawmakers, Michael was also committed to educating the next generation on homelessness and Leader. To officially approve a new Congressional District map will require a majority of the Commission that includes at least two members from the minor political party. Finally, public input is a requirement throughout the redistricting process, and any Ohio citizen can submit a Congressional map proposal to the Commission. Initially, explained Turcer, reformers hoped the General Assembly would vote to put their plan on the ballot. When the House and Senate turned their backs on it, the reform coalition decided to move forward with a citizen initiative. Faced with making a revision on the summary of the proposed Constitutional Amendment for Attorney General Mike DeWine, the coalition hopes to be ready to gather signatures in approximately three weeks. Preparing for the daunting task of collecting over 300,000 signatures of registered voters in the root inequalities that lead to it. “Sixth Graders Demand Equal Rights for District Homeless Community” — Michael. “Georgetown Freshman Founds Press, Builds Solidarity in Homeless Community” — Michael again. NCH Speakers Bureau member Eric Sheptock wrote in an email that Michael would always introduce speakers by saying, “I’ve been doing this work for 40 years; and, if we don’t begin to do more than feed and shelter the homeless, then in 40 more years when all of you are my age, we’ll still be trying to end homelessness.” It would be impossible to count the number of lives Michael has changed for the better. And he would never ask us to. But you can show it. In lieu of flowers or condolences, we are sure he would appreciate a wellcrafted call or note to your senator, your representative, your city official or a person struggling on the street. Rest in peace, Michael. We love you. Mitch Snyder (second from right) and Michael Stoops (farthest right), 1986. Courtesy of National Coalition for the Homeless Credit: Rachel Cain Ohio, Turcer and Brown believe that citizens are ready to support a reform that will help revitalize democracy in this state. ------------------------ Catherine Turcer updates audience on the citizen's intiative THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Credit: Alice Schneider �WORLD Refugee couple fight to be reunited for their wedding No. 35 6 9 | M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 DOMINIK GALLIKER Courtesy of SURPRISE / INSP.ngo A re you nervous? “A little bit.” She laughs, embarrassed. “I haven’t eaten anything today,” she says, clutching a little bag of chicken nuggets that she bought from the train station. “I didn’t want to eat until I knew that everything would go well.” The train arrives. The 14.34 to Fribourg, Lausanne, Geneva, Geneva airport. “Shall we sit upstairs?” asks 31-year-old Laila, her lips painted a matt pink. “I didn’t tell anyone, you know.” She says, once we’ve sat down. “It’s supposed to be a surprise. A big surprise for everyone. I’ll upload a picture on Facebook as soon as he arrives.” The train pulls away from the platform. The station slides by, then the riding school, then the river, the bridges. “He misses Bern a lot,” she says. Can you remember it all, Laila? It was a little more than one year asylum centre, signed in every day to confirm he was there, received 8.50 in Swiss francs per day, to buy food. Like hundreds of others who were turned down. *** Everyone is allowed to get married in Switzerland, it is a human right. You even get a residence permit after getting married, but you need to have the right papers. Toufik was missing one: a certificate of citizenship. In essence, a valid passport. *** “Look at this!” Laila rummages around in the plastic bag she has brought with her. “I bought him a present.” She pulls out a scarf, black, with the label still on. “I’m sure he doesn’t have enough warm clothes with him. He always forgets. In Morocco it’s always so warm…” An announcement interrupts her. Next stop: Fribourg. The Moroccan Laila waiting for her husband, Toufik Credit: Julien Gregorio ago – 8 December 2015 to be exact. Laila and Toufik had an appointment with the immigration authorities. A nice appointment, they thought. “Do we have to talk about it?” asks Laila, chewing on a chicken nugget. She had been making preparations for her wedding. They were at the registry office. At the desk for couples without papers. They had been together for a year and a half. Laila, a women’s rights activist from Yemen, had been given refugee status a long while ago. Toufik, a Moroccan looking for a better life, lived in an asylum centre. His application for asylum had been turned down the year before. He was an illegal immigrant, sans-papiers. However the authorities were missing a Laissez-passer – a pass to get him back to Morocco. Toufik was permitted to remain. He lived in the strange things, like whether or not she knew that Toufik didn’t have a residence permit. That he wasn’t supposed to be here. They questioned her for two hours, Laila told us later. Then they said that Toufik wasn’t sitting next door, he had been taken into custody. Arrested. Administrative detention while they prepared everything for deportation. *** Laila falls silent. The train has already passed Lake Geneva. It’s cloudy. The trolley rolls past us. Someone orders a cappuccino. After a while, Laila says, “Please don’t write anything negative about the immigration police. Or about Mr Ott. Mr Ott is a friend.” Toufik was in jail for almost three months before he gave up. Voluntary repatriation to Morocco, 25th February 2016. “Let’s talk about something else,” says Laila. Next stop: Lausanne. “Oh wow, we’re almost there already. Just one more hour.” Laila takes a mirror from her bag, and make-up. She tops it up, although she’s already perfectly made up. She pulls out her phone and checks one more time. Train’s estimated arrival at Geneva airport: 16.27. Flight from Casablanca due to land at 16.20. “We’ll have to hurry,” says Laila. *** Toufik first came to Switzerland in 2012. He never intended to stay. In his hometown of Rabat he was a carpenter, but he didn’t earn enough money to be able to start a family. His partner left him for another man, he tells us. He decided to leave. He managed to get onboard a ship, dodging the border police in Montpellier. He travelled to Italy. He lived in abandoned houses or on the street. He worked as a chef, embassy didn’t want to give Toufik a passport. Illegal immigrants don’t get passports. They told Toufik that he needed to apply for a Swiss residence permit. To get this, he needed to have a passport. It is this dilemma that Laila and Toufik wanted to explain to the immigration authorities at their appointment on the 8th December of last year. The civil servant had invited them there to talk about the wedding, as far as Laila and Toufik were concerned. “We asked you to come here today to sort out your residency status,” said Alexander Ott, head of the Bern immigration office. He split the pair up – Laila went into one room, while Toufik was led into another. Or so Laila thought. Two immigration officers questioned Laila. They asked her THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED then at a market, earning 30 euros a day. Shortly before the onset of winter, the business was checked for undocumented workers. When he couldn’t show his papers, he had to leave. “I just want a legal job with a steady income, a normal European life,” he said after coming to Switzerland. “Can’t I just stay here for a few months and then go back to Italy in the spring?” he asked. “I’ll freeze to death if I go now.” The State Secretariat for Migration checked whether they could just send Toufik to Italy or to France. Negative. The Dublin Agreement states that because Toufik was never registered in France or Italy, he couldn’t be sent back. There were only two options: he could apply for asylum in Switzerland, or he would be sent back to Morocco. “I wouldn’t fly back to Morocco for all the money in Switzerland,” says Toufik. And then he makes a hopeless application for asylum. In a country where he had no intention of staying. *** The train arrives at Lausanne station. Passengers are waiting by the doors for the doors to open. “Hello?” A phone call from Rabat. A quick conversation in Arabic, then the connection goes. “Toufik’s family,” Laila explains. “They took him to the airport, to Casablanca.” She tries to call them back. No connection. “It was an emotional farewell for them,” she says. “They hadn’t seen him in seven years. Before he was deported, he had been in Europe illegally for seven years. Can you imagine? Seven years!” *** One week before, at the immigration office. Mr Ott is in his mid-fifties with a moustache and a short haircut, grey, with rimless spectacles. A man with authority, and always media-ready. Why was Tourik arrested, Mr Ott? “Mr. S. had gone into hiding after the decision was made to remove him. A legal order was made to have him deported,” said Alexander Ott. Toufik had actually (Continued on page 10) Laila and Toufik reunite. Credit: Julien Gregorio �10 LOCAL M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 6 For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation DOMINIK GALLIKER (Continued from page 9) gone into hiding and travelled to Germany, but this was a long time ago. He returned to Switzerland and had been in the asylum centre for more than a year. How is this supposed to work? “The immigration enforcement authority doesn’t work with case-specific information,” Ott explained. “However, we clarified it with the appropriate authorities before he was detained. They confirmed that the deportation order was still valid. If Mr. S. had obtained the necessary documents for his marriage, we would have been able to assess his case a second time, but he didn’t have anything to support him and he was in Switzerland illegally. In cases like these, the immigration authorities have a very limited margin of discretion. We were forced to act in accordance with the law.” *** The train leans into the curve. The weather has cleared up outside and we can see the castle in Nyon across a lake. It’s just after 4 o’clock. “I thought about dying my hair red,” says Laila. “Not all over, just a little bit, underneath.” She checks her phone, no message from Rabat. “But then I remembered that Toufik doesn’t like red hair, so I didn’t do it.” *** How did you two meet, Laila? It was in 2014. June. They were both in an asylum centre in Thun. Laila was waiting for a decision on her asylum status. She had been doing an internship with a human rights organisation in Switzerland, and during that time the situation in Yemen had intensified. This is when Laila decided to apply for asylum. She met Toufik in a nearby shopping centre. All of the asylum seekers went there, because there was free internet access. He looked like an Arab. “Are you from Yemen as well?” She asked him, “from Morocco”, he replied. And he wanted to know how long she had been in Thun. “Four days”, she replied. He went into a shop, came back out and said: “come with me, I’ll show you the town.” And that was it. *** Laila checks her phone, sets it aside, and plays with the ring that she wears on her left hand, turning it around on her finger. A wedding ring? “Yeah”, says Laila. “We’re already married, just not on paper.” There was a traditional Islamic ceremony at the asylum centre in Thun. A big party. Someone had put on some African music and everyone was dancing, even Toufik. “It’s real gold”, says Laila. “But from Morocco, so it wasn’t so expensive. Toufik didn’t know what size to get. He just bought the biggest.” She has wrapped sticky tape around one side of the ring to make it fit. *** Subject: press enquiry. An email to the immigration service of Bern: why was there an order to arrest a man who had been living for such a long time in one of your asylum centres? And why was he only arrested when he showed up at the registry office, wanting to get married? The answer: “We would like to thank you for your enquiry. We regret to inform you that we are unable to express ourselves to the media. Thank you for your understanding.” And that was that. *** Geneva, central station. The train has barely pulled up to the platform when Laila stands up, grabs her coat and wraps her scarf around her neck. Just one more stop: Geneva Airport. “I need to do my hair quickly at the airport,” she says. And adds: “I hope Toufik is well dressed. I told him to wear something smart.” *** We sent a request to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM): application for access to files in the case of Moroccan national, Toufik S. After some time, the SEM sends us 200 pages of documents that have been redacted in places. It is Toufik’s story from the perspective of the authorities, from the first interview until the decision to deport him. These documents show that in the summer of 2014 the SEM tried, for the first time, to get Toufik out of the country. They wrote to the Moroccan embassy asking them to identify him and demanding a Laissez-passer. No answer. In January 2015 the SEM tried again. “The person in question does not have leave to remain in Switzerland, and for this reason will have to leave without delay.” No answer. The SEM sent a third letter in May 2015. “Respectfully, we would like to remind you that we are still waiting for a response in this matter.” No reaction. The fourth letter wasn’t THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED sent to the Moroccan embassy; they sent it straight to Rabat. The answer came within a few days: a promise that the Moroccan authorities would issue a Laissez-passer. This was on the 12th November 2015. Just one month before Toufik and Laila would go to the immigration office for their marriage documents. The authorities could not have known that they wanted to get married: it was all coincidence. *** End of the line, please exit the train. Laila dives out onto the platform. We watch people jostling with their suitcases to get onto the escalators. It’s 16.25. “Maybe he’s landing right now,” says Laila. “Now my heart is racing.” We climb the stairs. “Ok… deep breaths.” She laughs, nervously. We go through the revolving door, past the airport cafes and restaurants. It’s now 16.30. Laila heads to the toilets. “Just to do my hair, it won’t take long,” she promises, apologetically. She’s back within five minutes. How are you doing, Laila? “I’m good”, she says. “Good. Excited.” She goes on ahead, towards arrivals. We pass rucksack-laden people drinking coffee. She stops in front of the screen. The flight from Casablanca is fourth from the top in the list. Scheduled arrival: 16.20. Anticipated arrival: 17.10. Delayed. Laila slowly makes her way back to me. We have a seat in a cafe and she orders coffee and cake for us both, and insists on paying. She looks at (Continued on page 12) �No. 35 6 LOCAL WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? | M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 STEVE SUNDERLAND 1. Healthcare in jeopardy: The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that calls for the radical cutting of Medicaid funds to the poor, and, devastating cuts to provisions for the elderly and people with disabilities. The president and the Republicans celebrated these changes in the White House Rose Garden as the shadow of dire need fell across millions of people. No one knows, yet, just how many millions of people will be negatively affected or how many people with pre-existing conditions will lose their care, their doctors, and, eventually, their lives. The elderly, in and out of nursing homes, will lose vital options for care. Veterans will face even more obstacles. What is to be done? 2. The work of the Cancer Justice Network: Cincinnati is the cancer death leader of all of Ohio for minorities, people with disabilities, and the aged. Currently, the Cancer Justice Network is the MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 5) and was buried without a name. There was a general belief among Americans that the British were paying the costs of sending some of their poor to the United States, which was widely resented here. She was not able to confirm that but did confirm that many Irish and English poor arrived yearly. She relates that the poor of Great Britain would be better off if they emigrated to Canada instead of the United States, where they were greeted with “malice, hatred, and uncharitableness.” There is an aspect to the history of discrimination against the Irish that I want to relate as it affected my own research into this topic. About 10 or so years ago I wanted to do an article for the old Cincinnati Beacon website about how the situation for the Irish had greatly improved and now, every March 17, “Everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.” I wanted to note that Cinco de Mayo was becoming a similar holiday and it would be great if something similar JOSH SPRING (Continued from page 2 and have limited mobility they would be better suited in a home designed for people who are elderly.” Maybe so, maybe not, but if you knew all of this would decide not to displace them against their will and instead work with them to determine how they want to spend their years? It is hard to write words that fully express another person’s pain, but if I have gotten anywhere close, I hope you are saying to yourself, “This sounds terrible, I would never do this, no one should ever do this Contributing Writer 11 Medicaid and Obamacare. We will continue our programs until there is a new law that prohibits people from getting insurance. We will continue to visit dinners, health fairs, and educational settings and invite people to join us. We will find transportation that is easy, direct, and accessible for people wanting an exam and treatment. And, we will fight for the maintaining of every caring aspect of health insurance that assists people in fighting cancer. 4. Next Steps: We need to continue to march for justice in health care for everyone. Included in standing up for cancer justice is to also take our health seriously and not let our president and the Republicans decide that our population, our low income individuals and families, our people with disabilities, and our aged, are unworthy for full and rapid treatment. We have many allies in this struggle: doctors, hospitals, insurers, civil rights organizations, and the average American. Take cancer seriously and take action with the Cancer Justice Network. We are joining hands and we will resist this attempt to kill the poor and those most vulnerable in our population. only local program that educates this population on both the realities of cancer and the necessity for early screening and treatment. We visit with the people who are attending free dinners, or community health fairs, or educational meetings and invite them to get immediate care through taking people to health centers for exams to determine if they have cancer. Our program has "navigators," trained staff who are ready to accompany individuals and their families to doctors, nurses, hospitals, and screening centers. We are free because we are volunteers. Most people we see are afraid of cancer and even more fearful of going to physicians and hearing the horrific words, "You have cancer." In the past, negative thoughts about costs have been used as a reason for not going. Or, transportation to and from health centers, hospitals, and doctors' offices have seemed too bewildering. And, once some brave people have visited a doctor, they have been treated as if they were sub-human and ignorant. People have said to us: "I'd rather die than be treated so badly again." Our program seeks to rapidly change the access to health care by providing an ally for the person on the whole journey, from the dinner to the health center and, if necessary, to the hospital for treatments. We want to have everyone transported with confidence that they can master and afford the trips to the health care centers and, once there, understand what their health status and, if necessary, get treatment that is timely, compassionate, and successful. 3. Obamacare still exists: The new legislation does not replace or modify the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. Yet. People can still get insurance that does not discriminate against them because they have a prior health condition like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease. Our navigators can still take people for exams and treatments that are covered by happened with other ethnic groups. Of course I wanted to start by giving some background. I could not find it. There were virtually no records that I found in the internet except for a few scattered incidents. Articles on the subject said that the whole idea was over-blown. In fact University of Illinois Professor Richard Jensen wrote in 2002 that the whole idea of discrimination against the Irish was made up by them for some unknown reason. He wrote that the fact that the Irish-Americans claim signs such as “No Irish Need Apply” were common was a delusion unique to the Irish. His extensive research could find only one such example in the historical record. An electronic search of several hundred thousand pages of magazines, newspapers, and books turned up only about a dozen instances of such discrimination. Other academics echoed his finding. Well, if there was no systemic discrimination against the Irish in the past then I didn’t have an article, so I dropped the idea. George Orwell’s worker at the Ministry of Truth, Winton Smith, in his novel 1984 would have been proud of this “correction” of the historical record. In fact, discrimination against the Irish had been widespread for decades and “No Irish Need Apply” signs were probably common, including in many newspaper ads of the time. This re-revision came about not because of professionals continuing to search for the truth, but because of a high school student, Rebecca Fried. Her study was published in the Oxford Journal of Social History, the same journal that had originally published Dr. Jensen’s article saying Irish-Americans were delusional. True, the internet databases are more extensive now than they were in 2002, but it does call into question Dr. Jensen’s performance. He was a professional – Ms. Fried was a high school student. Sadly, the original article and its influence also showed how quick people were to get rid of a troubling bit of history. As for me, if I had known about Mrs. Trollope’s comments on the treatment of the Irish I would not have dropped the idea and would have written that article. I probably will sometime in the future. So all of this helps show why I like this book. It is an outsider’s look at the young United States and was often highly critical. It went against the mainstream narrative, but that does not mean it was inaccurate. In some areas, at least, it was far more accurate than mainstream accounts. One is the description of Thomas Jefferson’s treatment of his slaves. This was basically truthful, unlike the Encyclopedia Americana as recently as 1982, which lied by omission. As for discrimination against the Irish, this bit of history was covered up just a few years ago! The lesson here is not to automatically believe everything one hears or reads, but evaluate it and see if it fits in with other information. Not that we can always trust the alternative media either: just for the record, I believe the “birthers” are wrong. Barack Obama was NOT born in Kenya. I’ll leave for others to cover the charges brought up against both of the major party candidates in the 2016 election, at least for now. to another person”. Well guess what company is doing this, right now to two elderly women? You have likely heard of them, you’ve likely seen their signs, you’ve probably heard good things about them. You may have even heard that when it comes to for-profit housing development and management they are the “good guys” and do “good work”. And while they have done good work, they have also done and are doing bad work. They are trying to displace and have displaced primarily Black People with low incomes (in the next edition I will give more details on other efforts they are involved in). The company putting these elderly women through this horrible turmoil is Model Group. The fact is, it is never ok to forcefully remove people from their homes for no legitimate list of infractions. It doesn’t matter who the person is, who they are not or how long they have lived there or what age they are. It simply is wrong. So I have not described this currently happening story to say that people who are elderly with limited mobility and declining health have more right to self-determination than another person. It is wrong to displace people without a proven list of infractions, or substantial building, health or fire code safety concerns, period. But you would think that even a company who claims to be on the “good side of things” yet does not believe displacement is wrong would still have respect for their elders. Currently Model doesn’t. Hopefully that will change. By the way, this is what market forces do. The property from which these women and their neighbors are being displaced is on the streetcar line and Model has purchased 37 properties within the last three years within walking distance from this building. What do you think they plan to do with these buildings? THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �12 LOCAL “TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE” M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 6 BOBBY MORRIS Contributing Writer & Streetvibes Distributor C an’t remember who made that statement, but I find that today its meaning is powerful. I’ve lied to others regularly as a way of coping with whatever situation I was in. Rather it be to get something from that person or to get out of a bad situation that I had gotten myself into. Now that I’m living a different life, being honest and true to myself is paramount to me staying on this course. No longer can I look in the mirror and lie to myself saying that “I’m Fine”, “I’m good”, “I’ll be alright”. These were lies. I wasn’t “fine, good or alright” I was SICK! Sick physically, DOMINIK GALLIKER (Continued from page 10) her phone. No message. “I’ll upload a picture to Facebook,” she repeats. “And I’ll mention everyone who has helped me. As soon as all this is over, I’ll write a thank-you letter to Mr Ott. Everything has happened just the way he said it would.” *** After Toufik’s arrest, Alexander Ott invited Laila to his office to discuss Toufik’s legal options with her. Soon after, Toufik agreed to voluntary repatriation to Morocco. Once in Rabat, he applied for a new passport and wrote to the Swiss embassy in DR. MARK MUSSMAN (Continued from page 7) engineered to prevent an uprising. This was done in the wake of student organizing in the 1960’s. UC Santa Cruz has become the model for student political suppression and campus design. Last year, on a trip to Santa Cruz, I was hoping to find something called a “mosquito box.” You might be fooled into thinking that a mosquito box would be used to fight mosquitos – a well-known pest. Unfortunately, truly am. Being me and telling people, No! Showing people that this is me has been life changing. I can walk into a room and not feel pressure to be a certain way I can be the true me. Who knew? One simple, but difficult step toward change has made my life easier each day. I have to thank the people in my life today for teaching me that and my God for allowing me to be open minded about life and seeing the future as a pleasant and bright thing. This makes me smile. What a life I have today. A glorious life full of opportunities and endless accomplishments to be had ahead of me. Today I have Gratitude for that and for that nothing else needs to be said. Be true to You and Life will Blossom. emotionally, and most importantly to me spiritually. I used to run from myself in order to be “ok” with myself and the lies I told myself helped to reinforce those lies. Does that make sense? I lie to myself to make the lies I’m telling myself make sense or believable. WOW! Talk about being mentally and spiritually sick. As I sit here on this raining morning I see that being true to myself is easy once you make that decision that “Honesty is the best Policy”. Being honest with me. It took and will take many more days and in fact years before I completely get a clear understanding what power that is, that is in being true to myself. I’ll tell you about a recent encounter with this. I was telling myself that I wasn’t all that bad in my relationships with other people. They just didn’t understand me. When I told people that I’m quiet most of the time because I’m a shy, reserved person. “Poppycock”!!. (good word). Anyway I did this to build a wall between me and them. The wall also helped me not to look at myself. For years I would act this way and it did nothing but make me more Dark and Depressing instead of being the outgoing, humorous, person that I Rabat, applying for an entry visa. The reason given: marriage. The application was forwarded, and ended up in the Bern immigration office. The documents were verified and, on 12th October 2016, eight months after his arrest in Bern, Toufik received a letter: his leave to remain for the purpose of marriage. With immediate effect. At 17.12, Laila tries to call Toufik on his Swiss mobile number. His phone is switched off. At 17.15 she goes back to the arrivals screen. ‘Landed.’ She comes back to the cafe, twists the ring on her finger, and glances nervously at her phone. At 17.22 she can’t sit any more. She wanders around the arrivals hall. The screen shows that the baggage collection from the Casablanca flight has started. Laila navigates her way through the other people waiting, arriving at the yellow line. Her eyes flit here and there between the two doors leading into the arrivals hall. A woman with flowers comes through the door. A young man follows her and a group of people cheer when they see him. Laila waits. Comes back out from the crowd. “Maybe they’re questioning him, even now”, she speculates. “The border police, I mean. Do you think they’re questioning him?” She doesn’t wait for my answer and goes back to her place at the front. A woman with a yellow suitcase, a police officer, and then a man in a wheelchair pass by. A woman embraces her husband, someone else waves as he comes through the door. *** It’s 17.33 when she first sees Toufik, somewhere behind some backpackers coming through the doors. She lets out a sigh, steps over the yellow line and approaches him. One month later, on 15 November 2016 at the registry office in Bern, the two finally exchange their vows. it is much more nefarious than that. If you’ve been in gentrifying areas, such as Walnut Hills or Over-theRhine, you might be surprised to hear classical music being blasted on the outside of buildings. This is an attempt to push out “undesirable” people from the area. This is also done at Washington Park and the Public Library downtown. I guess the thinking is that people don’t want to hear classical music, so they will move somewhere else. This is a type of mosquito box, but not the most egregious. We have a true mosquito box here in Over-the-Rhine. On the side of Below Zero Lounge, there is a security camera and a mosquito box. Every time you walk by it announces “Warning, you are being videotaped” and gives off a high pitch noise. The high pitch noise is the mosquito box – while it does nothing to repel mosquitos, it causes headaches and forces people to leave the area. Young people are most susceptible to high pitch sounds, so they are more affected by it. We should consider what it means to be a community and to be inclusive. Does preventing people from laying down solve our housing crisis? Does preventing people from sitting at all give the message that people are “blight” and should not be here? Let’s be honest with ourselves – this isn’t about preventing crime, this is about our collective denial and our inability to find solutions to hard problems. Hostile design is one of the topics we cover in our walking tours in Overthe-Rhine. If you want to see some of this for yourself, schedule a walking tour with the Homeless Coalition through our website: cincihomeless.org/education Park Benches with Middle Arm Rest Prevents Laying Down Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Spiked Bar Prevents Sitting or Holding onto Bar Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 35 6 | M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 NO ONE ASKED 13 STREET VOICE No one asked. How are you today? No one asked, Because no one cared Maybe because everyone is too busy Someone went home today MOTHER GOOSE REPORTS ON THE COMEY FIRING Jimmy, Jimmy, the F.B.I. Chief. We are anxious to hear your briefAbout Trump's Russian connection. "I was researching what transpired, And then the Prez said: 'You're fired!' But you can bet it's about the election." Feeling, sad and empty No one asked, BILL WOODS Contributing Writer No one cared A NEW BEGINING Sometimes no one should have to ask. GOD IS GOOD, NOT SOME OF THE TIME When was the last time you asked someone could you help them? It’s so sad when no one cares enough to ask! KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer BUT ALL THE TIME 24/7 I BELIEVE THAT BE THE REASON WE LIVE ON EARTH AND GOD LIVES IN HEAVEN LOOKING BACK ON MY LIFE AND THE SO MANY CHANGES THAT I WENT THROUGH LEARNING FROM REPEATED MISTAKES GOOD AND BAD UNTIL I LEARNED WHAT TO DO REALIZING TODAY KNOWING WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT PLUS THE METHOD TO USE I SEE NOW THAT HAVING KNOWLEDGE DOESN'T DETERMINE THE ROUTE WE CHOOSE I KNOW NOW THAT EVERYDAY ABOVE GROUND IS A DAY TO TAKE HEED AND LEARN I KNOW NOW THAT MY CHOICES WILL DETERMINE WHETHER I LIVE WITH GOD OR I BURN TODAY, KNOWING, UNDERSTANDING WITH THE REALIZATION THAT YESTERDAY IS PASSED PRAYING AND HOPING MY WORDS WILL LINGER IN YOUR MEMORY MAKING A CHANGE TO LAST IF YOU HAVEN'T PAID ATTENTION TO YOUR LIFE MAY YOU LOOK BACK AND SEE THAT A NEW BEGINING IS WHAT'S UP FOR THE POLITICIANS AND THAT INCLUDES YOU AND ME WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 6 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 125 Across 1. Concession given to mollify Down 4. Unhappy 1. Frighten 7. Reckless 2. Musical instrument 11. Land measurement 3. Small vegetable 12. Music symbol 4. Figure out 13. Poplar tree 15. Something of little value 17. At that place 18. Major division of geological time 19. Patch up or renovate 21. Bovine mammal 22. Square root of a hundred 23. Parts of the Roman calendar 24. Ecstatic 27. Ancient Roman god 28. Cattle pen 30. Rescue 33. Alleviate 36. Design theme 38. Wading bird 39. Tablet of sheet paper 40. Relocate 41. Summarize briefly 43. Stalk 45. Animal hunted or caught for food 46. Relegate 48. Astern 50. A vote that blocks a decision 51. Naked 53. A small drink 56. Beer 58. Seer 60. Single 61. Army unit 64. Fractious 5. Book of maps 6. Consider or regard 7. Rodent 8. Residue of a fire 9. A close observer 10. Paladin 11. Assist in wrongdoing 12. Conifer leaf 14. Novel 16. Group of three musicians 20. In favor of 25. Limb 26. Expeditious 27. Asian plant grown for its seeds and oil SODOKU PUZZLE NO 255 - MEDIUM 28. Yield 29. Dwell 30. Male title 31. In bed 32. The other way around 34. Part of a church 35. Was seated 37. Elfin 42. Cooking vessel 44. Large long-jawed fish 47. Also 49. Three to a yard 51. Nobleman 52. Strong and sharp 53. Solemn 54. Marquetry or parquetry 55. Look searchingly 66. Follow as a result 56. Hotshot 67. Metal money 57. Yearn 68. Juicy fruit 59. Grains used as food 69. Yawn 62. Young dog 70. Finish 63. Understand 71. Attempt 65. Pertinent PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 350 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 124 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 254- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 35 6 RESOURCES | M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 557-2873 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 241-1064 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 St. Vincent de Paul 721-0643 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelterhouse 411 Gest St. 45203 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 1125 Bank Street 45214 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 1437 Walnut Street 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Parkway Center 661-4620 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Interfaith Hospitality Network Housing: 471-1100 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 621-5300 961-1983 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 351-0422 381-6672 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 721-4700 421-7803 Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center UpSpring 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 977-6800 859-572-6226 First Lutheran Church 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry AA Hotline CCAT 1522 Republic Street 45202 961-4555 381-1954 421-5211 Food/Clothing 961-4663 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Tom Geiger House Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn VA VA Homeless 961-2256 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both 221-HELP 721-8666 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 Starting Over 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Talbert House Tender Mercies 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 921-1613 First Step Home 761-1480 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Prospect House Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Caracole (HIV/AIDS) CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 114 W. 14th Street 45202 784-1853 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Charlie’s 3/4 House 2121 Vine Street 45202 Shelter: Youth Health 421-0065 961-0600 Center for Respite Care 621-1868 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile for 26 issues Center Independent Living Options Peaslee Neighborhood Center 241-2600 621-5514 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart Goodwill Industries Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Mary Magdalen House 381-0111 771-4800 579-8547 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 981-4200 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 $100 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio FreeStore/FoodBank 762-5660 Shelter: Men Medical Van 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 Salvation Army 131 E. 12th Street 45202 15 $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 M a y 19 - J u n e 1, 2 0 17 | N o . 35 6 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 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 May 19-June 1, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director A real Prospect for Political Reform Pg 3: Border Stories Pg 4: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 5: Not-So-Fake-News from Early America Pg 6: GCHC Pg 7: Hostile Design Pg 8: “It’s Impossible to Count the number of Lives Michael Stoops Changed” Pg 9: Refugee Couple Fight to be Reunited for their Wedding Pg 10: GCHC Pg 11: Where Do We Go from Here? Pg 12: “To Thine Own Self Be True” Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources 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 May 19-June 1, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Sr. Nicole Varnerin Michael Earl Patton Dr. Mark Mussman Steve Sunderland Bobby Morris Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Alice Schneider Google images Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alice Schneider Bill Woods Bobby Morris Border Stories Congress Dr. Mark Mussman Google Images Josh Spring Kim Green Michael Earl Patton Michael Stoops Ohio politics reform Refugee Sr. Nicole Varnerin Steve Sunderland Willa Denise Jones